32 CULTURE
2014 FILM RELEASES MONTHLY PICK Gurpreet Sihat
PHOTO CREDIT: FOUNDTHATFILM.COM
January Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit [Action, Drama, Thriller]
February The Monuments Men [Action, Biography, Drama]
March Noah [Adventure, Drama, Fantasy]
Director: Kenneth Branagh Stars: Chris Pine, Kevin Costner, Keira Knightley For January, we’ve picked none other than Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. Based on the character created by Tom Clancy, Shadow Recruit, unlike its five predecessors, is an original story initially conceived by The Wings of The Dove screenwriter Hossein Amini. The film revolves around the title character who accidentally discovers an imminent terrorist attack led by Viktor Cherevin (Kenneth Branagh) and realises that it might be too late to stop it.
Director: George Clooney Stars: George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Matt Damon George Clooney adds to his directing/ writing/acting accolades with The Monuments Men, a true story about an allied platoon in Germany during the final stages of World War II whose orders are to reclaim famous pieces of art work from the Nazis and return them to their owners.
Director: Darren Aronofsky Stars: Russell Crowe, Jennifer Connolly, Emma Watson Darren Aronofsky has been trying to go biblical since 2007, and it’s finally happened. Based on the story of Noah’s Ark, and starring Russell Crowe in the title role, Aronofsky tells the story that had him captivated as a child. Even despite there being six fully armed angels, producer Scott Franklin has promised that the film stays true to the source material. It’s definitely one to look out for.
April Captain America: The Winter Soldier [Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi]
May X-Men: Days of Future Past [Action, Adventure, Fantasy]
June Transformers 4: Age of Extinction [Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi]
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo Stars: Chris Evans, Frank Grillo, Sebastian Stan The first avenger is back, and so is his best mate Bucky Barnes! Set two years after Loki tried to destroy Manhattan, Steve Rogers becomes entangled in another S.H.I.E.L.D. mission. Recruiting the Black Window and the Falcon, the Captain must face one of his most powerful adversaries yet – the Winter Soldier.
Director: Bryan Singer Stars: Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart Unfortunately for Captain America, the Winter Soldier won’t be his only opponent in 2014, the X-Men and Magneto are back and Bryan Singer has made sure that they’re going to make millions. Following on from The Wolverine, the X-Men are forced to fight a war across time. We luckily don’t have to choose between two different Wolverines, but now it’s time for Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart to go head to head with Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy…
Director: Michael Bay Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Nicola Peltz, Jack Reynor For all of those who hated the first three films, it’s time to celebrate! Michael Bay is back but this time with an entirely new cast with the exception of the epic Optimus Prime and the lovable Bumblebee and Tyrese Gibson possibly making a cameo as Epps. The film revolves around Mark Wahlberg’s mechanic protagonist and his daughter who make a discovery that will bring the Autobots, the Decepticons and the government after them.
July Hercules: The Thracian Wars [Action, Adventure]
August The Expendables 3 [Action, Adventure, Thriller]
September No Good Deed [Thriller]
Director: Brett Ratner Stars: Dwayne Johnson, John Hurt, Ian McShane The Thracian Wars is one of two Hercules based films to be released this year, and all my money is on The Rock starring in the better one (no offence Kellan Lutz). Set after the death of his family and his twelve labors, Hercules’ life is tested when the King of Thrace and his daughter ask him to help them defeat a tyrannical warlord.
Director: Patrick Hughes Stars: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li Bringing back Jet Li, and introducing badasses Wesley Snipes, Antonio Banderas, Mel Gibson and Harrison Ford, Stallone and the crew are back with Expendables 3. This time the gang come face to face with their cofounder, Conrad Stonebanks (Gibson), who has made it his life’s mission to kill Barney Ross, who was hired to kill him years earlier. They may not be the best movies in the world, but you can’t doubt that with
Director: Sam Miller Stars: Taraji P. Henson, Idris Elba, Kate del Castillo Nope, this isn’t the Samuel JacksonMilla Jovovich 2002 film. This time No Good Deed is the story of a wife and mother whose family is threatened by a stranger who talks his way into their home and leaves her fighting for her family’s survival. Idris Elba was hot in 2013, so here’s to him kicking more butt in 2014!
October Dracula Untold [Action, Drama, Fantasy]
November Dumb and Dumber To [Comedy]
December The Hobbit: There and Back Again [Adventure, Fantasy]
Director: Gary Shore Stars: Luke Evans, Dominic Cooper, Samantha Barks Idris Elba isn’t the only one that’s been in the spotlight for 2013. Luke Evans showed up with Owen Shaw in Fast 6, Bard the Bowman (and his ancestor Girion) in The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, and Bruce Reynolds in The Great Train Robbery, and now he’s the title character in Dracula Untold. The film mixes vampire mythology with the true history of Prince Vlad, to tell the story of Vlad Tepes, the man who would become the mythological bloodsucker better known as Dracula.
Director: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly Stars: Jim Carrey, Jeff Daniels, Laurie Holden Jeff Daniels and Jim Carrey are back this November for the sequel to Dumb and Dumber. Set twenty years after their last adventure, the nutty best friends head out to search for Harry’s long lost child in hope that she’ll give him a new kidney. On the way they’ll be meeting old and new friends. As Jim Carrey tweeted, they’re “BAK BICHEZ!”
Director: Peter Jackson Stars: Ian McKellen, Martin Freeman, Richard Armitage The final pick for this year is none other than the final part of Peter Jackson’s Hobbit trilogy, There and Back Again which is possibly the most awaited film of the year. We left Thorin Oakenshield and his company in Erebor with the dragon Smaug heading down to massacre the people of Dale, now unprotected as Bard the Bowman is locked in a cell. Will Thorin be able to fulfill his destiny? Or will everything fall apart around him? Find out on Christmas 2014.
PLEASE RECYCLE