My 25 Most Anticipated Films of 2013 Part 3: #5-1

It's all been leading up to this. I'd do anything to see these five films right now. For some I'll only have to wait a few more months, for others I'll have to wait till the very end of the year, and one has not had it's release date set. I sincerely hope they all live up to my sky-high expectations.

But before we get started, I want to just address some that didn't make the cut. If I could be sure that David O. Russell's Abscam project was coming out this year, it would make my Top 5, but with the film just starting filming in the spring and no release date set I just don't think we'll see it until 2014. Meanwhile I'm really excited for The Spectacular Now, Fruitvale, August: Osage County and Inside Llweyn Davis, and they just barely missed the list. There are also a few films that I'm looking forward to, but am not expecting much more than mindless entertainment. They include Iron Man 3, Pacific Rim, Oblivion and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Horror flicks Evil Dead and The Conjuring look terrific, but the state of the horror genre these days makes it difficult to really get excited for one these days. I'm hoping Paul Feig can deliver a solid comedy this summer with The Heat and that Disney churns out another terrific animated film with Frozen this winter.

Well, I think that just about covers it. Time to unveil the five films I'm anticipating the most:

5.) Trance (dir. Danny Boyle)

Danny Boyle is an exceptionally talented and incredibly diverse filmmaker. I have an unabashed love for Slumdog Millionare, a deep appreciation for 127 Hours, consider Trainspotting to be one of the best films about drug addiction ever made and find 28 Days Later... to be one of the best horror films of the past ten years. I'd be excited for just about anything he's a part of. But after making some (terrific) Oscar films, it's enticing to Boyle return to his edgy, hardcore genre picture roots. Trance looks like a mind-bender of a thriller with a considerable amount of edge to it. The trailer promises grisly (but visually stunning) violence, and a healthy dose or eroticism, which have both been missing from Boyle's last few films. But, his his always glorious cinematography will certainly be present, and the casting for the film is phenomenal. James McAvoy has proven to be one of the most reliable actors when it comes to picking interesting and diverse films, and Vincent Cassel is a joy to watch on camera. But who I'm really interested in seeing is Rosario Dawson, an actress who I've loved for quite some time who hasn't had decent material to work with since Sin City back in 2005. Hopefully this will giver her a career boost and showcase her considerable acting talent. I only have to wait a few more weeks before checking this film out, and I can't wait.
RELEASE DATE: April 5

4.) The Wolf of Wall Street (dir. Martin Scorsese)

Getting excited for a Scorsese film isn't an option for a film nerd- it's a requirement. The man is a living legend of cinema who's lesser films are more enjoyable than the greatest films of other directors. For the past decade, Scorsese has been working almost exclusively with Leonardo DiCaprio and while their partnership should have gone stale by now, it hasn't. The two have churned out one good film after another, including a Best Picture winner. After taking a brief break from his usual films (and Leo), Martin Scorsese is back with The Wolf of Wall Street, which doubles as the most interesting project the director has taken on in ages and the latest stop on the "Give Leo an Oscar" train. The corruption of Wall Street circa 1980 is a captivating hook for a story, and Scorsese has (as always) summoned an all star cast. Matthew McConaughey, Jonah Hill, Kyle Chandler, Jean Dujardin and (of course) Leo better prepare themselves for a hectic winter, as this will be a major player throughout Oscar season. And with a supposedly edgy script and much buzzed about lead performance, I'm sure we will be in for a treat when this hits theaters in November. It's my most anticipated "Oscar" movie for next year.
RELEASE DATE: November 15

3.) Star Trek Into Darkness (dir. J.J Abrams)

If The Wolf of Wall Street is the Oscar movie I'm anticipating the most, then Star Trek Into Darkness is the action film that I'm most interested in seeing. 2009's Star Trek was the best, most satisfying action film of the past decade for me and I've been on the edge of my seat waiting for the sequel ever since the credits started to roll the first time I saw it. Everything about the reboot, from the excellent cast to the terrific way Abrams blended genuine thrills with heart and humor, worked for me, and I only hope the new one can provide more of the same. With a darker tone promised in the trailer, along with some jaw-droppingly good special effects and exciting looking set pieces, I can't help but count the days until I can check this one out in IMAX.
RELEASE DATE: May 17

2.) The Bling Ring (dir. Sofia Coppola)

If you ask me, Sofia Coppola has a bad rep in Hollywood that she definitely does not deserve. While I wouldn't call her a "master of cinema" or anything like that, I will argue that Lost in Translation is one of the best films of the 2000s. I will also argue that The Virgin Suicides is a damned good movie, and that Marie Antoinette was misunderstood by critics and is much better than most reviews say. I'm hoping that the public opinion will revert back to the very positive Translation era with her next film, The Bling Ring, which sounds absolutely fantastic. This true story, which was practically made for the big screen, follows a group of bored, rich teens who decide to start stealing from the celebrities that live in their area, many of whom will be playing themselves. Emma Watson, who seems to have the best post-Potter career out of any of her former co-stars, will play the ringleader of the group, a role that will certainly garner much attention for the young starlet. Reading about her research for the role, which consisted of watching long hours of reality television to get in character, only furthers my interest. Coppola is a talented, meditative director that can say a lot without ever hitting the audience over the head. Her subtlety, matched with this true-crime story, will hopefully make for one hell of a movie watching experience.
RELEASE DATE: June 14

And finally...

1.) Her (dir. Spike Jonze)

It's been almost four years since we've seen a feature film from Spike Jonze and, in my opinion, that's too long an absence from his wonderfully strange mind. Being John Malkovich is one of my all time favorite films, and both Adaptation. and Where the Wild Things Are impressed me with their stunning visuals and intelligent screenplays. Her, which follows a man who falls in love with the voice featured on his computer, sounds just as weird and quirky as the director's other works and will, hopefully, be as great. As if Jonze's talent didn't already suggest it, the cast leads me to expect greatness. As I mentioned before, Joaquin Phoenix is one of the very best actors working today. Same goes for Amy Adams, who is also one of the most diverse ladies working in the industry, while Rooney Mara has shown to have talent far beyond her years. I'm also looking forward to seeing Olivia Wilde, a charismatic and lovable actress, work with material that will (hopefully) allow her to be more than just the "hot girlfriend" she's been for the past few years. But, mostly, I like the movie I'm anticipating the most to be one that I can see being my very favorite film of the year. And Her is just that.
RELEASE DATE: TBD

Well, there you have it. Twenty five films I can't wait to check out. In case you missed it, check out Part 1 for #25-16 and Part 2 for #15-6. Thanks for reading!