Clawing the Past
Global release date: May 23
In the early pre-production days of X-Men: Days of Future Past, Bryan Singer—who also directed the first two X-Men films—expressed that he could only get the film started with confidence once Hugh Jackman, Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen agreed to return. Singer got his wish, and then some! Aside from the three actors, other original, signed on to make up an all-star cast with the four main female in the principal cast (Halle Berry, Jennifer Lawrence, Ellen Page, and Anna Paquin) all Academy Award Nominees alongside the six principle male cast (Fassbender, McAvoy, McKellen, Stewart, Dinklage), which are all Golden Globe nominees. The story for this seventh installment in the franchise sees Wolverine as he is sent back in time to change history and prevent an event that results in the annihilation of humans and mutants.
Flanagan’s Best Story Yet
Global release date: April 11
When Mike Flanagan’s 2011 horror titled Absentia became a hit, the aspiring director was unknown no longer. Now equipped with a budget worthy of his very resounding potential, Flanagan is back with Oculus, an eerie and involving as well as intelligent in its particularly complex and non-linear storytelling. The film takes us back to the era where real scary movies come without a high body count, excessively bloody scenes or unnecessary nudities. The plot unravels intelligently accompanied with stellar acting from familiar faces such as KateeSackhoff (BattlestarGalactica) and Rory Cochrane (CSI: Miami). We dare not reveal much of the plot, since we want you to experience Flanagan’s brilliant storytelling in full, except for the intro line of a woman who tries to exonerate her brother, accused of murder, by proving that the crime was committed by a supernatural phenomenon.
Almost Courageous
Global release date: May 30
Funny man Seth MacFarlane (Family Guy) returns as actor and director in A Million Ways to Die in the West, a hilarious western comedy that tells the story of a cowardly farmer that falls in love with the mysterious new woman in town, but then finds out that her husband is one of the most notorious gun slingers at the time. Although not entirely original (let’s face it, 90% of films today takes after something else, however small), the plot promises all-out laughter, and with MacFarlane at the helm, the film is looking to be very promising. Big names such as Liam Neeson, Amanda Seyfried, CharlizeTheron, Neil Patrick Harris, Wes Studi and many more, are also included in the cast.
A Hearty Adventure
Global release date: April 18
This year, Disney celebrates Earth Day by releasing Bears, the fifth theatrical release for Disneynature. This heartwarming true life adventure documentary showcases a year in the life of a bear family as two impressionable young cubs are taught some of life’s most important lessons. Set against a majestic Alaskan backdrop teeming with life, Bears captures the fast-moving action and suspense of life in one of the planet’s last great wilderness. The first four releases under Disneynature label – Earth (2007), Oceans (2009), African Cats (2011), and Chimpanzee (2012) – are among the top five highest grossing feature-length nature films of all time. Narrated by John C. Reilly, this is a good film to be enjoyed with the family.
