Noah
Darren Aronofsky’s $130m Biblical epic arrives buffeted by Hurricane Sandy (which gatecrashed the production) and lashed by controversy (the director and studio have reportedly squabbled over the final cut). The omens are explosive and the anticipation is building. Russell Crowe looks on stentorian form as the pre-flood patriarch, reeling from portents of the apocalypse and determined to protect his wife (Jennifer Connelly), his adopted daughter (Emma Watson) and the animals of the world. But trouble is brewing; he’s going to need a bigger boat.
Godzilla
British director Gareth Edwards scored a low-budget breakthrough with 2010’s Monsters. Now he’s surging up through the gears to tackle arguably the biggest beast of them all. His remastered Godzilla finds the behemoth battling man-made goliaths while Aaron Taylor-Johnson strives (one assumes in vain) to maintain order. The eclectic supporting cast finds room for Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, Sally Hawkins and Juliette Binoche.
Exodus
Bible study, book two. Ridley Scott leads Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Aaron Paul and Sigourney Weaver through the wilderness with his story of Moses and the exodus of the Jews from Egypt. Bale plays Moses, Edgerton is Ramses, while Almeria in Spain offers up the path to Mount Sanai. Likely epic, almost certainly bombastic. And - given it’s a Scott film - bloody as hell.
Jack Ryan:
Shadow Recruit
Director Kenneth Branagh grabs another fistful of popcorn with his first film post-Thor. Chris Pine takes up the mantle of Tom Clancy’s super-spy, leaving past-Ryans Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford and Ben Affleck in his wake. Shadow Recruit has the young Ryan as a rookie analyst who stumbles upon a plot by sinister businessman Viktor Cherevin (Brannagh) to tip the world into economic crisis. Keira Knightley tags along for the ride as Ryan’s wife, who has no idea that his desk job has evolved into something a little more punchy.
Pompeii
Huge CGI-riddled take on the decimation of the Roman city by the 79AD eruption of Mount Vesuvius. Kit Harington of Game of Thrones plays Milo, a slave-turned-gladiator who must beat the arena and best mother nature to save his love, Cassia (Emily Browning). Plenty of bare flesh, loads of shonky special effects and a starring role for Keifer Sutherland as an evil senator.
Captain America:
Winter Soldier
America’s old school superhero continues his re-invention from second world war propaganda tool to righteous modern age fighter. Likeable lunk Chris Evans is back in the red, white and blue corner as Steve Rogers/Captain America, still struggling to adapt to the modern world after his abrupt resurrection in last year’s Avengers Assemble. Over on the dark side is the Winter Soldier, a former pal of Steve’s who has been turned into a brainwashed assassin. Superhero stories are still huge business (Iron Man 3 was 2013’s highest-grossing film). No wonder Marvel keeps on churning them out. It’ll be only a matter of seconds before another… Oh! Look! …
Guardians of the Galaxy
The tenth film in the “Marvel Cinematic Universe”. Chris Pratt leads out a rag-tag band of superheroes that include a talking raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and a sentient tree (Vin Diesel). John C Reilly and Glenn Close are among the top brass of Nova Corps, the intergalatic police force that guides the Guardians through their very odd adventure. Less sleak than the X-Men, more risqué than the Avengers. The Guardians of the Galaxy promises to be Marvel’s weirdest, riskiest maneuver yet.
Transformers:
Age of Extinction
The transformers franchise folds itself into a new shape with a fourth installment featuring an honest-to-goodness star name — Mark Wahlberg — in the lead role. Age of Extinction has Wahlberg play an inventor and single dad powering down the Decepticons with the help of Optimus Prime and co. Nicola Peltz gets to play the woman who screams and runs away a lot, while Michael Bay returns to the director’s chair. All together now: BOOOOOOM! CRRRRRRRRUNCH! ARGGHHHHH!
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
The high school hero returns to take on Rhino (Paul Giamatti) and Electro (Jamie Foxx), the latest villains associated with shady tech company, OsCorp. Andrew Garfield dons the costume for his second swing at Marvel’s friendly neighbourhood cash cow. Emma Stone is back as Gwen Stacy, while Dane Dehaan steps aboard the franchise merry-go-round as Harry Osborn, pal of Peter, eventual arch-enemy of the webslinger. Bleat on, those of you still miffed at this reboot, which arrives a mere ten years after Sam Raimi’s original. Spidey’s moving too fast to hear you.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
The clue’s in the baffling title. Fresh from their adventure with Matthew Vaughn in X-Men: First Class, the students of Charles Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters use a time machine to recruit their future selves to battle a time-hopping evil force, or something. It’s an excuse to watch Jennifer Lawrence, Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender scamper around in spandex again basically. Why should cinema aim any higher than that?
The Guardian
