What's it about? In 1960s Montana, young Joe (Ed Oxenbould) watches his parents' (Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan) marriage fall apart after they move into the area.
Why the anticipation? Paul Dano making his directing debut is intriguing, given his work with everyone from Paul Thomas Anderson to Bong Joon-ho, and the cast is frontloaded with two very talented actors.
29. Mute dir. Duncan Jones
What's it about? A mute bartender (Alexander Skarsgård) searches for his missing girlfriend in futuristic Berlin.
Why the anticipation? Duncan Jones is a real talent behind the camera, and even though the premise sounds a bit 'meh' to me, I'm sure it'll be an intriguing trip back into the intelligent sci-fi spectrum he excelled in with Source Code and Moon.
28. Wendy dir. Benzh Zeitlin
What's it about? A young girl is kidnapped and taken to a hidden ecosystem where a war rages over a special form of pollen that breaks the relationship between time and aging.
Why the anticipation? This is Benzh Zeitilin's second film - since Beasts of the Southern Wild which is just a masterful film, one of the decade's best, I've been really eager to see what's next on his plate. Well there's this, and even though we know little to nothing about who's in it, or what sort of film it'll be, I'm in.
27. Psychokinesis dir. Yeon Sang-ho
What's it about? An everyman acquires superpowers and uses them to help his daughter and others, but runs into trouble in the process.
Why the anticipation? Yeon Sang-ho did the excellent Train to Busan two years back, and firmly established himself as one of South Korea's most exciting directors working today. This is one of my most anticipated 'superhero' films of the year. Hopefully Yeon won't limit himself and deliver in unexpected ways, like how Busan played with the zombie movie formula.
26. Annihilation dir. Alex Garland
Why the anticipation? Alex Garland's Ex Machina was a wonderful fresh entry into the sci-fi genre, and this seems like something right up his street. Portman will hopefully continue her hot streak from Jackie, it looks visually compelling, and anything with Benedict Wong in it is a plus for me.
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| Dubious as the title is, I look forward to seeing how the second Fantastic Beasts film handles the Dumbledore-Grindewald conflict |
25. Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald dir. David Yates
What's it about? Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp), escaped from custody, has set about executing his agenda for pure-blood wizards to rule over all non-magical beings. Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) in the fight against evil.
Why the anticipation? I'd be even more excited if they'd chosen a better title, and I'm not quite sure if the direction the series is going in will cohere with the breezy tone established in the best parts of the first film. However, I'm always up for more wizarding world fun, especially since we're returning to Hogwarts, the characters we all loved from the first film are back. Though I'm still skeptical about Depp, I'm very excited to see Law's Dumbledore (he has the perfect voice for it)
24. If Beale Street Could Talk dir. Barry Jenkins
What's it about? Based on James Baldwin's novel of the same name, a black man (Stephan James) is accused of a murder he didn't commit, and his pregnant fiancé (Kiki Layne) does all she can to free him.
Why the anticipation? I adored Moonlight, and I'm glad to see Barry Jenkins continuing to work within depicting the African American experience onscreen in different ways. I haven't read the source material, but I'm intrigued to read it and see how Jenkins brings it to life.
23. Mary Queen of Scots dir. Josie Rourke
What's it about? Mary Stuart (Saoirse Ronan) attempts to overthrow her cousin Elizabeth I (Margot Robbie) only to find herself condemned to imprisonment and impending execution.
Why the anticipation? There's been plenty of British historical dramas set around this time period, but what sticks out for me with this one are the two leads. Ronan has been on a roll recently, and if Robbie is as great in I, Tonya as everyone says she is, then ditto for her. Watching these two young up-and-comers go head-to-head will be quite something.
22. Mission: Impossible 6 dir. Christopher McQuarrie
What's it about? Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) returns, this time with more returning squad members than usual.
Why the anticipation? Christopher McQuarrie seems to know what he's doing with the franchise. There is of course the fact that the even-numbered films in the series have been the weaker films thus far - hopefully this one will buck the trend. At the very least I expect it to be very fun.
21. Deadpool 2 dir. David Leitch
Why the anticipation? Deadpool was a lot of fun as a subversion of the superhero genre. There's of course, the risk that it could go stale second time round, but I'm sure Reynolds and co. know enough about the character to keep things fresh and funny.
20. In-Rang dir. Kim Jee-woon
What's it about? Korean re-imagining of the Japanese manga Jin-Roh: The Wolf Brigade. South and North Korea have prepared a unified government for the past seven years, and an anti-unification group commit terrorist acts - a special police force is formed in response.
Why the anticipation? Kim Jee-woon is another Korean genius of cinema. Though many recent manga/anime adaptations haven't been great (ahem, Ghost in the Shell), this one has a great director at its helm, so have faith people.
19. Hold the Dark dir. Jeremy Saulnier
What's it about? A seasoned hunter is called in to track down a missing child taken by a pack of wolves, and must confront not only the wrath of the beasts and nature, but also a grieving and volatile father.
Why the anticipation? Saulnier is a great unheralded talent, with Blue Ruin and Green Room being two of the most taut and compelling indie thrillers of recent years. This looks to be a brooding, bloody affair, and right up his alley - I'll be there on day one, Netflix.
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| We some kinda Predator squad now? |
18. The Predator dir. Shane Black
What's it about? A Predator-hunting operation goes into action as the infamous aliens return.
Why the anticipation? Arnie isn't back, but Shane Black who wrote and co-starred in the original Predator movie, is. I'm intrigued to see Black's reprise of a genre he hasn't dabbled in a long time. I've enjoyed every film he's put out so far, and his liking for deconstruction will hopefully pull enough twists and turns on the formula to make this a 'sequel' worth our while.
17. Widows dir. Steve McQueen
What's it about? Four women (Viola Davis, Elizabeth Debicki, Michelle Rodriguez, Cynthia Erivo), faced with a debt left behind their dead husbands' criminal activities, conspire to pull of a heist.
Why the anticipation? Seems like it'll be a fun ride for McQueen doing his first film since that Academy Award-winning Twelve Years a Slave. It'll hopefully be a fun subversion of the usual heist thriller by placing the perspective on the typically sidelined ladies, and though I've never been a fan of Rodriguez, I'm a huge fan of Davis, and especially Debicki, so that balances things out.
16. Sunset dir. László Nemes
What's it about? 20-year-old Irisz Leiter (Juli Jakab) arrives in Budapest hoping to find work in the family business belonging to her late parents - and is soon confronted with dark secrets...
Why the anticipation? Director of Son of Saul, László Nemes, seems to be stepping into different territory here, but with a similar theme of an individual's dark past coming to haunt them. I loved Son of Saul, and I can't wait to see what Nemes has pulled off this time - should be a tough watch, though.
15. High Life dir. Claire Denis
What's it about? A group of skilled criminals accept a dangerous government space mission to find alternative energy sources.
Why the anticipation? Robert Pattinson's starring in this, and anything he takes on is a guarantee of being at the very least, daring and innovative. I quite like space mission films in general, and having a bunch of crooks in space doing the job sounds like a high quality arthouse version of Armageddon, which I'm completely game for. Hopefully this will be great.
14. Black Panther dir. Ryan Coogler
Why the anticipation? I'd say Marvel is on one of its hot streaks right now, and this comes right off Thor Ragnarok which allowed Taika Waititi to display quite a bit of his usual flair and style. Here's hoping they've allowed Coogler to do the same. Black Panther is one of my new favourite MCU characters, and I hope his feature film is a success.
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| Could The Little Stranger be The Innocents: ReTurn of the Screw? |
13. The Little Stranger dir. Lenny Abrahamson
What's it about? 1947. Dr Faraday (Domhnall Gleeson) is called to a patient at Hundreds Hall, where the Ayres family inhabit, and are haunted by something truly ominous from within...
Why the anticipation? REALLY must get around to reading some Sarah Waters (Fingersmith was the inspiration for The Handmaiden). Anyway, I love a good ol' British horror film in a mansion as much as anyone else. Add to that a solid director, a great cast (also featuring Ruth Wilson and Will Poulter), and I'm all on board for it.
12. The Nightingale dir. Jennifer Kent
What's it about? In 1800s Tasmania, young Irish convict Claire (Aisling Franciosi) enlists the help of an Aboriginal tracker (Baykali Ganambarr) to exact vengeance upon a British soldier.
Why the anticipation? I didn't love The Babdook, but it's an effective horror film, and this time round Kent's taking on a premise that sounds much more compelling. I love Aussie thrillers like The Proposition, which this one seems to be in the similar vein of, and the casting of Sam Claflin in what I assume is the villainous British soldier role intrigues me - he was a terrific scumbag in The Riot Club.
11. Galveston dir. Mélanie Laurent
What's it about? New Orleans hitman Roy Cady (Ben Foster) escapes to his Texan hometown with a teenaged prostitute (Elle Fanning) and her baby sister, seeking revenge and redemption on his former mob boss who's set him up.
Why the anticipation? My attention was originally piqued by the casting of Matthias Schoenaerts in the role of Roy, then dissipated when he pulled out, then returned with a vengeance when the criminally underrated Ben Foster was cast. I'm interested to see how Laurent fares as a director, and from the gist of the description this looks like it has potential to be a cracking thriller, but also a powerful drama, that might just propel Foster into the limelight he deserves.
10. Boy Erased dir. Joel Edgerton
What's it about? 19-year old Garrard (Lucas Hedges) is outed as gay to his strict Baptist parents (Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe) and pressured by family, friends and the church community into attending a gay conversion therapy, where he soon comes into conflict with its head therapist (Joel Edgerton).
Why the anticipation? The source material, by Garrard Conley, sounds fascinating, as does the choice by Joel Edgerton to once again direct, write, and co-star. It sounds like it could be the makings of a very moving and thought-provoking film. The stellar cast only further solidifies my interest - in particular, the exceptionally talented Lucas Hedges in a leading role.
9. Incredibles 2 dir. Brad Bird
What's it about? The return of the Incredibles family.
Why the anticipation? Slightly dubious about whether they can recreate the magic of the first film, plus the lack of a time leap concerns me slightly (though I'll imagine the main reason is so we can get more of baby Jack Jack). Still, the first Incredibles is one of the best things Pixar has ever done, and they don't usually go wrong with sequels to their best films.
8. Creed 2 dir. Steven Caple Jr.
What's it about? Sequel to the Rocky spin-off Creed as we continue with the journey of Adonis 'Donnie' Creed (Michael B. Jordan) and his mentor Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone)
Why the anticipation? Wish Coogler was coming back to direct, but everyone else is returning, and intriguingly, Ivan Drago/Dolph Lundgren is back in action. Baby Creed confronting his father's killer sounds like a fascinating prospect, and given the surprise success of the first Creed it'll be exciting to see what they have up their sleeves next.
7. Early Man dir. Nick Park
Why the anticipation? It's been a while since the last Wallace and Gromit film, a series of films I've always loved and are perhaps my favourited animated features in any medium. His new film, whatever the topic be, would draw me in immediately, and the fact he's taking on the prehistoric times with a fairly intriguing concept, and most importantly the claymation of Aardman we all know and love, makes it a must-see.
6. First Man dir. Damien Chazelle
What's it about? The story of Neil Armstrong (Ryan Gosling) circa 1961 - 1969 as NASA undergo a mission to achieve the impossible: landing a man on the moon.
Why the anticipation? After the critical and financial success of La La Land, my guess is that Damien Chazelle was given full reign for anything he wanted for his next project. His choice will be quite the change of pace from the musically-themed first two projects of his. Gosling as Neil Armstrong seems like oddly apt casting, the rest of the cast - from The Crown's Claire Foy to other stalwart character actors Corey Stoll and Kyle Chandler - is promising, and there will be what I assume will be some beautiful visual flourishes by Chazelle and his team, will hopefully capture a very interesting part of history.
5. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote dir. Terry Gilliam
What's it about? I have no idea. Something to do with a man who killed Don Quixote, I'm guessing. In the literal, or metaphorical sense? Who knows.
Why the anticipation? The absolute madman Terry Gilliam has finally managed to complete his decades-long passion project. Regardless of whether it turns out to be good or bad, anything from the one-of-a-kind mind of Gilliam churns out is essential 'day one' viewing.
4. Radegund dir. Terrence Malick
What's it about? The Austrian Franz Jägerstätter (August Diehl), a conscientious objector, refuses to fight for the Nazis in World War II and is executed by them in 1943.
Why the anticipation? I haven't seen any of Terrence Malick's recent output, the last film of his I saw was The Tree of Life which I liked well enough. This film seems like it'll be his most narrative-driven film since Badlands and Days of Heaven. Sounds like it could be a fascinating, emotionally potent character study and political drama. I'm all up for a combination of that and Malick's visuals - perhaps this will break him out of his recent critical 'rut'.
3. Avengers: Infinity War dir. The Russo Brothers
Why the anticipation? It goes without saying that what the Marvel Cinematic Universe has been building up to the past few years, looks like it'll be absolutely amazing. Whatever the Russo brothers have in store for us, I'm sure it'll be at the very least entertaining, and at its very best amazing.
2. Kursk dir. Thomas Vinterberg
What's it about? Based on the 2000 K-141 Kursk submarine disaster, in which 118 Russian sailors died. Kursk sank during a Russian naval exercise in the Barents Sea after explosions within the submarine. Twenty-three sailors survived the crash and desperately waited for help to arrive while their oxygen ran out minute-by-minute. The Russian government refused help from foreign governments for five days before agreeing to aid from the British and Norwegian governments.
Why the anticipation? Matthias Schoenaerts, probably my favourite actor working today, will be playing the captain of the Russian submarine Kursk and I assume the film is going to switch between the perspectives of the men on the ship, and the wider international scope of Russia and other countries debating on what to do. Vinterberg, he of The Hunt and Far From the Madding Crowd fame, is helming the film with a cast that also includes Colin Firth and Lea Seydoux, gives me confidence that this will be great.
1. Isle of Dogs dir. Wes Anderson
Why the anticipation? Dogs haven't had the best track record in Wes Anderson films - so I'm glad they'll finally get their chance to hog the spotlight in his latest stop-motion animated film. It has the all-star cast, and based from the trailer that fun whimsical, yet strangely poignant tone we all know and love of Wes's. Will it be simply good, or great? Who's to say.
Can’t wait for Isle of Dogs and Boy Erased.
ReplyDeleteLooking forward to several of these as well. Hadn't heard of the switch in the Creed 2 director, hopefully he's good. Also had not heard of the Steve McQueen film before, which sounds like quite the change of pace for him.
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