Generation Film!

15. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (Robert Rodriguez-Frank Miller)/Kick Ass 2 (Jeff Wadlow)- It’s cheating to include two titles on a limited list of fifteen movies but these are my two most anticipated comic book movies coming out in 2013. If the second installment, or technically the prequel, of Sin City does indeed come out this year with the collaborative directing efforts of Robert Rodriguez (Desperado, Sin City) and original “Sin City” author Frank Miller then it will indeed be something to look forward to. The original Sin City is arguably the most accurate of all the comic book adaptations and if it remains consistent then it will be visually intriguing and also violently entertaining. This brings us to the other violently entertaining comic book continuation of Kick Ass that unfortunately lost original director Matthew Vaughn on the project. However, director Jeff Wadlow (Never Back Down) had “Kick Ass” creator Mark Millar as an executive producer advising its creation so it will undoubtedly be just as accurate to the comic as the first film was.

14. Nymphomaniac (Lars Von Trier) – Most people who know me might be confused why I would put a Lars Von Trier film on a most anticipated films list because if there is anyone incredibly critical of his work, especially his later entries of his filmography, it’s definitely me. However, there isn’t a filmmaker on equal level with Von Trier around and no matter what he releases it will be controversial, experimental, and talked about for months. This film will follow the life of a self-diagnosed nymphomaniac who recalls her sexual exploits to a man who saves her from a beating, which is quite typical of a Von Trier film since most women in his movies are either sexually, physically, or mentally abused. It will have a large cast featuring Charlotte Gainsbourg, Stellen Skarsgaard, Willem Dafoe, Connie Nielsen, and even Shia LeBeouf all giving Von Trier the opportunity to make a full scale pornographic cinematic release that will be shown in two versions, one hardcore and one softcore.

13. Before Midnight (Richard Linlater) – Director Richard Linklater will finally bring us another chapter of his beloved independent conversationalist pieces with Before Midnight, which follows two of his previous works Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. All three of the movies follow the same two characters, Jesse and Celine, and this next chapter has them meeting in Greece nine years later from their last encounter and about two decades from their first meeting. These films aren’t for the endurance frail audiences but there is no doubting the emotional and philosophical connection these films grant those who have been charmed by their simplicity. Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy return as the familiar characters but it will be quite interesting to see how much they’ve changed through the careful character lens of Richard Linklater.

12. Much Ado About Nothing (Joss Whedon) – After seeing The Avengers and Cabin in the Woods you certainly wouldn’t imagine director Joss Whedon attempting Shakespeare, even if it is one of Shakespeare’s more comedic works “Much Ado About Nothing.” Whedon does have a long history in dealing with comedy and lighthearted characters, especially if you consider Dr. Horrible’s Sing-A-Long Blog or his unique characters in the television show “Firefly.” It will be interesting to see how this version of the lighthearted Shakespeare play will be updated and modernized for present day. Following Whedon into this project are two familiar faces Nathan Fillion (“Firefly,” “Castle”) and Clark Gregg from all the Marvel movies, but they are just the beginning of an all-around talented cast.

11. The Wolf of Wall Street (Martin Scorsese) – The label of a Martin Scorsese movie has always brought with it high expectations and that will be the same with his latest cinematic adaptation of Wolf of Wall Street. Written by prolific writer Terrence Winter (“The Sopranos,” “Boardwalk Empire”) the film focuses on a large securities fraud case and the moral stance a New York stockbroker has to take against it. Its relevance to events that occurred only four years ago might be its greatest strength or its riskiest quality but knowing Martin Scorsese as a pragmatic filmmaker it should be to his advantage to tackle this sort of relevance. This will be Scorsese’s fifth outing directing Leonardo DiCaprio in a leading role but is also bringing us an eclectic cast featuring Jonah Hill, Matthew McConaughey, Kyle Chandler, and 2011 Oscar winner for best actor Jean DuJardin.

10. Stoker (Chan-Wook Park) – The plot might sound uncomfortably familiar to the Alfred Hitchcock film Shadow of a Doubt but that seems mighty appropriate for the South Korean master of suspense, Chan-Wook Park. Park’s filmography is filled to the brim with violent, neurotic, and morally complex films, including the vengeance extravaganza film Oldboy and the morally challenging vampire film Thirst. Stoker will be Park’s American cinema debut and it follows a young girl named India who becomes infatuated with her suspicious Uncle Charlie when he suddenly arrives after her father’s funeral. Judging from the trailer this should certainly be a moody and intricate thriller that will showcase Chan-Wook Park’s signature violence and unconventional human relationships.

9. Monuments Men (George Clooney) –Even though George Clooney’s last two directed films haven’t been exactly on the same level as Good Night, Good Luck there is still hope to be had for his talents behind the camera, especially with a World War II project. Co-adapting the script with Grant Heslov from the book “Monuments Men” by Robert M. Edsel, Clooney is bringing our attention to a little known World War II story involving art curators and historians trying to steal renowned works of art back from the Nazis. The cast alone should excite anyone because it includes not only Clooney himself but also Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Daniel Craig, John Goodman, and Jean Dujardin. It could already be described as the historical Ocean’s 11 and we just hope it doesn’t end up being as bad as Steven Soderbergh’s The Good German.

8. Only God Forgives (Nicholas Winding Refn) – The successful collaboration between Danish director Nicholas Winding Refn and actor Ryan Gosling in Drive has inspired the two to come together again for what promises to be an equally violent and atmospheric film entitled Only God Forgives. Refn decided to focus his film on the underground Thai-boxing world and has put Ryan Gosling as a Bangkok police detective thrown into this world for a settling of grudges. Be prepared for intense gut wrenching violence on the scale of Refn’s previous film Valhalla Rising but heightened in its brutality being purely hand on hand combat. Refn’s career has been a study of violence and human fascination with it so Only God Forgives should be a welcomed addition to his intriguing and experimental filmography.

7. Star Trek: Into Darkness (J.J. Abrams) – Complaints were made when the first film of the new Star Trek franchise came out relating to how it wasn’t necessarily highbrow science-fiction but more on the equal level of Star Wars in how they are both space operas. And perhaps many people had some issues with casting choices to portray their beloved crew of the Starship Enterprise. However, there is no denying that J.J. Abrams brought a thrilling modern approach to Star Trek that was initially questioned. Even though J.J. Abrams broadened the appeal of Star Trek with space opera grandeur he also kept quite true to the original characters. When the first teaser trailer for the second film Star Trek: Into Darkness was released it showcased not only large scale cinematic constructions and frantic action but it also brought chills with the narration and presence of Benedict Cumberbatch as the chosen villain. Star Trek: Into Darkness will undoubtedly be a wild special effects ride and if they stay true to the characters it will be a personally involving ride as well.

6. The World’s End (Edgar Wright) – Finally we all shall be graced with the third chapter of Edgar Wright’s parody series this year after a quality deviation from the path in 2010 with Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. The first two chapters of the parody themed trilogy from writing collaborators Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg originally started off with parodying zombie films in Shaun of the Dead and then 80s/90s action films with Hot Fuzz. Now their comedic observations and genre twisting is aimed at End of the World movies or Disaster films with their film The World’s End. You almost feel bad for Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg’s similar film This is the End also coming out in 2013 but they don’t have the quality writing talents as Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg. The World’s End will probably be the funniest movie released in 2013.

5. Gravity (Alfonso Cuaron) – Any science-fiction film with George Clooney’s involvement will just inspire horrific memories of terrible Steven Soderbergh remake of Solaris. However, hearing the name Alfonso Cuaron in relation to a science-fiction film, especially after his incredible success with Children of Men, definitely inspires a great deal of confidence and enthusiasm for what he might be concocting. Gravity follows the crew of a spaceship and their desperate attempt to return to earth after their ship is damaged. Hopefully this will be an inspired work of highbrow science-fiction and one can only assume it will be since Alfonso Cuaron has dealt with incredibly deep themes not only in Children of Men but also with Y Tu Mama Tambien. It will also be interesting to see how Sandra Bullock handles herself in such a seriously toned film.

4. Nebraska (Alexander Payne) – The intimacy and unconventionality that revolves around all of director Alexander Payne’s work will surely be utilized in full strength for his next movie Nebraska, which follows a booze-addled father and his estranged son on a trip from Montana to Nebraska in order to claim a sweepstakes prize. It sounds exactly like the kind of film Alexander Payne specializes in, especially after his intimate family work with The Descendants and his emotional road trip film Sideways. If Nebraska is at all a successful mixture of these two films cinematically then it is definitely one to look forward to in this upcoming year. It should also be interesting to see Home Alone’s Devin Ratray (Buzz) on the big screen again in a prominent role.

3. Elysium (Neil Blomkamp) – Anyone who was a fan of South African director Neil Blomkamp’s first surprisingly exceptional film District 9 should be incredibly anxious for his next science-fiction action opus Elysium. Despite the unfortunate fact that Matt Damon is leading the project (can you tell I’m not a Matt Damon fan?) there is enough credibility behind Blomkamp’s name to assure us that this film set in the year 2159 will bring us a great deal of well-constructed action as well as deeply reflective themes relating to our modern existence. The cast also features District 9 lead Sharlto Copley and some other formidable actors, including Jodie Foster, Diego Luna, and William Fichtner. If anything we should expect an adrenaline pumped action science-fiction adventure that will put to shame the others, such as Kosinski’s Oblivion or M. Night Shyamalan’s After Earth.

2. Inside Llweyn Davis (Coen Brothers) – My bias as a Coen Brothers aficionado is why this film is so high up on the list but there is always something incredibly intriguing as to why they pick the particular subject matter they do. Their new film Inside Llewyn Davis will be a distinctive interpretation of the Greenwich Music scene during the 1960s as they follow a particular singer-songwriter played by Drive’s Oscar Isaac. While loosely adapted from Dave Van Ronk’s memoir “The Mayor of McDougal Street,” it will definitely highlight the Coen Brother’s unique dialogue and perspective on the interpretation of the time and of events. And with the return of Coen Brothers regular John Goodman as well as a few newcomers, including as Carey Mulligan and Justin Timberlake, you know it will be an interesting cinematic experience on par with previous Coen Brother’s dramas.

1. Twelve Years a Slave (Steve McQueen) – Experimental and controversial filmmaker Steve McQueen has utilized his years of experience in the art world to create films that are significant even if slightly uncomfortable. His first feature Hunger was an all-around masterpiece of acting, cinematography, and challenging themes and was followed by an equally ambitious work on sex addiction with Shame. Both of those films starred Michael Fassbender in captivating roles and he returns again for Steve McQueen’s Twelve Years a Slave. Set in the early 1800s the film focuses on a man living in New York who was captured and sold into slavery in the South. This controversial topic will be incredibly challenging through the lens of Steve McQueen who has always gone out of his way in his films to make the subject matter incredibly poignant and raw. Hopefully his artistic experimentation mixed with a fantastic cast including Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt, Paul Giammatti, and Paul Dano will make this the most unique movie experience of the next year.

Others You Might Prefer: Man of Steel, The Great Gatsby, The Wolverine, The Heat, Iron Man 3, Only Lovers Left Alive, I’m So Excited, Lone Ranger, Pacific Rim, The Place Beyond the Pines, Pain & Gain, Anchorman 2