With films like Avengers, Dark Knight Rises, and The Hobbit, 2012 was a year I was hyping up immensely. Thankfully, 2013 is shaping up to be just as great a year for films as 2012 was. There are numerous films coming out that look promising, but of them I've singled out 13 that I'm hyping up above all others.
13. GI Joe: Retaliation- The first GI Joe film wasn't much to look at, mostly because the only redeemable thing about it was Ray Park's Snake Eyes. This new film, however, looks to be an improvement in every way. More ninjas, Cobra Commander looks like himself, and Marlon Wayans has been replaced with the Rock and Bruce Willis. As bad as the first film was, I'm willing to give this one the benefit of the doubt.
12. Anchorman: The Legend Continues- It's the sequel to one of my favorite comedy films ever, which also happens to be one of the most quotable movies of all time. After all these years, Ron Burgundy returns. What's not to like?
11. Elysium- The world needs more original science fiction movies, and District 9 director Neal Blonkamp is just the man to do it. With Matt Damon as the star and a plot about the widening gap between the poor and the privileged, everything about this film looks promising.
10. Monsters University- Monster's Inc. wasn't my favorite Pixar film, but I have a lot of fond memories seeing it as a kid. Now that I'm in college, the idea of Mike and Sully as college kids really appeals to me. I don't know if this is the true return to form I've wanted from Pixar, but at the very least it should be a great nostalgia trip.
9. The Hunger Games: Catching Fire- The second installment in Suzanne Collins' trilogy was my personal favorite of the novels, with a realistic love triangle worked in amid an escalating war for the fate of the Districts. Catching Fire improved on the Hunger Games in every way, and if the movie follows suit it'll be fantastic.
8. Kick-Ass 2- The first film was a violent yet heartfelt upending of superhero movies, and the sequel comic certainly continues that trend. The violence may be toned down, but as long as the core story is intact this'll be just as good, if not better, than the original. Jim Carrey joining the cast as a badass hero named Colonel Stars doesn't hurt either.
7. The Wolverine- Let's be honest: X-Men Origins Wolverine was an utter mess. Having said that, Fox started to right the ship with First Class, and this one shows promise since its adapting Frank Miller's famous Japan story arc. We may finally get a solo film worthy of the feral mutant, so here's hoping.
6. Pacific Rim- Hellboy and Pan's Labyrinth director Guillermo Del Toro is directing a film about giant robots fighting giant monsters. It sounds too good to be true, but it's happening. I don't know how good it'll be. For all I know it could be the Transformers films mixed with the Godzilla remake. But the concept alone is enough to intrigue me, and the first trailer promises breathtaking action scenes if nothing else.
5. Thor: The Dark World- The second of Marvel's Phase Two films, I find the Thor sequel interesting because of its promise to explore more of Asgard and the Nine Realms. I'm looking forward to what will hopefully be Marvel's first full blown fantasy epic, with more of Thor's relationships with Loki, Sif and the Warriors Three and his battle with Christopher Eccleston's dark elf Malekith.
4. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug- I was a little dissapointed that Smaug the dragon didn't show up in An Unexpected Journey, but given the new trilogy format I understand. Given this film's title, I expect Smaug front and center. I can probably anticipate what events this film will adapt, spiders, elves and dragons included, but that doesn't lessen my anticipation for the next foray into Middle Earth.
3. Star Trek Into Darkness- After four long years, we are finally getting the sequel to J.J. Abrams' fantastic Star Trek reboot. With Benedict Cumberbatch on board as the mysterious villain and a story that promises to test Captain Kirk's mettle, this sequel is shaping up to outdo its predecessor in every way.
2. Iron Man 3- The Mandarin, Iron Patriot and Extremis are all weaved into this next chapter of Tony Stark's life, following him on a darker, more personal tale in the aftermath of the Avengers. With Tony's archfoe finally stepping into the limelight and an edgier take on the material, my anticipation for Marvel's first Phase Two film couldn't be any higher.
1. Man of Steel- Superman may be my least favorite super hero, but with Watchmen and 300 director Zack Snyder behind the wheel and Nolan producing, this looks like the modern interpretation of the Big Blue Boy Scout we've been waiting for. A rebooted origin it may be, but having General Zod means Supes can actually punch something, and with his powers that's something I've wanted to see for a long time.
While these are the 13 films I've been hyping up the most, there are others that have piqued my interest. Gangster Squad. Oz: The Great and Powerful. World War Z. The Lone Ranger. A Good Day to Die Hard. Sin City: A Dame to Kill For. Ender's Game. All of these are also on my radar, but the above films are the ones I'm really looking into. 2013 has just begun, and I hope whatever films I do end up seeing don't disappoint.
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