With winter break gone and school finally underway, there are new films to see in the New Year. There are many films coming out in this year that are exciting, so here are my picks of what to see in the New Year.
January 6 – Underworld: Blood Wars
With the continuation of Kate Beckinsale’s vampire and werewolf killer, Selene, Underworld: Blood Wars promises to be a large-scale action spectacle, with werewolves in large numbers invading the vampire fortress while Selene is traveling north to attain something to defeat them. The film stars Kate Beckinsale from Total Recall, Theo James from Divergent, Charles Dance from Game of Thrones, Lara Pulver from Sherlock and Bradley James from BBC’s Merlin. With all the big names and the action scenes in the trailer, the movie promises to be as action-packed and entertaining as the past installments. If you enjoy watching Kate Beckinsale in her latex outfit killing a bunch of werewolves and kicking ass, then go out and see this, but don’t go expecting the script to be any good. The franchise has had a lot of cheesy dialogue lately, and has gone on about as long as Resident Evil, so go in with little hope of the story being stellar and rather go see this for the action and CGI that looks great and for another installment in the vampire vs werewolf franchise.
Ad
January 20 – xXx: Return of Xander Cage
Remember xXx with Vin Diesel and Sam Jackson, or the lesser sequel with Ice Cube? Well, the franchise is getting a new installment years later. In the new film, Xander, who was thought dead in the last film, is actually alive, and together, with a group of outcasts, they’ll help stop an evil group. The trailer has a lot of cheesy special effects, over the top action and slow motion effects as is characteristic of large scale action films these days. The new film won’t be for everyone, but if you are looking for some nostalgia or mindless action, this film is for you. I don’t think this will be something to put high on your list, but there are a lot of nostalgic films coming out in January this year, and xXx is sure to be a blast, if anything, with all the testosterone you want in a film. Along with Samuel L. Jackson and Vin Diesel, the film stars Ruby Rose from Orange is the New Black, Toni Colette from Sixth Sense and Fright Night, Rory McCann from Game of Thrones and Tony Jaa from Ong-Bak and Furious 7. It’s a large cast of well-known people. If you enjoy the actors, know what you get with Vin Diesel films and you don’t care about the cheesy, occasional campy nature of the show, this film will be something to look forward to towards the end of January.
January 20 – Split
If you would rather watch a psychological thriller, then go out to see M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film. Shyamalan has had a hard time creating good movies since The Sixth Sense, and while his track record may have some refusing to see his films or uninterested, the trailer for this film promises an outstanding performance by James McAvoy, who plays Kevin, a man with 24 different personalities who kidnaps three teenage girls. These girls must find a way to work with his different personalities to escape. There aren’t many big named actors in this film, unlike the previous movies coming out, but with Shyamalan and McAvoy, it should be enough to get you interested. If you love the psychological thriller genre and haven’t seen the trailer yet, then go and watch it, because you’ll understand the promise that the movie shows and the great performance that McAvoy looks to deliver in this upcoming film.
January 20 – The Red Turtle
If you want to watch an artsy, animated feature from a big-name company, then this is the film for you. The Red Turtle has already received a lot of good publicity and has been released with the help of Studio Ghibli, who hired French director Michael Dudok de Wit to create this film for them. The film tells the story of a man who gets stranded on an island, where he meets a red turtle aw well as encounters crabs and birds. The premise doesn’t sound as interesting as the film promises to be in the trailer, which gives us a look at life itself in this wordless film. If you like the artsy films, Studio Ghibli, want to watch something that won’t scare you like Split or be as cheesy as xXx, this is the film for you to see in late January.
January 27 – Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
With a resurgence of older films coming out in January, Resident Evil returns with its final installment. A franchise based on the video game of the same name, Paul W.S. Anderson returns for the final film with Milla Jovovich’s Alice kicking zombie mutant butt. In the film, Alice reunites with old allies to take down the Umbrella corporation to release a cure to the virus. The film sees the return of Ali Larter from Heroes as Claire Redfield and new faces like Ruby Rose from Orange is the New Black and Ian Glenn from Game of Thrones. The last film in the franchise was terrible in every aspect, and if Paul W.S. Anderson has learned anything, this film looks like it will deliver for the final installment of a franchise that started as a horror and turned quickly into a dark, adrenaline-filled, action-packed, zombie survival movie. If you love the games, the franchise or just want to complete the series, this film looks to deliver. As long as the script isn’t too cheesy, is engaging and gives the right amount of entertainment value, this film could be one of the better installments of the franchise.
February 10 – The Lego Batman Movie
Following the success of The Lego Movie, we return to Will Arnett’s Batman, this time in his own original film, with The Lego Movie director Chris McKay returning at the helm of the film. The story revolves around Batman having to take care of an orphan he adopted, Dick Grayson, voiced by Michael Cera. If the film is anything like The Lego Movie was, then we can expect this to be extremely entertaining for all ages with jokes for everyone. This movie promises to be one of the best films coming out next year, and one of the most anticipated. See the trailer if you haven’t. You’ll see how they retained the humor we loved from The Lego Movie, and it looks like they have successfully constructed a film that retains all the best things from both The Lego Movie and DC Comics by joking about Batman v. Superman and jokes about Dick Grayson and Batman. The film also has an all-star voice cast with Will Arnett from The Lego Movie, Zach Galifinakis from The Hangover, Michael Cera from Scott Pilgrim, Mariah Carey and Ralph Fiennes, who played Harry Potter’s Voldemort.
February 10 – John Wick 2
When a former friend plots to take over an international league of hitmen, John Wick returns from retirement to take them down. Keanu Reeves returns in the second installment with Chad Stahelski at the helm again, directing the film. The trailer promises a lot of action and the potential to be better than the first film with a larger budget and bigger budget cast.
If you are looking for an action film, you should see this film when it comes out. The first film was extremely entertaining with its “one man against an army” plot and a continuation of a similar plot for this film with the focus in Rome, unlike the previous film. This is the third movie with Ruby Rose coming out next year, and all upcoming movies featuring the actress have her starring in big action roles, so if you love her and want to see all the films with her, then go see this. John Wick also features Common, Lawrence Fishburne from The Matrix, John Leguizamo from Ice Age and Ian McShane from Pirates of the Caribbean.
February 17 – Patient Zero
Do you like Matt Smith? Natalie Dormer? Are you a nerd who loved Smith in Doctor Who or Dormer in The Hunger Game and Game of Thrones? Well, this new film stars both as they survive during a zombie-like apocalypse. The story revolves around a man’s ability to communicate with those who have been infected and can speak their language as the survivors search for Patient Zero and a cure for the disease. The film also stars Stanley Tucci from Devil Wears Prada and Hunger Games. If you are tired of zombie apocalypse movies, then this might not be the film for you, but the premise sounds unique, and Matt Smith and Natalie Dormer are amazing, so them alone is a big reason to go and see this film.
Ad
March 3 – Logan
Hugh Jackman has been playing Wolverine for over a decade now, and in the final installment as the character, they have worked on adapting the Old Man Logan storyline from the comics. Also, with the success of Deadpool, they have created another R-rated superhero film for the last time with Hugh Jackman. In the last movie, most of the mutants are gone and Logan is left with an aging Charles Xavier as he protects a child mutant similar to himself. The film’s trailer showed us a lot of the enemies who appear to be basic, non-mutant humans who have the goal of capturing this girl. With another R-rated movie, this being Hugh Jackman’s last film and the final Wolverine film until they recast new characters, this will be the film to see before you get your next superhero fix with Guardians of the Galaxy 2. Hugh Jackman’s Wolverine was one of the best characters adapted for film, and it is sad that Jackman is retiring from the role, but seeing him play the role one last time is going to be a treat. Whether you love superhero films, want to see it because it’s another R-rated superhero film or you love Hugh Jackman, this is one of the biggest and most important films to see in the coming year.
March 10 – T2: Trainspotting
In the sequel to the cult classic, Ewan McGregor, Johnny Lee Miller and the rest of the original cast return in this upcoming sequel, 20 years after the first. Prepare for a trip down memory lane as we return to where the story began and rejoin the beloved characters from the original Trainspotting film. If you were a fan of the original, then you’ll not want to miss this, otherwise, go back and watch the original before deciding whether or not you want to see this film.
March 10 – Kong: Skull Island
Remember King Kong? How about the movie with Jack Black? Well, coming soon is a new take on the original, with a new cast, because we love to remember the good ol’ days and Hollywood has not forgotten to do so this year. With this new film, we follow soldiers and others as they travel to Skull Island and encounter the villagers who praise Kong as a god. They must work to survive against the reptilian creatures who dwell below the surface in this take on King Kong. The film features Tom Hiddleston from Thor and Brie Larson from Room, as well as Samuel L. Jackson from The Avengers and John C. Reilly from Stepbrothers. If you love the cast or are curious about this take on the King Kong universe, then I suggest you keep your eyes peeled for this upcoming film, as it could end up being a hit or turn into another disappointment like Godzilla, the other giant monster we know and love. The trailer promises a lot of CGI action and fight sequences that are wonderfully created, and the dialogue so far proves that the film has promise, so look forward to seeing this in theaters as the new year approaches.
March 17 – Beauty and the Beast
You’ve all seen the classic Disney film and know that the company, as of late, has fallen into making live action adaptations of their classic animated films. In this version, they have cast Emma Watson from Harry Potter, Luke Evans from Fast & Furious 6, Ewan McGregor from Star Wars, Ian McKellan from X-Men, Stanley Tucci from Hunger Games and Josh Gad from Frozen to take on the roles of all of the beloved characters from the original. Originality, this film doesn’t have, but with a large cast of outstanding actors, coupled with the possibility of straying from the original Disney film and following the original work the film was based upon, the film has a chance to make itself better than the animated feature as well as making the story its own in a way that resonates with Disney’s current major audience. If you are curious to see how the film plays out and loved the original as a kid, then keep your eyes peeled for more trailers and information regarding this upcoming live action adaptation of a beloved children’s movie.
24 – Power Rangers
Remember your childhood? Remember watching Power Rangers? Well, the upcoming film promises new flare with a more realistic take on the story of a group of kids who are given powers in order to protect the world. The film has a very unique take on the outfits as well as the villainess played by Elizabeth Banks from The Lego Movie as well as Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad and Bill Hader from SNL. Power Rangers has no competition for when it comes out, however, the reliance on kids who grew up on the show as well as reviews will decide whether or not the film is worth it to go and see. The trailers look promising for an action film for all ages with super powers and, if the story manages to keep up with the quality set by the MCU as well as caters to the classic show, then this film will be worth seeing in theaters. Don’t miss a chance to catch up with your childhood and see what this new take on a classic show is like.
March 24 – King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
In this new feature on the classic tale, Charlie Hunnam from SOA plays King Arthur in the origin story of how he came to be. Other cast members include Jude Law from Sherlock Holmes, Katie McGrath from BBC’s Merlin, Eric Bana from Hanna, Aidan Gillen from Game of Thrones, Djimon Hounsou from Guardians of the Galaxy and David Beckham. The film is directed by Guy Ritchie from Sherlock Holmes, so you can expect a healthy dose of humor as well as some weird scenes, as is usual in a Guy Ritchie film. With the popular story and a well known director at the helm, you can expect this film to be a big hit. It may sound unknown now, but it has all the things needed to be a great film, including the action and humor we crave in a film. Watch this when it comes out and you won’t be disappointed. Look out for more trailers, which should further convince you of the merits of this film.
March 31 – Ghost in the Shell
A live-action adaptation of the popular and classic anime of the same name is coming soon to theaters and, if the trailer showed anything, it proved how hot Scarlett Johanssen still is and how close the film follows the original content. If you like Scarlett, anime or found the trailer as amazing as I did, then you’ll understand that this could very well be the film of the year. Forget everything else on the list – if you can only see one film next year, this is THE film to see. It has everything you want in a film, whether you like anime or not. We get a technological dystopian future where you can’t tell the difference between machine and people that is centered on a cyborg lead character. The whole story is amazing, and the CGI and other scenery is a beautiful adaptation, with the initial special effects promising to stun. Get your tickets early for this or go to the midnight release, because this is going to be one heck of a fun ride.
March 31 – The Boss Baby
The next big Dreamworks film coming up includes the voice acting work of film stars Alec Baldwin, Lisa Kudrow, Steve Buscemi, Tobey Maguire and Jimmy Kimmel. The story revolves around a suit-wearing, briefcase-using baby and his seven-year-old brother as they team up to stop the baby’s enemy competitor. The trailer promises an interesting film with a new take that reminds me of a kids version of the movie Little Man with the Wayans brothers. If anything, we can expect a lot of humor with some adult connotations, sometimes as is common with kids movies, but the film has yet to impress. The trailer looks good and original, however, the reason you should look forward to it is because Dreamworks has really good movies occasionally, such as How To Train Your Dragon. If this film, however, doesn’t pan out, then that’s that, but look forward to it if you enjoy kids films or Dreamworks. I’m not expecting an outstanding film, but it should be a unique film that will bring laughs and keep audiences entertained, as kids will love the premise and jokes.
April 14 – Fast 8
If you’re like me, you understand that the Fast & Furious franchise is in no way outstanding. However, each film has been unique, and with the final trilogy that was announced by Vin Diesel after the passing of Paul Walker, we can look forward to the beginning of the end of a beloved franchise. In the previous installments, we were introduced to Dominic Toretto and his team and the addition of Hobbes played by The Rock. The last movies are directed by Straight Outta Compton’s F Gary Gray. This movie will be a worthwhile joyride for fans of the franchise. Seeing this film is a must do simple to see the new plans Vin Diesel mentioned for the story and to spend time with all the characters we’ve grown with over the years. This is going to be a great last ride with the crew of racers we know and love.
May 5 – Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
After an outstanding showing with audiences worldwide, we return to the Marvel space franchise, directed by James Gunn, as we watch Peter Quill and his team as they search for an answer to Peter’s parentage. In the first film, we witnessed Peter grasp the infinity stone and survive longer than a normal human, bringing into question his upbringing, as we watched his mom die early and had hints dropped about his father. If you loved the first film, then you will love this film even more so. The teaser for the film has already been released and promises more of the jokes we all know and love from the first film, as well as the return of Karen Gillan as Nebula and new cast additions to round out what will be another great showing for Marvel as it gears up for the final Avengers two-part movie for the current phase of the MCU. This will be widely seen and rank highly among films in the US, with multiple weeks in the top spot, raking in a lot of money. This is another great film that you won’t want to miss next year.
May 19 – Alien: Covenant
Years after the release and mixed review of Prometheus, Ridley Scott returns at the helm with the follow up film focused around a colony ship arriving on a planet to find the only survivor of Prometheus, David, played by Michael Fassbender. The film will have a lot more development as Ridley Scott delves into how the Aliens came to be the way they are in the original films as we watched the growth of the species at the end of Prometheus. There is a lot more ground to cover and, with the following that Alien had and those who watched Prometheus for the love of the franchise, this film will promise to give us more of what we want, with jump scares, beautiful artwork and scenery. If you love the Alien franchise, but are on the fence after Prometheus, you should still look forward to this continuation to see how Ridley Scott pulls off his plan for making a series of films that depict how the Aliens came to be.
May 26 – Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Each year, many sequels, remakes and films that add on to old franchises are made, and this is no exception. The ever popular Johnny Depp franchise returns with Orlando Bloom’s return to the series. We follow Jack Sparrow and his quest for Poseidon’s Trident. In the film, Javier Bardem is cast as the villain and, so far, a teaser depicting Bardem questioning a pirate about the whereabouts of Jack shows us a little of what to expect from Bardem. We can expect a very entertaining film with the loveable Captain Jack and his crew as they sail the seas. If you’ve loved the franchise so far and miss Captain Jack Sparrow, this will be a great film to take the family to see. If not, go out on date night with the significant other and treat them to a Disney movie that brings back memories of younger days when you’d go to see the original franchise that started it all with a young Orlando Bloom and Keira Kneightly.
With so many great movie options coming out, I have only touched the surface with what’s coming. Is there a film I missed or one that you are most excited for? Leave a comment below telling me what you want to see.
Collegain writer Kevin Avis can be reached at blogs@collegian.com. Leave a comment!
