100 Films to Look Forward to in 2013 – Part 2

If you missed part one Monday, here it is. Let us continue.

75. The Ice Man, dir. Ariel Vromen

Starring: Michael Shannon, Chris Evans, James Franco, Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta, Stephen Dorff, David Schwimmer, Robert Davi

Release: May 3

Michael Shannon has always been one of my favorite character actors, and I enjoy him earning his time in the spotlight in films like Take Shelter, Revolutionary Road, and Man of Steel. This movie has Shannon taking on the role of Richard Kuklinski, a real life contract killer. It played well before festival crowds in 2012, but with no major distributor stepping forward, a May 2013 release was picked instead. You can catch the trailer here.

74. Closed Circuit, dir. John Crowley

Starring: Eric Bana, Rebecca Hall, Jim Broadbent, Ciaran Hinds, Riz Ahmed, Barbora Bobulova

Release: August 28

While director John Crowley doesn’t have the name recognition outside of the indie crowd, writer Steven Wright is quite well known for his screenplays that strip humanity down to the raw and bare basics, such as Dirty Pretty Things, Eastern Promises, and Amazing Grace. What really excited me about this movie is the combination of Wright and Rebecca Hall, who will hopefully be given a character that can truly chew some scenery with. She’s had several wonderful performances over the past decade, but mostly in supporting roles or as characters that don’t really have that much depth (no offense, Please Give) despite Hall’s fantastic effort to prove otherwise. Out of all the writers in film that could give her such a chance, Wright is certainly up there.

73. Trance, dir. Danny Boyle

Starring: James McAvoy, Rosario Dawson, Vincent Cassel

Release: March 14

What in the hell ever happened to James McAvoy? I mean, sure he was in the last X-Men movie, but considering how many movies he was in five or six years ago, he was well on his way to being one of the biggest names in Hollywood. Helping him get back on track is Danny Boyle, easily one of the best directors in the world, but also an inconsistent one in my eyes. Trainspotting and Sunshine are terrific movies, but I really didn’t care for 127 Hours, and Slumdog Millionaire became a victim of its own success. This one will see McAvoy teaming up with Rosario Dawson as they aim to recover a lost painting.

72. Winter’s Tale, dir. Akiva Goldsman

Starring: Will Smith, Russell Crowe, Colin Farrell, Jennifer Connelly, William Hurt, Matt Bomer

Release: TBA

“A fantasy story set in the 19^th Century and present-day Manhattan and resolves around a thief, a dying girl, and a flying white horse.” That’s….um…unique? Having the likes of Smith and Crowe on this project will certainly help out with a storyline like that, and has the potential to be a Cloud Atlas type epic, but the wild card here is writer/director Akiva Goldsman. A first time feature director, Goldsman was the man who wrote the Joel Schumacher Batman films, as well as the two Da Vinci Code movies. But he also has A Beautiful Mind and A Time to Kill to his credit. Add in I Am Legend and I, Robot for your Will Smith connection, it’s not hard to see why Goldsman is such a risky choice here.

71. Pacific Rim, dir. Guillermo del Toro

Starring: Idris Elba, Ron Perlman, Charlie Hunnam, Charlie Day, Max Martini

Release: July 12

It felt as if I was almost the only person who wasn’t completely blown away by the new trailer that was released recently. It looks like it’ll be an over-the-top action piece with plot holes galore, which to me doesn’t seem like Guillermo’s style. I’ve always trusted Guillermo, however, and I’m excited to see Idris Elba getting more and more chances to shine.

70. Frozen, dir. Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee

Starring: Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Jonathan Groff, Idina Menzel

Release: November 27

Wreck-It Ralph was one of the best surprises of 2012, and one of the writers for that film (Bell) is writing and directing this animation about two youngsters who must travel through snowy mountain peaks to break a spell that keeps their land in perpetual winter.

69. Turbo, dir. David Soren

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L Jackson, Maya Rudolph, Paul Giamatti, Bill Hader, Luis Guzman, Richard Jenkins, Ken Jeong, Michael Pena, Michelle Rodriguez, Snoop Dog

Release: July 19

I really don’t know why Ryan Reynolds doesn’t do more voice work. I mean, I understand the desire to get the physical features of Reynolds on camera, but his ability to deliver lines is equally as impressive. Turbo will see a garden snail with aspirations to win the Indy 500, and might finally get that chance after a freak accident leaves him with abnormal abilities.

68. Very Good Girls, dir. Naomi Foner

Starring: Dakota Fanning, Elizabeth Olsen, Peter Sarsgaard, Demi Moore, Clark Gregg, Richard Dreyfuss

Release: TBA

Veteran writer Namoi Foner (Running on Empty) has come out of hibernation to direct her first film. Starring two of the brightest young starlets today, this movie sees Fanning and Olsen making a pact to lose their virginity, only to fall for the same guy. Initial reviews haven’t been exactly kind, but I’ve always expected this film to be pretty divisive.

Continue to Page 2 >>>