Films To Look Out For In 2018 Part 1

Good day to you ladies and gentlemen, it’s a new year so you know what time it is, once again it is time for my preview of upcoming films that I believe are worth a look entitled: Films to look out for in 2018! In PART 1 I’ll be covering films released from now until March, and last year I got a lot of bad choices in the list so I’m hoping I’ll do better this year haha.

Now before we begin I have two main things I need to point out:

1. Obviously, a lot of films come out, so if they’re not on my list it’s either because I don’t know about them or I don’t care…
2. 2017 films getting their UK releases this year don’t count! So there. 😛

Okay then, let’s start 😀

The Commuter

Release Date: January 12th (USA) January 19th (UK)

Trailer:

At this point I’m sort of over Liam Neeson as some older action star running around and being some sort of badass, it was fun at first but since he’s done it so much since Taken in 2008, it feels tiresome. That being said, that it something oddly addictive about watching Neeson get out of these troublesome and ridiculous situations that no one his age would really get into. So that is why I am curious about The Commuter, the premise is interesting enough and some of the stuff in the trailer looks so absurd in a funny way that I am curious to give it a watch.

Proud Mary

Release Date: January 12th (USA), March 23rd (UK)

Trailer:

I had no clue it existed until I looked it up and on paper, it sounds like it is right up my street. You have Taraji P. Henson in an action thriller playing a hitwoman running around and kicking ass, that’s cool. However, the trailer, I’m not keen on it. The premise sounds fine and the stuff in the trailer looks fine, but the way the trailer was edited, the use of sound effects and even the music (which I actually like), but didn’t do it for me. I hope the film is better than the trailer.

12 Strong

Release Date: January 19th (USA) & January 26th (UK)

Trailer:

Those who know me know that I’m not really into war films that much, though I have made a habit of checking out more in the last 3 or so years if the right people are attached and this film looks interesting. You have a group of soldiers sent to Afghanistan not long after the September 11th attacks, fighting impossible odds? Well, that certainly has my attention. I like the look of this film and that cast features some of my favourite people; Chris Hemsworth, Michael Shannon, Michael Pena and Trevante Rhodes from Moonlight too.

Early Man

Release Date: January 26th (UK), February 16th (US)

Trailer:

I only watched the trailer for this film recently and the plot and humour seem alright, but the main reason I’m interested is because its a stop-motion film from Aardman. Their work as an animation studio is always recognisable and unique, and I love the way this film looks so I am hoping it has a bit of that Chicken Run kind of flavour, because if that’s the case then I’ll be very happy.

Maze Runner: The Death Cure

 

Release Date: January 27th (UK), March 3rd (US)

Trailer:

I know not a lot of people care about the Maze Runner films, but I quite like them. The first was a surprisingly enjoyable film with an interesting concept, setting and had good performances and mystery, The Scorch Trials didn’t have the originality and simplicity of its predecessor, but had some cool new characters and story elements that fleshed out the world. With The Death Cure I keep forgetting it is coming out until I see something about it online, now I have no clue how this series of films will end, but it does get me curious and hopefully, the filmmakers have found a way to balance the story, characters, mystery and action in this new one.

Winchester

Release Date: February 2nd (USA & UK)

Trailer:

I hadn’t heard about this film until I looked it up and again I’m not a horror fan, but the premise sounds interesting and I like Helen Mirren and Jason Clarke, so I’m curious to see how this film turns out.

Black Panther

Release Date:  February 12th (UK), February 16th (USA)

Trailer:

So here it is, the first of my most anticipated films of 2018. I feel like I have been waiting for this film for AGES, but in just over a month I’ll get to experience this. I have a stupid amount of hype for this film considering the cast, director and source material the film is based on. I hope and pray that this film will be amazing.

Nostalgia

Release Date: February 16th (USA)

Trailer:

Now, this film could be a dull/uninspired film, but I read the premise and I was interested and the trailer only got me more intrigued. I get a Six Degrees of Separation kind of vibe from this film just with a more dramatic/melancholy tone, plus with people I like including Jon Hamm, Nick Offerman, Patton Oswalt, Catherine Keener and John Ortiz, this looks like it could be a good time if it gets a UK release.

Annihilation

 

Release Date: February 23rd (USA & UK)

Trailer:

I’ve been wanting to see this film since it was announced. Ex Machina was one of my favourite film experiences of the last 5 or so years, so when I heard about his newest project I was all over it. The trailer looks insane full of distinctive visuals with vivid colours and interesting creatures, but there’s also a mysterious and unsettling tone, with a story that looks like it has a small scope with large ramifications. Alex Garland really knocked it out of the park with his last film and I hope he can do it again with this new film.

A Wrinkle in Time

Release Date: March 9th (USA), March 23rd (UK)

Trailer:

I’ve heard SO much talk about this film since it was announced that Ava DuVernay would direct it, and I’ve only recently watched the trailer and I have to say I am intrigued. I love a good sci-fi adventure film and this film looks large in scope, fun yet dramatic, smart and accessible to people of all ages. I liked what DuVernay did with Selma so I’m curious to see what she does with a film with a larger budget.

The Upside

Release Date: March 9th (USA)

I only read about this film online recently and I like the premise of this film: “A comedic look at the relationship between a wealthy paraplegic and an unemployed man with a criminal record who’s hired to help him.” But what makes me more interested in this film is the fact that Kevin Hart and Bryan Cranston are playing the leads, both are actors I really like and with this story material I think they could have good chemistry together.

Gringo

Release Date: March 9th, 2017 (USA & UK)

Trailer:

I saw this film in a list of films coming out this year and the cast was what got me interested, but the trailer, that’s what grabbed me. Seeing David Oyelowo in a comedic role is something I’ve never seen and yet it makes me so happy, he looks hilarious. This whole film looks like a lot of fun with good humour, a solid cast and crazy scenarios. I really hope it is good.

Pacific Rim Uprising

Release Date: March 23rd (USA & UK)

Trailer:

I am cautiously optimistic about this film, I want to be more excited about the film but so far that marketing hasn’t done much for me. The first film from 2013 was fun primarily because of the monsters, robots, beautiful visuals and sense of scale, though on repeat viewings the film was thin on character and story. This new film seems to be doubling down on the action and the robots and monsters, but it also looks like the sense of scale and the distinctive colour palette has been lost. That being said I do like giant monster battles, I like the new cast members and with Steven S. DeKnight at the helm, I hope he’ll bring his talent from TV into this film.

Isle of Dogs

Release Date: March 17th (USA & UK)

Trailer:

As soon as I saw the trailer for this a few months ago I was in automatically. Fantastic Mr Fox was my first Wes Anderson film and it was such a strange and delightful experience, and this film seems to have those same elements which makes me excited. Add on top of that the wonderful visual style of stop-motion animation, the interesting premise and incredible cast including Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, and Bob Balaban among many others, and you have what could be one of the most interesting viewing experiences of the year.

Ready Player One

Release Date: March 30th (USA & UK)

Trailer:

Before the first trailer dropped, I had heard so much talk about Steven Spielberg directing a film adaptation of Ready Player One, and I was only vaguely interested because of Spielberg’s involvement. It wasn’t until the second trailer that I was really on board for this film. The first trailer gave you a minor idea of what was going on with the story and the visual references that game from other films, comics and video games, but with the latest trailer, there was so much more in terms of the story and characters that intrigued me. But more os than that, the use of music and all of those references to pop culture nearly shattered my mind! I am quite curious/excited to watch this on my birthday and while it has the potential to be bad or just okay, I’m still down for it. 🙂

Alrighty then, that’s PART 1 done. Thanks a lot for reading. Are any of the films listed on your personal list of films to watch? Whatever your thoughts are, drop them in the comments section below and I’ll see you soon for PART 2! Laters 😀

 

Films To Look Out For In 2017 Part 3

Howdy people of the interweb and welcome to Films to look out for in 2017! This is my preview of upcoming films that I believe deserve your attention this year. In PART 1 I covered films from January to March, in PART 2 I covered April to July and in this post I’ll be covering August to December.

Now before we begin I have two main things I need to point out:

1. Obviously a lot of films come out, so if they’re not on my list it’s either because I don’t know about them or I don’t care…
2. 2016 films getting their UK releases this year don’t count! So there. 😛

Okay then, let’s start 😀

Baby Driver

Release Date: August 11th (USA & UK)

Trailer:

I am a massive fan of Edgar Wright and I will follow his career wherever it goes, and while I will always wonder what he would have brought to Ant-Man, I still respect his decision, plus his original projects are always more interesting. I like the sound of the premise and the cast is also impressive including Lily James, Jamie Foxx, Jon Hamm, Kevin Spacey and Jon Bernthal among others.

The Hitman’s Bodyguard

Release Date: August 18th (USA & UK)

I just looked this film up and it sounds like it could be fun, while I’m always dubious of comedies these days, action comedies at least have some spectacle that I’ll enjoy and the premise sounds like it could be worth watch, plus this cast is interesting including Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman, Élodie Yung, and Salma Hayek, I’m down.

American Made

Release Date: August 25th (UK), September 29th (USA)

I’m always looking forward to Doug Liman’s next project especially after Edge of Tomorrow and the fact that he’s teamed up with Tom Cruise on this project gives me hope that the film will be worth a watch. The premise sounds interesting and I am curious to see how those real life events translate to the big screen.

Granite Mountain

Release Date: September 22nd (USA & UK)

Here’s the premise: “A drama based on the elite crew of men who battled Yarnell Hill Fire, a wildfire in Prescott, Arizona in June 2013 that claimed the lives of 19 of their members.” I may have heard about this film’s production on Collider Movie talk before or some other film-related site, but reading about the premise it sounds like a captivating and intriguing story to be brought to the big screen. I’m really curious to see how Joseph Kosinski handles this film, so far he’s made Tron: Legacy and Oblivion, both films I enjoyed but were more style over substance, though I liked the latter film more for its story and mystery, so maybe with a more grounded story he’ll be able bring something new. Oh and I’m liking this cast including Jennifer Connelly, Taylor Kitsch, Josh Brolin, Jeff Bridges, Miles Teller and Ben Hardy (who will have more to do than he did in X-Men: Apocalypse) and Alex Russell who I haven’t seen since Chronicle.

Kingsman: The Golden Circle

Release Date: September 29th (UK), October 6th (USA)

Kingsman: The Secret Service was one of the best surprises from 2014 and I think ended up in my top 5 of that year, it was so fun, action-packed, hilarious and violent and totally had all of the best qualities that come with a Matthew Vaughn film, but was also self-aware and had some good pop culture references too. So when I heard there’d be a sequel, part of me was wanting to leave the first film alone, but I was also curious to see where this series would go. So now we have the sequel with a cast possibly more impressive than the last including newcomers Julianne Moore, Halle Berry, Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges and Elton John? This should be an interesting adventure an I hope it can be the badass sequel it has the potential to be.

Blade Runner 2049

Release Date: October 6th (USA & UK)

At this current pont in time I haven’t seen the first Blade Runner, I know, blasphemy right? All I can say is that I just haven’t gotten around to it yet, but I obviously will have seen it by the time this sequel comes out later on this year. I was never overly interested in a sequel to this film until Denis Villeneuve was attached to direct, I haven’t even the entire teaser trailer, this film is a mystery to me and I’m curious to see how it unfolds.

The Snowman

Release Date: October 13th (USA & UK)

I don’t know much about this film besides the fact that it’s a crime thriller based around a detective who investigates the disappearance of a woman whose pink scarf is found wrapped around an ominous-looking snowman, it’s directed by the man who did Let the Right One In and Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (the former I liked and the latter I didn’t) and it stars my peeps Michael Fassbender and Rebecca Ferguson, so those facts altogether have me interested.

Logan Lucky

Release Date: October 13th (USA)

Here we have another interesting film with no UK release date, but there’s a great cast and director and a fun premise. I’m always interested ina comedy if the right kind of people are behind it and his you have Steven Soderbergh in the director’s chair I’m already intrigued, but then you add a cast including Adam Driver, Channing Tatum, Seth MacFarlane, Daniel Craig, Katherine Heigl, Hilary Swank and Sebastian Stan? I’m all over it, I really hope the trailer is good when it gets released.

The Commuter

Release Date: October 13th (USA) October 20th (UK)

All I know is that I like action thrillers and with a cast that includes Liam Neeson, Vera Farmiga, Sam Neill, Elizabeth McGovern, Jonathan Banks and Patrick Wilson I’m pretty excited to see how this turns out, especially with because you can never have enough Sam Neil. 😀

Thor: Ragnarok

Release Date: October 27th (UK), November 3rd (US)

I’m unapologetic about my love for Thor from 2011, while not a perfect film, I think there was a lovely sense of wonder, mythology, fun and interesting themes and character elements introduced into not only that film but also the MCU as a whole… And then there’s Thor: The Dark World, one of the most, if not the most forgettable film in the MCU, while there were some cool aspects with Thor and Loki and some action scenes, overall the film was a massive step down for me. And now we have Thor 3, a film that will have: 1) Thor and Hulk together (they had some of the best scenes in The Avengers). 2) Taika Waititi in the directing chair which is awesome. 3) Some adaptation of the Planet Hulk storyline, yay! 4) And a crazy impressive cast including Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Cate Blanchett, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Tessa Thompson, Karl Urban, Mark Ruffalo and Anthony Hopkins. This has the potential to be really good, but we’ll see.

Justice League

Trailer:

Release Date: November 17th (USA & UK)

I’m so dubious of this film, while I do want it to succeed I just don’t know if I’ll get a version of the characters that I liked from the animated shows that I enjoyed in the teenage years. Now I know as an adaptation there will be changes from the comics to screen, however, with Man of Steel and Batman V Superman, I feel like there were some unnecessary changes to the basic elements of Superman and Batman in terms of the characters, tone and story that made them a little unlikable for me and some other fans. Now with Justice League, that first footage they showed at Comic-Con last year was interesting for sure and I liked some elements, but I don’t know if it will be a film I’ll like overall. I’m cautiously optimistic.

Coco

Release Date: November 22nd (USA) December 8th (UK)

Well here we have another new Pixar film which isn’t a sequel or prequel, but an original film and I’m interested but dubious for one key reason; the story is based on the Mexican holiday The Day of the Dead. The reason I am a little less excited about this film is because we’ve already had a film based around this holiday in the form The Book of Life and then there was the opening sequence in Spectre that had a big focus on that event too. Now I know that this film will have its own original take on the holiday and will have those Pixar elements that will make it special, but I guess I need a trailer in order to be swayed.

Murder on the Orient Express

Release Date: November 22nd (USA) November 24th (UK)

I’m usually not down with remakes of older films especially if the original was pretty good, but if there is a chance that a new filmmaker can add a new perspective that wasn’t able to be done beforehand then I’m at least interested… And that is the case with this film. I liked the 1974 film when I saw it in college, but I never had a crazy attachment to it, so when I heard that there was going to be another version to be directed by Kenneth Branagh, I was all over it. Plus the cast for this film is insanity with Daisy Ridley, Kenneth Branagh, Olivia Colman, Penélope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp, Josh Gad, Michael Peña and Michelle Pfeiffer? Madness, I really hope this film is good.

Star Wars: Episode VIII

Release Date: December 15th (USA & UK)

Rogue One may not have been for everyone but I and numerous other fans across the world certainly enjoyed it, but let’s be real, everyone was waiting for Episode VIII. Besides the addition of Laura Dern and Benicio del Toro and some comments from Rian Johnson about a heavy focus on Luke and Rey’s relationship and what was going on with Luke Skywalker since Return of the Jedi, there’s not much else to go on. All I want is more drama, character development, some more darkness, more Kylo Ren and Snoke, and finally some sweet Luke lightsaber action, that’s all I could ever want.

Pitch Perfect 3

Release Date: December 22nd (USA & UK)

I will never hide my love for Pitch Perfect, it was one of my favourite music-based film experiences in the cinema in years, it was such a pleasant surprise and cemented my love for Anna Kendrick forever. But then Pitch Perfect 2 came out, and I was stupid hyped for that sequel, but it was a disappointment, not a terrible film, but nowhere near as clever or as fun as the previous film. So when I heard there would be another sequel I wasn’t too keen, but because I like these characters I know I’ll be back to see this new film, I just hope the music, humour and story is better this time around.

The Greatest Showman

Release Date: December 25th (USA) December 29th (UK)

While I am interested in the story for the film, it is the cast that really have my interest. Seeing Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Rebecca Ferguson and Michelle Williams together makes me very happy, plus I’m curious to see what Zendaya will bring to this film too. Plus it is a musical and while I’m not the biggest fan of those, I have been watching more over the last few years from Les Misérables to Sing Street and La La Land so I’m more open to them than I was before.

So finally that’s PART 3 done. Thanks a lot for reading. Are any of the films listed on your personal list of films to watch? Whatever your thoughts are be sure to drop them below and coming back to see my Most Anticipated Films of 2017! Laters 😀