Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Top 20 Movies to Look Out For In March (2018)

According to: Selina


20 – March of the Penguins 2: The Next Step (3/23)


Tag Line: None
Production Company: Bonne Pioche, Paprika Films, Wild-Touch Production, The Walt Disney Company, Orange Cinéma Séries, France 3 (FR 3)
Director: Luc Jacquet
Writer: Luc Jacquet
Actors: Morgan Freeman, Lambert Wilson
Genre: Documentary
Rated: NR
Length: 82 minutes

IMDb Blurb: A young penguin, driven by his instinct, embarks on his first major trip to an unknown destination.

I’m hearing a lot of people ask why we would need a March of the Penguins 2. That’s an easy question for me to answer: we don’t. On the other hand, I don’t need my giant Fun Time Foxy plushie, but I enjoy having it.

What it comes down to is that the first March of the Penguins (2005) was incredibly enjoyable. I wish Morgan Freeman (Momentum, Ted 2, London Has Fallen) would be tapped to narrate all documentaries. If that was a thing, I’d probably enjoy them more. I wouldn’t have to worry about that monotone droning sound that accompanies most of them.

When it comes down to it, documentaries are important. They have the ability to change minds and inform people of real facts. But so many of them are handled wrong enough that they’re almost completely unwatchable from my perspective.

Unless you’re an insomniac – then watch away. They’re usually more effective than sleeping pills… and less habit forming.

In this case, we mix the catchy voice of Freeman with some adorable penguins – my favorite birds (flightless though they may be). It’s going to be readily available on Hulu, as well. I believe it will be worth a watch.

Edit: There seems to be some confusion over the narrator of this second film. There are reports – including in the trailer – that Morgan Freeman is still narrating it. Many articles from entertainment media, however, suggest it will be narrated by Lambert Wilson (Corporate, The Royal Exchange, The Odyssey). It’s possible that the French version will be by Wilson and the English by Freeman, but I have been unable to confirm that information.

19 – The Strangers 2: Prey at Night (3/9)


Tag Line: Let us prey.
Production Company: Aviron Pictures, thefyzz, White Comet Films, Bloom, Rogue Pictures
Director: Johannes Roberts
Writer: Bryan Bertino, Ben Ketai
Actors: Christina Hendricks, Bailee Madison, Martin Henderson, Emma Bellomy, Lewis Pullman, Damian Maffei, Lea Enslin, Leah Roberts, Preston Sadleir
Genre: Horror
Rated: R
Length: Unknown

IMDb Blurb: A family staying in a secluded mobile home park for the night are visited by three masked psychopaths, to test their every limit.

Full disclosure, I’ve never seen the first Strangers (2008) film. At least, I don’t think I have. I looked it up on IMDb, though, and the cast struck me as very familiar. It’s possible that I’ve seen parts of it on TV.

That doesn’t really affect much, to be honest. The trailer for this movie looks pretty awesome, and I judge primarily on the trailers for the Top 20. Sure, if I had seen and loved the first film, this one might have been higher on the list, but it’s not a requirement.

I’ve always been a fan of pairing happy, upbeat songs with horror scenes… except in the case of Act of Vengeance (1974). The way “Jingle Bells” was used in that film still haunts me. Christmas carols are creepy to me now.

In this case, pairing the quirky 80s song with the stalking of a victim in a car, really stands out. It’s memorable. Trailers need to be remembered to be useful.

I’m actually more interested in this film than the original at this point, but I’ll still watch the original first.

18 – Oh Lucy! (3/2)


Tag Line: None
Production Company: Matchgirl Pictures, Gloria Sanchez Productions, Meridian Content
Director: Atsuko Hirayanagi
Writer: Atsuko Hirayanagi, Boris Frumin
Actors: Shinobu Terajima, Josh Hartnett, Kaho Minami, Koji Yakusho, Shioli Kutsuna, Megan Mullally, Reiko Aylesworth, Nick Gracer, Liz Bolton
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Rated: NR
Length: 95 minutes

IMDb Blurb: A lonely woman living in Tokyo decides to take an English class where she discovers her alter ego, Lucy.

I went back and forth about whether or not to add this film to the list. I wasn’t sure what the basic racial implications were. In the end, I know there are going to be a group of you who see Oh Lucy! as racist, while another group of you will see it as a look into the differing cultures and how white-washing affects other races.

I just think the trailer looks unique.

There isn’t any other film I can think of that reminds me of what Oh Lucy! is showcasing.

Yes, there’s kind of a ‘new life at an older age’ thing going on – which describes about three films coming out this month alone – but there are small additions to the story that make it feel fresh and worthwhile.

The trailer may seem to be subtitled, but that doesn’t last for the whole thing. It’s one of those films that are only partially in a foreign language, so don’t expect the whole thing to go down that path.

17 – Death Wish (3/2)


Tag Line: They came for his family. Now he's coming for them.
Production Company: Cave 76, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Paramount Pictures, Spy Kids 4 SPV
Director: Eli Roth
Writer: Joe Carnahan, Brian Garfield, Wendell Mayes
Actors: Bruce Willis, Vincent D’Onofrio, Elisabeth Shue, Camila Morrone, Dean Norris, Beau Knapp, Kimberly Elise, Len Cariou, Jack Kesy, Ronnie Gene Blevins, Kirby Bliss Blanton
Genre: Action, Crime, Drama
Rated: R
Length: 107 minutes

IMDb Blurb: A family man becomes a vigilante killing machine when his family is violently attacked by robbers.

And here is our monthly ‘old guy in an action film’. They don’t always make the list at this point, but it’s a trope that Hollywood is determined to oversaturate the world with until we hate them all.

For right now, some of them still seem interesting enough.

In this case, there’s a decent balance struck with Bruce Willis’ (First Kill, Rock the Kasbah, Once Upon a Time in Venice) character. You’ve got that healer quality, since he plays a doctor, but with the addition of the violence he’s known for.

Really, my interest in this film is more about Willis’ character than the actual storyline. It’s different, even considering the action factor, then he’s used to playing. I really just want to see how he does.

The trailer itself doesn’t look bad, but it’s pretty basic bitch as action movies go. Still, I think a great cast and a talented director can elevate a relatively usual plot. People like Eli Roth (The Green Inferno, Inglourious Basterds, Cabin Fever), Elisabeth Shue (House at the End of the Street, Battle of the Sexes, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation) and Vincent D’Onofrio (Daredevil, The Magnificent Seven, Jurassic World) can absolutely make me care about something I never would have taken a second look at otherwise.

16 – Love, Simon (3/16)


Tag Line: He's done keeping his story straight.
Production Company: Fox 2000 Pictures, New Leaf Literary & Media, Temple Hill Entertainment, Twisted Media
Director: Greg Berlanti
Writer: Elizabeth Berger, Isaac Aptaker, Becky Albertalli
Actors: Nick Robinson, Josh Duhamel, Jennifer Garner, Katherine Langford, Talitha Eliana Bateman, Alexandra Shipp, Miles Heizer, Keiynan Lonsdale, Logan Miller, Tony Hale
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Rated: PG-13
Length: 109 minutes

IMDb Blurb: Everyone deserves a great love story. But for Simon it's complicated: no-one knows he's gay and he doesn't know who the anonymous classmate is that he's fallen for online. Resolving both issues proves hilarious, scary and life-changing.

Love, Simon looks adorable. It’s not exactly unique, but as recipe films go – it looks more than just basically watchable.

As the plot goes… I really wish big studios would have a representative hop on Reddit or something and just take a look at other coming out stories. This one is so over used that it’s starting to make it look like there’s no other way to come out than to be outed by someone else – and that’s not fair to the gay community.

In romantic comedies, sure – the guy almost always gets the girl – but at least Hollywood explores a bunch of different ways that can happen. It feels like any gay-based romantic teen story starts with (or includes) the main character being forcefully outed.

Just give me something new to sink my teeth into. Please. For the love of Elton John (Kingsman: The Golden Circle, Nashville, Brian Pern: A Tribute).

That said, the trailer shows some cute scenes, some cringy scenes, some funny… there seem to be many different kinds of characters to relate and respond to. I think Love, Simon could be a decent coming-of-age film.

There are some key pieces that could go very wrong, but the screenplay writers are pretty reliable. Isaac Aptaker (Grandfathered, About a Boy, The Neighbors) and Elizabeth Berger (Grandfathered, About a Boy, The Neighbors) are both credited writers on This is Us (2016-), which is well loved from all angles. I believe people interested in this film would be right to put their faith in the two of them.

15 – Walk Like a Panther (3/9)


Tag Line: Blood, sweat and spandex.
Production Company: Fox International Productions (FIP)
Director: Dan Cadan
Writer: Dan Cadan
Actors: Stephen Graham, Jason Flemyng, Julian Sands, Michael Socha, Stephen Tompkinson, Sue Johnston, Jill Halfpenny, Stephen Marcus, Robbie Gee, Hannah Walters, Scroobius Pip, Dave Johns, Finn Atkins, Adam Fogerty
Genre: Comedy
Rated: NR
Length: Unknown

IMDb Blurb: A group of 1980s wrestlers are forced to don the lycra once last time when their beloved local pub is threatened with closure.

This movie looks so deliciously dumb.

When I first started watching the trailer, I really didn’t have high hopes. It looked like it was going to be ridiculous, in a bad way, but that changed the further I got into it. The utilization of humor escalated it to something that had me and my husband giggling as it finished out.

A lot of it looks ‘low brow’ – which is a stupid saying – but I’m a fan of Kevin Smith (Clerks, Mallrats, Chasing Amy) so… you know. Fart and dick jokes are down my alley a lot of the time.

Aside from that comedy aspect, though, there’s a nostalgia factor that should speak to the older generations. People who see their younger adult years as the prime of their life and wish they could revisit it.

Really, that could fit all of us. I’m just in my younger thirties and I could easily attribute the same feelings to getting to playing soccer or taking dance lessons. Probably soccer… although I wasn’t very good at it. (It was still fun.)

Anyway, the point is… it seems relatable and fun. Nothing wrong with that.

14 – Unsane (3/23)


Tag Line: Is she or isn’t she?
Production Company: Extension 765, New Regency Pictures, Regency Enterprises
Director: Steven Soderbergh       
Writer: Jonathan Bernstein, James Greer
Actors: Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard, Jay Pharoah, Juno Temple, Aimee Mullins, Amy Irving, Sarah Stiles, Colin Woodell, Zach Cherry, Polly McKie, Gibson Frazier
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: Unknown

IMDb Blurb: A young woman is involuntarily committed to a mental institution, where she is confronted by her greatest fear--but is it real or a product of her delusion?

I have an unbridled hatred for the title of this film. Yes, ‘unsane’ is a word according to the Merriam-Webster dictionary… but my brain disagrees and it makes me twitch. Never-the-less, I try to judge a movie on how the trailer portrays it, not by its name. One of those ‘don’t judge a book’ things.

So, the trailer looks awesome.

I love psychological thrillers. Especially when I don’t believe I can figure out where the story is going to go based on the little bits I get to see.

What would the real twist even be? If the stalker is real, or if it’s all in her mind? Both are possibilities, but which would be the real ‘holy shit’ moment? I can’t actually tell, and I love stuff like that – because whichever way the plot goes, as long as it’s done right, it could still wind up catching you off guard.

Still. Could writers please stop using stupid titles for their works? Not everyone is as willing to ignore it… and advertising matters.

13 – Getting Grace (3/23)


Tag Line: None
Production Company: Magic Bean Entertainment
Director: Daniel Roebuck
Writer: Daniel Roebuck, Jeff Lewis
Actors: Daniel Roebuck, Madelyn Dundon, Marsha Dietlein, Dana Ashbrook, Duane Whitaker, Richard Pryor Jr.
Genre: Drama
Rated: PG-13
Length: 112 minutes

IMDb Blurb: Grace, a teenage girl dying of cancer crashes a funeral home to find out what will happen to her after she dies but ends up teaching the awkward funeral director, Bill Jankowski how to celebrate life.

I appreciate sass and a dark sense of humor.

Getting Grace is marked as a singular drama, but the trailer exhibits bits and pieces of comedy as well. I’m hoping that it’s being marketed correctly and the label is just wrong. Unfortunately, that isn’t usually the case. For the most part, if the trailer and the genre label don’t match up, that usually means the film is not being marketed correctly and all the scenes that fit the other genre are already in the trailer.

I have to acknowledge that this film may be walking that road. For all I know, every scene of comedic value is already in that video and there’s nothing left of humor in it.

I’m taking it at face value. I’m hoping it’s more dramedy than plain drama, but it’s as low on the list as it is, because that may not be reality.

12 – Dear Dictator (3/16)


Tag Line: Rebel meets dictator.
Production Company: Hector Coup, Defiant Pictures, Coastal Film Studios, WYSJ Media, Aloe Entertainment, Digital Ignition Entertainment, Hindsight, Tunnel Post, Wicked Magic Productions
Director: Lisa Addario, Joe Syracuse
Writer: Lisa Addario, Joe Syracuse
Actors: Michael Caine, Odeya Rush, Katie Holmes, Seth Green, Jason Biggs, Adrian Voo, Jackson Beard, Jordyn Cavros, Fish Myrr, Hannah Joy Brown, Yvette Parish, Jacob Grodnik, Jay Willick, Rosemberg Salgado, Dana Joyce Schiller
Genre: Comedy
Rated: NR
Length: 90 minutes

IMDb Blurb: When political turmoil forces a British-Caribbean dictator to flee his island nation, he seeks refuge and hides with a rebellious teenage girl in suburban America, and ends up teaching the young teen how to start a revolution and overthrow the "mean girls" in her high school.

This is another deliciously dumb looking film. It’s got some sardonic social commentary and a silly comedic tone.

In this case, you don’t just have some ridiculous comedy, but a decent cast backing it up. Michael Caine (Sherlock Gnomes, Dunkirk, Kingsman: The Secret Service) and Katie Holmes (Logan Lucky, All We Had, Touched With Fire) are veterans of their art at this point, and Odeya Rush (Goosebumps, See You in Valhalla, The Giver) is young, but she is clearly gaining in momentum after Lady Bird (2017). For support, you have comedic talent in Seth Green (A Futile and Stupid Gesture, Sexy Evil Genius, The Story of Luke) and Jason Biggs (Orange is the New Black, All At Once, Amateur Night).

Here’s the thing. I don’t expect Dear Dictator to be huge, or even to go down as a classic, but it has a great deal of potential. If the writers/directors just let it be the wacky trip that it’s supposed to be, it could have cult success. If they decided to try to take themselves too seriously, it could also be an absolute train-wreck.

We’ll see, soon enough.

11 – Thoroughbreds (3/9)


Tag Line: Good breeding gone bad.
Production Company: B Story, Big Indie Pictures, June Pictures
Director: Cory Finley
Writer: Cory Finley
Actors: Anya Taylor-Joy, Olivia Cooke, Anton Yelchin, Paul Sparks, Francie Swift, Kaili Vernoff, Stephanie Atkinson, Leah Procito, Max Ripley, Chaunty Spillane
Genre: Drama, Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: 92 minutes

IMDb Blurb: Two upper-class teenage girls in suburban Connecticut rekindle their unlikely friendship after years of growing apart. Together, they hatch a plan to solve both of their problems-no matter what the cost.

And now I’m sad.

Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Trollhunters, Rememory) was a treasure and every time I see his face I mourn a little more. He was a great actor and his career was just getting started. The entire world lost out on someone that was going to be a legend.

That said, this film has a really cool concept. It experiments with that ‘odd couple’ kind of trope, only using an empathetic person and a sociopath trying to pretend to be normal. Yelchin’s character may be a psychopath on top of that, and I suspect – from what little I saw – that the father-figure of the empathetic girl is also a sociopath. I hope so. That makes it even better.

Just from the character concepts alone, I think this film has a lot going for it. I was instantly interested because of Yelchin’s involvement, but it looks like a legitimately good movie as well.


10 – Bad Samaritan (3/30)


Tag Line: None
Production Company: Electric Entertainment
Director: Dean Devlin
Writer: Brandon Boyce
Actors: Kerry Condon, David Tennant, Lisa Brenner, Robert Sheehan, Jacqueline Byers, Hannah Barefoot, Carlito Olivero, Dana Millican, Rob Nagle, Peter James DeLuca
Genre: Horror, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: Unknown

IMDb Blurb: A pair of burglars stumble upon a woman being held captive in a home they intended to rob.

Evil David Tennant (Doctor Who, Ferdinand, DuckTales) is always going to make me want to see a project. TV show, movie, short video, play, flash mob… doesn’t matter what that project is. David Tennant is awesome in general, but evil David is like a rare gem.

This isn’t the first time I’ve seen a plot utilize the naughty valet trope. This is, however, the first time I’ve seen that trope encounter what I suspect is a serial killer/kidnapper.

Everything about this movie looks dark and grimy and awesome. There have been many months that this movie may well have wound up in the number one spot, it just so happens that there are a lot of great films coming out in March this year.

I just can’t wait to get my dose of evil Tennant. Even if this film doesn’t wind up being as great as expected.

9 – Red Sparrow (3/2)


Tag Line: Seductive. Deceptive. Deadly.
Production Company: Chernin Entertainment, Film Rites, Soundtrack New York
Director: Francis Lawrence
Writer: Justin Haythe, Jason Matthews
Actors: Jennifer Lawrence, Joel Edgerton, Matthias Schoenaerts, Charlotte Rampling, Mary-Louise Parker, Ciaran Hinds, Joely Richardson, Bill Camp, Jeremy Irons, Thekla Reuten, Douglas Hodge, Sakina Jaffrey, Sergei Polunin, Sasha Frolova, Sebastian Hulk
Genre: Mystery, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 139 minutes

IMDb Blurb: Ballerina Dominika Egorova is recruited to 'Sparrow School,' a Russian intelligence service where she is forced to use her body as a weapon. Her first mission, targeting a C.I.A. agent, threatens to unravel the security of both nations.

It’s always nice to see female representation of a bad ass character. In this case, there’s some definite trope play, but a decent recipe has been used.

In this case, you also have a director and main actress that have worked together in the past. Francis Lawrence (Water for Elephants, I Am Legend, Constantine) and Jennifer Lawrence (Joy, Passengers, American Hustle) – no relation – worked together on three of the Hunger Games (2013-2015) films. That means they have a working relationship that could help them create a more polished finished product.

There is the issue of the accent Jennifer has to portray, which felt a little off to me, but if the movie is good enough the accent could be able to be overlooked. After all, I can almost forget the dumb ass accents used by Ben Affleck (Justice League, Gone Girl, Argo) and Matt Damon (Jason Bourne, Interstellar, Elysium) in Good Will Hunting (1997). Sure, I still remember it occasionally, but I usually just remember the film as being amazing.

I look forward to seeing Jennifer Lawrence kick some ass again.

8 – I Kill Giants (3/23)


Tag Line: None
Production Company: 1492 Pictures, Ocean Blue Entertainment, XYZ Films, Umedia, uFund, Man of Action, Adonis Production, Parallel Films
Director: Anders Walter
Writer: Joe Kelly, J.M. Ken Niimura
Actors: Zoe Saldana, Imogen Poots, Jennifer Ehle, Madison Wolfe, Noel Clarke, Rory Jackson, Ciara O’Callaghan, Sydney Wade, Aideen Wylde, Amanda Stuart
Genre: Drama, Fantasy, Thriller
Rated: NR
Length: 104 minutes

IMDb Blurb: Barbara Thorson struggles through life by escaping into a fantasy life of magic and monsters.

When a movie starts going into teaching imagination to kids and that being ‘weird’ is ok – I tend to really get interested in it.

I Kill Giants is based on a graphic novel by Joe Kelly (Big Hero 6, Avengers Assemble, Deadpool) and J.M. Ken Niimura. That means that, if made right, the characters and plot are going to have a depth that you just don’t get to see much of in new films.

Of course, that’s provided the film is made correctly.

This movie will be Anders Walter’s (Katusha, Helium, 9 Meter) first full length feature film direction – which means he’s a complete wild card. Joe Kelly, however, is responsible for the screenplay. Not only was he one of the creators of the graphic novel, which means we’ll see something he likely approved of, but he’s also very experienced in the world of visual entertainment. He knows how Hollywood is going to treat his creations and he knows how to work it into something that’s worth watching.

I grew up roleplaying. My uncle taught me DnD when I was super young and I just never stopped playing (though I moved on to other formats over time). During the times when shit got really bad, roleplaying helped me step out of my skin for a little while and find another solution by working the problem into the story.

Maybe I’m projecting, but I see a lot of that in this trailer. It feels like the giants may be representative of something else.

Having been that kid fighting dragons in my brain, I can relate. I think a lot of kids could.

7 – Pacific Rim Uprising (3/23)


Tag Line: Rise up.
Production Company: Double Dare You (DDY), Double Negative, Legendary Entertainment, Perfect World Pictures (Beijing), Twisted Media, Universal Pictures
Director: Steven S. DeKnight
Writer: Emily Carmichael, Kira Snyder, T.S.Nowlin, Travis Beacham
Actors: Scott Eastwood, Adria Arjona, Tian Jing, Charlie Day, John Boyega, Rinko Kikuchi, Burn Gorman, Dustin Clare, Karan Brar
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated: PG-13
Length: Unknown

IMDb Blurb: Jake Pentecost, son of Stacker Pentecost, reunites with Mako Mori to lead a new generation of Jaeger pilots, including rival Lambert and 15-year-old hacker Amara, against a new Kaiju threat.

Took long enough. I’m super hype for a Pacific Rim sequel.

I’m not going to deny that it looks like Transformers (2007) if Michael Bay (Transformers: Dark of the Moon, 13 Hours, Pain & Gain) dropped out… but I don’t think that would suck either. At least we’d actually get to see the fights instead of just blurs going across the scene.

The cast is different than the first film, but there are still some big names associated with Uprising. John Boyega (Star Wars: The Last Jedi, The Circle, Detroit), Charlie Day (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia, The Hollars, Fist Fight), Scott Eastwood (Overdrive, Suicide Squad, Mercury Plains)… they’re all highly recognizable by name, if not by face.

The trailer just looks pretty epic. Maybe a little on the corny side, but epic none-the-less.

I’m concerned about sequel-itis, but I’m hoping that Steven S. DeKnight (Daredevil, Dollhouse, Angel) can make his first full-length feature direction a little more original that it could have been.

6 – Gringo (3/9)


Tag Line: An American corporation, the Mexican cartel, chances are this won't end well.
Production Company: Amazon Studios, Blue-Tongue Films, Denver and Delilah Productions, Picrow
Director: Nash Edgerton
Writer: Anthony Tambakis, Matthew Stone
Actors: Joel Edgerton, Charlize Theron, David Oyelowo, Thandie Newton, Bashir Salahuddin, Glenn Kubota, Melonie Diaz, Amanda Seyfried, Harry Treadaway, Theo Taplitz, Paris Jackson
Genre: Action, Comedy, Crime
Rated: R
Length: 110 minutes

IMDb Blurb: GRINGO, a dark comedy mixed with white-knuckle action and dramatic intrigue, explores the battle of survival for businessman Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) when he finds himself crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal.

I see Gringo as the dark horse of my top ten. There are a few well known people in it, but I haven’t seen any advertising anywhere.

That should be impressive, because I just had a baby and my entire life right now is taking care of her while watching YouTube/Playstation Vue… and I haven’t so much as seen a single ad for it outside of the ones I’ve looked up for research purposes.

Ad silence or not, the trailer for this is hilarious and there are parts that caught me off guard. You know there’s something to look forward to when the trailer itself shocks you.

I’d say give it a chance.

5 – The Hurricane Heist (3/9)


Tag Line: The ultimate storm for the perfect heist.
Production Company: Dream Team Films, Foresight Unlimited, Head Gear Films, Metrol Technology, Parkside Pictures, RSVP Entertainment, Signature Pictures, Tadross Media Group, Windfall Productions
Director: Rob Cohen
Writer: Carlos Davis, Jeff Dixon, Anthony Fingleton, Scott Windhauser
Actors: Toby Kebbell, Maggie Grace, Ryan Kwanten, Ralph Ineson, Melissa Bolona, Ben Cross, Jamie Andrew Cutler, Christian Contreras, Jimmy Walker, Ed Birch, Moyo Akande
Genre: Action, Thriller
Rated: PG-13
Length: 100 minutes

IMDb Blurb: Thieves attempt a massive heist against the U.S. Treasury as a Category 5 hurricane approaches one of its Mint facilities.

I have to apologize. This film shouldn’t be anywhere near this high on the list, but I’m way too curious about the random mish-mash of tropes to allow myself to push it any lower. I’ve never seen a non-B-movie mix of disaster, heist, and cars.

There’s no way to tell what to make of The Hurricane Heist before seeing it. It’s got a decent cast and a good director… but the writers aren’t really known for the greatest projects in the world.

The Hurricane Heist could go either way.

The trailer indicates that it might just be worth an open mind.

4 – Tomb Raider (3/16)


Tag Line: Her legend begins.
Production Company: GK Films, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Square Enix, Warner Bros.
Director: Roar Uthaug
Writer: Geneva Robertson-Dworet, Alastair Siddons, Evan Daugherty
Actors: Alicia Vikander, Hannah John-Kamen, Walton Goggins, Kristin Scott Thomas, Dominic West, Nick Frost, Daniel Wu, Emily Carey, Alexandre Willaume, Bernardo Santos, Rae Lim, Gintare Beinoraviciute, Michael Obiora, Helena Holmes, Rowan Polonski
Genre: Action, Adventure
Rated: PG-13
Length: Unknown

IMDb Blurb: Lara Croft, the fiercely independent daughter of a missing adventurer, must push herself beyond her limits when she finds herself on the island where her father disappeared.

I want to look forward to this movie more than I do. It looks so much like the new Tomb Raider game that I zone into it pretty hard. I’ve spent a lot of hours watching those gruesome death scenes…

I do, however, imagine Lara Croft will survive the actual film. Likely because my clumsy ass won’t be controlling her.

I’m just nervous because video game films don’t always do the best. Directors and writers try to make the story into something it’s not… and the whole feel is lost. In something as popular and well-known as Tomb Raider, that’s a problem.

As far as this particular film goes… the trailer leads me to believe they stuck with the darker themes and feel of the newest game. I’m hoping they did. I think that could make a kick-ass movie.

3 – Isle of Dogs (3/23)


Tag Line: None
Production Company: American Empirical Pictures, Indian Paintbrush, Scott Rudin Productions, Studio Babelsberg
Director: Wes Anderson
Writer: Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola, Kunichi Nomura, Jason Schwartzman
Actors: Bryan Cranston, Koyu Rankin, Edward Norton, Live Schreiber, Greta Gerwig, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Bob Balaban Scarlett Johansson, Courtney B. Vance, Kunichi Nomura, Tilda Swinton, F. Murray Abraham, Harvey Keitel, Frances McDormand, Yoko Ono, Jake Ryan, Ken Watanabe
Genre: Animation, Adventure, Comedy
Rated: PG-13
Length: 101 minutes

IMDb Blurb: Set in Japan, Isle of Dogs follows a boy's odyssey in search of his dog.

I wasn’t initially interested in this film – claymation isn’t my favorite form of animation. As more and more came out about it, though, I began to become enamored by it. The story, the people involved… even the style grew on me.

The trailer really speaks on its own. Everything about it is completely unique; from the plot to the characterizations.

I recommend watching more than one trailer for Isle of Dogs. Each trailer shows a little something different about the film. They show the talent of the director, the animation, the story… all in a different light.

This film is going to be good. In fact, there’s nothing bad I can think to point out about it. One way or another, it’ll be interesting.

2 – A Wrinkle in Time (3/9)


Tag Line: Be a warrior.
Production Company: Walt Disney Pictures, Whitaker Entertainment
Director: Ava DuVernay
Writer: Jennifer Lee, Madeleine L’Engle
Actors: Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Chris Pine, Bellamy Young, Reese Witherspoon, Storm Reid, Mindy Kaling, Michael Pena, Zach Galifianakis, Oprah Winfrey, Rowan Blanchard, Levi Miller, Daniel MacPherson, Alexia Rae Castillo, Andre Holland, Akemi Look
Genre: Adventure, Family, Fantasy
Rated: PG
Length: Unknown

IMDb Blurb: After the disappearance of her scientist father, three peculiar beings send Meg, her brother, and her friend to space in order to find him.

A Wrinkle in Time is one of those nostalgic stories that will always draw my eye. That means the trailer really didn’t need to look as good as it did to make me, personally, want to see it.

That said, the trailer does look awesome. It looks even better than I would have ever dreamed.

There’s a part of me that will be annoyed if it’s not as good as I hope. I want this to be one of those movies that turns into a classic. Something that my daughter looks back on and remembers fondly.

I really hope it works out that way.

1 – Ready Player One (3/29)


Tag Line: A better reality awaits.
Production Company: Amblin Entertainment, De Line Pictures, DreamWorks, Farah Films & Management, Random House Films, RatPac-Dune Entertainment, Reliance Entertainment, Village Roadshow Pictures, Warner Bros.
Director: Steven Spielberg
Writer: Zak Penn, Ernest Cline
Actors: Letitia Wright, Hannah John-Kamen, Olivia Cooke, Mckenna Grace, T.J. Miller, Tye Sheridan, Ben Mendelsohn, Simon Pegg, Mark Rylance, Lena Waithe, Kae Alexander, Jacob Bertrand, Ralph Ineson, Julia Nickson, Susan Lynch, Kathryn Wilder, Mandy June Turpin, Cara Pifko, Britain Dalton, Win Morisaki
Genre: Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi
Rated: PG-13
Length: Unknown

IMDb Blurb: When the creator of a virtual reality world called the OASIS dies, he releases a video in which he challenges all OASIS users to find his Easter Egg, which will give the finder his fortune. Wade Watts finds the first clue and starts a race for the Egg.

Ready Player One has been on my ‘must see’ list since I first heard it was being made into a movie. A few years ago, a friend gave me the book for my birthday and I just cannot wait to see it.

I don’t want to say too much, because it’s too tempting to throw out spoilers. Point is, it’s a great plot and I am looking forward to seeing how Steven Spielberg (Saving Private Ryan, War Horse, The BFG) handles it.

I’m also thrilled that the original writer of the novel, Ernest Cline (Fanboys, Red vs. Blue, Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Return), was involved in the writing of the screenplay.

Movies to Look out For
According to: Cat

The Hurricane Heist .20
The Vanishing of Sidney Hall .19
Thoroughbreds .18
Oh Lucy! .17
Love, Simon .16
Midnight Sun .15
Death Wish .14
Dear Dictator .13
Lean on Pete .12
Unsane .11
Benji .10
Red Sparrow .9
Journey’s End .8
Sherlock Gnomes .7
Bad Samaritan .6
I Kill Giants .5
Tomb Raider .4
A Wrinkle in Time .3
Pacific Rim Uprising .2
Ready Player One .1

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