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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