Before we give ourselves in to the frenzy of the upcoming awards season, here follows a series of film & TV titles (in no particular order or rank) that are killing us with the anticipation. And also time for you to update your watchlist (and break those new year resolutions you were going to break anyway!)
PS: Here is no mention of Sherlock because it doesn't need any. And if you are reading this but have not watched it, then please close the tab - download it, watch it and then come back! We will be waiting for you.
Here we go -
- House of Cards (Season 2)
Easily the best political drama/thriller that has arrived on TV, House of Cards in it's debut season dipped the temperature even more with the cold blooded wrath of the Underwoods. Starring Kevin Spacey in his 'born-to-do' role, we can already see the cracks that have appeared on our fourth walls.
- I, Origins
Friends Mike Cahill and Brit Marling reunite after their outstanding indie thriller 'Another Earth' for another sci-fi project that involves a molecular biologist getting hands upon some shocking evidence that could fundamentally change the society as we know it.
- Omar
A psychological thriller and heartbreaking love story set in Palestine, this film is about how life is constantly lived dodging bullets, in moments between life and death; a reflection on love, loyalty and betrayal in the occupied territories. Also has swept a bunch of prizes: Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at Cannes, best Arab film and director at Dubai, Best Feature at the Asia Pacific Screen Awards, and is Palestine’s official entry to the Oscars.
- Snowpiercer
Joon-ho Bong - the man behind the Korean masterpiece 'Memories of Murder' makes his English debut with this sci-fi action thriller. The whole movie is set inside a train known as 'Snowpiercer' which is in perpetual motion around the planet. Based on a French graphic novel, this film promises an interesting social commentary.
- Inherent Vice
Paul Thomas Anderson is perhaps the greatest American filmmaker of our era and with Joaquin Phoenix (The Master, Walk the line) in the lead, things are going to get more insane and extraordinary. Also brings the beautiful Reese Witherspoon into picture. Based on the Thomas Pynchon novel.
- Mad Men (Season 7)
Mad Men - the definitive American drama on TV is closing shop and it would be interesting to see what the future has in store for Don Draper, all the more with the season 6 finale setting the platform up so beautifully.
If PT Anderson were to make a TV series, he would have made this one, none other.
- Babylon
A TV movie revolving around cops. Not interesting? But do you know who's in charge?
DANNY fucking BOYLE. Sold!
- How to train your Dragon 2
Toothless and Hiccup are back in the sequel of a film that had blew our minds with its overdose of fun, humour and adventure. If trailers are anything to go by, goosebumps are guaranteed.
- Detective Byomkesh Bakshi
A great artist going back to his roots = A Dibakar Banerjee film inspired from Bengali literature. It will be great to see a desi Sherlock Homes on the screens for a change!
- Noah
Darren Aronofsky's take on the Biblical Noah and his ark. Here he not only has mammoth budgets to handle but also mammoth actors like Anthony Hopkins and Russell Crowe who plays the titular role. And trust in Aronofsky to churn out another one of his trademark hair-raising climaxes (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, Black Swan)
- Birdman
After the terrific 'Death trilogy' (Amores Perros, 21 Grams, Babel) Alejandro Inarritu will be back this year with a comedy/drama about a washed-up actor who once played an iconic superhero who has to overcome his ego and family trouble to mount a Broadway play to reclaim his past glory.
- Sin City : A dame to kill for
The long awaited follow-up to Frank Miller's haunting Sin City will be here and with Robert Rodrigues (El Mariachi, Planet Terror) - on the helms again, we probably won't be missing Tarantino much this year.
- Gone Girl
Riding high on his Emmy win (yes! for House of Cards) David Fincher adapts a Gillian Flynn novel about a girl who mysteriously disappears on her wedding anniversary. And as goes with Fincher - he is never satisfied with the thriller/suspense part but goes deep to the psychology, complications and dynamics of human relationships.
- Only Lovers left alive
The film is set in a space which spans centuries about the two vampires in love. A Jim Jarsmuch film. Initial reviews are abuzz with the poetic brilliance the film has managed to capture.
- Transcendence
The plot (A terminally ill scientist downloads his body into a computer. This grants him power beyond his wildest dreams, and soon he becomes unstoppable.) has already got us hooked but it remains to see how much from Christopher Nolan's enormous talent pool has percolated to his long time cinematographer Wally Pfister who makes his directorial debut with this. A sci-fi thriller with Knowledge vs Power theme at its core. Starring Johnny Depp, Kate Mara, Morgan Freeman among others.
- A million ways to die in the West
From the creator of the hilarious TV animation series Family Guy and 2012's rib splitting Ted - Seth Macfarlane is up this time with a Western comedy. Starring Neil Patrick Harris, Liam Nesson and the man himself.
- Foxcatcher
This drama film about the Olympic wrestling champion Mark Schultz is making buzz mostly because of Steve Carell's powerhouse performance as the paranoid, schizophrenic friend of the Schultzs. We can already smell The Fighter here.
- The Double
Director Richard Ayoade stormed into the scene with his fabulous Submarine and now he is back with what looks like a Kafkaesque comedy based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's novel of the same name. Very interesting.
- Magic in the moonlight
How does he make movies at this ripe an age is a mystery and now that his writing has become less cynical and more about the human misery and innocence (self confessed) it will be interesting to see what kind of magic he weaves with his moonlight.
- PK
The team of 3 idiots is back. Going by the filmography of Rajkumar Hirani - the man who comes from the Spielberg school of cinema - we know he can do no wrong. Sushant Singh Rajput and Anushka Sharma are on board too.
- Guardians of the Galaxy
Marvel have upped their own ante with a movie that promises to be bigger than The Avengers with Bradley Cooper and the beautiful Zoe Saldana playing superheroes.
- Nymph()maniac
Lars Von Trier's 5 hours long sex epic. Already has created a storm with its out of the box marketing campaign (mysterious website, O-pose posters, titillating clips) and has got mindblowing reviews when it opened in Danish theatres last Christmas. Seems the film is Von Trier's metaphorical Brothers Karamzov (the last Dostoevsky novel where he said all he had to say)
- Jupiter Ascending
"In a universe where humans are near the bottom of the evolutionary ladder, a young destitute human woman is targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe because her very existence threatens to end the Queen's reign."
Directed by the Wachowskis - the creators of the Matrix trilogy.
- The Wind Rises
The swansong of the one of the greatest animators of all time - Hayao Miyazaki. Set in the times of World War II, the films looks at the life of Jiro Horikoshi who designed fighter planes for Japan. This film is not only a major Oscar contender this year but also has wowed the critics, sparked controversies and finally annihilated the box office.
- Bombay Velvet
The most anticipated Hindi film of the year. Anurag Kashyap's big neo-noir film with Ranbir Kapoor as boxer/street fighter and Anushka Sharma as a jazz singer. With Amit Trivedi churning out 60's jazz tunes for the film, one can only froth until Christmas comes along.
- Interstellar
A Christopher Nolan film. Enough said.
- The Grand Budapest Hotel
The biggest Wes Anderson film to date. (You can also guess that by the above poster!) And if you have watched any of his quirky crazy films, there is no reason for you to be not excited. Starring Ralph Fiennes as a hotel concierge who strikes up a friendship with a young employee at the hotel at which they work.
Special Mentions : Rio, I Love you (by Fernando Meirelles, dir. City of God), Winter Sleep, The Amazing Spiderman 2, Ugly, Terry Gilliam's The Zero Theorem, Ridley Scott's Exodus etc.
So which movies are you looking forward to this year? Do let us know in the comments.
