- The Double – Review - 8 April, 2014
- The Grand Budapest Hotel – Review - 14 March, 2014
- Inside Llewyn Davis – Review - 31 January, 2014
Realistically there are many films this year that at all costs should not be missed. 2013 is shaping up to be a bumper cinematic bonanza. This week we were treated to two trailers of upcoming blockbusters. From the girl on fire to the man of steel, it’s time to look at the films we should all be getting excited about this year.
Man of Steel is the first of the must see movies of 2013. Directed by Zack Snyder, this reboot of the Superman franchise is a risky one. The movie produced by Christopher Nolan, is as the trailer shows an enticing blend of Snyder and Nolan’s styles, shaping this release to be the superhero film of the summer. The trailer opens with Jor-El, played by Russell Crowe, sending his son to earth before showing the reluctance of Clark Kent, Henry Cavill, to become the hero that he is known for. We are granted a look at the alternative direction that this film promises, with the previous trailers only giving us tantalisingly brief glimpse of what to expect. The trailer also gives us the chance to see Amy Adams in the role of Lois Lane, a casting that may seem a little absurd at first. She quizzes him on the emblem he bears on his chest, prompting the revelation: “It’s not an S… in my world it means hope.” “Well here, it’s an S.” Finally, we are also given a quick peek at General Zod, who takes on the role of villain in this Superman reboot. The trailer’s intense and teasing glimpses of the Man of Steel has got me for one quite excited.
The next film is one we have some time to actually wait for, but one that is surrounded by heated anticipation. The second instalment of The Hunger Games franchise, Catching Fire, doesn’t hit our screens until the Autumn, but the hype is already starting to build. The trailer is clearly for those who haven’t read the book, so I would suggest you look away from this article now. We are given a true sense of what happens on the victory tour after Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) return from their victory in the 74th Annual Hunger Games. Tension is clearly mounting in the outlying districts in this dystopic future in which selected children are forced to kill one another every year for sport. What is disappointing about the trailer is that, for those who have read the book, it misses out any of the stuff that happens in the 75th Annual Hunger Games, which sees Katniss and Peeta entering the arena for a second year running. Will they survive a second round in hell? It seems we will have to wait until November to find out. Or read the book of course.
These two releases are my choice selections from what is shaping up to be a remarkable year for film. That said, I must mention the epic films that are just around the corner. Baz Luhrmann’s take on The Great Gatsby is out next month. The trailer has created a thirst among fans of Fitzgerald’s novel as the high-budget movie and vintage soundtrack will hit our screens on May 16th, having being delayed on several occasions. Luhrmann’s previous hits Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge were massively successful, and judging by the trailer it would seem The Great Gatsby will follow in similar glitzy footsteps.
Finally, we also have the 3rd instalment from the Iron Man franchise to look forward to, which sees Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) take on Ben Kingsley as The Mandarin. Iron Man 3 hits cinemas on April 24th and offers a rival to the superhero blockbuster of the summer. Who will be victorious, the Man of Steel or Iron Man? Only time (and the box office) will tell.
