2014 Is a fully loaded year, with many geek like properties continuing their mainstream dominance. TMNT, Transformers, Numerous Superhero films, Robocop, and more. TFG1Mike takes you through the 14 films that he is most anticipating.
I’ve always been the guy who puts out an opinion as soon as I see a trailer for any film. Whether I’d like, not care, or just downright loathe whatever film it was a trailer I was seeing. MOST comedy films that I see trailers for make me say “ick, nah I’ll wait” Lately however with all the FEVER paced news stories coming out for any films that I’m interested in… I’ve held my tongue, because I just wanna see the damn films already. I used to go to the theater all the time in my younger years, but since my late twenties nearly mid thirties I reserve the theater for films I absolutely want to see. Everything else I can wait on. There is no particular order here, as I can’t rank these, without you know seeing them. However there are gonna be at least two that I’ll have a negative opinion of, because of REASONS!
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit
Release Date: January 14, 2014
Director: Kenneth Branagh
Writers: David Koepp
Starring: Chris Pine, Kiera Knightley, Kevin Costner and more
Synopsis: Based on the Jack Ryan character created by the bestselling author Tom Clancy, the film is a contemporary action/thriller set in the present day. The original story written by David Koepp, follows a young Jack as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.
The Positive: Captain Kirk is Jack Ryan, I always like seeing who they’ll throw into the Ryan role. It’s like Batman, or James Bond… as far as how many actors have played the role.
The Negative: Standard plot, nothing we haven’t seen in other films. This could be a repeat of Die Hard 4, without Bruce Willis.
Robocop
Release Date: February 12, 2014
Director: Jose Padillha
Writers: Josh Zetumer and Nick Schenk
Starring: Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Samuel L. Jackson and more
Synopsis: In 2028, multinational conglomerate OmniCorp is at the center of robot technology. Overseas, their drones have been used by the military for years – and it’s meant billions for OmniCorp’s bottom line. Now OmniCorp wants to bring their controversial technology to the home front, and they see a golden opportunity to do it. When Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman) – a loving husband, father, and good cop doing his best to stem the tide of crime and corruption in Detroit – is critically injured by a car-bomb in the line of duty, OmniCorp sees their chance for a part-man, part-robot police officer. OmniCorp envisions a RoboCop in every city and even more billions for their shareholders, but they never counted on one thing: there is still a man inside the machine pursuing justice.
The Positive: I can’t think of anything. Maybe cool special effects, but not super stoked to see this, most likely will wait for media release.
The Negative: EFFIN’ REMAKE!!!! Same plot for Murphy as in the original ugh! Why couldn’t this be a continuity sequel from the original films? Do we really need a Robocop film for this generation? The suit is kinda fugly too.
Muppets Most Wanted
Release Date: March 21, 2014
Director: James Bobbin
Writers: James Bobin and Nicholas Stoller
Starring: THE MUPPETS! <— what else do you need? OK… Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, and Tina Fey
Synopsis: Disney’s “Muppets Most Wanted” takes the entire Muppets gang on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe’s most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine—the World’s Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit—and his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two, portrayed by Ricky Gervais.
The Positive: IT’S THE MUPPETS….what more do you need?
The Negative: Sticky Germass
Need For Speed
Release Date: March 14, 2014
Director: Scott Waugh
Writers: George & John Gatins
Starring: Aaron Paul, Imogen Poots, Michael Keaton, and more
Synopsis: Based on the best selling racing game franchise ever, Dreamworks’ Need For Speed captures the thrills of the game in a real world setting. After being released from prison for a crime that he didn’t commit, a street racer, Tobey Marshall (Aaron Paul), is set to race cross-country and to avenge the death of his friend Pete.
The Positive: FINALLY!!! I’ve been waiting for an NFS film forever! Story is standard, but with Aaron Paul leading the cast, I’m sure it’ll be great. Plus EVERYONE wants to see the game series come to life on the big screen right?
The Negative: not sure how well it will do, but as it’s meant to be for the gamer crowd that’s ok. I don’t think they are making this film to have it make millions.
Captain America 2: The Winter Soldier
Release Date: April 4, 2014
Director: Anthony Russo, Joe Russo
Writers: Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely
Starring: Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Samuel L. Jackson, Robert Redford, and more
Synopsis: Two years after the events of The Avengers, Steve Rogers resides peacefully in Washington, D.C., struggling to adapt to contemporary society. However, after a S.H.I.E.L.D. compatriot is assailed, Steve becomes entangled in a mystery that may endanger the globe. Together with Natasha Romanoff, Captain America attempts to uncover the growing machination while fending off hired hit men. When the entire scheme is discovered, Captain America and the Black Widow must recruit the aid of the Falcon and soon encounter an unanticipated and powerful adversary — the Winter Soldier
The Positive: The Marvel Cinematic Universe is what really made me pay attention to and care about Captain America. Love Chris Evans in the role, and very interested to see where this next chapter takes him.
The Negative: I can’t think of anything.
Amazing Spider-Man 2
Release Date: May 2, 2014
Director: Marc Webb
Writers: Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, Jeff Pinkner
Starring: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx, Sally Field, and more
Synopsis: Peter Parker continues to struggle with balancing his life as a high school student, and his responsibilities as Spider-Man. When Peter begins to investigate more about his father’s past, thanks to the help of his friend Harry Osborn, he begins to realize that the new threats of Electro and the Rhino all have one thing in common: OsCorp!
The Positive: The continuing adventures of the SUPERIOR Spider-Man in film. OK well not really, but I like Garfield over Maguire.
The Negative: Potentially too many villains…
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Release Date: May 23, 2014
Director: Bryan Singer
Writers: Simon Kinberg
Starring: Patrick Stewart, Hugh Jackman, Ian Mckellen, and all the other X-Casts from the original trilogy and First Class.
Synopsis: The ultimate X-Men ensemble fights a war for the survival of the species across two time periods in X-Men: Days of Future Past. The characters from the original X-Men film trilogy join forces with their younger selves from X-Men: First Class in a battle that must change the past – to save their future!
The Positive: X-Casts are United under one film!!!
The Negative: Potentially too many unresolved plotlines… time travel is a bitch!
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Release Date: June 27, 2014
Director: Michael Bay
Writers: Ehren Kruger
Starring: PETER CULLEN!!! Mark Wahlberg, Kelsey Grammer, and more
Synopsis: GIANT ROBOTS are played down to human emotions!
The Positive: Peter Cullen as Optimus and Giant Robot fights
The Negative: Michael Bay’s total control over the story when it comes to final say. Seriously doubt Kruger will have much of his story here. Whatever that story is.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Release Date: August 8, 2014
Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Writers: A WHOLE BUNCHA PEOPLE!!! seriously there are six people with writing credits! WTF
Starring: William Fictner, Will Arnett, Megan Fox, and more
Synopsis: Peter Laird says that it’ll be much more comic based with the Mirage styling.
The Positive: Turtles on the big screen again….? cool… I think…?
The Negative: everything else…. These are just my initial thoughts, until I see a trailer… I have no clue what to expect…
Maleficent
Release Date: May 30, 2014
Director: Robert Stromberg
Writers: Linda Woolverton
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Shairto Copley, and more
Synopsis: “Maleficent explores the untold story of Disney’s most iconic villain from the 1959 classic Sleeping Beauty and the elements of her betrayal that ultimately turn her pure heart to stone. Driven by revenge and a fierce desire to protect the moors over which she presides, Maleficent (Jolie) cruelly places an irrevocable curse upon the human king’s newborn infant Aurora. As the child grows, Aurora (Fanning) is caught in the middle of the seething conflict between the forest kingdom she has grown to love and the human kingdom that holds her legacy. Maleficent realizes that Aurora may hold the key to peace in the land and is forced to take drastic actions that will change both worlds forever.”
The Positive: YES an awesome retelling of the classic tale.
The Negative: I can’t think of anything
Dumb & Dumber To
Release Date: November 14, 2014
Director: Bobby & Peter Farrelly
Writers: Sean Anders and John Morris
Starring: Jim Carey and Jeff Daniels
Synopsis: Twenty years after their last adventure, good-hearted yet dimwitted best friends, Harry and Lloyd, head out in search for one of their long lost children in the hope of gaining a new kidney.
The Positive: Slapstick at it’s finest.
The Negative: same ole story…. long lost relative
Expendables 3
Release Date: August 15, 2014
Director: Patrick Hughes
Writers: Sly Stallone and others
Starring: Sly Stallone and the rest of The Expendables, with new team members coming in, and Mel Gibson playing the villain.
Synopsis: The mercenary group, The Expendables, led by Barney Ross, come face to face with the team’s co-founder Conrad Stonebanks. Ross was forced to kill Stonebanks after he became a ruthless arms trader, but Stonebanks survived and has now made it his mission to destroy The Expendables. Ross resorts to recruiting a new and younger generation of Expendables to help the team overcome his old adversary.
The Positive: The team reunites for a third time! I’ve really enjoyed these 80s action stars getting a career resurgence with this series.
The Negative: Potentially too many characters and the usual plot, but with this I don’t mind it so much… since that’s what it’s setting out to do.
Gone Girl
Release Date: October 3, 2014
Director: David Fincher
Writers: Not Available
Starring: Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, Neil Patrick Harris, and more
Synopsis: A woman mysteriously disappears on the day of her wedding anniversary. Based on the novel, “Gone Girl.
The Positive: Ben Affleck before becoming the Bat
The Negative: standard kidnap plot
Final Thoughts:
So there ya have it. There are exactly 13 films that I care to see in theaters this year. Out of these 13 there are many aspects of film to be excited about this year. Turtles FINALLY, even if Bay’s production company is on the project, Gone Girl looks really interesting, Maleficent looks fantastically done.Transformers just because it’s giant robot fight club, Cap, Spidey, and X-Men… hell yeah!!! So keep those film reels rollin’ and look out for my spoiler free written reviews, and possibly SPOILER FILLED MWIRE Eps!!!
What about the lego movie?
meh. I’ll catch that when it hits media… it didn’t scream I must see this in theaters to me. Hardly any of the animated films this year do.
I think you will find that this year will go down as a great year for animated films when all is said and done!
doubtful, very doubtful. Stuff I’ve seen so far… I’m not initially impressed. And based on the following list:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_animated_feature_films_of_2014
There’s NOTHING there that I feel I MUST see in a theater if at all.
I didnt say that there were things that you feel you must see or that would initially impress you – I simply said that when all is said and done for the year it very likely could be a very great year for animation.
A lot of potential with Boxtrolls, Big Hero 6, Home, Book of Life, How to Train Your Dragon 2, Legends of Oz, The Lego Movie all could be decent if not great
yeah…? Hmm… well the only one of those i have real Optimism for is How To Train Your Dragon 2. Boxtrolls isn’t my fav animation style, so I’ll avoid that like it’s the plague, will have to look into more info on BH-6, Legends of Oz booo I wanted another live action Oz film. And reading the descript, and seeing the trailer for that… reminds me of the shitty Return to Oz that came out back in the 80s. The Lego Movie is getting too much even if it is deserved hype, so I’ll wait on that.
I felt 2012-2013 were better animated film years, compared to what I’ve seen so far that’s coming out for 2014.
As usual we’ll have to agree to disagree lol