CAST
MARION COTILLARD, JAQUIN PHOENIX, JEREMY RENNER, DAGMARA DOMINCZYK, ANGELA SARAFYAN

DIRECTED BY
JAMES GREY

Writer/director James Gray’s The Immigrant (previously titled Lowlife) was due for release in 2013, yet considering this is Gray’s fifth film in 20 years, what is another year in the overall scheme of things?

Regardless, The Immigrant is set to wow film fans that love American masterpieces of the old fashioned variety, with comparisons made to the films of Elia Kazan (On the Waterfront). Its story focuses on a naïve Russian immigrant (Marion Cotillard) who’s duped by a pimp (Joaquin Phoenix) into a world of prostitution, only to fall in love with a magician (Jeremy Renner) who vows to save her.

Nominated for the Palm d’Or at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival, The Immigrant has also played at numerous other festivals to rapturous notices by critics. Hopefully it won’t take too long until the rest of us can feast our gaze upon it.

CAST
IKO UWAIS, YAYAN RUHIAN, DONNY ALAMSYAH, JULIE ESTELLE, TIO PAKUSODEWO

DIRECTED BY
GARETH EVANS

Gareth Evans The Raid was a martial arts masterpiece that rattled viewers like a roundhouse kick to the head. Its sequel The Raid 2: Bernandal promises to do the same and then some, with sure to be next martial arts superstar Iwo Uwais returning as noble cop Rama, who takes on Jakarta’s underground crime syndicate and corruption within the police force.

With the trailer promising even more bone crunching, neck breaking, action spectacle, The Raid 2 has a lot of expectation placed upon it. Yet with original director Gareth Evans returning, those expectations are sure to be met.

CAST
STEVE CARRELL, MARK RUFFALO, CHANNING TATUM, SIENNA MILLER, VANESSA REDGRAVE

DIRECTED BY
BENNETT MILLER

Director Bennett Miller may have two feature films to his name, but when those feature films are Capote and Moneyball quality trumps quantity every time. With Foxcatcher comes another true story, this time about the murder of Olympic wrestling champion Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo) at the hands of close friend and sponsor John du Pont, who is played by a near unrecognisable Steve Carell.

Also starring Channing Tatum as brother Mark Schultz, Foxcatcher looks set for big things come next awards season. Considering Miller’s track record of getting his actors to the Oscars (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener for Capote; Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill for Moneyball) all odds are on Carell to get rave reviews and awards momentum when Foxcatcher drops in 2014.   

CAST
BRENDAN GLEESON, AIDAN GILLEN, DYLAN MORAN, CHRIS O’DOWD, KELLY REILLY

DIRECTED BY
JOHN MICHAEL McDONAGH

The Guard was a funny and intelligent black comedy which placed writer/director John Michael McDonagh on the map, and his follow up Calvary is sure to deliver more pitch black laughs.

The always solid Brendan Gleeson stars as a good natured priest who must deal with dark forces after he is threatened during confessional. Look for Calvary to solidify McDonagh’s reputation as a filmmaker to always anticipate.

CAST
JESSICA ALBA, JOSH BROLIN, JOSEPH GORDON-LEVITT, EVA GREEN, MICKEY ROURKE, BRUCE WILLIS

DIRECTED BY
FRANK MILLER, ROBERT RODRIGUEZ

The violent neon-noir that was Sin City bowled over critics and audiences over with its visually arresting imagery and hard boiled characters, plucked from the pages of Frank Miller’s graphic novel and into the ever capable hands of director Robert Rodriguez.

It’s upcoming sequel …A Dame to Kill For promises more of the same, with extra star wattage added to its original group of star players (Mickey Rourke, Jessica Alba, Rosario Dawson) in the additions of Josh Brolin and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. A highly anticipated sequel (released 9 years after the ground-breaking sequal), Sin City: A Dame to Kill For is sure to reach its lofty expectations.

CAST
RUSSELL CROWE, JENNIFER CONNELLY, ANTHONY HOPKINS, LOGAN LERMAN, EMMA WATSON, RAY WINSTONE

DIRECTED BY
DARREN ARONOFSKY

2014 is set to be the year when the biblical epic returned to Hollywood with The Son of God, Exodus and Noah all hitting the big screen.

Of the three films Noah looks every bit the winner, with the pairing of director Darren Aronofsky and Oscar winning actor Russell Crowe (playing the title role) too good to miss, especially if the theatrical trailer is anything to go by with its star studded cast, very tasty visual effects and the high pedigree of Aronofsky felt throughout.

It’s been a long time coming since The Passion of the Christ brought in box office dollars from America’s very healthy Christian demographic, who also provided record viewing numbers for The Bible miniseries. If Aronofsky and co. play there cards right, Noah will surely be one of the big hits of 2014 and could provide Crowe that long elusive return back to Oscar territory.

CAST
SYLVESTER STALLONE, HARRISON FORD, MEL GIBSON, JET LI, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, JASON STATHAM

DIRECTED BY
PATRICK HUGHES

The Expendables 2 was a disappointment, an example that star studded casts (even those with the biggest muscles) don’t always make for a good movie.

The Expendables 3 is sure to turn the tables. With the additions of Harrison Ford, Mel Gibson, Antonio Banderas and Wesley Snipes to the already macho core of Stallone, Statham and Schwarzenegger, The Expendables 3 has managed to even surpass fans expectations on which action legend will join the franchise next.

Yet most exciting is the addition of up and coming Australian director Patrick Hughes, with the Red Hill filmmaker sure to inject some much needed grit and energy that previous director Simon West sapped from the franchise with his insipid direction. With a script by Creighton Rothenberger and Katrin Benedikt (they who wrote Olympus Has Fallen, a film that made the new Die Hard look like child’s play), Hughes is sure to take his huge (and I mean bloody huge) cast and utilise them at their ass kicking best.  

CAST
RALPH FIENNES, TONY REVOLORI, ADRIEN BRODY, JUDE LAW, EDWARD NORTON, SAOIRSE RONAN

DIRECTED BY
WES ANDERSON

Moonrise Kingdom is writer/director Wes Anderson’s best film to date, so it’ll be interesting to see how he plans to follow it up with The Grand Budapest Hotel.

If the hilarious trailer is any indication, Anderson is sure to do just fine. With patented star studded cast in tow (Ralph Fiennes, Adrien Brody, Jude Law, Edward Norton) …Budapest Hotel is sure to bring the funny as only Anderson can.

Fiennes stars as legendary concierge Gustave H. (Fiennes) who goes on the run after he is framed for murdering one of his guests. Quirky comedic hijinks are sure to ensue, and under Anderson’s watch there is no doubt they they will be of the highest quality.    

CAST
MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY, CASEY AFFLECK, WES BENTLEY, MICHAEL CAINE, JESSICA CHASTAIN, ANNE HATHAWAY

DIRECTED BY
CHRISTOPHER NOLAN

A new Christopher Nolan movie is a cinematic event, and rightfully so. Constantly delivering high quality moviemaking, Nolan has become one of those rare directors whose name alone evokes credibility and assurances that an entertaining, thought provoking time will be had at the flicks.

Interstellar will no doubt continue that trend. Written by brother and long time collaborator Jonathan Nolan (who was originally hired by Steven Spielberg to write the script), Nolan’s latest sci-fi epic will focus on a team of explorers who make use of a newly discovered wormhole to travel to different dimensions in search of salvation for a climate change ravaged Earth.

Featuring a killer cast of Matthew McConaughey, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway and Casey Affleck (among many others), Interstellar is veiled in (a very welcome) layer of secrecy typical of Nolan’s projects. Whether it will be the film to finally snag Nolan that Oscar nomination for best director remains to be seen, yet regardless Interstellar is sure to be stellar entertainment.

CAST (KNIGHT OF CUPS)
CHRISTIAN BALE, NATALIE PORTMAN, CATE BLANCHETT, TERESA PALMER, ANTONIO BANDERAS

CAST (UNTITLED)
RYAN GOSLING, CHRISTIAN BALE, MICHAEL FASSBENDER, NATALIE PORTMAN, ROONEY MARA   

DIRECTED BY
TERRENCE MALICK

Waiting on Terrence Malick to release a movie requires a matter of faith: we live in hope that it will get done sooner rather than latter (as in several years in the future), yet when it does the results will be worthy of the hope invested in Malick’s vision.

So it goes with his upcoming double header Knight of Cups and as yet “untitled drama” (previously called Lawless). Both films were shot back to back in 2012 and are still in post-production. While plotlines are sketchy, the pair will deal with fame and artistry within the movie and music industries, respectfully. Big names such as Christian Bale, Natalie Portman, Ryan Gosling and Cate Blanchett (among many others) have shot there scenes, yet in typical Malick fashion who knows who will remain in the final cut.

With The Tree of Life garnering an Oscar nomination in 2011 and To the Wonder polarising critics in 2012, it is clear that Malick is placing much more effort in releasing his movies at a consistent level. As I wrote last year: “That Malick has become much more prolific over the years is something to rejoice. Rare is the filmmaker who can evoke the emotions that Malick does in his movies, and rare is the film that taps into the theological and philosophical side of humanity and its place in the universe, especially in a movie industry that encourages its filmmakers to be influenced more by commerce and focus only on secular ideals.”

Of course that was under the pretence that Malick would release three movies in 2013 (I know, silly me). That of course did not happen. Hell, who even knows whether Knight of Cups and his “untitled drama” will see the inside of a movie theatre this year. Yet I have faith that they will, and with that hope I look forward to what the reclusive master has in store for us.