Must see films for 2015

So here’s a chance to put some of these dates in your calendar. My first choice comes from the Disney stable, Marvel to be precise. (Is it just me or is Disney taking over the World by snapping up all the best franchises?) This is the next Avengers movie ‘Age of Ultron’ following on from the 2012 smash movie, Avengers Assemble.

24th April 2015
Avengers: Age of Ultron 3D (Action, Adventure, Sci-fi)
Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth, James Spader, Cobie Smulders, Robert Downey Jr, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Elizabeth Olsen, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L Jackson, Don Cheadle, Paul Bettany, Hayley Atwell, Andy Serkis, Stan Lee, Stellan Skarsgård, Tom Hiddleston, Thomas Kretschmann, Idris Elba and Anthony Mackie
Director: Joss Whedon

Captain America (Chris Evans) and Thor (Chris Hemsworth) Filmed in Hawley Woods nr. Yateley last Summer with fake snow. I know, I was there.

Synopsis:
When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program called Ultron, things go awry and Earth's mightiest heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrifying plans.

Comments:
All of our favourite Avengers are back plus an appearance by Nick Fury (Samuel L Jackson) who was out on his own after S.H.I.E.L.D was disbanded at the end of Captain America: The Winter Soldier.

There is also a 1940’s flashback showing British Officer Peggy Carter (Hayley Atwell) who is currently enjoying her own series Agent Carter. A sort of Agents of Shield spin off.

Ultron also has some new faces with Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Pietro Maximoff AKA Quicksilver and Elisabeth Olsen as his sister Wanda Maximoff AKA the Scarlet Witch. It will be interesting to see what Taylor-Johnson does with the Quicksilver character following the superb interpretation by Evan Peters in 20th Century Fox’s X-Men: Days of Future Past.

James Spader lends his voice talents to the genocidal robot Ultron and early reports are saying that he is brilliant.

New Trailer: one week ago

 

15th May 2015
Mad Max: Fury Road (Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi)

Cast: Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Zoë Kravitz, Nicholas Hoult
Director: George Miller

Mad Max (Tom Hardy) for 2015
Synopsis
An apocalyptic story set in the furthest reaches of our planet, in a stark desert landscape where humanity is broken, and almost everyone is crazed fighting for the necessities of life. Within this world exist two rebels on the run who just might be able to restore order. There's Max (Tom Hardy) a man of action and a man of few words, who seeks peace of mind following the loss of his wife and child in the aftermath of the chaos. And Furiosa (Charize Theron), a woman of action and a woman who believes her path to survival may be achieved if she can make it across the desert back to her childhood homeland.

Comments:
This is more of a re-boot of the original 1979 Mad Max movie which made a star out of a very young twenty three year-old Mel Gibson.

The 2015 version stars tough guy Tom Hardy as Max and director George Miller is back behind the camera for this new version as well.

Trailer:

 

22nd  May 2015
Tomorrowland (Sci-Fi, Adventure)

Cast: Hugh Laurie, George Clooney, Raffey Cassidy, Britt Robertson, Judy Greer, Manoj Sood, Tim McGraw and Kathryn Hahn
Director: Brad Bird

Synopsis:
Bound by a shared destiny, a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor jaded by disillusionment, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space. This exists in their collective memory as "Tomorrowland.”

Comments
Apart from Tomorrowland also being one of the attractions at Disneyland (as was Pirates of the Caribbean), I don’t know a great deal about this film which has been surrounded by secrecy.

It has ex- animator and director Brad Bird at the helm who also directed Disney’s The Incredibles (2004), Ratatouille (2007) and his first full length live action film Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol.

It also has the ever reliable George Clooney and our own Hugh Laurie AKA Thicko Prince George. Certification to be confirmed, so not sure if this is straight forward family film or a 12.

Here is the trailer shown during the US Superbowl.

12th June 2015
Jurassic World  / Jurassic Park 4 (Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller)

Cast: Bryce Dallas Howard, Chris Pratt, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jake Johnson, Nick Robinson, Irrfan Khan, Ty Simpkins, Judy Greer, Omar Sy and Andy Buckley
Director: Colin Trevorrow

Owen (Chris Prattt) and Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard)

Synopsis:
Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park (1993), Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. After 10 years of operation and visitor rates declining, in order to fulfill a corporate mandate, a new attraction is created to re-spark visitor's interest, which backfires horribly.

Comments:
This has got to be one of the most anticipated movies of the year. That’s also why I am bit apprehensive about getting too excited, I don’t want to be bitterly disappointed.

Let’s face it, we were all pretty let down with Jurasssic Park 3, even though Sam Neil returned to reprise his role as the likeable Dr. Alan Grant.

Number 4 is quite a young cast including the man of the moment, Chris Pratt. Apparently there is also a genetically modified hybrid dinosaur called Indominus Rex plus some velociraptor’s that have gone through dog training school.

Let’s hope that director Colin Trevorrow brings us something original and thought provoking…Hmmm!

17th July 2015
Ant-Man (Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller, Comedy)

Cast: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Michael Peña, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, David Dastmalchian, Judy Greer, Martin Donovan and Hayley Atwell
Director: Peyton Reed

Ant-Man (Paul Rudd)

Synopsis:
Biochemist Dr. Hank Pym uses his latest discovery, a group of subatomic particles, to create a size-altering formula. Though his first self-test goes awry, he develops an instrument that helps him communicate with and control insects.

Comments:
Marvel can’t seem to do anything wrong at the moment and Ant-Man has a good line up of acting talent. Where Captain America: The Winter Soldier had Hollywood Legend Robert Redford taking the whole thing very seriously, Ant-Man has Michael Douglas.

Ant-Man is played by comedy actor Paul Rudd who obviously has a painting of himself in his attic that is slowly getting older. He always looks the same! My only worry this time is that anything Ant related is difficult to take seriously.

23rd October 2015
SPECTRE (Action, Adventure, Thriller)

Cast: Daniel Craig, Monica Bellucci, Léa Seydoux, Dave Bautista, Christoph Waltz, Naomie Harris, Andrew Scott, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Rory Kinnear and Jesper Christensen
Director: Sam Mendes

James Bond (Daniel Craig) courtesy 007 official site

Synopsis:
A cryptic message from Bond's past sends him on a trail to uncover a sinister organization. While M battles political forces to keep the secret service alive. Bond peels back the layers of deceit to reveal the terrible truth behind SPECTRE.

Comments:
007 is back! It’s been a rocky journey for the 24th Bond movie but we’re finally going to see it in October this year. This is also reported to be the most expensive James Bond film with a $300 million budget. The criminal organisation SPECTRE appeared in the very first Bond movie Dr. No (1962).

Behind the scenes look.

6th August 2015
The Fantastic Four (Action, Fantasy, Sci-Fi) Reboot

Cast: Kate Mara, Miles Teller, Jamie Bell, Michael B. Jordan, Toby Kebbell, Tim Blake Nelson and Reg E. Cathey
Director: Josh Trank


Synopsis:
Four young scientists achieve superhuman abilities through a teleportation experiment gone haywire. They must now use these abilities to save the world from an uprising tyrant.

Comments:
I must admit that I’m not a huge fan of reboots, I always think it shows a lack of imagination and originality. Sometimes it works but generally it just begs the question, why? I think there is a difference with a remake.

For example the 1951 sci-fi horror movie The Thing from Another World was remade in 1982 as The Thing starring Kurt Russell which is now a genre classic and a masterclass in special effects.

But both movies stand out as great movies in their own right. The modern reboot is more of a case of ‘we can do it much better’ than the last bunch. There is only a ten year gap from the Fantastic Four and Spider-Man movie before they had the reboot treatment.

I’m not holding out much hope for the 2015 Fantastic Four, particularly without any big names to back it up.

18th December 2015
Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens (Drama / Sci-Fi)

Cast: Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson, Andy Serkis, Gwendoline Christie, Peter Mayhew, Warwick Davis, Kenny Baker, Iko Uwais, Lupita Nyong’o, John Boyega
Director: J.J. Abrams

J.J. Abrams read through with the cast.

Synopsis:
A continuation of the saga created by George Lucas set thirty years after Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983).

Comments:
This must be the number one most anticipated movie of the year. Millions of Star Wars fans old and young, will be pre booking their tickets for this one. However, what do we really think of the big three reprising their roles? Do we really want to see Luke, Han and Princess Leia as pensioners or is it best to remember them as they were?

A part me really wants this film to be something really special but I can’t help thinking that it could turn into a novelty just to please the real die-hard fans.

“Help me J.J.Abrams, you’re my only hope”