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Ben's Top 40 Albums of 2014 (Albums 11-01)
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This is, seriously, one of the best lists I've ever seen on this forum. All of the enjoyable video links (including the top 10), the Leterrman history lessons/love letters, showing us just how much Letterman means to you personally...damn. I want to shout this list up to the heavens for all to see, it's that good.
As an aside, I am really mad at myself that I did not see that "MacArthur Park" performance up until now. That was magical.
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Before I even get to the performances, fing great write ups! Made me sadder to see Letterman go than any of the crap the mainstream press puts out.
And a great idea for a list! I watched 10 and 1 before my computer started blowing up, and I saw the Foos one back when it aired, or more likely the morning after on youtube. I'll make an effort to check out the rest!
Looking forward to the top 50 movies of 2014!
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Member Since: 5/9/2009
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Enjoyed your past Best ofs. I’m in the middle between old and new, though you’re classic.
HM: Hideaway is my top fav. Such a wonderful song that is. A great 90s house music style of a song.
Top 10: Feel Right is such a fun and crazy song. Good work by Mark for making his music fit with the style of Mystikal. I feel good on this motherf**ker. It’s always the right time. Great vocals from her. Good country-like sound. The Feast and The Famine sounds so epic. Rocking out to this one for sure. You’re right in saying that Gimme Something Good could’ve been a hit in the 80s. Sounds just like it too. Really like it. Give Me Back My Hometown is truly an amazing song. A legit country song for sure that speaks volume and understand the subject matter as the music lets you feel about the situation. Should’ve listen to this sooner and more often this year. Girl Crush sounds like a sweet song that sink in the emotion of the vocals to convey a wider feeling of the subject. This song sure takes a turn in a hurry already. It explores all aspects of a Girl Crush either switching to wanting to be like that girl to really want her for herself. Where in the hell these country songs have been. Apparently, all I hear is Bro Country music what the people called the term of mainstream country approach. The #1 is good. A really fun song. They deliver the vocals well and the sounds is soild. That’s all the videos I have the energy to listen and comment on. Will watch more videos later. Man, I really love listening to new music. IT’s hard to find them. How do you guys do it?
David L: Never knew David was retired. Just goes to show how much I’ve been out of the loop in 2014 for anything. I do like watching musical performances (and what the host does to entertain) late nights. Watched the Wu Tang Clan video and what a performance. You provided some great commentary in each video that is incredible to read. Love the #1 video. I watched one day and it’s was good. Kiesza sung and dance well. It was funny to see the people’s reaction of this unknown artist. I will check these videos later.
Great Best ofs so far. I’ll come back for more updates.
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Kiesza, Miranda, Eric Church, Little Big Town
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Honourable Mentions (in no order):
A Hologram for the King
Crimson Peak
Spectre
Mr. Holmes
The Revenant
Hotel Transylvania 2
B.O.O.: Bureau of Otherworldly Operations
Kingsman: The Secret Service
Peanuts
Black Mass
Kickboxer
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40. D-Train
Release Date: World premiere at Sundance
Directed and Written by Andrew Mogel, Jarrad Paul
Starring Jack Black, James Marsden, Kathryn Hahn, Jeffrey Tambor, Mike White, Kyle Bornheimer
First Sundance movie! The directorial debut from comedy screenwriters Andrew Mogel and Jarrad Paul, the concept for the movie could easily be made into a big studio comedy ("The head of a high school reunion committee travels to Los Angeles to track down the most popular guy from his graduating class and convince him to go to the reunion"), and with Mogel and Paul's previous track record, it would make sense. However, since it is a Sundance movie, and it is produced by Mike White (who co-stars in it), who is the king of The Underdog/Loser movie, I imagine this movie is going to have a very different tone. Black and White have worked together for over a decade now (Orange County, School of Rock, Nacho Libre, all movies that White wrote and Black starred in), and I think it's such a cool creative relationship. Black himself is listed as a producer on it, so this must be a personal project for him as well. Plus, James Marsden is such an underrated comedic actor, even if it isn't a full-on comedy, he should be great in it. We need more Mike White movies/projects in the world, so I will be rooting for this movie big-time as it hits Sundance in just a few weeks.
39. Vacation
Release Date: October 9th
Directed and Written by John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein
Starring Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Leslie Mann, Chris Hemsworth, Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo, Charlie Day, Michael Pena, Kaitlin Olson, Keegan-Michael Key, Regina Hall, Tim Heidecker, Nick Kroll, Martin Starr, Samm Levine
It had to happen eventually. There had to be another Vacation movie, and honestly, I am actually kind of excited for this. Written and directed by John Francis Daley (an actor who is currently on Bones, but is most beloved by me for his role as Sam Weir on Freaks and Geeks) and his writing partner Jonathan M. Goldstein, the spin on this vacation movie is that it will be centred on Rusty Griswold's family (played by Ed Helms), which includes his wife Debbie played by Christina Applegate. Also Audrey Griswold is set to appear, played by Leslie Mann (pretty killer casting). And as you can see from the above cast, Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo will return to reprise their roles as Clark and Ellen, but apparently won't be a major part of the movie, which is likely for the best. As much as we adore Chevy and Beverly, a movie centred on their characters at this point would be a stretch, so the next best thing is to acknowledge them and have them briefly appear, as they hand over the reins to Rusty's family. Because could you imagine the uproar that would happen if they decided to reboot it without Chevy and Beverly? It would be mass hysteria, dogs and cats living together (wrong SNL alum/80s movie). Another reason I am anticipating this version of Vacation is that it has a really great supporting cast, including Chris Hemsworth, of all people! I could list them all one-by-one, but just look above, it's all heavy hitters! In particular i'm delighted that Tim Heidecker and Nick Kroll will be in it, two people you wouldn't expect would be in a big mainstream comedy like this. And yes, as the last two people in the cast indicate, Martin Starr and Samm Levine will be in it, making it a Freaks and Geeks reunion with co-director/writer "Sam Weir" Daley!! The Geeks back together!!
38. Grimsby
Release Date: July 31st
Directed by Louis Leterrier
Written by Sacha Baron Cohen, Phil Johnston, Peter Baynham
Starring Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Strong, Ian McShane, Rebel Wilson, Penelope Cruz, Isla Fisher, Scott Adkins, Annabelle Wallis, Gabourey Sidibe, David Harewood
Sacha Baron Cohen doesn't make a lot of movies. He's sort of like a cobbler, you don't see him for 3-4 years. and then, pow! He's got a new one! And Grimsby is an interesting take, as it's a full-on spy/action movie centred on a "a top spy (played by Mark Strong) who is forced to team up with his football hooligan brother (Cohen) for a new assignment." Cohen co-wrote and came up with the concept, and the director for it is big-time action director Louis Leterrier, who most recently did Now You See Me, as well as The Incredible Hulk, and first two Transporter movies. So this should be a pretty legit action movie (Scott Adkins is in the cast!), with some fun laughs. Cohen's Grimsby character being a football hooligan is pretty original, and it should play big internationally, even if the culture isn't as well known in North America.
37. Untitled Cold War Spy Thriller
Release Date: October 16th
Directed by Steven Spielberg
Written by Matt Charman, Joel Coen, Ethan Coen
Starring Tom Hanks, Amy Ryan, Eve Hewson, Alan Alda, Mark Rylance, Sebastian Koch, Edward James Hyland
Spielberg! Hanks! Cold War! Spies! Co-written by the Coens! COME ON!
36. Truth
Release Date: Fall 2015
Directed and Written by James Vanderbilt
Starring Cate Blanchett, Robert Redford, Topher Grace, Elisabeth Moss, Dennis Quaid, Bruce Greenwood, David Lyons, John Benjamin-Hickey, Rachel Blake, Martin Sacks, Steve Bastoni, Christopher Stollery
Truth is the directorial debut of James Vanderbilt, a very good screenwriter who I first noticed from his amazing work on Zodiac. In recent years, he has mostly worked on both Amazing Spider-Man movies, so Truth is his big return into this sort of more serious subject matter. Truth is the story about Dan Rather's final days at CBS News, when he "broadcasted a damaging report about how President Bush relied on privilege and family connections to avoid fighting in the Vietnam War." Redford plays Rather, Blanchett plays former 60 Minutes producer Mary Mapes (whose memoir formed the basis for this movie), this will just be a pleasure to watch.
35. Sea of Trees
Release Date: Possible Cannes 2015 premiere?
Directed by Gus Van Sant
Written by Chris Sparling
Starring Matthew McConaughey, Ken Watanabe, Naomi Watts, Katie Aselton, James Salto, Owen Burke
2014 was Matthew McConaughey's year, winning an Oscar, starring in one of the most talked about shows of the year in True Detective, and starring in the hit Interstellar. It couldn't have been more well-deserved. In 2015, McConaughey will be keeping it quiet, as this is currently the only movie he is scheduled to be releasing. But what a movie to release! It's about "a suicidal American befriends a Japanese man (Ken Watanabe) lost in a forest near Mt. Fuji and the two search for a way out." The two-hander with McConaughey and Watanabe, directed by Gus Van Sant? This is going to be tremendous! Also love how Katie Aselton is a part of the cast. She's the best!
34. The Martian
Release Date: November 25th
Directed by Ridley Scott
Written by Drew Goddard
Starring Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain, Kate Mara, Jeff Daniels, Kristen Wiig, Donald Glover, Chiwetel Ejiofor Michael Pena , Mackenzie Davis, Sebastian Stan, Sean Bean
At age 77, Ridley Scott seems to be making movies the same way that Woody Allen does: one a year (one every couple years in Scott's case) and will continue making them at a steady pace until he dies. Regardless of what you think of his output, he is working harder than most directors half his age. The Martian is Scott's return to Sci-Fi, in which Matt Damon plays an astronaut, who becomes stranded on Mars and is struggling to survive. I know nothing about the movie beyond that, but it sure has an amazing supporting cast for what looks like such an exacting premise. It's of course always great to see people like Chastain, Mara, Daniels, Ejiofor, and Pena act in things, but the biggest shock to me are the two comedy people in the cast: Kristen Wiig and Donald Glover! Whaaaaaat! I love it! Scott tends to be only as good as his script, so at least on this he is working with the amazing Drew Goddard. And even if the movie somehow falters, Scott shoots movies impeccably, with some of the best production design you will see in any movie, so it will look gorgeous. But I have high hopes for this one to be one of his good ones!
33. Pixels
Release Date: July 24th
Directed by Chris Columbus
Written by Timothy Dowling, Tim Herlihy
Starring Adam Sandler, Peter Dinklage, Josh Gad, Michelle Monaghan, Kevin James, Ashley Benson, Sean Bean, Brian Cox, Jane Krakowski, Steve Wiebe
As i've talked about in past years, i'm an Adam Sandler apologist. I see most of his movies, even though most of his later work has not been good. Even in the bad movies though, I still find at least a couple things that make them redeeming. Like, Grown Ups 2 is by no means a good movie, but the amount of SNL alums he packs in that movie makes it worthwhile to me. Also it's the only movie where you can witness Steve Austin, playing an Iraq War vet, giving a big Jingoistic speech on the 4th of July before punching out Sandler. All that aside, Pixels is the most promising looking Sandler comedy in a while, and I think it could end up being one of Sandler's biggest hits ever. The premise is simple: "Video game experts are recruited by the military to fight 1980s-era Video Game characters who've attacked New York." It combines Ghostbusters-style Sci-Fi action, with all the '80s Video Game nostalgia, which is a potent market to tap into it. And they seem to be getting it right, partnering with Atari in the promotion of it (as the movie itself will feature Pac-Man, Centipede, Space Invaders, Nintendo’s Donkey Kong, among others, terrorizing New York), and getting STEVE WIEBE to cameo in it! It's a very broad premise that could appeal to any age group. Plus, how can you reject a movie that has Peter Dinklage wearing a mullet? You cannot!
32. Sleeping with Other People
Release Date: World premiere at Sundance
Directed and Written by Leslye Headland
Starring Jason Sudeikis, Alison Brie, Adam Scott, Amanda Peet, Jason Mantzoukas, Natasha Lyonne
Sleeping with Other People is the second movie for great talent Leslye Headland, whose last movie Bachelorette was a polarizing dark comedy that featured one of Kirsten Dunst's best performances. Like Bachelorette, Sleeping with Other People is produced by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell's Gary Sanchez Productions, and I love that Ferrell/McKay are really helping her make these really different dark comedies. Sleeping with Other People, as the title sort of implies, is about "A good natured womanizer (Sudeikis) and a serial cheater (Brie) form a platonic relationship that helps reform them in ways, while a mutual attraction sets in." A romantic comedy about two ****ed up people! Or, rather, as the Sundance press release calls them, "putting love in the hands of two self-avowed ****s." Also, Jason Sudeikis is probably the best possible modern choice for the role of a "A good-natured womanizer." The role he was born to play! The rest of the supporting cast is also very strong, as you can see above. I have high hopes for this one, and hope it's a big Sundance breakout next month.
31. Joy
Release Date: December 25th
Directed by David. O Russell
Written by David O. Russell, Annie Mumolo
Starring Jennifer Lawrence, Robert DeNiro, Bradley Cooper, Edgar Ramirez
For the third team-up between David O Russell and Jennifer Lawrence, they are tackling another odd subject for a movie. This time? The story of Joy Mangano, the struggling Long Island single mom who ended up creating the Miracle Mop and went on to become a QVC spokesperson. What????? But I kind of love it! I was not a huge fan of American Hustle, thinking it was too formless and a bit of a mess, but Lawrence always shined when she was on screen. It'll be interesting to see how Russell makes a movie about the creation of the Miracle Mop interesting, but I imagine Russell and Lawrence will pile on a lot of quirky moments and try to find some sort of dramatic core to the story. At least I hope so! Though, hey, if the movie ends up becoming 120 minutes of Jennifer Lawrence doing prop comedy with a Miracle Mop, I would be first in line to see it. That would be captivating!!
30. The Good Dinosaur
Release Date: November 25th
Directed by Peter Sohn
Written by Bob Peterson
Starring Lucas Neff, Bill Hader, Judy Greer, Neil Patrick Harris, John Lithgow, Frances McDormand, John Ratzenberger
2015: YEAR OF THE DINOSAUR. First up, Pixar's oft-delayed The Good Dinosaur, which punted Up co-director Bob Peterson mid-production and essentially started over with Peter Sohn. While that can be seen as troublesome, a fact that is often forgotten is that Toy Story 2 was initially a disaster, which Lassester realized only a year or so prior to its release date. And then they changed a lot of things around, shaped it differently, and it became one of the greatest sequels of all-time. So who knows! Maybe it's only seen as a big deal due to this 24/7 ALL NEWS ALL THE TIME culture we are in now, and if this movie came out in 1992, no one would have any idea. I am hoping for the best though as I like both Pixar and Dinosaurs. But honestly, who doesn't?
29. Jurassic World
Release Date: June 12th
Directed by Colin Trevorrow
Written by Colin Trevorrow, Derek Connolly
Starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jake Johnson, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins, BD Wong, Judy Greer, Irrfan Khan, Omar Sy, Lauren “Help Me Rwonda, Help Help Me Rwonda” Lapukus
When first announced, Jurassic World didn't sound that interesting to me. A fourth Jurassic Park movie? But two things quickly changed my opinion: 1) hiring indie director Colin Trevorrow to direct and co-write it. His previous movie Safety Not Guaranteed was a micro budget movie, so this a big leap for him. But apparently he is a hardcore Jurassic Park fan and really sold Frank Marshall on his concept, so I think that's pretty neat to give the franchise to a fan and not a hack doing it for the money. Passion over money! The other reason, 2) the cast! Led by brand new mega star Chris Pratt, the cast of this movie is pretty amazing. Jake Johnson!!! Jake Johnson in a Jurassic Park movie! Judy Greer! The GREAT Lauren Lapkus! Are you kidding me??? Anytime a big movie like this casts a lot of comedy people in it, It always makes me happy. I thought the first trailer was pretty good, not great, but I think the movie itself will deliver.
28. Mission Impossible 5
Release Date: December 25th
Directed by Christopher McQuarrie
Written by Drew Pearce
Starring Tom Cruise, Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, Paula Patton, Rebecca Ferguson, Alec Baldwin, Ving Rhames, Sean Harris
**** YEAH TOM CRUISE. The last Brad Bird-directed Mission Impossible movie was one of the best action movies of its era, and now long-time Cruise collaborator Christopher McQuarrie (who last directed the very underrated Jack Reacher) is doing it! Not much is known about it, but from what I understand Alec Baldwin is playing the main villian in it, which is pretty awesome. Also, at one point, Cruise does this Tom Cruise, the last true moviestar, always upping the ante on what he did previously. What a guy!
27. Our Brand is Crisis
Release Date: Fall 2015
Directed by David Gordon Green
Written by Peter Straughan
Starring Sandra Bullock, Billy Bob Thorton, Zoe Kazan, Anthony Mackie, Scoot McNairy, Ann Dowd, Joaquim de Almeida
After a few years of going back to his independent roots with Prince Avalanche, Joe, and Manglehorn, David Gordon Green is coming back to the major studio scene. And with a movie that sounds unlike anything he has done before! Based on the documentary of the same name, Our Brand is Crisis stars Sandra Bullock as "Calamity" Jane Bodine, a retired political consultant hired by an unpopular Bolivian president to help him win, with Billy Bob Thorton playing Pat Candy, Jane's nemesis who leads the opposition's campaign. Basically the movie is about two American political consultants bringing U.S. election methods to the Bolivian election, which happened in 2002 when Bolivian politician Gonzalo Sanchez de Lozada hired James Carville's political consulting firm to help him win the 2002 election. It's a really interesting story, that will provide lots of satirical humour as well as drama. The movie is produced by George Clooney, who knows a thing or two about political movies. Again, this is all very different territory for our North Carolinian director hero Green, but I can't wait to see what he does with it. Nothing would make me happier if it turned out to be a huge awards hit and dumb awards people are forced to reckon with the director of Your Highness, Pineapple Express and Eastbound and Down cleaning out their clocks. Finally, some overdue redemption for Your Highness!!
26. Carol
Release Date:Cannes 2015?
Directed by Todd Haynes
Written by Patricia Highsmith
Starring Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Sarah Paulson, Cory Michael Smith, Kyle Chandler, Jake Lacy, Carrie Brownstein, John Magaro
Todd Haynes last directed the wonderful HBO mini series Mildred Pierce, but Carol is his first feature film as director since 2007's I'm Not There. It has been too long! Carol is "set in 1950s New York, a department store clerk (Mara) who dreams of a better life falls for an older, married woman (Blanchett)." This is perfect Haynes material, and i'm sure the movie itself will be great. Plus the supporting cast, including Kyle Chandler and Carrie Brownstein (!), is pretty strong.
25. Untitled Cameron Crowe Project
Release Date: May 29th
Directed and Written by Cameron Crowe
Starring Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray, Danny McBride, Jay Baruchel, Alec Baldwin, John Krasinski, Jaeden Lieberher
I wrote about this movie last year, placing it at a similar place. Not much else to say, beyond, 1) stellar cast, 2) love Cameron Crowe, 3) hope it's a return-to-form for Crowe.
24. Ricki and the Flash
Release Date: June 26th
Directed by Jonathan Demme
Written by Diablo Cody
Starring Meryl Streep, Sebastian Stan, Kevin Kline, Mamie Gummer, Ben Platt, Rick Springfield, Charlotte Rae
RICKI AND THE FLASH. DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN DUN. do do do-DOOOOOOOOO. *to the tune of Bennie & The Jets*
near the end of the song: DEMME, DEMME, DEMME, DEMME AND THE jeTTTTTTTTSSSSSSS.
(translation: Demme directing a Diablo Cody script, centred around Meryl Streep playing a full-blown rockstar!!)
23. Rock the Kasbah
Release Date: April 24th
Directed by Barry Levinson
Written by Mitch Glazer
Starring Bill Murray, Zooey Deschanel, Danny McBride, Bruce Willis, Kate Hudson, Taylor Kinney, Scott Caan, Sarah Baker
Now this movie looks like a lot of fun. It's about "a washed-up rock manager (Murray) who takes his last remaining client on a USO tour of Afghanistan. When he finds himself in Kabul, abandoned, penniless and without his passport, he discovers a young girl with an extraordinary voice and manages her through Afghanistan's version of American Idol, Afghan Star." It's a fun concept for a movie, and I can't wait to see Murray as a rock manager, that is perfect for him. The cast is stellar (Danny McBride!), it's directed by the great Barry Levinson (While he's most well-known for Rain Man, Diner, Good Morning Vietnam, etc, my favourite movie of his will always be the eternally underrated Tin Men), and written by Murray's long-time friend Mitch Glazer (who co-wrote Scrooged). Hopeful for this one!!
22. Pitch Perfect 2
Release Date: May 15th
Directed by Elizabeth Banks
Written by Kay Cannon
Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Steinfeld, Alexis Knapp, Brittany Snow, Katey Sagal, Elizabeth Banks, John Michael Higgins, Anna Camp, Skylar Astin, Adam Devine, Brea Grant, C.J. Perry (AKA, Lana, International Social Ambassador to The Russian Super Athlete RUSEV)
The trailer for Pitch Perfect 2 is one of the most confident trailers I have seen in recent years. It is positioned as a huge, huge force, which is what it is! It deserves a superhero/Star Wars-style build-up trailer. Any time a trailer for a comedy can get a build like that, i'm all for it. The key to the first movie's success, and it looks like it will follow with the sequel, is that it had something for everyone: some people came to it for the acapella singing/romance, and others (such as myself) came to it as a comedy with really funny jokes (written by the amazing Kay Cannon, one of 30 Rock's defining writers) delivered by a great comedy cast. This sequel looks to expand the world a bit, which is always a smart thing to do with sequels, and I am very excited for it. I also love that Elizabeth Banks herself, who was one of the main producers of the first one, is directing the sequel. We need more women directors in Hollywood, and Banks has great instincts.
21. Brothers in Law
Release Date: SXSW 2014 premiere?
Directed by Osmany Rodriguez, Matt Villines (Matt & Oz)
Written by Taran Killam, Mikey Day, Cameron Fay
Starring Taran Killam, Gillian Jacobs, Rita Wilson, Bill Pullman, Bobby Moynihan, Rachael Harris, Kenan Thompson, Sarah Burns, David Wain
As SNL is currently in the middle of a transitional season, one of the highlights has been the creative partnership between Taran Killam and Mikey Day, with directors Matt & Oz. They have done a lot of great stuff together (probably most notably the Marvel/Guardians of the Galaxy parody during the Chris Pratt episode), so it's very exciting that Lorne Michaels is basically giving these guys the Hot Rod treatment with Brothers in Law. What do I mean by that? Andy, Jorm, and Kiv were given the script of Hot Rod in the middle of a season, and they rewrote it all, and made it their own. The result is one of the best comedies of the decade. With Brothers in Law, Lorne gave Killam and Day a script by Cameron Foy and basically rewrote it for their own voice, and brought in their buddies Matt & Oz to direct it. I have very high hopes for this, as Lorne's track record with movies is very high, especially in recent years. The current generation of SNL performers can do it all, write/direct/produce/star, so there's no directors for hire working on these projects. It's all in-house, which is why the quality level has been high. Now all Lorne needs to do is make the GOOD NEIGHBOR movie (with Kyle Mooney, Beck Bennett, writer Nick Rutherford and director Dave McCary) a reality! That's the obvious next one!
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20. Masterminds
Release Date: August 14th
Directed by Jared Hess
Written by Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, Jody Hill, Danny McBride, Emily Spivey
Starring Zach Galifianakis, Owen Wilson, Kristen Wiig, Jason Sudeikis, Ken Marino, Devin Ratray, Mary Elizabeth Ellis, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Jon Daly
Speaking of Lorne! This has been a movie in the works for a long time, with former SNL writer Emily Spivey's script laying the groundwork for it. It then went through many other writers (including Danny McBride and Jody Hill!!) before it went into production in its current state. Masterminds, formerly known as Loomis Fargo, is based on the 1997 Loomis Fargo robbery in North Carolina, in which an armored car driver and vault supervisor stole $17.3 million in cash. It's a great story that lends itself to a comedy, and what a cast this thing has! Galifianakis plays the driver, and Wilson the vault supervisor, which is a pretty inspired comedy team. Also Lorne looks to have called in a lot of favours with past SNL alum/current cast (Wiig! Suds! McKinnon! Jones!). I am shaky on Jared Hess' work so far, but I think with this amount of talent on screen/on the page, it should make it pretty hard to mess up. And in general, there really aren't enough of these big summer comedies with all-star casts, so I am rooting for it to succeed.
19. Magic Mike XXL
Release Date: July 1st
Directed by Gregory Jacobs
Written by Channing Tatum, Reid Carolin
Starring Channing Tatum, Matt Bomer, Joe Manganiello, Kevin Nash, Adam Rodriguez, Gabriel Iglesias, Andie MacDowell, Amber Heard, Jada Pinkett Smith, Elizabeth Banks, Jane McNeill, Donald Glover, Michael Strahan, Christian Boeving, Ric “The stylin’ profiling, WOO, limousine riding, jet flying, kiss-stealing, WOOOO, wheelin’ n’ dealin, son of a gun, WOOO, Dirtiest Player in the Game” Flair
Magic Mike was one of my favourite films of 2012. It was Steven Soderbergh's most crowd-pleasing movie since Ocean's Eleven, while still also allowing for some very fun experimental bits/slow character study stuff (mostly in the beginning). And as a straight male, my love of this movie isn't because of the amount of male flesh on display, but if that's what you are into, then I imagine that added an extra level of excitement. It was a story, like Saturday Night Fever in its time, that had never been portrayed in a movie of this type before, and was also a wonderful movie about male bonding, which probably would have really appealed to the same group of men who rejected it sight unseen.
I was initially worried about the sequel with Soderbergh's retirement from film, but my fears were quickly swayed, as his long-time producing partner Gregory Jacobs took the job on instead. Also, Soderbergh was still very much involved with the sequel, as he took on the camera operator, editor, and cinematographer roles (hopefully giving it Soderbergh's signature chilly glow). From what I understand about the sequel, it will be more of a road trip movie, taking place at a male stripper convention, which is a fun new angle for it. Reid Carolin (Tatum's producing partner) writes it again, joined by Tatum himself, so we should be getting a lot of great personal details in there. The supporting cast is pretty crazy; I particularly love that Flair will be making an appearance in it. They should have titled it Magic Mike: SPACE MOUNTAIN. A reunion between Nash and Flair, putting themselves over like in the WCW days!
18. Midnight Special
Release Date: November 25th
Directed and Written by Jeff Nichols
Starring Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Sam Shepard, Paul Sparks, Bill Camp, Dana Gourrier, Jaeden Lieberherr
Another trend in 2015 looks to be indie directors graduating to big-time major studio tent poles, like with the previously charted Jurassic World by Colin Trevorrow. With Midnight Special, this is an original concept Sci-Fi movie put out by Warner Bros, written and directed by the guy who did Shotgun Stories, Take Shelter and Mud! Not necessarily the first person you think of when you think of big movies, but I love it! The concept is pretty under wraps, but the only thing I can find is that it's about "a father and son go on the run after the dad learns his child possesses special powers." The cast is pretty great, with this being Nichols' fourth movie with the great Michael Shannon. Shannon is one of my favourite actors, and I love how he works with Nichols, so this is a must-see just on that basis. That it's also this big-time sci-fi movie, with a prime Thanksgiving release date?? Even better!
17. Get Hard
Release Date: March 27th
Directed by Etan Cohen
Written by Ian Roberts, Jay Martel
Starring Will Ferrell, Kevin Hart, Alison Brie, Craig T. Nelson, T.I., Dan Bakkedahl, Jay Pharoah, Edwina Findley, Gary Owen
On an episode of Neal Brennan and Moshe Kasher's essential podcast The Champs from a couple years ago, Brennan talked about how he went into a major studio to pitch a comedy starring Kevin Hart. He heard back from the head of the unnamed studio, who said, to paraphrase, that Hart was a black audience draw only and that they couldn't see him in a major studio comedy. How things have changed! Mostly Hart's run of huge blockbuster movies have been modestly priced movies with low expectations (meaning, movies aimed for black audiences, which box office pundits always act so "surprised" every time one becomes a huge hit. When in reality, that audience is starved for movies that reflect their experience that they can relate to. The same goes with movies made for female audiences, who are also underserved), so Get Hard is really the first example of Hart starring in a major studio/big budget comedy, along with one of the biggest comedy stars in the world Will Ferrell. My expectation for this movie is that this is going to be a giant hit. Ferrell and Hart is just such an irresistible pairing, and the concept of the movie is pretty original and funny ("When millionaire James King (Ferrell) is nailed for fraud and bound for San Quentin, he turns to Darnell Lewis (Hart) to prep him to go behind bars.") It is produced by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell's Gary Sanchez Productions, so I imagine there's going to be a lot of biting satire about bankers/rich white assholes going to jail, as McKay likes to smuggle big ideas into his comedies (like how The Campaign was a movie about Koch Brothers-like figures and the Citizens United ruling). It is also the directorial debut of comedy writer Etan Cohen, whose career includes writing multiple King of the Hill episodes and co-writing Tropic Thunder and Idiocracy. And it is written by the great Ian Roberts and Jay Martel, who are showrunners on Key & Peele. It is a very strong group, and I really hope it lives up to expectations.
16. Blackhat
Release Date: January 16th
Directed by Michael Mann
Written by Morgan Davis Foehl, Michael Mann
Starring Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Wei Tang, Holt McCallany, Leehom Wang, Manny Montana, William Mapother, Archie Kao, John Ortiz, Ritchie Coster
Michael Mann's first movie since 2009 could not be more timely: "A man is released from prison to help American and Chinese authorities pursue a mysterious cyber criminal. The dangerous search leads them from Chicago to Hong Kong." Sound familiar, in light of recent news? Mann is one of my all-time directing heroes, and this looks like perfect teritory for him. Movies about wounded professionals are Mann's wheelhouse!! And Chris Hemsworth is the prototypical Mann lead, he is going to do such a great job in this. It's a very strong cast of great people like Viola Davis, Mann regulars John Ortiz and Ritchie Coster, as well as a major role for Chinese actor Wei Tang. The shots from the trailers/ads give me chills, working once again with cinematographer Stuart Dryburgh, who he did excellent work with on the Luck pilot. This would be a top ten movie if it came out a month or two later, but since it's just around the corner it ranks lower. I really can't wait for this, and hope it's a well-deserved hit for Mann.
15. Tomorrowland
Release Date: May 22nd
Directed by Brad Bird
Written by Damon Lindelof, Brad Bird
Starring George Clooney, Britt Robertson, Hugh Laurie, Judy Greer, Kathryn Hahn, Keegan-Michael Key, Tim McGraw, Pierre Gagnon, Lochlyn Munro
I'm a big fan of both Brad Bird and Damon Lindelof, so this pairing makes me very happy. There's not a lot known about this original concept sci-fi movie, so i'll just post what IMDB has: "Bound by a shared destiny, a teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor embark on a mission to unearth the secrets of a place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory." Sounds pretty cool, huh? Great to see Clooney in a big movie like this again. It's crazy to think, as he's one of the most famous moviestars in the world, but he mostly does indie movies/small dramas, at this point in his career. I guess Gravity was a big movie, but that's different, and he wasn't the lead in that. His first major studio lead since Ocean's Thirteen? Crazy. Great cast, very hopeful for this one.
14. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
Release Date: December 18th
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Written by J.J. Abrams, Lawrence Kasden
Starring John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow, Harrison Ford, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew, Kenny Baker, Lupita Nyong’o, Gwendoline Christie, Greg Grunberg, Warwick Davis
What else is there to say? I love JJ, I loved the teaser, the casting is perfect (JJ has always been a genius at casting things), I have very high hopes. The end!
13. Mad Max: Fury Road
Release Date: May 15th
Directed by George Miller
Written by George Miller, Brendan McCarthy, Nico Lathouris
Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Hugh Keays-Byrne, Nathan Jones, Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough, Rosie Hungtington-Whitley, Abbey Lee Kershaw, A Bunch of Other People
Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhh mannnnnnnnnnnnnnn. OH. MAN. The two trailers that came out this year knocked me out. If you haven't had the chance to see them yet, come on. Do that now! This movie has everything: a guitar-wielding flamethrower, giant sandstorm-tornados, a bald Charlize Theron, Spud Webb. As a big fan of the two Babe movies, I am thrilled that George Miller is set to have a huge 2015. It's nice when old pros can show the young folks how it's done.
12. The Avengers: Age of Ultron
Release Date: May 1st
Directed and Written by Joss Whedon
Starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner, Don Cheadle, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Cobie Smulders, Stellan Skarsgard, James Spader, Samuel L. Jackson
SPADER AS ULTRON. The end.
11. Jupiter Ascending
Release Date: February 6th
Directed and Written by Lana Wachowski, Andy Wachowski
Starring Channing Tatum, Mila Kunis, Sean Bean, Eddie Redmayne, Douglas Booth
I believe in The Wachowskis. As a huge fan of Speed Racer, and someone who really admired Cloud Atlas, I think what they bring to film is so original and so needed in this current climate. Whether you like the kind of stuff they do or don't, you have to really respect that they make movies that are distinctly theirs. And Jupiter Ascending is a movie that no one else could have made. An original concept space opera "In the future, a young destitute human woman gets targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe, and begins her destiny to finish the Queen's reign." Another thing I really like and respect about The Wachowskis is that they are so earnest in their films, which usually leads to a lot of ridicule from dopes. You don't have to like their movies, but I think the kind of ridicule they get is a bit excessive. For example with this movie, the Channing Tatum character's ears. Of course they know that it's a bit weird! But they are so committed to their world for the movie that it makes sense to them, which I love. They make movies for people who enter them with open minds and open hearts, not people with their arms folded, smirk on their face, ready to trash something. There aren't a lot of original concept sci-fi movies like these getting made, so we need to support it when it comes out. I am grateful to Warner Bros for continuing to back them, after Speed Racer bombed and Cloud Atlas underperformed (though it was almost entirely funded overseas, so they didn't take a loss on it). Certain areas of WB right now feel very business-run and corporate (*points toward the DC slate*), but that they still believe in movies by The Wachowskis like Jupiter Ascending, it's really something worth celebrating. I cannot wait for this and hope it does well for them. No one deserves it more!
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Next up: THE TOP TEN MOVIES OF 2015! Some choices won't surprise you, some may. I can't wait to share it with you sometime in the next few days! Thanks again for all the comments, and I wish all who celebrate it a very MERRY CHRISTMAS today!
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Member Since: 5/23/2007
Posts: 65,087
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I can't wait for Jurassic World and The Good Dinosaur
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/26/2001
Posts: 22,475
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Alright, time for one of my favorite annual lists of the year, featuring a bunch of movies that, for the most part, I won't see in 2015. LET'S RUN THIS ALL DOWN, BAY-BAY!
HM: I, for one, welcome our returning Snoopy overlord.
#40: Jack Black and Jeffrey Tambor. God, I hope to remember to see this.
#39: There are a lot of talented people involved (and CHEVY AND BEVERLY!), but I'm still skeptical. I want this to be good so bad. I hope they don't let me down.
#38: Well, I'm intrigued by the plot and by this being a SBC film. And does that cast mean that Ian McShane is the villain? Because if so...um, yes. I'm in. It'll be weird to see Mark Strong NOT playing a villain, though. Should be a lot of fun.
#37: Wow. Not just Spielberg and Hanks, but Spielberg, Hanks, AND the Coens? IS IT BEN'S BIRTHDAY?
#36: Could be interesting, especially with Redford playing Dan Rather. That's all I've got for now.
#35: I won't lie...I'm mostly interested in this because Watanabe is going to be a lead. One of the most underrated actors going.
#34: Hey, look, Sean Bean gets to die in another movie! I'm mostly excited for this one because it's Ridley Scott's return to Sci-Fi. Let's rock.
#33: THE WIEBS IS IN THIS? This should be a dream film for someone like me, but I'm a bit skeptical because of one man: Chris Columbus. His directorial career is a bit hit and miss. Please let this be good.
#32: One that I was excited about BEFORE reading more about it here. 2015 is shaping up to be a monster year for the Brie Empire, and this is the project involving Alison that I'm most excited about.
#31: Well, this is...this is something. But hey, DOR and J-Law together tends to create magic, so we'll see where this goes.
#30: Pixar's track record lately has been more hit and miss than I'd prefer. But they have a couple of projects lined up that really intrigue me. This one is the lesser of the two, but I want to see this do well. We need more animated dinosaur movies, dammit!
#29: And hey, SPEAKING OF DINOSAURS...it's a Jurassic Park film. Even when they're bad, they're enjoyably bad. Must see.
#28: It's hard to look past the craziness, but once you do, you realize that Tom Cruise is still ****ing great at what he does. Ghost Protocol was really something else, and I hope that this will follow suit.
#27: DGG directing a film about a Bolivian election. Sounds like a winner!
#26: Rooney...I always want good things for her. I hope this doesn't disappoint.
#25: As with last year, I have high hopes for this. THE CROWE LIVES!
#24: The best part about this? I actually said that title in the style of "Bennie and the Jets"...before I saw that you did the same thing! Great Job!
#23: Murray and Mitch, together again! And that cast just speaks for itself. Holy moly.
#22: I'm always skeptical when I see that we're getting a sequel to a movie like Pitch Perfect, but if the success of the Jump Street films is any indication (and with this, I hope it is), Pitch Perfect 2 will be just as fun as the first. And, obviously, the RUSEV shoutout was THE BEST! THE BEST! THE BEST! THE BEST (Coast)!
#21: As of late, Lorne doesn't do crappy movies. That's really all you need to know.
#20: Again, LORNE MICHAELS DOES NOT DO CRAPPY MOVIES AS OF LATE.
#19: I don't really have much interest in a Magic Mike sequel. What I do have interest in is RIC GODDAMN FLAIR IN A MAGIC MIKE SEQUEL. WHAT?!
#18: The fact that they're giving a Thanksgiving release for this...well, you have my attention.
#17: The Year of Brie continues with one hell of a duo as the leads. GET HARD!
#16: Honestly, you could throw any cast you want to and all you have to do is give me Michael Mann as a director. Yes.
#15: Brad Bird meets George Clooney. Aaaaaand bam, that's all you need. Dr. House is just a bonus.
#14: The one film I'm most excited about in 2015. Oh please, don't act so shocked. Hell, it's probably the most excited I've been for a film since TDK. If Abrams does to Star Wars what he did to Star Trek, this is going to be the best Star Wars film in a long, LONG time. There's a part of me that is worried in the sense that I'm not sure if there can ever really be a Star Wars film on the level of the original trilogy, but...screw it. I'm willing to see if Abrams can do it again. This may be the first film I go to see opening day since the last Potter film. I mean, this is an EVENT film, the kind of which we haven't had since...well, the film that preceded #12.
#13: MAD ****ING MAX! This is probably third on my list of films to look forward to in 2015...and that's saying a lot, because there are a surprising amount of movies I'm looking forward to. The old man himself returns to the franchise that made him a directing icon, and jesus christ, the trailers have made this film look like a MAD MAX movie. And that's all I ever really wanted.
#12: And let's just round out this trio of awesome with #2 on my own list. I was blown away by The Avengers. The gang's all here for the sequel. There's really nothing else that needs to be said.
#11: I so want this to be good, I really do. We need the Wachowskis to be top filmmakers. They are so creative with the way that they put ideas to film. If the quality of Jupiter Ascending can match the quality of the idea itself, look out.
Well, for me, anyway, it can only really go downhill from here...but that's not to say that the top 10 will suck. Far from it! It's a Ben top 10. It's bound to rule and offer stuff to be excited about.
(If nothing else, I'm just happy that I didn't make a "Ben 10" reference there. )
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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10. Inside Out
Release Date: June 19th
Directed by Pete Doctor
Written by Michael Arndt (story by Pete Doctor)
Starring Kaitlyn Dias, Amy Poehler, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Phyllis Smith, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, John Ratzenberger
Inside Out is the kind of movie that I have come to expect from Pixar at the peak of its powers. An original concept (though, maybe not that original, as it is quite similar to the '90s Fox sitcom Herman's Head, but the younger crowd going to see Inside Out will have never heard of it so oh well) that is simple and easy to illustrate, almost framed as a question a child would ask. What would happen if my toys came to life? Where do the monsters learn to scare children/where do they go during the day? And now, with Inside Out, it's "what do my emotions look like?" And Pete Doctor has done an excellent job of casting these emotions: Amy Poehler as Joy (outstanding. Her infectious laugh may as well be the dictionary definition of Joy), Mindy Kaling as Disgust (A+, especially if her character ends up calling people "pedos" and "pervs" like on The Mindy Project), Lewis Black as Anger (come on!!!!!), Phyllis Smith from The Office as Sadness (great!), and Bill Hader as Fear (not tied to him in particular. It's mostly because Hader is an expert at everything). Who doesn't want to see that movie??? Pete Doctor is my favourite Pixar director (with Up being my favourite Pixar movie), and I bet he's going to do such a great job with this.
I hated the first teaser for this, which was all about highlighting Pixar's past greatness, which came off to me as desperate and below them (and i'm saying this as someone who has basically enjoyed every Pixar movie to date). They rebounded with the first proper teaser, which showcased one proper scene, and was a lot of fun. This is the most i've looked forward to a Pixar movie since Up, coincidently, and I really can't wait to see what Doctor does with this great concept.
09. Furious 7
Release Date: April 3rd
Directed by James Wan
Written by Chris Morgan
Starring Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris, Lucas Black, Jason Statham, Elsa Pataky, Kurt Russell, Tony Jaa, Ronda Rousey, Nathalie Emmanuel, Dijmou Honsou, John Brotherton, Ali Fazai
I am a late adopter to the Fast & Furious franchise. While I saw the first one on DVD and 2 Fast 2 Furious in an Idaho dollar movie theater, I sort of tuned out after that, thinking they were beneath me. I became a full-blown convert with Fast Five, one of the best classic big budget summer movies of the past however many years, which not only delivered in amazing set pieces, but also made you care about the characters. Fast Six (or Fast & Furious 6) was a worthy follow-up by Justin Lin and equaled it in many ways, though I still sort of prefer Fast Five. The key to the success of these movies is that, to use a phrase used many, many times in these movies, it's about Family. You buy the character relationships, and while an outsider might think 2-3 minute scenes of Vin Diesel and Paul Walker delivering monologues about their feelings might be a disaster, it is actually really sweet, earnest and elevates the material.
Speaking of: it is unavoidable to talk about the tragic, horrible death of Paul Walker in relation to this movie, as he was in the midst of filming it when he died. They managed to take some time off, bump the release date a year, rewrite some stuff, and have Paul's own brothers Caleb and Cody be used as stand-ins. It is a really horrible situation all around, and I really am curious to see how they tackle it in the movie. Word has it they will be retiring Walker's character, not having him die, which seems like a noble way to go about it. The first trailer ends with Vin Diesel saying "I don't have friends, I have family," which is said in time with a shot of Paul Walker walking. Which reads in theory as exploitative, but in execution, it is really moving and emotional. Whatever they decide to do with the character, I bet James Wan and Chris Morgan figured out the perfect send-off for the Brian O'Conner character.
Emotional stuff aside: KURT RUSSELL IS IN FURIOUS 7! JASON STAHAM! TONY JAA!! I am very interested to see how first-time F&F director James Wan puts his stamp on the franchise. Judging by the first trailer, i'm expecting something pretty special.
08. Entertainment
Release Date: Premiere at Sundance
Directed by Rick Alverson
Written by Rick Alverson, Gregg Turkington, Tim Heidecker
Starring Gregg Turkington, John C. Reilly, Tye Sherdian, Michael Cera, Amy Seimetz, Lotte Verbeek
Rick Alverson directed an amazing indie movie in 2012 called The Comedy, which starred Tim Heidecker (of Tim & Eric fame) as an ironic hipster who is on the cusp of inheriting his father's fortune, despite being indifferent about it/the death of his father. As the Sundance festival guide perfectly describes it: "a provocation, a critique of a culture based at its core around irony and sarcasm and about ultimately how hollow that is." It's an incredible movie and one I still think about to this day, for the themes it expressed.
Alverson is back in 2015, working once again with Tim Heidecker in the script stage (along with star Gregg Turkington) on Entertainment. I am going to quote the official Sundance description of the plot, as it puts it better than I could:
Quote:
An aging comedian tours the California desert, lost in a cycle of third-rate venues, novelty tourist attractions, and vain attempts to reach his estranged daughter. By day, he slogs through the barren landscape, inadvertently alienating every acquaintance. At night, he seeks solace in the animation of his onstage persona. Fueled by the promise of a lucrative Hollywood engagement and the possibility of rekindling a relationship with his daughter, he trudges through a series of increasingly surreal and volatile encounters.
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Like The Comedy, this does not sound like a crowd-pleaser lmao (The Sundance guide goes on to call it an "immaculately bleak portrait"). What I love about Rick Alverson's work is that he uses these great comedic actors to make these really incredible character studies about powerful themes. Very reminiscent of the character studies of the 1970's like Five Easy Pieces and The King of Marvin Gardens. Gregg Turkington, if you don't know, is the famous comedian who goes by the alter-ego Neil Hamburger, who is one of my favourites. The Hamburger comedy album Hot February Night, which was taped in Madison Square Garden opening for Tenacious D, is one of my favourite comedy albums ever, as you hear a hostile crowd booing and getting mad with Hamburger's jokes, but as the set goes on, he slowly starts to win them over. I imagine Turkington brought a lot of that experience into this movie, in both the script writing and acting stage, and i'm expecting a really incredible movie.
07. Untitled Christmas Eve Project
Release Date: November 25th
Directed and Written by Jonathan Levine
Starring Seth Rogen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anthony Mackie, Jillian Bell, Lizzy Caplan
A prediction: this Seth Rogen comedy won't start an international incident (his 2016 R-Rated animated comedy Sausage Party, on the other hand? We'll see... But more about that on next year's list!). This currently untitled movie set around Christmas Eve reteams Rogen with writer/director Jonathan Levine and star Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who all made 50/50 together. 50/50 was an important movie for Rogen, as it was the first movie he made (along with his frequent collaborator Evan Goldberg) through his production company Point Grey, in a major producer role. He really became in charge of his career after that, and now he's starting to rival his mentor Judd Apatow in huge comedy hits. Levine also struck it big recently with the surprise hit Warm Bodies, which was a pretty fresh spin on the zombie genre and way better than anyone expected.
This movie has a very bare-bones premise: "Three childhood best friends reunite in New York City for their annual tradition of going out on Christmas Eve." That's the premise. And judging by Rogen's outstanding Star of David sweater in the picture above, this will likely be a movie that touches on all the holidays in December. Oh, another piece of the premise is revealed in the great Jillian Bell's character description: "the wife of Rogen's character who gives the pals a cornucopia of drugs on Christmas Eve so they can have one last hurrah together." So a One More Night Together comedy (like Seth and Evan's Superbad), but set on Christmas Eve. I'm intrigued! Another reason i'm excited for this is the inclusion of Anthony Mackie. The secret key to a breakout comedy is you have to have someone, who isn't necessarily known for being in a ton of comedies, appear in a huge role, so you can guarantee people will talk about it. It happened earlier this year with Rogen's Neighbors, with the casting of Zac Efron in a big role (as well as Rose Byrne, who had been in comedies before, but never in a role that big), and it's a smart strategy to keep it fresh. Mackie is a great choice for that potential breakout role, as he has been so good in a lot of things, but has never had a role like this before. I predict he'll do a great job with it. Also in general, we need more R-Rated Christmas-set comedies, so i'm hoping it's a success in that regard, too. The Harold & Kumar Christmas movie was really good and Bad Santa is a classic, but those cannot be the only examples in recent times!
06. Ant-Man
Release Date: July 17th
Directed by Peyton Reed
Written by Gabriel Ferrari, Andrew Barrier, Adam McKay (uncredited work by Paul Rudd)
Starring Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lilly, Michael Douglas, Corey Stoll, Judy Greer, Michael Pena, Bobby Cannavale, John Slattery, Wood Harris, Martin Donovan, T.I., Gregg “Film Buff” Turkington
A preface: What happened to Edgar Wright was rough, and i'm still kind of bummed about it. I wish he had gotten the chance to make his Ant-Man. I always look forward to what Edgar has up next, but in particular I am excited to see whichever project he decides to do following this whole kerfuffle. I will be rooting for him!
The dilemma with this is, while I am sad for Edgar, I could not be more excited for the grossly underrated Peyton Reed to be getting this shot. If you want to talk about someone with cred directing Ant-Man, Peyton has it for days. He started out directing music videos for Superchunk, and directed episodes of both Mr. Show and the Upright Citizens Bridgade TV series (also every ep of The Weird Al Show!). His feature film career includes the classic Bring It On (a classic, I say!), the 50s/60s romantic comedy pastiche Down with Love, the surprisingly dramatic The Break-Up, as well as the better than it had any right to be/surprisingly sincere and sweet Yes Man. And in terms of his comic book nerd cred, in the early 2000's he was set to direct the original Fantastic Four movie, which would have been set in the early 1960's!! Too bad it fell apart and we got the ****** TIm Story version. And in a true "It Was Meant To Be" moment, in 1988 he was in a punk band called Johnny Quest, and in the flyer he drew himself as Ant-Man. I mean, commmmmeeee on.
So this is what i'm trying to say: please give Peyton Reed a fair shake. He is a hardcore comic book nerd, he is a very skillful director, he knows and loves the source material. Yes, the situation in which he got the job was a bit awkward, but I cannot think of a better alternative. Also very exciting is that the great Adam McKay rewrote the script for a few weeks (Rudd also did uncredited work on it himself)! From what I understand, this Ant-Man is going to be a sort of heist movie, which I think is very cool. In its Edgar Wright form, Ant-Man was my most anticipated superhero/big budget tentpole of the year. In the hands of Peyton Reed, I am very happy to say that remains the case, and I could not be rooting for Reed more to rock it and prove the doubters wrong.
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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05. The Hateful Eight
Release Date: November/December
Directed and Written by Quentin Tarantino
Starring Bruce Dern, Kurt Russell, Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Walton Goggins, Demian Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Channing Tatum
Hey, remember that brief period when it looked like this movie wasn't happening? That was crazy! Glad that is behind us! Every new QT movie is worth celebrating, especially when he threatens to retire every year. As the poster above declares, this will be shot in CINEMASCOPE 70mm in beautiful snowy Colorado. This thing is going to look gorgeous. A western set "six or eight or twelve years after the Civil War," the movie features Kurt Russell as bounty hunter John Ruth, his fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), a black former union solider turned infamous bounty hunter Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), a southern renegade who claims to be the town's new sheriff named Chris Mannix (the always captivating Walton Goggins), the hangman of Red Rock Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), cow-puncher Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers played by the estimable Bruce Dern. Oh, and Demian Bichir plays someone called Bob, and Channing Tatum is in it somewhere. Doesn't that sound amazing?? What a great cast! When this movie was in doubt of getting made, I was most sad for Bruce Dern, as he deserves a huge role in a QT movie. So i'm glad it went forward, as I can't wait to see the kind of Confederate slimeball he plays. No release date is set, but since it is in production right now, expect to see it in November or December.
04. Silence
Release Date: November 2015
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Written by Jay *****, Martin Scorsese
Starring Liam Neeson, Adam Driver, Andrew Garfield, Ken Watanabe, possibly Robert DeNiro
Silence is Martin Scorsese's passion project, a movie that has had a complete script, written by him and Jay ***** , since 1996 (!). An adaptation of Shusaku Endo's 1966 novel, "The film takes place in the 17th century, where two Jesuit priests face violence and persecution when they travel to Japan to locate their mentor and to spread Christianity." He identified with the novel due to its "no-frills approach to exploring Christian themes and ideology," and as so many of his films have had a Roman Catholic theme to them, this is clearly a very personal project for Scorsese (not to mention as a young man he almost became a priest, even entering the seminary).
This is why Scorsese will always be one of my favourite directors of all-time (it's a coin flip between him and The Coen Brothers for who is my ultimate favourite), how he can follow-up the modern-day Caligula that is The Wolf of Wall Street with a movie about ****ing 17th century Jesuit priests. Who else has that kind of range?? And the cast assembled for this thing!! While I love Neeson's action movies, seeing him do a great dramatic performance again is long overdue. Adam Driver is one of my favourite rising star actors, and Andrew Garfield is very good as well. And as Ryan/Red noted in his comment in this very thread, Ken Watanabe might be one of the most underrated actors working. To make this cast even crazier is the possible addition of Robert DeNiro, the first time Scorsese and DeNiro have worked together since Casino! The reason why I said "possible" is because I got this from (of all things) a tweet from Larry King sent on October 7th,: "#RobertDeNiro told me he just wrapped up a movie called The Intern. His next movie will be w/ #LiamNeeson and they'll be shooting near China." Seeing as Silence will be shooting around Taiwan, and this is Neeson's next project, that has to be it, right? And yet no one else has caught it! Maybe they are saving the announcement once it officially begins filming in early 2015, but that is pretty monumental news that Larry King broke haha! Anyway, if this movie indeed comes out in 2015 (and who knows if it will, but a November 2015 release from Paramount was the last plan I read), it will be one of the most important movies of 2015, Scorsese's nearly two decades in the making passion project finally seeing the light of day.
03. Spy
Release Date: May 22nd
Directed and Written by Paul Feig
Starring Melissa McCarthy, Rose Byrne, Jason Statham, Morena Baccarin, Jude Law, Allison Janney, Bobby Cannavale, 50 Cent, Miranda Hart, Peter Serafinowicz, Zach Woods, Jessica Chaffin, Carlos Ponce, Will Yun Lee
I am still wrapping my head around the fact that Paul Feig is one of the biggest creative forces in Hollywood right now. I mean, Bridesmaids came out in 2011 ($288,383,523 worldwide gross), and The Heat came out in 2013 ($229.9 million worldwide gross), but to me he will always be the creator of Freaks and Geeks. The show that got zero respect when it was on the air, was unceremoniously canceled in its first season, and struggled to get things made in the intervening years. I guess it goes to show that if you continue plugging away, with your head down, your hard work will eventually pay off with huge success. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer and more talented guy.
His next movie Spy (which had the original, better title of Susan Cooper) is the first comedy he has written since Freaks and Geeks went off the air, and it’s about time. While I love Feig as director, his work as a writer is what drew me to his work originally, so this is a long time coming. Spy, as the title spells out, is about “Susan Cooper (McCarthy) an unassuming, deskbound CIA analyst, and the unsung hero behind the Agency's most dangerous missions. But when her partner falls off the grid and another top agent is compromised, she volunteers to go deep undercover to infiltrate the world of a deadly arms dealer, and prevent a global disaster.” In hearing Feig pitch this project over the past couple years, he has always stressed that the action/spy beats will be played 100% serious. A touchstone he often brings up is Casino Royale, and he wants this movie to emulate it in its action scenes. This won’t be Johnny English! The idea of Melissa McCarthy pulling off Casino Royale-style action scenes is such an amazing image, and it should sell everyone a ticket to this thing. The cast, from top-to-bottom, is really strong. A great combination of comedy names (Rose Byrne! Peter Serafinowicz! Jessica Chaffin!) with legit action stars (Jason ****ing Statham!). This is such a good career move for Statham, as his action movies have been diminishing returns as of late, so this would be a great way to revitalize his career a bit (this, and Furious 7, obviously). He should be a good fit in the comedy world, as people forget how funny the Crank movies are, and Snatch was his first big breakout and that movie is often very funny.
The idea is that this could be a potential franchise-starter, and with Feig’s recent unbeatable track record, I imagine we’ll be seeing a sequel announced sometime in June. But he’ll have to wait to make it, as his next project is the female-led reboot of Ghostbusters, which is so incredibly exciting. And Feig is also a main producer on Fox’s upcoming Peanuts movie! Paul Feig truly is taking over Hollywood! The Geeks are in charge now!
02. Sisters
Release Date: December 18th
Directed by Jason Moore
Written by Paula Pell
Starring Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Ike Barinholtz, John Leguizamo, James Brolin, Maya Rudolph, John Cena, Madison Davenport, Dan Byrd, Bobby Moynihan, Rachel Dratch, Kate McKinnon, Samantha Bee, Greta Lee, John Lutz, Heather Matarazzo
In 2008, Tina Fey and Amy Poehler starred in Baby Mama, a Pretty Good PG-13 comedy produced by Lorne Michaels, which was released relatively close to Tina and Amy’s tenure on Weekend Update. It did pretty good, wasn’t a huge hit, and is a low-key cable staple to this day.
Fast forward now to 2014: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are about to host the Golden Globes for a third time, appear in tandem at many events (this year they did a very funny bit at the Don Rickles tribute on Spike), and are arguably the most popular and beloved comedy team in America. My point being, despite being released on the same weekend as Star Wars: The Force Awakens, I think Sisters is going to be one of the biggest and most popular comedies of 2015 (going into early 2016). It will be the Mamma Mia! (which ended up grossing over $600 million) to Star Wars’ The Dark Knight.
Business stuff aside, I also believe Sisters will be a far better movie than Baby Mama creatively. Why? It is the first project Tina Fey is producing on her own, her first stab at joining the Judd Apatow/Paul Feig/Seth & Evan/Ferrell & McKay’s of the world in the comedy production racket. Taking cues from the Apatow school, I know at least 2-3 30 Rock writers were on set at all times to punch up jokes. Though the initial script is probably very strong, as it was written by comedy writing genius/SNL legend Paula Pell. The script is based on Pell’s real life, as it is a story about two estranged sisters (Fey and Poehler) who are throwing one last party at their childhood home, before their parents sell it. Pell has mentioned in interviews that she has gone through scrapbooks from her childhood, journals that she has written, to come up with real life inspiration for this story, which should lead to both really funny distinctive jokes as well as characters with depth to them/dramatic cores.
About the house party aspect of the story: Ike Barinholtz was on Howard Stern a couple months ago, and he basically sold it quickly as “Superbad but with people in their 30s and 40s,” which is a strong comedic premise and promises that it should be R-Rated. And the cast on this thing!! Look at all the SNL alums! Tina, Amy, Maya, and Dratch all in the same movie together like old times! The first of two Universal comedies with John Cena of all people (scroll down to see the second one)! I have very high hopes for this one, and I expect it will be the first step in Tina Fey building her comedy movie empire as producer.
01. Trainwreck
Release Date: July 17th
Directed by Judd Apatow
Written by Amy Schumer
Starring Amy Schumer, Bill Hader, Brie Larson, Vanessa Bayer, Jon Glaser, Colin Quinn, Mike Birbiglia, Ezra Miller, John Cena, LeBron James, Tilda Swinton, Method Man, Norman Lloyd (99 years old!), Katy Mixon, Jim Norton, Rachel Feinstein, Pete Davidson, Randall Park, Leslie Jones
In all my years of doing this kind of “Movies i’m Anticipating in __________” list, only one person has had a perfect record and has charted at #1 each time out: Judd Apatow. Every time he makes a movie as director, you should expect it to be my most anticipated for the next year. But it’s not like I just give it to him! It’s just every time out he is about to release a movie that sounds very exciting/different from what he has done in the past. That and I guess he just knows the kinds of movies I like. Once he cast Jon Glaser and Colin Quinn in supporting roles in this one, I just threw me hands up and said “Okay, now you are just reading my dreams” lmao.
I think there are numerous things that are interesting and exciting about Trainwreck. For one thing, this is the first movie that Apatow has directed that he did not write, which is pretty big. But Amy Schumer is just that kind of talent. I have been a fan of hers for years and have really enjoyed her ascension to the comedy A-List. I think whether you like her comedy or not, you have to admit that she is one of the hardest working comedians out there. I mean, not only is she starring in this big movie, but she wrote it! And after it wrapped she started writing/production for the third season of Inside Amy Schumer! And in-between all that, she still does stand-up all the time, hitting the road (she is playing a casino here in March, and I have tickets. I highly doubt the next time she comes by here she will be playing a casino haha, so i’m glad I was able to snag a ticket). Her work ethic is truly remarkable.
I also think Apatow choosing to direct this is an interesting choice, as while not much is known about the plot, it sounds like the most purely comedic thing he has done since either Knocked Up or The 40 Year Old Virgin. I consider myself a fan of both Funny People and This is 40 (IMO, Funny People is the best thing he has ever done), but I think it’s the right call to go back into a more dedicated comedic mode for the next movie. I think once he saw his buddy Paul Feig score huge success, he wanted to try and get a piece of that, and set the personal/dramatic stuff aside for a bit.
I also think it was a deft move to cast this thing full of ringers, as while a lot of people are clued into Schumer’s greatness, she hasn’t graduated to “household name” status yet. Casting someone like Bill Hader right beside her was an amazing move. Hader has never had this large of a role in a big studio comedy before, even though he has deserved a role like this for many years (people have been wanting it since 2007!), so that will engender the movie with a lot of goodwill from people who don't even know who Schumer is. And then you’ve got the rest of this bonkers cast: I already named Glaser and Quinn (two of my all-time favs!), but you’ve got Vanessa Bayer (in my SNL current top three), Brie Larson (been a fan since United States of Tara!), Mike “Earnest Live Tweeter of SNL” Birbiglia, The Perils of Being a Wallflower’s Ezra Miller, Tilda freakin Swinton, LeBron James (playing himself! The funniest part is that he's playing Hader’s character’s best friend, in the romcom mold where Hader goes up to him for advice, except he’s LeBron freakin' James lmao), 99 year old Norman Lloyd! What an incredible cast!
For my wrestling fans: John Cena is also in the movie, and in this Variety story, Judd Apatow could not stop raving about how funny he was in the audition. Which might prove to be a disconnect for the internet wrestling fans haha, but he ended up getting the role! And for something that will really make the internet wrestling fans go nuts: apparently Cena is playing an ex-boyfriend of Schumer’s, as the movie is loosely based on her real life. As is well-known (and is mentioned in the above Variety article), Schumer at one time dated Dolph Ziggler. Is Cena playing Ziggler?? That is so perfect and hilarious.
I expect Trainwreck to be one of the sleeper hits of the summer movie season. It is positioned as such: modestly budgeted, doesn’t have a ton of expectations placed on it on the business end, has a prime July release date. It really reminds me a lot of Knocked Up before it was released, when Seth Rogen was the lead for the first time, or 40 Year Old Virgin with Steve Carell’s first lead. I think Trainwreck could hit those heights, both creatively and on the box office side, and I am just counting down the moments until I get to see it.
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NEXT UP: Top 40 TV Shows of 2014! The first post will be posted before New Year’s Eve, I hope! Thanks for all the comments, especially to Ryan/Red for his annual rundown of my movies list. I look forward to that comment just as much as I do compiling this list! Thanks again!
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Member Since: 10/3/2009
Posts: 35,844
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My Star-Wars-lover friend is so crossing his fingers so that Star Wars: The Force Awakens won't be a disaster.
Sisters looks interesting. Thanks for the blurbs.
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ATRL Moderator
Member Since: 11/16/2004
Posts: 28,450
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I'm pretty much going to want to see almost all of those movies lol
Can't wait for TV
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Member Since: 5/23/2007
Posts: 65,087
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Inside Out looks really good! I really missed a pixar movie in 2014
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 9/26/2001
Posts: 22,475
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#10: Inside Out, yes! That's the Pixar film I'm really looking forward to. It feels like the Pixar of old.
#9: Eh, never really got into the F&F series. I'm sure that I'd enjoy the last two if I took the time to watch them, though...that's all I've got.
#8: Well, this is one movie I've never heard of before but is really, REALLY intriguing based solely on the plot.
#7: It's an R-rated Christmas comedy with Seth Rogen. BAM!
#6: Obviously, my anticipation of this film has faded just a bit with the whole Edgar Wright saga...but I'm glad to see that the new director is someone who will take the character seriously and has a huge comic book background. And really, Paul Rudd as Ant-Man. PAUL RUDD...AS ANT-MAN.
#5: "cow-puncher Joe Gage" is one of the most amazing things I have ever heard. And holy crap, The Hateful Eight is finally getting off of the ground. AND IT'S IN CINEMASCOPE! RAHHHHH!!
#4: Scorsese's passion project finally coming to the big screen is wonderful. Liam Neeson in a big dramatic role is wonderful. The possibility of Scorsese and De Niro working together again is wonderful. Wonderful, all of it.
#3: The premise is fun, Melissa McCarthy doing action scenes in the vein of Casino Royale is amazingly ridiculous, but the draw here is Feig writing his first comedy since the Geeks roamed the Earth. Jackpot.
#2: Sisters really, REALLY intrigues me, as a fan of both Tina and Amy, and as a fan of Paula Pell's writing. Also, I can't help but feel as if the move to release this film on the same day as The Force Awakens is an incredibly smart move strategically, because it gives those who are not into the Star Wars universe an out to see something else. I hope they stick with it.
#1: The God has returned, and he has brought with him a new muse. What really excites me about Trainwreck, as you mentioned, is that it feels like a return to a purely comedic film for Apatow, and that cast is just BONKERS. John Cena (potentially) as Dolph Ziggler is absolutely insane and amazing, LeBron James as an advice giver is so ridiculous that it winds up being awesome, and Schumer and Hader as the leads...I can't see anything wrong with any of this. My top three most anticipated films are pretty much locked in, but Trainwreck could slot in as a respectable 4th in no time flat.
And now, Ben, educate me on the TV shows that I've missed out on in 2014. I'm sure that the experience will be worth it for all parties.
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Member Since: 10/8/2009
Posts: 8,118
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The Avengers: Age of Ultron
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Member Since: 12/25/2008
Posts: 14,110
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The Avengers is so amazing
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Member Since: 10/31/2011
Posts: 16,937
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EOY lists with amazing write-ups.
And it's fun finding out about upcoming movieeees.
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Member Since: 1/26/2006
Posts: 17,384
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Some of them look really promising, like "Entertainment".
Can't wair for the rest of your lists!
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 5/9/2003
Posts: 3,779
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Great write ups, as usual Dr. S. Entertaining and educational, you're ATRL's Neil DeGrass Tyson.
I'm not 100% confident that MI5, Good Dinosaur or Hateful Eight will be released in 2015, so excluding them my top ten would be...
1. Star Wars
2. Avengers
3. Inside Out
4. What We Do In The Shadows (I just love the idea of this, and the trailers make me ROFL)
5. Spectre (surprised you didn't include this)
6. Tomorrowland
7. Furious 7
8. Tak3n
9. Sisters
10. Trainwreck
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ATRL Senior Member
Member Since: 6/9/2002
Posts: 6,789
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Thanks everyone for all the comments! They genuinely mean a lot to me. Ryan/Red: I again enjoyed the thrilling conclusion (!) to your comment! I love reading your blow-by-blow thoughts on each selection. Let's do it again next year!
To Calvin "Omega Red" McHobbes:
Thanks for sharing your list! I enjoyed reading it. I listed Spectre in my Honourable Mentions, but the reason why it didn't chart has more to do with not having a lot to say about it (kind of like my Star Wars/Avengers "write-ups." though those are both movies I am looking forward to a lot more than Spectre, which is why they made it onto the list). I would rather bring attention to a movie premiering at Sundance 2015/a little-known movie I am looking forward rather than a giant franchise movie like Spectre haha. And you might be right on MI5 and Good Dinosaur not making their dates, but Hateful Eight absolutely will be out next year, I think. They started production earlier this month and most of the movie is contained to one setting. Django began in November and was able to make the Christmas release the following year, and that was a more sprawling film. I could be wrong, but i just would be shocked at this point (especially with the Weinstein Company trumping it up as its marquee 2015 release in both poster and teaser trailer form) if it didn't come out next year.
Part 1 of my TV list is coming VERY SOON! Before NYE, I hope!
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