In this list, I'll talk about the seven movies I'm most looking forward to seeing at the end of the year. Two films of note that I didn't want to include here due to the fact I'll probably not see them but still interest me are Army of One and Voyage of Time: Life's Journey. Army of One is a direct-to-video comedy based on the true life story of a middle-aged American (played by Nicholas Cage) who thinks God (Russell Brand, because why not?) has called him to go to the Middle East with only a sword to take out Osama Bin Laden--alone. I don't expect the movie to be good--I really don't--but I feel like based on the one trailer we got, it'll be fantastically insane in all the best ways. And Voyage of Time is Terrence Malick's follow-up to his divisive film The Tree of Life (which I love dearly). It's been subject to several delays over the years (it was in my most anticipated films of 2014 list, for some perspective), and even though it was finally released (in two versions, no less), the release is so limited that it'll probably be a long while before I see what the wait was for.
Now without further ado, the real list:
7. Assassin's Creed (PG-13)
Typically, video game movies don't have the best rap. The Resident Evil movies seem to exist solely as guilty pleasures, Warcraft bombed hard at the domestic box office this summer, Prince of Persia is rather a bore, and Super Mario Bros. is something else entirely. Yet I'm still cautiously excited for Assassin's Creed. I don't have a terribly close relationship to the games; I've played some of the first game, but the concept is so intriguing. Michael Fassbender is one of the most celebrated actors today, and he's been a strong proponent during the film's development. Together with a cast including Marion Cotillard and Jeremy Irons, this historical science fiction film about assassins during the Spanish Inquisition may be the game-changer for video game movies (or a fluke).6. Moana (PG)
Disney has had a steady track record with its "canon" films since Tangled. Even if they aren't all the best they could be, you'd be hard-pressed to say that they're less than good. What sets Moana apart from a film like Frozen for me is all in the recently released clip of Maui (Dwayne Johnson) singing his song, "You're Welcome." Lin-Manuel Miranda of Hamilton fame is one of the composers on this film, and that's part of the reason I'm excited. The performances seem to be especially good for an animation, and the animation looks pretty great, too! Overall, it looks like it will be a safe bet for a great film, and surely an Oscar contender; Disney's been neck-and-neck with neighbor Pixar in recent years.
My anticipation for this film comes from the fact that I very much like the Harry Potter franchise. The seven books were marvelously translated to screen, save for a handful of quirks, and they all still hold up. I'm interested to see how author J.K. Rowling does in her first foray into the cinematic screenwriting world, and so far, the trailers look promising. The underrated Colin Farrell (Saving Mr. Banks) and Oscar favorite Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) should bring engaging performances to the forefront, and if anything else it'll be a grand return to the wizarding world on screen, as it is, basically, an original story (its source material had next to no story, serving merely as a fun magical encyclopedia created to raise money for Comic Relief). My only trepidation is that the most recent expansion of the franchise, the two-part play Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, had a less than stellar script that was released. I'm so hoping that Fantastic Beasts can hold up.
4. Hacksaw Ridge (R)
This film is already out, and I still want to see it! Mel Gibson returns to the director's chair after 2006's Apocalypto and stint on the Hollywood blacklist due to a controversial outburst. This tells the true story of a man who fought in World War II and never fired a gun because of his moral beliefs. Reviews for this movie have been glowing, and it may turn out to be one of the best of the year if what people say is true. Simply put, I want to see this as soon as I can.
3. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Not Yet Rated)
Like I said when Episode VII was coming out: it's Star Wars. Of course I want to see it. More than that, this is the first risk that the franchise has taken since 1977. Rogue One now deals with an entirely original cast to tell an entirely original story separate from the Skywalker Saga of the main episodes. The concept is interesting, and the tone they're going for--that of an actual war film--should be a fascinating experiment if nothing else. But it's Star Wars. I'm gonna see it.
2. La La Land (PG-13)
This is the part in the blog post where I'm bouncing out of my seat because of how excited I am for this film. La La Land, a darling at film festivals, is an original musical film by Damien Chazelle, director of Whiplash, another acclaimed movie that I want to see but still haven't. I am a sucker for musicals, but there have still been a handful of stinkers in that department. The best way to describe the vibe I'm getting from this is magical. It's refreshing old-fashioned yet modern-feeling, like the precious love child of Singin' in the Rain and Begin Again. Ryan Gosling plays a jazz pianist and Emma Stone plays a struggling actress; they fall in love and work together, and I know my heart will be full seeing an original musical. I could give it a perfect score after seeing the latest string of trailers, but I promise I'll give it its day in court.1. Silence (R)
La La Land would be most anticipated film for the rest of the year if it wasn't for Silence. Martin Scorsese's passion project based on Shusaku Endo's novel of Jesuit missionaries who endure persecution in Japan is, for me, building up to be the most powerful film of this awards season. The only snippets we've seen from it are haunting photographs of Liam Neeson and Andrew Garfield in costume, but I'm still so excited to see this film. The subject matter and its importance to Scorsese lead me to believe this film won't be anything less than excellent.
What about you, dear reader? Are there any films you still need to see this year to mark off your movie list? Whatever you have to say about me and the movies, comment below!
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