Monday, January 13, 2014

2014 Most Anticipated

I am SO behind for 2013 that I am spending most of January catching up. But. In fun, awry tradition, here are the films I am excited for this year.

I'm not including Mockingjay part 1, because despite how great I thought Catching Fire was, it is stupid to break that book in two.

There are a number of Sundance films that look really interesting, but of course most are not yet assured of a 2014 release:
Whiplash (drama competition)
God's Pocket (Philip Seymour Hoffman, drama competition)
Hellion (Aaron Paul, drama competition)
Life After Beth (Dane DeHaan, Aubrey Plaza as a zombie, drama competition)
Low Down (John Hawkes, drama competition)
Skeleton Twins (Bill Hader, drama competition)
Lilting (Ben Whishaw)
God Help the Girl (musical)
A Girl Walks Home at Night (Iranian vampires)
The Voices (Ryan Reynolds, evil talking cat)
Frank (Fassbender)
Trip to Italy (Coogan/Brydon)
Cavalry (Gleeson, Aiden Gillen, Dylan Moran, Chris O'Dowd)
Laggies (Rockwell)
A Most Wanted Man (Philip Seymour Hoffman)
Rudderless (Billy Crudup)
White Bird in a Blizzard (Araki, Eva Green)
Dinosaur 13 (oscar doc buzz)
The Sleepwalker (horror, drama competition)
Jamie Marks is Dead (horror, drama competition)
What We Do in the Shadows (NZ horror - Taika Waititi, Jemaine Clement)
The Better Angels (Brit Marling, Wes Bentley)

And here are a few more I am currently looking forward to:
99 Homes (Andrew Garfield, Michael Shannon)
Amazing Spider Man 2 (Assuming they leave Marc Webb alone this time)
Animal Rescue (Tom Hardy, Noomi Rapace, Matthias Schoenaerts)
Big Eyes (Tim Burton)
Birdman (Emma Stone, Edward Norton, Michael Keaton, Andrea Riseborough)
Captain America: Winter Soldier (Chris Evans, even though tumblr seems to be excited for Sebastian Stan)
Carol (Todd Haynes, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara)
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (Rise was surprisingly good. Hope that keeps up)
Enemy (Jake Gyllenhaal, good reviews at TIFF (I've heard the trailer has spoilers, so I'm not linking))
Exodus (Christian Bale, Aaron Paul)
Far From the Maddening Crowd (Thomas Vinterberg, Michael Sheen, Matthias Schoenaerts, Carey Mulligan)
Foxcatcher (Steve Carrell goes dark. I'm still sad this wasn't ready for oscar season this year.)
Gone Girl (I haven't read the book, because I loathed Sharp Objects, but I'm excited for anything of David Fincher's.)
Guardians of the Galaxy (a raccoon with a gun)
I Origins (Mike Cahill, Brit Marling - I really liked their first film, Another Earth) (Oops, another Sundance one.)
Island of Lemurs (It's a movie with lemurs in IMAX. What's not to like? Fuck, I want to go back to Madagascar.)
Joe (David Gordon Green, Nicholas Cage)
Jupiter Ascending (The Wachowskis. I loved a lot of Cloud Atlas. I'm excited to see their next.)
The Lobster (Yorgos Lanthimos, Ben Whishaw, Jason Clarke)
Locke (Tom Hardy)
Kill Me Three Times (Simon Pegg as a hitman. I mean, what?)
Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter (Rinko Kikuchi) (Oh, whoops. Another Sundance film. Also in dramatic competition)
Night Moves (Kelly Reichardt, Jesse Eisenberg, Dakota Fanning, Peter Sarsgaard)
Open Grave (Sharlto Copley)
Smash & Grab (Danny Boyle)
They Came Together (David Wain, Paul Rudd, Amy Poehler. Closest we are getting to a Wet Hot American Summer.)
To Be Two (Casey Affleck)
Tracks (Mia Wasikowska in the outback. Awesome.)
Unbroken (Angie dir., Roger Deakins shooting)
We are the Best (Swedish film with good TIFF reviews)

And here are my Top 10 Most Anticipated:
10. A Field in England: I have not seen Ben Wheatley's last two films yet, but I hear great things, and this one looks surreal and was nominated for British Film of the year last year. I already have my ticket.
9. Interstellar: I have no idea what Christopher Nolan's new film is about. I do know that he attached IMAX cameras to drones to film it. Yes, please.
8. Cold in July: I have sadly only seen one of Jim Mickle's films so far, but I loved it and this one will have Michael C. Hall. In the dramatic competition at Sundance.
7. Transcendence: Johnny Depp becomes a computer and it has Cillian Murphy. 'Nuff said.
6. Veronica Mars: Finally! Veronica Mars was so much fun and it was cancelled far too soon and too abruptly. I helped kickstart the film (not that it needed my help) and I'm glad it is being put out for wide release. I also liked what the AV Club had to say about it: "Anyone pulling for Piz in the inevitable Veronica-Logan-Piz triangle is just wrong and should get used to a life full of disappointments."
5. The Double: I really liked Richard Ayoade's first film, Submarine, so I am excited to see him take on Dostoevsky with Jesse Eisenberg, Mia Wasikowska, and Noah Taylor.
4. Snowpiercer: Assuming there is SOME way of seeing the original cut, and not whatever bastardization Harvey Weinstein has decided to release. 
3. Untitled Terrence Malick Project: It is Terrence Malick and it has this cast: Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, and Ryan Gosling.
2. Grand Budapest Hotel. This looks like it could be Wes Anderson's best yet. The trailer has made me laugh every single time I've seen it. 
1. Only Lovers Left Alive. Jim Jarmush. Tilda Swinton. Tom Hiddleston. VAMPIRES.

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