Anyway, remember when I said I didn't think the quality of movies was that great in 2013 (if you don't, you can totally read that statement here)? Well, I think 2014 has the potential to be one of the best years for movies in a long, long time. I'm not just talking about blockbuster movies either. There's a lot of potential in Oscar bait movies, book adaptations, comedies, everything. Remember when I said it took me all of 20 minutes to list my favorite movies of 2013 (seriously? Did you not read my last post? What do you do with your day? *sigh*), I think I'm still not satisfied with the movies I've left off this list. So, besides the 14 movies that I painstakingly narrowed this list down to, I'm going to list probably another 10-15 movies that have caught my attention.
The whole point of me making this post is to not only highlight some movies that you may not know about, but to also get you even more excited about the movies you do know about, and, hopefully,I'll revisit this list at the end of the year to see if they lived up to the hype I have for them.
So, to get started, here's a list of movies I'm excited for in 2014 that aren't on the main list: Birdman, Serena, Cyber, A Most Wanted Man, Men Women & Children, Neighbors, Muppets Most Wanted, The Giver, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, 22 Jump Street, Life Itself, Into the Woods.
You should look up each of those movies if you have a chance. Some of them sound like great blockbusters, others could be Oscar bait, others just sound fun. The movies I've included below are a mix of summer fair, Oscar worthy, and some just for fun. For all the movies I list below, I'm including trailers where I can.
14. Guardians of the Galaxy - August 1
Synopsis: In the far reaches of space, an American pilot named Peter Quill finds himself the object of a manhunt after stealing an orb coveted by the villainous Ronan.
Why I'm Excited: This is easily the biggest risk Marvel has taken with their Cinematic Universe. It definitely looks fun, and Chris Pratt seems destined for super-stardom, but does the odd cast of characters make this a difficult sell to mainstream audiences? How vital will it be for the entire Marvel Universe as a whole? There are lots of question marks around it, but this trailer sure is well done.
13. Godzilla - May 16
Synopsis: A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla appears to wreak destruction on mankind.
Why I'm Excited: I will admit, I wasn't exactly thrilled for this reboot when I first heard about it being made. However, the director, Gareth Edwards, had a heck of a good monster movie with 2010's Monsters, so that definitely got me excited. Plus, the fact that the movie landed Ken Watanabe tells me the script has to be at least halfway decent, as Watanabe really doesn't do that many movies (he was last seen stateside in 2010's Inception). The new trailer just released is all kinds of awesome, which bumped it onto my list.
12. Transcendence - April 17
Synopsis: A terminally ill scientist downloads his mind into a computer. This grants him power beyond his wildest dreams, and soon he becomes unstoppable.
Why I'm Excited: Wally Pfister is best known as the cinematographer on movies like Moneyball, Inception, The Dark Knight trilogy, and The Prestige. It's quite an impressive list, and the one thing those movies (minus Moneyball) have in common? They're all directed by Christopher Nolan. Working with Nolan for that many movies had to rub off on Pfister in a good way, and Transcendence looks just as mind-bendy as some of Nolan's works. Here's hoping it's just as well done.
11. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 - May 2
Synopsis: Peter Parker runs the gauntlet as the mysterious company Oscorp sends up a slew of supervillains against him, impacting on his life.
Why I'm Excited: I wasn't exactly a huge fan of the first Amazing Spider-Man movie two years ago (check out my review), so why is the sequel on my list? Honestly, because of Spider-Man 2. I recently re-watched the first movie, and while I still have some problems with it, it's not as bad as I originally thought. However, it still mirrors the first Spider-Man movie far too much. In that instance, this one must be better because Spider-Man 2 is, I think, one of the best superhero movies ever. Probably a lame reason, but I don't care!
10. How to Train Your Dragon 2 - June 13
Synopsis: Five years after Hiccup and Toothless successfully united dragons and vikings on the island of Berk, the now inseparable pair journey through the skies, charting unmapped territories and exploring new worlds.
Why I'm Excited: First off, did you watch that trailer? Seriously, THAT folks, is how you make a teaser trailer for a sequel. I thought the first Dragon movie was really fun, and had that perfect, delicate balance of kids fare and adult humor to keep everyone happy. So, how do you do a sequel? You age the main character, just like the kids who fell in love with the first movie are now older. It's a great idea, in line with Toy Story 3. Let's hope it's just as good.
9. Captain America: The Winter Soldier - April 4
Synopsis: Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world and battles a new threat from old history: the Soviet agent known as the Winter Soldier.
Why I'm Excited: I realize I'm in the minority on this, but I think Captain America is the best of the Marvel movies not named The Avengers. The first movie was so much fun, and I think the idea of the sequel not only building on the success the character has had so far, but dive more into his struggles fitting into today's society, makes me think The Winter Soldier has a real solid chance of being the best Marvel movie to date.
8. Inherent Vice - December 12
Synopsis: In Los Angeles in 1970, drug-fueled detective Larry "Doc" Sportello investigates the disappearance of a former girlfriend.
Why I'm Excited: This movie makes this list by default simply because it's directed by Paul Thomas Anderson, the man who brought us the likes of Boogie Nights, There Will Be Blood, and The Master. Plus, I'm a sucker for a good crime story, and the novel, by Thomas Pynchon, is, from all accounts, just that. The December release has me thinking Oscar.
7. Foxcatcher - Late 2014
Synopsis: The story of Olympic Wrestling Champion Mark Schultz and how paranoid schizophrenic John duPont killed his brother, Olympic Champion Dave Schultz.
Why I'm Excited: The movie took sometime to make, and without a trailer I hesitated even putting it on the list, but it just sounds so good. Bennett Miller, director of Moneyball and Capote, is behind the camera here. Plus, the man in that photo with Channing Tatum? Steve Carrell, who plays the schizophrenic John duPont. This could really be something great.
6. Gone Girl - October 3
Synopsis: A woman mysteriously disappears on the day of her wedding anniversary. Based on the novel, "Gone Girl."
Why I'm Excited: Although I haven't finished the book yet (I personally think it's a slog to get through and I don't understand the hype), a movie that trims the novel's fat could be a great thing. David Fincher's last adaptation, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as a big success despite the R rating. It'll be interesting to see how the movie handles the two narrative perspective, but I trust in Fincher.
5. Noah - March 28
Synopsis: The Biblical Noah suffers visions of an apocalyptic deluge and takes measures to protect his family from the coming flood.
Why I'm Excited: Darren Aronofsky, the man who made the likes of Black Swan and The Wrestler, gets his biggest budget yet with Noah. Aronofsky has said in interviews he has always been fascinated by Noah, which would make this a dream project of sorts. The early release date has me somewhat worried about the movie's quality, but a new Aronofsky movie is a must-see.
Why I'm Excited: Although I haven't finished the book yet (I personally think it's a slog to get through and I don't understand the hype), a movie that trims the novel's fat could be a great thing. David Fincher's last adaptation, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, as a big success despite the R rating. It'll be interesting to see how the movie handles the two narrative perspective, but I trust in Fincher.
5. Noah - March 28
Synopsis: The Biblical Noah suffers visions of an apocalyptic deluge and takes measures to protect his family from the coming flood.
Why I'm Excited: Darren Aronofsky, the man who made the likes of Black Swan and The Wrestler, gets his biggest budget yet with Noah. Aronofsky has said in interviews he has always been fascinated by Noah, which would make this a dream project of sorts. The early release date has me somewhat worried about the movie's quality, but a new Aronofsky movie is a must-see.
Synopsis: A Jewish family that isn't used to observing their faith's traditions is forced to fulfill their father's final wish and sit Shivah together for an entire week and confront their problems.
Why I'm Excited: The novel is one of my favorite books, and I always thought it would make a great movie. The cast is fantastic, with Jason Bateman and Tina Fey in the leads. There's also Connie Britton, Timothy Olyphant, Jane Fonda, and Rose Byrne. Another reason I'm excited is the novel's author, Jonathan Tropper, wrote the screenplay. I think the novel as it is would translate well to a movie, but having the author write the screenplay gives me hope it could be great.
3. X-Men: Days of Future Past - May 23
Synopsis: The X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants.
Why I'm Excited: It's being billed as the ultimate X-Men movie, and with good reason. From the looks of the trailer, it's basically a bridge between the worlds established in the first three X-Men movies and First Class. Plus, it's apparently going to make it so X-Men: The Last Stand essentially never happened. If only we could do that in real life.
2. The Grand Budapest Hotel - March 7
Synopsis: The adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend.
Why I'm Excited: I became a Wes Anderson fan after 2012's Moonrise Kingdom, and Hotel looks ten times funnier. I really hope this isn't one of those cases where the trailer contains all the jokes, but I don't think that would be the case with a director as revered as Wes Anderson. The cast is full of stars, and I can't wait to see them all in the same movie.
1. Interstellar - November 7
Synopsis: A group of explorers make use of a newly discovered wormhole to surpass the limitations on human space travel and conquer the vast distances involved in an interstellar voyage.
Why I'm Excited: Two words: Christopher Nolan. He had a misstep with The Dark Knight Rises, but Nolan's best works have been the movies that challenge us on an intellectual level. Memento, The Prestige, and Inception were all mind benders in one way or another. Even though little to nothing is known about what the movie is actually going to be about, something tells me this could very well be Nolan's best movie yet. The November release places it as prime Oscar bait, and it doesn't hurt to have arguably the hottest actor in Hollywood (soon-to-be Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey) in the starring role.
Disclaimer: All of the synopses came from IMDb. I don't have that much free time!
