1 of 10
THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO
Directed by: David Fincher
Who’s in it: Rooney Mara, Daniel Craig
Expert hacker Lisbeth Salander (Mara) helps journalist Mikael Blomkvist (Craig) solve a mystery involving a woman who has been missing for forty years. The Stieg Larsson novels were a success and the Swedish films were nothing short of exciting. With director David Fincher (Fight Club, Social Network) taking the neo-noir thriller into his own hands, the Hollywood adaptation should be a rollercoaster ride into the shady recesses of criminal drama.
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Who’s in it: Christian Bale, Anne Hathaway
Christoper Nolan’s third installment to the Batman franchise sees our favorite winged detective resurfacing to fight terrorist Bane, after going into hiding for the death of lawyer Harvey Dent. With supporting roles from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Anne Hathaway donning the Cat Woman suit, Gotham is bound to be even more crook-infested, just the way we like it. Nolan’s last movie with the material has high expectations from fans and critics as his Batman films were first at taking things from campy to, well, quite dark.
THE AVENGERS
Directed by: Joss Whedon
Who’s in it: Robert Downey Jr., Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson
Comic book geeks will finally get their superhero hard-on in the form of this all-star extravaganza. Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) and the international agency S.H.I.E.L.D. puts together their superhero dream team with Iron Man, Thor, and Captain America to name a few. Most of the films released as stand-alones prior to this amazing lineup were critical and commercial successes; hopefully a precursor to what The Avengers is slated to deliver.
THE AMAZING SPIDERMAN
Directed by: Marc Webb
Who’s in it: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone
Yeah, comic books are definitely a Hollywood goldmine. From its trailer, The Amazing Spiderman seems to be getting a revamping of sorts. It seems to be heading for a more serious tone. Losing Tobey Maguire was the first step. Pegged as Spidey’s “untold story,” with Social Network’s Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy, fans are hoping to see everyone’s friendly neighborhood spider as never seen before. Did we mention Emma Stone?
THE EXPENDABLES 2
Directed by: Simon West
Who’s in it: Sylvester Stallone, Randy Couture, Jean-Claude Van Damme
Unadulterated action, shit blowing up, ass kicking, violence. These are the stuff that the first Expendables movie was founded on. And we’re hoping that the sequel does not falter at bringing brainless, high-octane movie madness to cinemas. When one of their allies is killed on the job, the elite team of soldiers find themselves seeking vengeance in enemy territory, risking life and limb to bring justice to their friend’s murderer.
PROMETHEUS
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Who’s in it: Charlize Theron, Michael Fassbender
Talented director Ridley Scott (Alien, Blade Runner) is once again going into sci-fi territory… and we like it. Prometheus, from the trailer alone, seems like a feast for the senses. When a group of space explorers uncover a link to the origins of mankind on the planet, they go into deeper, darker space territory. They must battle for the future of the human race. Sounds like any other good vs. evil movie. But not in Scott’s hands.
THE GREAT GATSBY
Directed by: Baz Luhrmann
Who’s in it: Leonardo Di Caprio, Carrey Mulligan. Tobey Maguire
Want your movie to do well? Then cast Leo Di Caprio in it. Based on the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald novel of the same name, Gatsby tells the tale of Nick Carraway (Maguire), a Midwesterner who settles in Long Island only to be enamored by the indulgent life of his neighbor Jay Gatsby (Di Caprio). As the drama unravels, obsession leads to tragedy. And no one can put color into tragedy like director Baz Luhrman, famous for the modernization of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, as well as the vibrant movie musical Moulin Rouge.
WORLD WAR Z
Directed by: Marc Forster
Who’s in it: Brad Pitt
Based on Max Brooks’ cult novel about a post zombie apocalypse planet Earth, it recounts the "Zombie War" through a collection of testimonies from survivors of the tragedy. The movie doesn’t seem to veer far from the book, as it follows a UN representative compiling the tales of terror. The craze for the undead has yet to go six feet under, and with golden boy Brad Pitt taking the lead, this adaptation is a definite must-see–if you’re into brain-hungry corpses and heavy drama.
THE DICTATOR
Directed by: Larry Chrales
Who’s in it: Sacha Baron Coen, Anna Faris, John C. Reilly
Sacha Baron Coen (Borat, Bruno) once again goes under the guise of a politically incorrect archetype to bring mind-numbing hilarity to our boring lives. In this mockumentary, he dons the identity of a heroic dictator, who risked his life to ensure that the country he has so lovingly terrorized does not achieve democracy. Sound too familiar? Maybe that’s the point. Although his humor may be too abrasive for some, this will definitely be another classic for the master of disguise.
THE BOURNE LEGACY
Directed by: Tony Gilroy
Who’s in it: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton
The first Bourne trilogy took Matt Damon into Hollywood royalty. Based on the Robert Ludlum novels, the story of a rogue spy struck with amnesia became the new thinking man’s action film. Now, Jeremy Renner takes the forefront, not as Bourne, but as a new CIA operative who must elude the clutches of danger. The film’s stars are here, in the Philippines, where they are said to use parts of Manila for the movie’s big climax. Go online, check the details, and you might just get a chance to be an extra in a Hollywood blockbuster. That’s one thing to cross of the bucket list before the world meets its untimely demise.
