It is that time of year again when we say good bye to the year that was and look forward to the year that now is and what better way to do that but with a top 10 list of movies that I am looking forward to? Fair enough, there are plenty of better ways but this is a site about entertainment so that is what we are talking about. As we will cover in the upcoming best and worst of lists for 2014, last year was a weird year for movies in that there were some really solid movies but not a ton of really great ones. While some films have slipped out of this year’s time frame, 2015 has the potential to be huge particularly if you are a fan of genre movies and blockbusters. Only time will tell but here in January the following 10 films are the ones to which I am looking the most forward. Sound off in the comments if you agree or disagree and share your own lists to keep the discussion going. I have included posters and trailers when possible. Here we go:

10. Jupiter Ascending (Feb 6)

Delayed from last year, Jupiter Ascending is a new sci-fi film from the Wachowski siblings that looks pretty much  batshit insane. It looks like it is batshit insane in a good way but we are on kind of shaky ground here as while the team is responsible for The Matrix they are also responsible for Speed Racer. I have a hard time believing that The Matrix was all the good material they had in them so I am really hoping that this is awesome. The move to February is not promising but it may pan out. Fingers crossed.

 

9. Jurassic World (June 12)

This one is also not a sure bet by any stretch of the imagination but the talent behind it makes me feel a bit better. This sequel has been a long time coming and it was one of those projects I never thought would actually happen. Reactions to the first teaser were mixed with some people thinking that the effects were shoddy but I think it looks pretty cool. There is still plenty of time to clean up the effects and the concept, an open and fully functioning park going to hell when dumbasses genetically create a hybrid dinosaur, sounds pretty cool. Add in Chris Pratt and you definitely have my attention. Whether or not it pans out is anyone’s guess but I loved director Colin Trevorrow’s Safety Not Guaranteed a lot so I have some hope here.

 

8. Ant Man (July 17)

Yet another question mark, Ant Man is on more solid ground if only because Marvel is pretty locked in at this point. I think Ant Man will be a solid film but at the same time Ant Man is not a favorite character of mine nor is he a character I am all that excited to see a movie about. Paul Rudd and Michael Douglas make it much more interesting and I think Cory Stoll will be a solid villain. I am more curious about this one than excited but I seriously doubt Marvel’s streak is going to end on Ant Man.

 

7. Mission Impossible 5 (Dec 25)

There isn’t much information about this one in terms of what it is about or what it looks like but it was written and directed by Christopher McQuarrie and frankly that is all I really need to know. His last directorial outing, Jack Reacher, was great and I love his debut Way of the Gun so I am pretty excited to see what he does with this franchise. Ghost Protocol will be a tough movie to follow but McQuarrie can do it if anyone can.

 

6. Furious 7 (April 3)

I have gone on record quite a bit on this site regarding my deep and abiding love for the Fast and the Furious franchise and I am not going to apologize for it. This series has found a sweet spot of cool and completely ridiculous fun that is completely satisfying and I can’t wait to get the next installment. This one, however, is bitter sweet as it will be more of the good stuff but it also features the final work of series star Paul Walker who died during filming. It will certainly be sad to see Walker go and there is kind of a taint on the film because of it but, on the other hand, it has Jason Statham as the villain. This is basically getting right what the Expendables series keeps trying for. It will be sad, yes but as the trailer shows it will still be balls out unescapably badass.

 

5. Kingsman: The Secret Service (Feb 13)

I was excited about this one since I first heard about it as a fan of the comic book but seeing the panel at San Diego Comic Con last year my excitement kicked into overdrive. Matthew Vaughn is a dynamite director and it looks like he nailed the material here with action scenes as sharp as the humor. And seriously if you aren’t interested in Colin Firth kicking a bunch of punks’ asses with an umbrella then you and I have nothing at all in common.

 

4. Spectre (Nov 6)

I have been on a bit of James Bond kick lately so this one is especially exciting. Aside from that, Daniel Craig kicks a ton of ass as Bond and I love where Skyfall left the franchise. I am also very excited to see the return of Spectre especially if Christoph Waltz is involved. I am not sure if his character’s name is a misdirect in the same vein as Khan in Star Trek Into Darkness and he is actually playing Bloefeld but regardless I would watch Waltz read a phone book for two hours let alone watch him play a Bond villain. I will be shocked if Spectre is not completely badass and the only thing that makes me sad about this movie is that it is so far away.

 

3. The Hateful Eight

A film I was afraid would never get made, the Hateful Eight is a full on Quentin Tarrantino western with a cast including Samuel L Jackson, Channing Tatum, Walton Goggins, Kurt Russel, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tim Roth, Bruce Dern, Michael Madsen, Demian Bichir and Zoe Bell. There really isn’t much else to say here as to why I am excited for it. The exact release day has not been set but it is probably going to be around Christmas.

 

2. Avengers Age of Ultron (May 1)

This one is pretty automatic and in any other year it would easily be number one. Joss Whedon returns with a sequel to one of the best comic book movies ever made with a film that looks to be darker and more intense but also introduce some new power sets to the world that we really haven’t seen before. The trailer is both haunting and bleak and makes this movie look more like a horror film than a super hero movie which speaks to the stakes at hand. James Spader’s performance, as far as we can tell from the trailer, looks to be powerful and commanding which is reason enough to be interested but with the introductions of Scarlet Witch, Quicksilver and the Vision into the mix there is a  lot to be excited about.  Just how much the status quo can be changed with Marvel’s Phase 3 announcements remains to be seen but this is definitely the closing of a chapter and I imagine that things will be quite different at the end of it all. I cannot wait.

 

1. Star Wars The Force Awakens (Dec 18)

Of all the question marks on this list, The Force Awakens is the biggest. For a fandom still smarting from having been bitten previously, this sequel to the original trilogy represents a lot of hope and a lot of fear. JJ Abrams did a fantastic job with the Star Trek reboot and I  really hope that we get that same quality work on Star wars as opposed to, say, Star Trek Into Darkness. There is a ton of scrutiny and a ton of anticipation but it seems he is going about things the right way and we get to see the original cast back again so I am very hopeful for this one. I like the teaser a lot and I would be a liar if I said I didn’t tear up when I saw the Millennium Falcon so I am encouraged that this could be the Star Wars film we have all been waiting for. I am sure regardless of its quality there will be a nerd backlash for this that will be felt several galaxies over but I am still looking forward to it while basking in the glow of hope and potential.

So there is my list. Runners up are: Mad Max Fury Road, Crimson Peak, Silence, Mortdecai and Chappie but there are plenty of others that look cool. Let me know what you think with your comments and your own lists!