David Seeley/ Staff writer
While January and February are notoriously slow months for new movie releases, there are tons of reasons to get excited about the rest of 2016.
It will no doubt be a huge year for superhero films and franchise sequels and prequels, but there are a number of other films that will fight for a piece of that box office pie. Here are my top 10 most anticipated movies.
No. 10. The Lobster (March 11): This film was released in the UK in late 2015, but will finally get a proper release in the US at the beginning of March. The plot alone should peak your interest enough to give this film a try. Sometime in the future all single people get sent to “The Hotel” where they must find a romantic partner within 45 days or be turned into an animal of their choice.
No. 9. Sausage Party (August 12): Seth Rogen and his merry band of comedy pranksters are at it again but this time they get animated – as different grocery store foods. While the premise sounds ridiculous the prospect of hearing the voices of Jonah Hill as a sausage, Kristen Wiig as a hot dog bun, and Edward Norton as a bagel, is enough to get me excited.
No 8. Assassin’s Creed (Dec. 21): Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard will lend their immense talent to this film based on the popular video game series. While movies based on video games have not been very successful in the past, Cotillard and Fassbender might have the power to make an exception to the rule.
No. 7. The BFG (July 1) Steven Spielberg’s new movie is an adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl children’s book, The BFG (aka “Big Friendly Giant”). As “Hook” and “E.T.” are highlights on his resume, Spielberg is an expert in bringing emotional family stories to life on the big screen. The film was even written by Melissa Mathison who co-wrote “E.T. The Extra Terrestrial” with Spielberg back in 1982.
No. 6. Suicide Squad (August 5): This film will be unlike any other superhero movie we have seen because it’s all about the bad guys. When the government needs to perform a dangerous and highly classified mission, it brings together a group of supervillains to either get the job done or take the blame if something goes wrong. These villains include Will Smith as Deadshot, Margot Robbie as Harley Quinn, and Jared Leto with his own interpretation of the iconic Joker.
No. 5. The Birth of a Nation (Release TBD): The breakout hit of this year’s sundance film festival is a biographical telling of Nat Turner’s slave rebellion in 1831. The controversial film is seven years in the making for writer, director, and star Nate Parker and it could not have come at a better time with the important racial discussions happening around the country. Fox Searchlight won the distribution rights to the film for $17.5 million; look for this film to get a proper release later in the year.
No. 4. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (Dec. 16): The first spinoff in the “Star Wars” universe will introduce us to a group of fighter pilots on a mission to steal the Death Star’s blueprints. After the now $2 billion release of “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”, the series is at a fever pitch and Disney is hoping these spinoffs will keep the money rolling in. This film will expand the ever growing universe and will hopefully answer at least some of the unknown questions from Episode VII.
No. 3. Silence (Release TBD) Martin Scorsese’s new film does not have a release date yet but it is expected at the end of 2016. This new film from the filmmaking legend sounds just as unconventional as it does intriguing. It stars Adam Driver and Andrew Garfield as two Jesuit Priests who travel to 17th century Japan to spread the teachings of christianity and seek out their mentor played by Liam Neeson.
No. 2. The Nice Guys (May 20) If you haven’t seen “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang” from director and writer, Shane Black, drop everything you are doing and watch it immediately. His new film “The Nice Guys” looks like it will have the same, quick comedic writing and original visual storytelling that Black is known for. The film stars Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe as two cops in a dark comedy, mystery-thriller that promises to be one of the most entertaining movies of the year.
No. 1. Midnight Special (March 18): Jeff Nichols is a name that you should really get to know. The three movies that the 37 year old has directed so far are deeply personal and are done with the confidence and simplicity of someone twice his age. He continues his streak of intimate family dramas, but in this case he throws his hat into the science fiction genre. An eight year old boy is found to have a special gift, and his family must race him to a secret location while being hunted by the government as well as an extreme religious group. Michael Shannon has starred in all of Nichols previous films and returns along with Joel Edgerton, Adam Driver, and Kirsten Dunst.
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