Check out the selections below, listed in alphabetical order. And please note that to keep things on a manageable scale (or, at least, no more unruly than the beast currently is) I've had to institute a rule that if we've already reviewed it it won't be included here. Which, sadly, eliminated Snowpiercer (which was named by multiple contributors), R100, Under The Skin etc.
Above The Clouds by Pepe Diokno
Anticipated by Oggs Cruz
In 2009, Pepe Diokno, only in his early twenties, won two awards from the Venice International Film Festival for Engkwentro (Clash), a film that tackles the proliferation of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines from the perspective of siblings on the verge of redemption. From then on, Diokno became the figurehead for independent filmmaking in the country. Above the Clouds, which Diokno has been working on for years, has finally finished production in 2013 and will hopefully be released within 2014. Starring Pepe Smith, a Filipino rock and roll icon, as a grandfather living in the mountains who attempts to befriend his grandson from the city who was orphaned by a recent typhoon, the film promises to showcase Diokno's capability to tell very human stories within localized circumstances.
As God Says by Miike Takashi
Anticipated by Patryk Czekaj
Another high school bloodbath orchestrated by the sick and twisted virtuoso Miike Takashi? Call me a psycho and count me in. Honestly, I’ve been his fan since the early days and although he let me down a couple of times along the way, I can’t tell you how excited I am that he’s once again returning to his gore-infused roots. Based on an infamous horror manga series, As God Says sounds like a fine blend of Lesson of the Evil (most fun I’ve had with a Miike film in recent memory) and Battle Royale. Also: great cast.
Birdman by Alejandro Gonzalez Innaritu
Anticipated by Joshua Chaplinsky
I feel like Inarritu has been treading water with his last few films. Dark, depressing water. Which is why I'm excited for Birdman. Finally! Something different from Inarritu. A comedy. Sure, it'll probably be dark and depressing, but still... a comedy! Not only that, it stars the one-and-only Michael Keaton, as a "washed-up actor who once played an iconic superhero" (sound familiar?) who "must overcome his ego and family trouble as he mounts a Broadway play in a bid to reclaim his past glory." You wanna get nuts? C'mon, let's get nuts.
Cold In July by Jim Mickle
Anticipated by Todd Brown
Why Jim Mickle doesn't top every list of rising American indie filmmakers is beyond me ... his last two films (Stakeland and We Are What We Are) have played in selection in Toronto, Sundance and Cannes (among many others) and yet Mickle still seems to slide somewhat under the radar. He shouldn't.
Mickle's back in Sundance this year with his fourth feature, a dark crime story starring Michael C Hall. Expect excellence.
Cyber by Michael Mann
Anticipated by Kurt Halfyard
Michael Mann’s latest action thriller involving global cyber-crime was shot in Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Perak, Kuala Lumpur and Jakarta. The plot details are still unclear but the cast includes the formerly black-listed Wei Tang the aways excellent Viola Davis, and, well, Thor. Mann’s last few films have been misunderstood as off-beat exercises in digital video experimentation, but they have hit my sweet spot in terms of visuals and adult rhythms and I hope the director builds on the maturity and style shown in the criminally underrated Miami Vice.
Dawn Of The Planet Of The Apes
Anticipated by Eric Ortiz Garcia
I have seen Rise of the Planet of the Apes five times now and it is always a blast (one of my favorites from 2011 for sure). On the other hand, I’m not the biggest fan of Cloverfield’s Matt Reeves and yet I don’t see how he can do wrong with the mighty Andy Serkis returning as Caesar and Gary Oldman leading the cast. The character posters with four apes indicate this is going to be an epic blockbuster and I just can’t wait.
The Dead Lands by Toa Fraser
Anticipated by Todd Brown
Acclaimed New Zealand director Toa Fraser - best known for arthouse drama Dean Spanley and 2013 dance film Giselle - goes into entirely different territory with The Dead Lands. A period set, Maori language action film? Featuring traditional Maori martial arts? No official materials have been released yet but the film is a good chunk into production at this point and the simple fact that it exists is enough to get my attention.
Duke Of Burgundy by Peter Strickland
Anticipated by Peter Martin
I've yet to catch up with Peter Burgundy's earlier work, but Berberian Sound Studio was such a strikingly vivid reimagining of a giallo that I'm extremely curious about what he might do with a love story that he's described as "tender and quiet, but also quite intense."
Godzilla by Gareth Edwards
Anticipated by Ard Vijn
One film which really surprised and impressed me was Monsters by Gareth Edwards. The method used for creating it was fiendishly clever: working from a loose script, he basically captured whatever lightning-in-a-bottle he happened upon while going on a trip with his small cast and crew through South America, and added some kick-ass digital embellishments afterwards. Well, that, and a few money-shots of the titular monsters. The end result was a remarkable film which was more about people and travel than it was about monsters.
Enter Godzilla, with presumably a tighter script and a big budget. Can Gareth capture lightning in those conditions as well? So far, I love the trailers, so here's hoping...
The Grand Budapest Hotel by Wes Anderson
Anticipated by Kurt Halfyard
A filmmaker that can do no wrong in my book, I love the visual density of his films, the soundtracks, the quirky pretensions and the ever increasing ensemble casts. The most curious aspect of this one (besides a hairless Harvey Keitel covered in tats) is the switching aspect ratio - parts are 1.33:1, parts are 1.85:1 and parts are 2.35:1. How it plays into the storytelling of a concierge, his protege and an expensive painting, currently are a mystery.
Also anticipated by Ard Vijn.
To be honest I am not the biggest Wes Anderson fan, as most of his films do not resonate much with me on any level. I respect that other people love his output, but it just hasn't happened for me yet.
With one exception: The Fantastic Mr. Fox. And when I saw the trailer for The Grand Budapest Hotel, I very much got the same kind of dry insane vibe from it. And I want to see it, preferably sooner than later.
The Hobbit: There And Back Again by Peter Jackson
Anticipated by Jason Gorber
Has there ever been a more fitting title for a series? Sure, there are those mildly jaded by PJ's jaunt back to Middle Earth, but the completest in me looks forward to having these three films sit on my shelf (on glorious physical media!) as one with their LOTR counterparts. Like much in Tolkien's world, these three films provide many "echoes" to what's to come, and I for one am quite excited to see from both a technical and story standpoint just what surprises are still left in store. Or, you know, just to enjoy hours of 5 Armies duking it out, that'll probably be fine as well.
How To Catch A Monster by Ryan Gosling
Anticipated by Joshua Chaplinsky
If Gosling is half as good a director as he is handsome, this'll be gold. But it's not the feminist meme's involvement that's got me expectant like a mother-to-be. It's the concept: "A dark fantasy/neo-noir about a single mother (Christina Hendricks) who gets lost in the criminal underworld, while her son discovers a road leading to an underwater utopia." At the very least, it sounds unique.
How To Train Your Dragon 2 by Dean DeBlois
Anticipated by Ard Vijn
Yeah, yeah, laugh it up. I love the first HTTYD, and for me it marks the time Dreamworks Animation started to match Pixar punch for punch, even beating them occasionally. I also liked the television series more than I expected to.
This film brings back Dean DeBlois, who wrote-and-directed the first one, and Lilo & Stitch. Dreamworks Animation showed with Kung Fu Panda 2 that they can do a damn fine sequel when given the chance, so color me interested!
Inherent Vice by Paul Thomas Anderson
Anticipated by Kurt Halfyard
The anticipation of combining P.T. Anderson and Thomas Pynchon is dizzying. Anderson continues to be the best working American director in my book with a filmography that is batting 1.000. The film’s incredible ensemble cast includes Joaquin Phoenix (currently America’s most interesting actor), Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Katherine Waterston, Reese Witherspoon, Jena Malone, Eric Roberts, Kevin J. O’Connor and Benicio del Toro. The noir-ish plot involves private investigator Larry "Doc" Sportello (Phoenix) as he investigates the disappearance of his ex-girlfriend and her boyfriend in Los Angeles.
Also anticipated by Joshua Chaplinsky
I can't think of a better director to finally bring Thomas Pynchon to the screen than P.T.A. Granted, I was a bit disappointed after Robert Downey Jr. dropped out, but have since made peace with the casting of Joaquin Phoenix as Doc Sportello, especially in light of the range he showed in Her and The Master. Downey Jr. would have given us Downey Jr., but Phoenix is capable of giving us any number of things, and that excites me.
Journey To The West by Tsai Ming-Liang
Anticipated by Christopher Bourne
Only a few months after his announced “retirement” at the Venice Film Festival, where he won the Grand Jury Prize for his last film Stray Dogs, Tsai is set to premiere his latest, the 40-minute short Journey to the West, at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival. As a longtime fan of his work, this gives me hope that Tsai’s idea of retirement will prove similar to Steven Soderbergh or Jay-Z’s. Journey to the West is the fourth film in Tsai’s ongoing “Walker” series of experimental shorts in which his perennial star and cinematic alter ego Lee Kang-sheng, dressed in monk’s robes, walks very, very slowly in various settings. I’ve seen Walker, the Hong Kong-set first film in the series (which you can watch yourself here), and it’s a stunner: beautiful, mesmerizing, and contemplative. Journey to the West takes this (non)action to Marseille, France, and even more excitingly, will co-star Denis Lavant.
Jupiter Ascending by the Wachowskis
Anticipated by Kurt Halfyard
The previous film by the Wachowskis, Cloud Atlas, infuriated me with how shallow all the stories ended up when so little time was spent on each, but it was edited together magnificently and certainly had a visual flair, outside of some dodgy practical make-up on the actors. They’ve gone back to their more traditionally narrative, with a ‘one’ who is female and destined to rule the universe if the current ruler (also female) doesn’t get to her first. It’s very Snow White, only with laser guns, space ships and Channing Tatum in elf-ears. Sure, what the hell, I’m in.
Killers by The Mo Brothers
Anticipated by Andrew Mack
Everyone is going to be making a fuss about a certain sequel coming out of Indonesia this spring. And rightly so. Hot damn! But, let us not forget there is another Indonesian movie that we are very much looking forward to; the Mo Brothers' Killers. Timo Tjahjanto and Kimo Stamboel are looking to further cement their reputations as leading genre filmmakers around the World with their serial killer thriller. Their work with Macabre, and Timo's efforts in The ABCs of Death and V/H/S 2, have generated a lot of interest from genre fans. And with Killers it looks like we are going to get one heck of a violent and bloody contribution from the pair.
Land Ho! by Martha Stevens and Aaron Katz
Anticipated by Christopher Bourne
Premiering at Sundance this year is this very-intriguing sounding film described in the festival notes as a “bawdy road-trip comedy” which stars a pair of actors of an older demographic than is usually the case in films like this. Co-star Paul Eenhoorn drew many accolades for his role in This Is Martin Bonner, but the main attraction for me is co-director Aaron Katz, one of the U.S.’s finest filmmakers, who to my mind made at least one modern classic, Quiet City, a lovely film which is one of the best ever about New York City. Land Ho! also represents an admirable effort to level the playing field for women filmmakers; it was financed by the aptly-named Gamechanger Films, a new fund that supports films directed and co-directed by women.
The Lego Movie by Phil Lord and Chris Miller
Anticipated by Jason Gorber
Yes, this looks ridiculous, but it has the makings of being one of the most fun films of this year. If Pacific Rim was the ultimate in big-budget, smashing-your-toys-together fun from 2013, then this surely will be the 2014 equivalent (Transformers 4 and Godzilla notwithstanding). This really will be the bigscreen renaissance of Wonder Woman, even in minifig form, and with voice talents galore expect this brickfest to snap together exquisitely.
Light Year by Christoph Hochhäusler
Anticipated by Patrick Holzapfel
After The City Below German director Christoph Hochhäusler had to wait quite a while to get green light for his next cinema production. It is a political thriller about lobbyism which surprisingly (as an art house political thriller is not what one would expect of him) stars German shooting star Florian David Fitz. But among German cinephiles there is a great trust in Hochhäusler and it will be exciting to see how he pulls of his strong feeling for time and space with something that sound like a genre piece.
The Lobster by Yorgos Lanthimos
Anticipated by Peter Martin
Production is not yet underway, but I'm hopeful that the next film from Yorgos Lanthimos will debut before the end of the year. It's "a dystopian tale of the future," and it's in English, so it could (potentially) be a disaster -- or it could be brilliant. Jason Clarke and Lea Seydoux head the cast.
Also anticipated by Patrick Holzapfel
Another unconventional and crazy trip about identity and modern relationships seems to come out of the mind of the Greek mastermind who directed Dogtooth and Alps. This time he has Léa Seydoux, Ben Wishaw and Jason Clarke amongst others playing single people who get arrested for, well, being single. At a hotel they have to find a partner within 45 days and if they fail they get transformed into animals. The pitch alone is a cracker for anyone who knows the cinema of Lanthimos.
Macbeth by Justin Kurzel
Anticipated by Andrew Mack
Another one of Australia for you. And another sophomore effort from a director whose directorial debut landed us on our asses. Justin Kurzel came kicking down cinema’s door with his demanding debut Snowtown. So what does he do to follow up? Why, he is making his own Macbeth film with Michael Fassbender and stunner Marion Cotillard. And word was he is using the original text. Sounds like another worthwhile endurance test for his audience. We are starting to do our stretches over here. Filming begins this month in the U.K.
Mea Culpa by Fred Cavaye
Anticipated by Andrew Mack
So we have been waiting anxiously for the next big movie to come out of France and Mea Culpa may just be the answer we are looking for in 2014. Director Fred Cavaye “est l’homme” behind the camera and Vincent London is Simon, an ex-cop taking matters into his own hands when his family is in danger. When we dropped the subtitled trailer only a couple weeks ago the combination of style, hard action and tough men proved to be too enticing to miss.
Midnight Special by Jeff Nichols
Anticipated by Peter Martin
Jeff Nichols' last two films, Mud and Take Shelter, are distinctly raw yet incredibly detailed in their textures and characterizations, so I am very eager to see what he does with a premise that, in other hands, might be dreadfully run-of-the-mill: a father and son go on the run after the boy reveals his "special powers." Michael Shannon's presence guarantees something unusual.
Mr leos caraX by Tessa Louise-Salome
Anticipated by Christopher Bourne
A new documentary about one of our most visionary cinema artists, who’s made one masterwork after another, including Holy Motors, my favorite film of 2012? Consider me sold. Set to premiere at Sundance this year, Louise-Salome’s portrait includes interviews with Carax’s casts and crews – including his perennial leading man Denis Lavant – as well as some words with the mysterious man himself.
Nymphomaniac by Lars Von Trier
Anticipated by Kurt Halfyard
Whether it is one part or two, 3 hours long or 6, I’m excited to see what sort of button pushing Lars von Trier does with this, his latest opus. Trier has been on a roll as of late, making visually impressive cinema that runs far deeper than simply provocation. Certainly the subject matter here is ripe for exploitive and titillating imagery, but my expectations remain high for serious substance underneath all the hype and controversy.
Also anticipated by Joshua Chaplinsky
This is the Lars we all know and love. Not that he went soft on us with Melancholia, but it's good to see him back in more provocative territory. I love the man's impishness, his audacity, and this four hour rumination on female sexuality is bound to push buttons. Everything I've seen so far indicates greatness, and early reviews have been quite favorable. Not even the casting of Shia LaDouche can quell my anticipation. Viva von Trier!
Occupy Cannes
Anticipated by Eric Ortiz Garcia
The first crowd funded project of Troma is currently being edited and set for a release sometime in 2014. It’s a new documentary about the most famous film festival in the world and, certainly, a follow-up to Lloyd Kaufman’s hilarious doc All the Love You Cannes!
The Troma Team was in Cannes 2013 for the release of Return to Nuke ‘Em High Volume 1 and to record, as we are expect, more crazy adventures and even a tribute to Roger Ebert.
Full disclosure: I actually gave some money to this project so I’m also very excited to get my perks.
Police Story 2013 by Shen Ding
Anticipated by Todd Brown
Yeah, I know, Jackie Chan is past his prime and his output over the past decade has been - to put it generously - spotty. But despite a recent filmography that is more down than up and a handful of bizarre, seemingly alcohol fueled bouts of public foolishness in recent years I've still got a huge soft spot for the man. And the last time Chan teamed up with director Shen Ding the result was Little Big Soldier, aka the best hing by a mile that Chan has put out in the later part of his career.
The trailers for Police Story 2013 promise something dark and raw. Box office in mainland China has been boffo and I'm just waiting for it to start turning up in other territories so I'll actually have a chance to see it.
The Rover by David Michod
Anticipated by Andrew Mack
The sophomore effort from David Michod, director of the incredibly ferocious debut film Animal Kingdom? Oh, yes please. Guy Pearce is Eric, a man who has his last possession, his car, stolen by a gang of dangerous criminals. Robert Pattinson is Reynolds, the wounded gang member dragged along by Eric in pursuit of the gang. The story comes from Animal Kingdom star Joel Edgerton and Michod.
The Snow White Murder Case by Nakamura Yoshihiro
Anticipated by Patryk Czekaj
The Snow White Murder Case sounds like a perfect allegory for our internet-obsessed world. This intriguing and presumably suspenseful film concentrates on a mysterious murder of a cosmetic company worker, but in the midst of it tries to depict how a sudden and violent social media outburst can not only influence an investigation, but also change its course. Nakamura Yoshihiro is known for his ability to puzzle the viewers with clever twists. With a dense atmosphere and clever dialogues, The Snow White Murder Case has a huge chance of being the most successful Japanese thriller of 2014.
Tokyo Tribe by Sono Sion
Anticipated by Todd Brown
Japan's reigning King Of Crazy returns in 2014 with his latest effort, an adaptation of a violent youth crime manga that he largely cast based on YouTube auditions. Sono's an absolute gonzo madman and while I certainly haven't loved everything he's done the man is on a ridiculous hot streak right now. Yes, please.
The Trip To Italy by Michael Winterbottom
Anticipated by Jason Gorber
Yes, The Raid 2, and Nymphomaniac, and Grand Budapest Hotel sit atop any expectations list, but I had just a damn fine time last time Brydon and Coogan made their schlepp that I look forward to joining them again on their voyage. We'll see if the shtick holds up again, but given their chops, and how gorgeous that part of the world looks (and the food tastes) it'll probably be a kind of Bacchanalian feast of both yummy vittles and witty rejoinders.
When Marnie Was There by Yonebayashi Hiromasa
Anticipated by Patryk Czekaj
Every Studio Ghibli film that comes out finds a place in my heart, but prior to that it finds a place on my list of most anticipated films of the upcoming year. This time the situation’s not different. It’s been announced that the next Ghibli picture will be an adaptation of an English-language novel When Marnie Was There, and even though I’ve never read it I’m 100% sure that Yonebayashi Hiromasa and the team will do wonders with this material. A beautiful adventure, a chilling mystery, a child friendly ghost story – whatever it is, I hope it will only exceed my already huge expectations.
Winter Sleep by Nuri Bilge Ceylan
Anticipated by Patrick Holzapfel
Anything that Ceylan has done so far is amazing. He is the heir to the great European filmmakers of modernism from Bresson to Antonioni and as he heads back to Anatolia with his new feature there is hope for another transcendental and deeply personal feeling like in his latest work Once Upon a Time in Anatolia. Haluk Bilginer stars in the film and it is most likely to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival.