INTRO: So by now you should all know the drill. I put out my list of movies I am most looking forward to in the upcoming year. Part of the reason is just to make this list for myself so I can look back years later and see what my film tastes were back then vs. what they are now. But I also like putting this list out in case you as the reader may not have heard of a movie or two on here and if it catches your eye and interests you then you can further look into it and potentially see the movie down the line when it is released. I realize everyone has different tastes. Some may put nothing but independent, lesser known movies in their own person top ten. Others may have nothing but cheesy popcorn flicks and big summer blockbusters like superhero movies. I tend to do a mixture of all I can. I tend to go off of whatever “The Magnificent Seven” are making (my top 7 favorite film directors). Luckily for me, four of my seven favorites are releasing films in 2015. I personally felt 2014 was one of the weakest years overall in a LONG TIME (summer was terrible and the year overall had the lowest audience attendance since 1995) but I am liking the way the next couple of years are looking. This has been the hardest year to compile my list by far with so many quality choices and after eliminating a lot I want to see, ranking them is an even harder process. Anyways, if I tagged you in this it is because I know you love watching movies, have good taste in movies or are just awesome so please sound off in the comments letting me know what your most anticipated films of the year are, if you have heard or not heard of some of the films I listed, what do you think will crack my top 5, etc. Have a happy, healthy 2015 and make sure you save time to go see a movie when you can! God bless 🙂
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
20. Sea of Trees
(*DELAYED TO 2016*)
19. Tomorrowland
(May 22nd 2015)
18. Trainwreck
(July 17th 2015)
17. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part II
(November 20th 2015)
16. Crimson Peak
(October 16th 2015)
15. Ant-Man
(July 17th 2015)
14. Spectre
(November 6th 2015)
13. Inside Out
(June 19th 2015)
12. Entourage
(June 5th 2015)
11. The Good Dinosaur
(November 25th 2015)
10. Bridge of Spies
Release Date: October 16th 2015
Director: Steven Spielberg
Screenwriters: Ethan Coen, Joel Coen, Matt Charman
Starring: Tom Hanks, Alan Alda, Amy Ryan, Mark Rylance, Sebastian Koch, Jillian Lebling
Rating: PG-13 for some violence and brief strong language
Trailer Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JnC2LIJdR0
Plot Summary: The film is the true story of James Donovan, an attorney who finds himself thrust into the center of the Cold War when the CIA sends him on the near-impossible mission to negotiate the release of a captured American U-2 pilot.
9. Mad Max: Fury Road
Release Date: May 15th 2015
Director: George Miller
Screenwriters: George Miller, Brendan McCarthy, Nico Lathouris
Starring: Charlize Theron, Megan Gale, Tom Hardy, John Howard, Nathan Jones, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, Richard Carter, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Riley Keough, Abbey Lee Kershaw, Courtney Eaton, Josh Helman,Jennifer Hagan, iOTA , Angus Sampson, Joy Smithers, Gillian Jones, Melissa Jaffer, Melita Jurisic
Rating: R for intense sequences of violence throughout, and for disturbing images
Trailer Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWNWi-ZWL3c
Plot Summary: “Mad Max: Fury Road” is the fourth film of George Miller’s Road Warrior/Mad Max franchise co-written and directed by Miller. The post-apocalyptic action film is set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and most everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world of fire and blood exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order… There’s Max (played by Tom Hardy from “The Dark Knight Rises”), a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And… Furiosa (played by Charlize Theron from “Prometheus”), a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland.
8. The Revenant
Release Date: December 25th 2015
Director: Alejandro González Iñárritu
Screenwriters: Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mark L. Smith
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy, Will Poulter, Domhnall Gleeson
Rating: R for strong frontier combat and violence including gory images, a sexual assault, language and brief nudity
Trailer Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swXsW3mOuLM
Plot Summary: Leonardo DiCaprio will play Hugh Glass, a 19th century fur trapper who is mauled by a grizzly bear, left for dead and then robbed. When he survives against all odds, he sets out on a treacherous journey to exact revenge on his betrayers in this captivating and inspiring story based on the Michael Punke novel, “The Revenant: A Novel of Revenge.”
7. The Martian
Release Date: October 2nd 2015
Director: Ridley Scott
Screenwriter: Drew Goddard
Starring: Matt Damon, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Michael Pena, Jessica Chastain, Mackenzie Davis
Rating: PG-13 for some strong language, injury images, and brief nudity
Trailer Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ue4PCI0NamI
Plot Summary: “The Martian” is based on Andy Weir’s 2012 e-book publication, which issued a print edition this past February. It is officially described as follows: Six days ago, astronaut Mark Watney became one of the first people to walk on Mars. Now, he’s sure he’ll be the first person to die there. After a dust storm nearly kills him and forces his crew to evacuate while thinking him dead, Mark finds himself stranded and completely alone with no way to even signal Earth that he’s alive—and even if he could get word out, his supplies would be gone long before a rescue could arrive. Chances are, though, he won’t have time to starve to death. The damaged machinery, unforgiving environment, or plain-old “human error” are much more likely to kill him first. But Mark isn’t ready to give up yet. Drawing on his ingenuity, his engineering skills—and a relentless, dogged refusal to quit—he steadfastly confronts one seemingly insurmountable obstacle after the next. Will his resourcefulness be enough to overcome the impossible odds against him?
6. Avengers: Age of Ultron
Release Date: May 1st 2015
Director: Joss Whedon
Screenwriter: Joss Whedon
Starring: Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Downey Jr., Mark Ruffalo, Thomas Kretschmann, Jeremy Renner,Paul Bettany, Stellan Skarsgård, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Cobie Smulders, Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston,James Spader, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Rating: PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi action, violence and destruction, and for some suggestive comments
Trailer Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iSAyI1HBD6s
Plot Summary: Marvel Studios presents “Avengers: Age of Ultron,” the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure. Marvel’s “Avengers: Age of Ultron” stars Robert Downey Jr., who returns as Iron Man, along with Chris Evans as Captain America, Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Mark Ruffalo as The Hulk. Together with Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow and Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, and with the additional support of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury and Cobie Smulders as Agent Maria Hill, the team must reassemble to defeat James Spader as Ultron, a terrifying technological villain hell bent on human extinction. Along the way, they confront two mysterious and powerful newcomers, Wanda Maximoff, played by Elizabeth Olsen, and Pietro Maximoff, played by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and meet an old friend in a new form when Paul Bettany becomes Vision.
STAY TUNED FOR #5-1 SOON!!!
Top Pun Reviews 