Normally I do top 5 lists. I really wanted to break next year down to 5 movies I can’t wait for, but it’s just too difficult. So you’re getting 10 instead.
It is a very good time to be a nerd. Science fiction and geek movies are the biggest Hollywood blockbusters and there’s no sign of them stopping. This year, we can expect another phase of Marvel movies leading into the Avengers sequel and Marvel/nonMarvel redux The Wolverine who is doing his best Batman impression. We will also see a re-pairing of several classic comedic casts: Owen Wilson & Vince Vaughan in the Internship, Ferrell and the gang in Anchorman 2, and unfortunately the wolfpack will be back for The Hangover 3. But let’s toss those aside for now and concentrate on the (hopefully) best movies of 2013.
10. Before Midnight (TBA)
If you haven’t seen Before Sunrise (1995) and its sequel Before Sunset (2004), you owe it to yourself to be swept up in these dialogue-driven trips through Europe. The chemistry of Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy cannot be beat. Now, nearly 20 years after they first met, their characters meet up again in Greece. Their great conversations and background of Europe make the previous movies extremely watchable. Richard Linklater’s Before Midnight is premiering at Sundance and will most likely be released to indie theaters this Summer.
9. Kick Ass 2 (June 28)
Kick Ass was a surprisingly hilarious take on an average kid who put on a pair of tights to fight crime. Granted, most of the comedy relied on shock value (see also: an 11 year old girl cursing like a sailor) but has plenty of replay value. The cast is back for this sequel subtitled Balls to the Wall. I’m hoping it’ll be good because Hit Girl is now much older and will be less shocking. Also, the previous film’s director, Matthew Vaughn, is on to bigger (not exactly better) movies. Fingers Crossed for the same quality.
8. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (December 13)
I had a great time with An Unexpected Journey. As soon as it ended, I became one of the fantasy geeks (i.e. Virgins) that couldn’t wait for 6 more hours of cozy goodness. I’m interested to see if the content in this movie will be stretched out to justify the third part. No matter what, I’m looking forward to another visit to Middle Earth. Wow, this paragraph removes any credibility I may have once had.
7. Pacific Rim (July 12)
Geeks salivate at the mention of the director with 3 names, Guillermo Del Toro. I’m very interested to see what he does with his version of the summer blockbuster. The trailer left me worried about another Transformers movie, but Del Toro hasn’t let me down yet. Plus, the trailer had Glados’ voice and Jax Teller. Sign me up.
6. Ender’s Game (November 1)
It’s finally time for a young adult book adaptation for boys. Girls have been spoiled for far too long with their vampires, witches and tributes. This classic sci-fi novel has been in development hell for nearly 2 decades and is finally seeing the light of day. It doesn’t hurt that Asa Butterfield (Hugo) is playing Ender. I’m nervous and excited about this one.
5. Frozen (November 27)
We can all admit that Disney had its best days with its 90’s 2D musicals. But then Tangled happened and gave us hope again. Their newest princess adventure feature is adapted from Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen. It follows a young girl and an ice climber as they brave treacherous mountains and landscapes to reach the Snow Queen and end the perpetual winter. So far, only images have been released, but this one looks tonally similar to Tangled. Idina Menzel plays the Snow Queen, so it’s sure to have music. I’m a sucker for this stuff.
4. Star Trek Into Darkness (May 17)
I liked the redo of Star Trek, but didn’t fall in love with it. I’m excited for a less-restrained sequel that doesn’t have to set up any origins or get us reacquainted with classic characters. 100% of the buzz with this one is focused on the addition of Benedict “Cummerbund” Cumberbatch as the villain. Speculation about who he plays is rampant, but one thing is certain, he looks to steal every scene he’s in. This will be one of the biggest blockbusters of the year (after Catching Fire and Iron Man 3).
3. Man of Steel (June 14)
There are several superhero movies out this year, but the one that draws my interest and curiosity is the latest Superman reboot, Man of Steel. I’m a huge fan of Henry Cavill and I’m sure he will be fantastic. Zak Snyder is my guilty pleasure (except Sucker Punch) and I’m interested to see what he does with the original boy scout. I do have a few requests. A) Don’t make him invincible. B) Don’t make him fight an island. C) Have some incredible action, he’s Superman for hell’s sake! After the debacle of Green Lantern and Nolan departure from Batman, DC needs a serious win here. Fingers crossed.
2. The Evil Dead (April 12)
I was pissed when I first heard about this remake. How dare they touch the camp classic and not even invite Bruce Campbell. The press was getting so bad, that Campbell himself had to come out and let everyone know that he’s seen it and “It’s Fabulous!” Add that to the very convincing trailers and I am now stoked for this gritty, bloody, messy, modern take. It looks deadly serious. Normally I like comedy with my horror, but if you think about it, the original Evil Dead was a straight-up horror movie. The series didn’t get campy until Evil Dead 2. I hope they don’t bump this one back to October like they did with Carrie.
1. The World’s End (October 25)
Don’t the uninspired title mislead you. This movie will be anything but forgettable. This movie will complete “The Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy” which also comprises Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are NEVER better than when they work with director Edgar Wright. This story follows a group of friends as they attempt a pub crawl to get sloshed and eventually end up at their favorite pub, The World’s End. It’s rumored that, on the way, they’ll encounter dancing zombies, monsters and aliens and they’ll have to fight to save humanity. Count. Me. In. My bias is so thick on this movie, that even if it’s terrible, I won’t be able to admit it.
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