2013 Movie Preview (#18 - 13)

#18. Man of Steel (June 14)

Plot: Henry Cavill plays Superman in director Zack Snyder's "Man of Steel." The film also stars Amy Adams as Daily Planet journalist Lois Lane, and Laurence Fishburne as her editor-in-chief, Perry White. Starring as Clark Kent's adoptive parents, Martha and Jonathan Kent, are Diane Lane and Kevin Costner. Squaring off against the superhero are two other surviving Kryptonians, the villainous General Zod, played by Michael Shannon, and Faora, Zod's evil partner, played by Antje Traue. Also from Superman's native Krypton are Lara Lor-Van, Superman's mother, played by Ayelet Zurer, and Superman's father, Jor-El, portrayed by Russell Crowe. Rounding out the cast are Harry Lennix as U.S. military man General Swanwick, as well as Christopher Meloni as Colonel Hardy.

Personal Opinion: This will be one of the biggest wild cards of 2013. On one hand, I'm still skeptical that a great Superman movie can be made. The 2006 film was underwhelming at best and in general, the character is just not as dynamic or complex as so many other comic book heroes. What this film does have going for it is the Christopher Nolan factor. Though not directing this movie, his assistance can only help. The first two trailers have not given me a clear sense of what to expect though. For the sake of the DC universe, this needs to be good. For movie fans, let's hope it's great.


#17. Now You See Me (June 7)

Plot: "Now You See Me" pits an elite FBI squad in a game of cat and mouse against "The Four Horsemen," a super-team of the world's greatest illusionists. "The Four Horsemen" pull off a series of daring heists against corrupt business leaders during their performances, showering the stolen profits on their audiences while staying one step ahead of the law.

Personal Opinion: The use of magic or illusions in film, like The Prestige is always a draw for me. This one not only has that, but a stellar cast as well that inlcude Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Jesse Eisenberg, Michael Caine, Mark Ruffalo, and Morgan Freeman. I initially had this higher on my list until I saw the first trailer. While the plot is solid, it felt like the trailer made the film seem like it would be just a dumb action flick. The key to films about magic is that they need to be smart and keep the audience guessing. If this manages to be intelligent, then this will be a real winner.


#16. Jack Ryan (December 25)

Plot: Based on the Jack Ryan character created by bestselling author Tom Clancy, the film is a contemporary action thriller set in the present day. The original story, written by David Koepp, follows a young Jack as he uncovers a financial terrorist plot.

Personal Opinion: It's been a long time since we've seen the Jack Ryan character on the big screen. Portrayed by both Alec Baldwin and Harrison Ford in the past, the Jack Ryan films have been, if nothing else, solid political thrillers. For this reboot, they have a lot of good pieces in place. Chris Pine, after resurrecting the Captain Kirk character, is an actor on the rise. Kenneth Branagh, who is directing this, proved with Thor that he's capable of helming a big budget picture. The one thing that I would have liked was for them to use another story from Tom Clancy, but as long as the plot is solid, this should be nice gift come next Christmas.


#15. The Internship (June 7)

Plot: Vaughn and Wilson portray two old school salesmen who, finding themselves suddenly unemployed and passed-by in the digital world, try to reinvent themselves by becoming interns at a major tech company.

Personal Opinion: Those waiting for a Wedding Crashers reunion finally have their wish. Not only are Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson back together, but their buddy Will Ferrell will also have a small role in this film as well. Their re-teaming coupled with a story that sounds like it has the potential for a lot of comedy has me excited. My only reservation comes from the fact that Shawn Levy is directing this and he has had a mixed bag of success when it comes to directing comedies. Hopefully the strong cast will be able to rise above any shortcomings he brings to the table.


#14. The Wolverine (July 26)

Plot: Based on the celebrated comic book arc, "The Wolverine" finds Logan, the eternal warrior and outsider, in Japan. There, samurai steel will clash with adamantium claw as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will leave him forever changed.

Personal Opinion: Like Superman, Wolverine is a popular comic book character whose story is one that I don't find particularly compelling. Wolverine works well within the context of the X-Men, but alone, as we saw in the Origins film three years ago is a different story. Marvel's track record is typically strong, so I'm definitely willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. If they are able to make this as fun as The Avengers then I'll be glad to eat my words and embrace even more films from this franchise.


#13. Captain Phillips (October 11)

Plot: Based on the true-life story of Captain Richard Phillips, who was taken hostage by armed Somali pirates, attempted to escape and was eventually rescued by the U.S. Navy. The film will retell the events that garnered headlines worldwide in April. After his ship was hijacked on the high seas, Phillips surrendered himself to the pirates in order to protect his crew. The married father of two made one unsuccessful escape attempt before an elite squad of Navy SEAL snipers shot and killed three of the four pirates - an action authorized by President Obama. A fourth pirate surrendered and is in custody.

Personal Opinion: Already on this list, I've identified a few films that have the potential to score big during the awards season, but this one seems to have the perfect combination to rack up a number of big prizes. The film focuses on a recent headline-grabbing story, features an multiple Oscar winner in the lead and is being directed by Paul Greengrass who has shown the ability to make films that have mass appeal and are very well received. Though I know the basic details of this story, I'm very anxious to see the whole thing be told on the big screen.