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25 OF 2014 (The Most Anticipated Films)

Here’s my annual list of the most anticipated films for this current year. This year wasn’t nearly as difficult as the last two, but the challenge was still there. Still, here it is, and enjoy. 

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25. XX
Directors: Jennifer Lynch, Mary Harron, Karyn Kusama, Jen & Sylvia Soska, Jovanka Vuckovic
Release Date: TBD

The horror anthology game has definitely been interesting as of late, with a boost given a by V/H/S back in 2012. 2014 will see the latest chapter in this saga, this time with an all-female army of badasses. The project will come from Lynch (Surveillance), Harron (American Psycho), Kusama (Jennifer’s Body), The Soska Sisters (American Mary), and Vuckovic (The Captured Bird), and although details are scarce at the moment, a line-up of talent like this is more than worthy of our patience. Cheers to 2014 being the release year, though.

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24. THE RAID 2: BERANDAL
Director: Gareth Evans
Release Date: March 28

For all intents and purposes, this shouldn’t have made the list. It almost didn’t. Unlike most of the cinematic action fanboys in the world, I didn’t fall in love with The Raid: Redemption the first time I saw it (and I was jealous of those fanboys). But thanks to multiple viewings and a new perspective on it thanks to the blu-ray, it now has a place in my heart. The big factor: seeing what Evans can do outside of a tall building. His contribution in V/H/S/2 shows that he’s extremely talented. And that first trailer might have given us a glimpse into a promising career for him.

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23. EVANGELINE
Director: Karen Lam 
Release Date: TBD (Women in Film Festival Debut on March 6)

We’ve already got an all-female directorial charge of horror coming out (hence number 25) but this particular project is a special. It’s the feature-length debut of horror short master Karen Lam, who has shown extreme promise with Doll Parts and The Stolen (you can find my review for that here). Evangeline tells the story of a young girl starting out her college experience, only to find herself in the middle of a power struggle between revenge and the redemption, which comes from the film’s ever going Facebook page. It’s going to be a great year for feature debuts already…

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22. THE MONUMENTS MEN
Director: George Clooney
Release Date: February 7

The decision to move Clooney’s newest directorial effort to this New Year from a prime December 2013 was a head-scratcher, although it might have been out of a lot of people’s control. Apparently, the “last-minute” release set date for The Wolf of Wall Street changed the release dates of at least ten different movies. But no matter, because looks like a grand old time. The persuasion of Clooney attracted what could be his best ensemble cast yet, and his angle choice for a heavy-set WWII story (about some brave souls looking to save art pieces from the hands of the Nazis) looks like he might have more fun with this than his past efforts.

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21. JANE GOT A GUN
Director: Gavin O'Connor
Release Date: August 29

Natalie Portman plays a wife who tries to keep her husband safe from a gang of killers by hiring her ex to protect him. This production story was possibly my favorite of 2013. Actually, to use the word ‘favorite’ might be a bit cynical but it also seems fitting. First came the ever-dramatic departure of original director Lynne Ramsay. Then a day later, Jude Law left the project since he only joined because of Ramsay’s involvement. From that point, the production played the dreadful game of musical chairs with its director and stars. Thanks to the recommendation of a still-involved Joel Edgerton, the criminally underrated O’Connor (Warrior) was brought it. The storm has left. Now all that’s left is the anticipation of the aftermath.

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20. CUBAN FURY
Director: James Griffiths
Release Date: U.S. TBD (February 14 in the UK)

This might be my silliest choice here in the list, but damn if I can’t relate to this. Nick Frost plays a man that tries to win the heart of Rashida Jones by digging up his prodigy roots and salsa dancing to her soul. The plot description alone has me giddy. Combine that with the supporting efforts of Chris O’Dowd, Olivia Colman and Ian McShane and it’s a no-brainer. The feature debut for sitcom veteran Griffiths hasn’t found a U.S. date yet, but I will see the Fury of Frost this year come hell or high water.

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19. DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
Director: Matt Reeves
Release Date: July 11

Taking place a few years after Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Dawn focuses on the thin and violent line of existence between humans and genetically evolved apes, lead by Caeser. Cloverfield was six freaking years ago. How has it taken this long for Clovy’s director Reeves to finally have the reigns to a major franchise? Better is late than never, and sometimes things have a way of aligning perfectly. Rupert Wyatt did a hell of a job jump-starting the Apes franchise with Rise, but when declined to return, that just left the chariot cart open without a driver. Reeves needs something that can showcase his power as well as talent once more. Also, the trailer’s got a hell of a quote already.

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18. GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY
Director: James Gunn
Release Date: August 1

My first introduction into Gunn’s wickedly delicious brain back was his work on Tromeo and Juliet, his first credited screenplay that dates back to 1996 (and, has since, brought us Slither and penned the Dawn of the Dead remake). With all of that effort, I was hooked. After all these years, to see him get to play around in the Marvel universe is nothing short of fan-freaking-tastic. He has a solid cast lined up, and the first released pic of said cast (above) is further selling the idea of a Gunn-runned Marvel world is something that we all need.

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17. MUPPETS MOST WANTED
Director: James Bobin
Release Date: March 21

Kermit’s been framed by a look-alike jewel thief, and it’s up to the gang to break him out and find the dastardly criminal before it’s too late! I was thrilled with the return of the Muppets a couple of years ago, but news of a sequel had me weary. Let’s face it, the Muppets’ track record with sequels isn’t exactly kind (damn you Muppets in Space), and the lack of Jason Segel’s involvement didn’t help my worry either. But everything beyond those points has been smooth, with Bobin returning to the director’s chair, as well as Muppets screenwriter Nicolas Stoller coming back. Also, come on, a movie with the Muppets AND Tina Fey? It’s like a wonderful fever dream already. 

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16. THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY - PART 1
Director: Francis Lawrence
Release Date: November 21

Thanks have to be given to Gary Ross for starting up the cinematic version of Suzanne Collins’ fantastical Hunger Games trilogy, but the franchise now belongs to Francis Lawrence. He more than proved that with Catching Fire, and now that he’s been given the official reigns to conclude the trilogy with new screenwriter Danny Strong (Recount), it’s his to win, or lose. If the quality of these films is kept up, we could be looking at a powerhouse franchise that’s worth the admiration of us cinemaheads.

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15. A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST
Director: Seth MacFarlane
Release Date: May 30

Are we still on the debate on whether or not Ted was good? If so, why? Ted was more than good, it was an outstanding feature directorial debut for MacFarlane, and kudos has to be given for coming out of the gate with his dream project. This newest effort is a romantic comedy set in the Western era, so in other words the potential for this is massive. I should also point out this fact: Neil Patrick Harris and Liam Neeson together in the same…freaking…movie. 

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14. FURY (Title Might Change)
Director: David Ayer
Release Date: November 14

If there’s another film on this list that comes close to holding a “controversy” candle to Jane Got a Gun, it’s the newest WWII-themed film from David Ayer. Granted, this wasn’t the case until recently. Ayer’s recent effort, End of Watch, was spectacular and 2014 is going to be a big year for him (he also has the Schwarzenegger actioneer Sabotage coming out in April). But the recent antics of Shi LaBeouf, including the reports that he got into fights with everyone on set, have cast a dark cloud over this. I’d like to think the movie itself will overcome. I just want to see what Ayer does next.

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13. X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST
Director: Bryan Singer
Release Date: May 23

I wonder if Singer still reflects upon his actions taken between 2003 and 2006. He had the X-Men franchise in his hands after the success of X2, and then lets it go to bring back Superman to the big screen. Superman Returns was highly anticipated, and then it came out. And then…poof, nothing. Singer’s stuck around since, and now, to some people, he’s come back home. I wonder if he himself thinks about any of that while directing the new and old cast of a franchise that is prime for a huge step forward.

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12. 22 JUMP STREET
Directors: Phil Lord & Chris Miller
Release Date: June 13

“Ladies, nobody gave a shit about the Jump Street reboot…but you got lucky.” Let Nick Offerman’s words set it. He’s back (even if it’s just for a scene). Tatum, Hill, and Ice Cube is back (no sign of Korean Jesus though). And best of all, Lord and Miller are back, and it has to be admired that they were able to bring this together while being knee-deep in The Lego Movie. And, true to the ending of the first, the duo is going to college. How much am I looking forward to this? I’m already quoting the trailer. “You look really old. You look old as shit to be here.”

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11. BAD WORDS
Director: Jason Bateman
Release Date: March 28

Jason Bateman plays a loser who finds a loophole in the national spelling bee, and he’s looking to exploit it for all it’s worth. Have you seen the red-band trailer? Go see it. And trust me, I don’t recommend anyone see any trailers or clips that give away something/anything important. In fact, the trailer really doesn’t give us much, except an extreme promise that is this going to be a hell of a feature directorial debut from Bateman.

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10. INHERENT VICE
Director: Paul Thomas Anderson
Release Date: TBD

The words “1970’s”, “Los Angeles”, “crime” and “Paul Thomas Anderson” should be more than enough to fuel the fire within all of us cinematic diehards (or at least all of PTA’s fans). Combine that with the insane cast he has (Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro, Reese Witherspoon, Jena Malone, and Maya Rudolph) and this is an obvious choice for the list. Now if we could just get a heads-up on a possible release date…

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9. DRAFT DAY
Director: Ivan Reitman
Release Date: April 11

If any of the selections could be chalked up to “really personal”, they don’t get better than this. I’m a Costner fan (don’t hate), a huge Ivan Reitman fan, but most of all, in this particular case, I’m a gigantic fan of pro football. Honestly, I don’t feel there are enough pro football movies, especially ones that are tailor-made for the NFL. So if you have those three elements, a script from the Black List, AND it takes place on the most important day for an organization? Please. Like I stand a chance.

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8. SIN CITY: A DAME TO KILL FOR
Directors: Frank Miller & Robert Rodriguez
Release Date: August 22

If you were to have told me seven years ago that the decision to put a SIN CITY sequel on an anticipated list would have been hard, I probably would have pimped-slapped you. But here we are. I am looking forward to this, but it’s all about the timing. Would this have played out better years ago when it was appropriately due? Or will it play out better now, since the cinematic world hasn’t been kind to Rodriguez and Miller as of late? I guess we shall see…

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7. GONE GIRL
Director: David Fincher
Release Date: October 7

I might be one of the few people out there that’s very much anticipating Fincher’s return to the American version of The Girl trilogy, so I was a tad let down when this was announced. But then I started reading up on the buzz for the book it’s based on, and apparently, it’s insane and disturbing on a Fincher caliber level. Gone Girl starts off with a bride that disappears on her wedding day, and things get weird from that point on. The author, Gillian Flynn, is also writing the screenplay herself. Oh and it’s also got the most weirdly rounded cast of any Fincher film so far. Hell, I’m in.

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6. JUPITER ASCENDING
Directors: The Wachowskis
Release Date: July 18

I’m still feeling the effects of Cloud Atlas, the last cinematic gift given to us by the Wachowskis (with the help of Tom Tykwer). It’s a bit surprising that their newest effort is coming to us so soon, but you’ll hear no complaining from me. From adapting the works of David Mitchell to giving us something original, the siblings bring us an epic world where a human girl (Mila Kuis) is the last hope to save the galaxy. She’s targeted by an evil queen, and she’ll have to stay alive with the help of a mysterious man named Caine (Channing Tatum). 

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5. GODZILLA
Director: Gareth Edwards
Release Date: May 16

My anticipation for the U.S. reboot (aka the washing down of any bitter taste left over) began a long time ago with the hiring of Edwards, who made his film debut with the ingenious Monsters. To me, that move made by Warner Bros. signifies me that it wants the humanity aspect played up, and played right, in their monster movie. So yeah, I was already excited. Then that trailer happened. The now-banned teaser gave me goosebumps. And the first official trailer? I stand by my remarks: it’s the best trailer I’ve seen in years. 

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4. FOXCATCHER
Director: Bennett Miller
Release Date: TBD

He’s only directed to films (Capote and Moneyball), and to say that Bennett Miller has made each one of those count is a severe understatement. His third outing is the true-life story of the murder of Olympian Dave Schultz (Channing Tatum), and it’s ideal to Miller’s style. But the big selling point here? Steve Carrel, playing John du Pont, the man who murders Schultz. For those of you who were lucky to catch the teaser trailer before it got take down due to the movie’s 2013 release date move, you know exactly what I mean here.

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3. INTERSTELLAR
Director: Christopher Nolan
Release Date: November 7

I will always love and appreciate Christopher Nolan for the Dark Knight trilogy that he gave us (yes, Rises included). The man has shown that no matter what subject matter he tackles in a film, he tackles it with severity. So what would a Nolan adventure be like if he focused his energy on space travel, complete with new possibilities? With the help of hell of a cast (Matthew McConaughey and Jessica Chastain leading the charge) and a teaser trailer that clearly defines “tease”, November 7th can’t come fast enough.

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2. HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2
Director: Dean DeBlois
Release Date: June 13

It’s really been four years since How to Train Your Dragon came out, hasn’t it? I still remember my first theatrical experience with the seemingly underdog animated film at the time. It was everything a movie should be. I love the fact that they took their time developing this. I love the fact that they’re giving the characters the real-time treatment, making them age instead of keeping them at what they were. Most of all, I just love everything about the world that Cressida Cowell created. I have the utmost confidence in returning writer/director DeBlois, and the utmost confidence in the rest of the filmmakers.

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1. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL
Director: Wes Anderson
Release Date: March 7

The Grand Budapest Hotel tells the story of Gustave, a loyal hotel concierge that’s seen a lot during this time at a famous European hotel. He befriends a lobby boy named Moustafa, and together they try to survive a series of events that have them and everybody around them at wit’s end. All of these picks are based on what I hope the projects will be, but this is the one that has me at the closest to the metaphor “foaming at the mouth”. I’ve always loved Wes Anderson and his works, and this looks like Anderson on high octane energy. He’s got a tremendous cast lined up, and that’s led by Ralph Fiennes who looks to be having the most fun he’s had in a film in years. The whole ‘fun’ aspect in general is the key element here. I’m not expecting this to be Anderson’s best work yet. Just his most enjoyable. Everything about it seems infectious. I just hope I’m proven at least a little bit right. 

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