Now this list was perhaps the hardest list to create out of all the films on this list. If there is a film I may have missed on the list, I either did not think of it or did not warrant it for these 15 films. That does not mean I'm excited for it, these are the films that truly have my interest in the course of the year. Also, I will be adding a trailer to those that have one below after my thoughts on each film.
Finally, as always everyone, this is my own list. You are welcome to your own opinions, as film is subjective. All I ask is that you respect mine.
And now....
These are my top 15 most anticipated films of 2015.
#15. In the Heart of the Sea (March 13)
#14. Inside Out (June 14)
It's been quite a while since Pixar released a film hasn't it? 2014 saw nothing released from the animation giant, an unusual occurrence as there usually is a Pixar movie every year. Well, not only is Pixar back with two films this year, and this first one looks like an incredibly strong return to the original stories that made them household names in the first place. The idea is that young Riley is uprooted from her home and moves to San Francisco. Her emotions inside of her, including Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust, and Sadness, try to help her adjust to her new life while also struggling with the change themselves. Not only is this such a unique and cool idea, but it's backed by a stellar voice cast: Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Phyllis Smith, and Diane Lane to name a few. It's been quite a while since Pixar had a great movie on their hands, and I'm hoping that this (as well as the upcoming The Good Dinosaur) bring them back to that glory.
#13. Ant-Man (July 17)
Marvel, you never cease to amaze me. Originally, I was not going to put this film on here, as while I was looking forward to it, I also didn't have much interest in it. After all the behind the scenes drama with Edgar Wright leaving the project and then having Peyton Reed, the director of Bring it On and The Break-Up, you know, GREAT examples to direct a superhero film, I was skeptical if this would continue Marvel's winning streak, or start showing the real chinks in their armor. And then.....the teaser trailer debuted last night during Agent Carter. I am genuinely surprised by how great this looks, especially the design and use of the Ant-Man suit. The effects look great and the tone of the trailer completely me took me by surprise, as it's much more serious and dramatic than I was expecting. I think what the real winner about this whole trailer however is that we're focusing on the relationship between con man Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) and his young daughter, which in turn gives him a reason to become a hero and prove his worth. This is an idea not really explored in much superhero films, how being a hero can affect your family, and I like how Marvel is going with this angle. Marvel, I don't know how you did it, but you did the impossible: got me excited for this movie.
#12. Crimson Peak (October 16)
Very little has been known about Guillermo Del Toro's return to gothic horror, but from what I keep hearing from Comic Con and based off this first image, it's going to be a true return to classic horror. I love the cast involved, especially the involvement of Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain, and the design seems to mix gothic buildings with Del Toro's own style of creating worlds. All I know of the plot is that Mia Wasikowska's characters falls for and marries Tom Hiddleston's character, who turns out to not be all he appears to be. This seems like the first true horror film to come out in a long time, and based off this first picture of Chastain, I can hardly wait.
#11. The Revenant (December 25)
I am greatly curious in The Revenant. There hasn't been many Westerns out in the last few years, with the True Grit remake, Django Unchained, and yes, even A Million Ways to Die in the West among the bigger ones. However, the plot feels like a good old fashioned revenge story: When fur trapper Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio) gets mauled by a bear, his compatriots (Tom Hardy, Will Poulter, and Domhnall Gleeson) rob Glass and leave him for dead. Glass survives and sets out to take down the men who betrayed him. I'm hoping that this could be the role that finally gains Leo an Oscar win (hopefully). Not only that but this is the next film that director Alejandro González Iñárritu is making after coming off of his critically acclaimed Birdman. I can't wait until an official trailer for this film is finally released.
#10. The Peanuts Movie (November 6)
I absolutely love the Peanuts gang. Charles M. Schultz's cast of amazing characters has been a massive part of my childhood from day one and the annual holiday specials are traditional required viewing in my household. When I heard that they were making a CG movie, I was understandably nervous, as most classic things from childhood are updated with god-awful pop culture references, like twerking, characters rapping for no reason other than it's hip to the kiddies, and really, painstakingly obvious current jokes kids will get. Blessedly, producer Paul Feig has been working closely with Charles' son Bryan and grandson Craig in order to deliver a proper Peanuts movie- one without Snoopy or Charlie Brown rapping/twerking. This first trailer seems to deliver on that promise by celebrating what Peanuts, and in turn Schultz's vison is about: dreaming big and using your own imagination to be happy within life. This is my most anticipated animated film of the year, as when you watch the trailer, you'll feel like a child again, giddy at seeing so imaginative and creative.
#9. Jupiter Ascending (February 6)
Usually when a film gets pushed back from its original release date to next year, it's never a good sign. Jupiter Ascending was supposed to be out last July, but was pushed back to February due to needing more time to complete some 2,000 effects shots left. Honestly, I'm glad they took the time to finish things up, as this looks like one of the most original science fiction films to come out in a while. Alien royalty has been harvesting life on other planets in order to create a type of youth serum. Three siblings, one of them played by Eddie Reymayne, is at war over who gains their late mother's inheritance. They then find that there is an unknown heir: Jupiter Jones (Mila Kunis), a house cleaner on Earth. Balem (Reymayne) immediately places a bounty on her head, causing warrior Caine Wise (Channing Tatum) to protect her. The Wachowskis are known for their big, grand stories (see The Matrix and Cloud Atlas for examples), and this looks like to be one of their biggest yet. I like the mix of gorgeous CGI worlds with the use of more practical effects (such as Caine's gravity shoes). It's very rare to see an original property not based off a comic or a book or a reboot or even a sequel, which makes Jupiter Ascending all the more enticing.
#8. Tomorrowland (May 22)
I can't wait to find out more about this movie. This movie is one of the biggest mysteries of the year, as plot details are kept are about as tight as a J.J. Abrams movie (well okay....this film hasn't invested in anti-drone technology like Abrams, but it's still kept pretty tight). The teaser trailer, shown at this past year's New York Comic Con, does exactly what a film of this magnitude is supposed to do: tease you, make you want to find out more about it. George Clooney, who usually never takes on these kinds of event blockbusters, looks like he'll be excellent as always, and I have faith in director Brad Bird, who has proven to excel greatly in animation with films like The Iron Giant and The Incredibles, and in live-action, such as the excellent Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol. I can't wait to find out what Bird and screenwriters Damon Lindelof and Jeff Jensen have planned.
##7. The Hateful Eight (November 16)
I was going to actually put this at #8....but then I realized that would have been an awful pun so moved it up one due to avoid incredible amounts of bad humor. So with a new Quentin Tarantino film out this year...there was no way I WASN'T going to put this in my top 10. I love Tarantino's work greatly, and I'm excited for him to return to the Western genre after Django Unchained. This film almost never came to be, as a script leak forced Tarantino to shut down production of the film. However, it seems he had a change of heart and is now releasing the movie this November. The plot follows eight people holed up in one location during a blizzard, who may not all make it out alive. Tarantino always assembles a stellar cast, and this is no exception: Kurt Russell, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Samuel L. Jackson, Michael Madsen, and Tim Roth are just some of the names listed in the cast and them mixed with Tarantino's excellent dialogue is simply a match made in heaven.
#6. Furious 7 (April 3)
How is it The Fast and the Furious films are some of the most entertaining films out there. We are now seven films in and this series shows no signs of slowing down whatsoever. This latest installment takes places after the events of the sixth, as Han has been murdered by Ian Shaw (Jason Statham), Owen Shaw's big brother. He wants revenge for what Dom and his crew did to his younger brother, and now Dom, Brian, and the rest of the gang must take down Ian to avenge one of their own. The film went through a bit of tragedy last year, as franchise star Paul Walker was killed in a fiery car crash. After figuring out what to do with the rest of the franchise as well as how to respectfully give Brian a proper send off, Universal and the rest of the Fast team have come up with a film that looks crazier than ever (cars jumping out of planes and parachuting down to the ground!) while also potentially setting up the series' endgame. James Wan, in his action feature debut, seems to have a handle on the action scenes and I'm just...really really excited to see both Dwayne Johnson AND Vin Diesel take on Jason Statham.
#5. Jurassic World (June 12)
Hard to believe, but it's been almost 13 years since we last saw the name "Jurassic Park" on our theater screens. In that time, the technology for computer generation has improved greatly and the original Jurassic Park still remains one of the most beloved films today. That's why it's a perfect time to reintroduce people to this world, with an idea so ingenious, it's the only next logical step for this franchise: the park actually works. The park, now called Jurassic World, has been open for 20 years and is thriving, being one of the world's most popular attractions. However, attendance numbers are down recently, so Bryce Dallas Howard's character, taking on the John Hammond role, comes up with a way to create a hybrid of two dinosaurs. Obviously, this is an absolutely terrible idea, and the dinosaur goes on a rampage, causing Chris Pratt's dinosaur expert to figure things out before it's too late. The film looks like it recaptures the spirit of the original film, as Colin Trevorrow has a clear love for it. The film feels not as if it's a cheap cash grab, but genuine: a film people actually want to see get made and care about the source material behind it. That and the image of a giant amphibian dinosaur eating a shark in a splash zone is a really cool image. Chris Pratt riding with velociraptors....well I'll wait until the film gives me more context.
#4. Mad Max: Fury Road (May 15)
After 30 long years, director George Miller returns to the original franchise based on speed: Mad Max. Set in between The Road Warrior and Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome, the film follows Max, now played by Tom Hardy, as he helps a woman, Furiosa (Charlize Theron), across the post apocalyptic desert. Naturally, some men, led by Nux (Nicholas Hoult), begin chasing them, and what follows looks like of the most ridiculous and insane car chases I've ever seen. The whole film, for its runtime, takes place mostly over one giant long car chase through the desert, which sounds like a great idea for an action movie. One continuous chase over the span of two hours sounds like a unique opportunity for some cool action set pieces. Hardy looks like he'll take Gibson's mantle just fine as Max and Hoult looks insane as Nux, leader of the group chasing the pair. What a lovely day indeed.
#3. Avengers: Age of Ultron (May 1)
The first Avengers, released way back in 2012, was the culmination of an experiment that brought so many famous superheroes together on the big screen. It was the payoff of a four year build up that no one was unsure if it would work or not. Now, three years after the first Avengers film, things are very different: all eyes are on Marvel, one of the most successful studios working at the moment, as they release the culmination in their "Phase Two." The sequel finds the team together once more, as they are dealing with the fallout from their own adventures. Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) decides to build Ultron (James Spader), a peacekeeping robot that can watch over and fix the troubles of the world while the Avengers are able to take a break. However, Ultron soon deems that mankind's worst enemy is itself, and soon begins to eradicate the entire human race. Now it's up to The Avengers to stop him, joined by Quicksilver (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Scarlett Witch (Elizabeth Olsen). The tone of this film looks much darker than last time, as the team looks to be in dire peril than dealing with the Chitauri. In addition, Spader, who does the motion capture and voice of Ultron, is incredibly creepy, giving just the right amount of menace for the character. Avengers: Age of Ultron looks to once again shake up the MCU and judging from the footage, it looks like they might succeed.
#2. Spectre (November 6)
Had it not been for a certain other film on this list, this probably would have been my number one pick, as everytime a James Bond film comes out, it feels like an event. You want to be there to see what will happen after all the hype and secrecy surrounding the production is unveiled. After the events of Skyfall, James Bond (Daniel Craig) uncovers a cryptic message from an unusual source that leads him to navigate the organization simply known as SPECTRE. He then uncovers a secret that could destroy everything he protects and loves. Just the fact that SPECTRE is finally back in the rebooted Craig series is enough to get me excited, but then we have the stellar new additions to the cast, including Christoph Waltz, Lea Seydoux, Monica Belluci, Dave Bautista, and Andrew Scott. We also get the return of Mr. White from Casino Royale and Quantum of Solace, allowing for some connective tissue between all the Craig films so far. Also, I am greatly curious about Waltz's role, as he is playing Franz Oberhauser, a character from the original novels who was Bond's ski teacher as well as a type of father figure to Bond. However, I can't help but wonder if they made Oberhause the new Blofeld, the head of SPECTRE in the older films, for this new one. While Spectre is VERY high on my list for most anticipated films, it would have been number one if it was not for this next film.
And my #1 Anticipated film of 2015 is.....
#1. Star Wars: The Force Awakens (December 18)
I know, it's a cliché at this point to put the new Star Wars film at #1 for most anticipated film of the year but this spot is completely justifiable. Where as I mentioned earlier a new James Bond film is an event when it's released, anytime Star Wars gets a brand new movie, it turns into THE event. This might be one of the most hotly anticipated films in this decade. The hype surrounding this film rivals that of the hype surrounding Episode I upon its release. And for me, this turned into my anticipated film of 2015 long before the year started, when production began. To me, this film means so much more than being a new Star Wars film: I was six years old when Episode I came to theaters, and I remember thinking it was pretty mediocre. My dad showed me the original films immediately after, and I longed for having Star Wars films like my dad had gotten. Ten years after Episode III, the opportunity comes again. Plot details are kept tighter than plans for the Death Star, but J.J. Abrams looks to have created a film that captures the spirit of the original films perfectly, creating a film that not only new generations of fans can enjoy, but any older generations who received the prequel films as their Star Wars films can be entertained as well.
I screamed louder than a girl at a One Direction concert when the Falcon showed up.
So what films are you looking forward to in 2015? Sound off in the comments below or follow me on Twitter @filmfan108! Here's to a great year for movies!
No comments:
Post a Comment