By Levi Hill
(@Levi_Hill15)
So far, 2015 has yielded several surprises and several disappointments. However, as the fabled Oscar season approaches, we turn our
attention toward the upcoming movies. I seriously doubt all of these picks will get nominated
for an Academy Award, but these are my top 10 most anticipated films for the remainder of 2015.
10. The Good Dinosaur
Release Date: November 25, 2015
Starring: Raymond Ochoa, Jeffery Wright,
Steve Zahn, and Anna Paquin
This is the first time Pixar has released
two features in one year. They have their work cut out for them if they want to try and catch lightning in a bottle twice following the critical and commercial success of this summer's Inside Out. Firing the entire voice cast just months
before the film’s release doesn’t bode well. However, it’s still a movie
from Pixar, and that is enough to get my attention as well as the 10th
spot on this list.
9. Creed
Release Date: November 25, 2015
Starring: Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester
Stallone, Tessa Thompson, and Tony Bellew
It’s a return to the world of Rocky
Balboa, this time focusing on the son of Apollo Creed with Balboa serving as
the mentor. The trailers for Creed
look great, but the key element for me is that Ryan Coogler is directing the
film. Coogler directed Michael B. Jordan in Fruitvale
Station, the best performance of Jordan’s career, in my opinion. Assuming
Coogler can get high-caliber performances out of Jordan and Stallone, this
movie should be very good and deserves a spot on this list.
8. Bridge of Spies
Release Date: October 16, 2015
Starring: Tom Hanks, Alan Alda, Amy Ryan,
and Eve Hewson.
A Spielberg-directed film, starring Tom
Hanks, co-written by the Coen brothers. Do I need to say anything else? Set
during the height of the Cold War, Hanks plays an insurance lawyer tasked
with negotiating the exchange of captive spies between the United States and
the Soviet Union. The stakes are high, and I can't think of a finer actor-director pairing to take this story on.
7. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay - Part 2
Release Date: November 20, 2015
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh
Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, and Donald Sutherland.
The Hunger Games series finally comes to a
conclusion. Following a surprisingly good third installment, the fourth
should provide plenty of action and fulfill the emotional tension built up in Mockingjay - Part 1. Jennifer Lawrence returns and has turned in three exceptional
performances as Katniss so far. I expect nothing less this final
time. It’s probably not going to win any Oscars, but it will still be an
intense action film. Who can turn one of those down on Thanksgiving
weekend?
6. The Revenant
Release Date: December 25, 2015
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy,
Domhnall Gleeson, and Will Poulter.
Alejandro González Iñárritu, winner
of last year's Best Director Oscar for Birdman, returns for yet another daring test of
the film medium. The Revenant was
shot chronologically, on location, and used only natural light. These
challenges, an all-star cast (including DiCaprio who might just be able to
claim that elusive Oscar with his performance), and Iñárritu in the director’s
chair combine to give The Revenant a
huge amount of Oscar buzz and will more than likely result in a fantastic
film.
5. The Hateful Eight
Release Date: December 25, 2015
Starring: Kurt Russell, Samuel L. Jackson,
Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Channing Tatum.
It won't get a wide release until January 8,
2016, but since Quentin Tarantino's latest has a limited release scheduled for Christmas Day, it fits the criteria to join this list by a narrow margin. The Hateful Eight is
sure to be full of snappy dialogue, quick editing, and most likely a ton of
violence. Tarantino has a knack for taking talented actors and getting the
performance of their careers out of them. John Travolta in Pulp Fiction is an example. I think that Channing Tatum could steal
this movie, if he has a decent sized role in the film. It will definitely be
one to look out for when it comes to your town.
4. Steve Jobs
Release Date: October 23, 2015
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Kate
Winslet, Seth Rogen, and Jeff Daniels.
After going through enough turmoil at Sony
to get most films canceled, the Steve Jobs biopic is finally being released,
and it looks very good. Fassbender is definitely one of my favorite actors
working today, and I’m excited to see Rogen showcase his dramatic acting
ability for once. If a Fassbender drama doesn’t have you hooked, the film was
directed by Danny Boyle (Slumdog
Millionaire, 127 Hours) and
written by Aaron Sorkin (The Social
Network, A Few Good Men). Steve Jobs easily finds a place on my list of most anticipated films.
3. The Martian
Release Date: October 2, 2015
Starring: Matt Damon, Jessica Chastain,
Jeff Daniels, and Kate Mara.
Matt Damon is an astronaut stranded on
Mars who has to survive for several years until NASA can make it back to save
him. All of the film’s early buzz sounds like it's one you don't want to miss. The novel
was surprisingly hilarious, and the trailers seem to keep the very light-hearted
vibe despite the perilous situation Damon’s character is in. Hopefully this
will be director Ridley Scott’s return to form.
2. Spectre
Release Date: November 6, 2015
Starring: Daniel Craig, Naomie Harris,
Christoph Waltz, and Ralph Finnes.
Daniel Craig is back for yet another
adventure as 007. Sam Mendes returns to the director’s chair, following up the
critically acclaimed Skyfall. The
addition of Christoph Waltz as the villain is nothing but good news,
as he is a world-class actor and should be one of the most menacing Bond
villains in some time. Spectre would
normally probably be number one on this list, however there is one franchise
returning to the screen that has many people, myself included, incredibly excited.
1. Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens
Release Date: December 18, 2015
Starring: Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Adam
Driver, and Oscar Issac.
It’s Star Wars. Do I need to
say more? This could potentially be the first truly great Star
Wars film since 1983’s Return of the Jedi.
Mark Hamill, Harrison Ford, and Carrie Fisher return as Luke, Han, and Leia,
respectively, along with several incredibly talented newcomers to the
franchise. The production has been shrouded in secrecy, and in my opinion,
that is fantastic because I want to know as little as possible heading into
this film. I struggle to find the words to explain how excited I am for this movie. It’s been years in the making, and it’s finally here. It is easily my most
anticipated film for the rest of 2015.
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