Our movie guy previews 2016’s coming attractions
AL L THE RIGHT MOVIES
BY BOB GRIMM BGRIMM@ NEWSREVIEW.COM
T
he past year was a good one for cinema, and 2016 also looks promising. The following is just a sample of what’s coming. Keep in mind that the release calendar is still taking shape and a bunch of films don’t have release dates yet. These include movies from Martin Scorsese (Silence), Nicolas Winding Refn ( The Neon Demon), Mel Gibson ( Hacksaw Ridge), Ana Lily Amirpour ( The Bad Batch), and Chad Stahelski (John Wick 2). Also, this sampling is heavy on the blockbuster stuff. I expect brainier fare will make its way onto the schedule as the year progresses.
Hail, Caesar! (Feb. 5): This is
where the film year really starts. The next one from the Coen brothers stars George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum and Josh Brolin in a Hollywood caper. I like when the Coens go to Hollywood. That’s what they did in Barton Fink. Deadpool (Feb. 12): Ryan
Reynolds tries to become a mega star again. I think he should just stick with the smaller movies, where he excels. His attempts to expand almost always fail. In fact, rumor has it, if Deadpool is a huge success, the universe will collapse upon itself, our faces will turn inside out, everybody will die, and Sam Rockwell will have a hit movie, too. Zoolander 2 (Feb. 12): Ben
Stiller, Owen Wilson and Will
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Ferrell return with Stiller directing. The first one has aged well, and Stiller is primed to get really weird again. The Witch (Feb. 26): Editor Brad
Bynum brought the trailer for this horror film to my attention a couple of months ago. I’ve been afraid ever since. Knight of Cups (March 4):
Terrence Malick takes a look at fame, or the fountains and birds and running water that surround fame. Or sunsets with poetry … or something like that. No matter, I’ll probably love it. The Divergent Series: Allegiant (March 18): Oh man, I thought
this was the last one! There’s another one next year! Midnight Special (March 18):
Michael Shannon reteams with the man who made Take Shelter and Mud. I don’t think
you’ll find a more encouraging sentence regarding movies this year. My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2 (March 25): It looks like I’m
getting my birthday wish! It’s a sequel to one of the most overrated, lamest comedies of all time! IT’S JUST WHAT I’VE ALWAYS WANTED! Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (March 25): This also
comes out on my birthday. Zack Snyder shat the bed with Man of Steel and Suckerpunch, but he did decent work with Watchmen, 300 and the Dawn of the Dead remake. Let’s hope this product is indicative of that phase of his career and he doesn’t pull a Schumacher and send Batman back to the Dark Ages, where Superman currently resides. I Saw the Light (March 25):
My other birthday wish was that somebody would make a movie about Hank Williams with the Incredible Hulk as the legendary country singer. This one has Loki singing “Move It on Over.” Skunked!
The Jungle Book (April 15):
Jon Favreau directs a bunch of CGI animals and a human in this modern take on the Rudyard Kipling book. Bill Murray is Baloo. He voiced a bear rather than starring in the Ghostbusters sequel. The man has priorities.
It’s a sequel to one of the most overrated, lamest comedies of all time! IT’S JUST WHAT I’VE ALWAYS WANTED!
Amityville: The Awakening (April 15): Jennifer Jason Leigh,
after a career-best performance in The Hateful Eight, will soon be seen headlining this thing. Daisy Domergue deserved a better fate. The Huntsman Winter’s War (April 22): Kristen Stewart
made out with the director of Snow White and the Huntsman so she wasn’t invited back for the sequel. Captain America: Civil War (May 6): Avengers: Age of Ultron is
my least favorite of the latest phase of Marvel Cinematic Universe movies (the Iron Man, Captain America and Thor films … not those stupid Ghost Rider and Daredevil flicks). I hope things get back on track with this one. X-Men: Apocalypse (May 27):
Xavier loses his hair in this one! Alice Through the Looking Glass (May 27): After a brief flirtation
with almost being almost cool again (Black Mass), Johnny Depp goes back to making crap.
