2014: My 15 Must See Movies!

Last year I created a must see list that only managed to yield one film in my top 20. This year, I have another list of movies that I can't help but want to see. So here they are, my fifteen must-see films of 2014. It actually turned into 17, but that's how I do things. You should be used to it by now.

15. The Monuments Men (February 7) / Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (August 22)

I am putting these together on the bottom of the list for one reason: they were on my lists last year (this one, too), and got pushed back. So, feel free to read why I want to see them.

14. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (October 10)

Honestly, I don't have a single good reason to be excited for this film, except for the fact that I absolutely love this book. It was nothing but a bunch of random events in one day of a young man, with an affinity for Australia, that lead to him declare it a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. If the above picture is any indicator, this film is going to expand on the book, and change many details of the short children's book (including adding a baby to the family, and changing a brother to a sister). I'm going to consider this a must see out of completely morbid curiosity.

13. Noah (March 28)

If you were Darren Aronofsky, and you had to choose a follow-up to your Oscar-winning masterpiece, "Black Swan", what would you choose? How about an epic about Noah and the Ark. You know, the Bible story about the guy who builds a giant ship to avoid getting drowned in a flood. Aronofsky usually creates characters that seek out goals that ultimately destroy them, so it should be interesting, to say the least, to see what he does with this story.

12. Transcendence (April 18)

It has been some years since I was last excited to see Johnny Depp in a movie, and I figure why not the directing debut of Christopher Nolan's right hand man, and Oscar winning cinematographer, Wally Pfister? The film follows a scientist who is shot, and saves himself, by downloading his body into a computer. Of course he becomes too powerful, and becomes corrupted. Nolan regulars Morgan Freeman and Cillian Murphy have supporting roles, but Michael Caine won't be found here. He's over in Nolan's 2014 release.

11. Gone Girl (October 3)

There are few directors that will make my top fifteen on name alone, and David Fincher is very near the top of that list. I don't know much about this novel except that it has rave reviews from critics, hit the New York Times Best-Seller List for eight weeks, and that it is winding, twisting thriller that many people found hard to review for sake of giving too much away. With the way Fincher adapted "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo", I only assume that he will do great justice to this novel, which I now think I may have to avoid before October.

10. How to Train Your Dragon 2 (June 13)

I am crazy for animated movies, and the first "How to Train Your Dragon" was an excellent example of how you walk the line between a children's film, and a family film. This film looks like a fantastic sequel. It takes place five years after the first one ends, and picks up with the Hiccup and Toothless as they continue to seek out uncharted territories, and boldly go where no man has gone before... wait... I think that last statement is something else. New villains, new dragons, new dangers. It seems like they have upped the ante on this one, and I'm anxious to see what they do with it.

9. The Hobbit: There and Back Again (December 17)

"I am fire. I am Death." This is the last line we heard from 2013's greatest villain, Smaug, as he made his way toward Laketown, for what is going to be unimaginable destruction! If the action sequences alone are as thrilling as they were in the second installment, we are in for a phenomenal start to "There and Back Again". I am a fan of this trilogy so far, and I really hope this will be the equivalent to "The Return of the King", the best film of the original trilogy. Honestly, I'm just hoping for a lot more Tauriel. I don't care if she didn't exist in the book!

8. Muppets Most Wanted (March 21)

After 2011's "The Muppets" I was happy to see Jim Henson's creations return to form after a string of disappointing projects like "Muppets From Space" and "The Muppets' Wizard of Oz". Thankfully, for this sequel the director, James Bobin, and co-writer, Nickolas Stoller, of "The Muppets" have returned (and Tina Fey is in it!), though I am worried about the lack of Jason Segel. I am quite amused at the concept of a Russian Kermit look-alike trying to take Kermit's place while planning a major jewel heist with his partner Dominic Badguy (played by known Muppet enthusiast, Ricky Gervais). The cameo list is reading like everyone in Hollywood who wasn't cast in "The Grand Budapest Hotel" (AND TINA FEY!). Speaking of which...

7. The Grand Budapest Hotel (March 7)

Wes Anderson continues to make some of the most interesting, and beautifully shot, films of the modern era. His last film, "Moonrise Kingdom", was possibly my absolute favorite of his repertoire, and this looks like it could match it in so many ways. It is a murder-mystery comedy with every other known actor in the known world in it, and the ever-wonderful Ralph Finnes leading them. It is hard to see where this is going to go wrong.

6. The Boxtrolls (September 26)

I put Laika's last offering "Paranorman" on my 2012 Must See List and it ended up in my 20 Favorites for the year. This year I'm hoping it will be the same for their latest film, "The Boxtrolls". Based on the children's novel, "Here Be Monsters", by Alan Snow, it is the story about an orphan, raised by subterranean trolls, who has to save his adoptive friends from an exterminator. With Laika's eye-popping stop-motion animation, I'm hoping this tale of outcasts is as thrilling and touching as the films that have come before it.

5. Godzilla (May 16)

I love the "Godzilla" films. I grew up watching them on "MonsterVision", if anybody else remembers that show, so whenever rumors start flying about a new "Godzilla" film, I tend to get very excited. Then we get something along the line of the 1998 disaster. Thankfully, this won't be directed by Roland Emmerich, and won't contain Godzilla babies slipping around on gumballs... maybe. Director Gareth Edwards has experince in monster films with the aptly titled "Monsters", and has assembled a cast that includes David Strathairn, Ken Watanabe, and Juliette Binoche in supporting roles. I'm already standing in line.

4. Interstellar (November 7)

"Interstellar" is Christopher Nolan's first film post-"Dark Knight", and it looks awesome. The teaser trailer alone peaks so much interest with McConaughey's rousing speech about space exploration, and Hoyte Van Hoytema's ("Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy") beautiful cinematography. The plot revolves around using wormholes for space travel, and I can't imagine that the Nolan brothers haven't done a bit of research to build the script upon. And just look at this cast! SERIOUSLY! Look at it!

3. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (July 11)

"Rise of the Planet of the Apes" was one of my favorite films of 2011, and after seeing the teaser for this, I can't stop thinking that this is going to be equally fantastic. "Dawn" takes place ten years after the first film, and the virus has crippled most of humanity. The human survivors are outnumbered in the wilderness, and ready for all out war. This time, however, "Cloverfield" director Matt Reeves is taking over for Rupert Wyatt, and Gary Oldman is joining the cast as the leader of a human resistance group. It also looks like Scott Z. Burns ("Contagion", "Side Effects") has been brought to help with the script co-written by Rick Jaffa
and Amanda Silver, who both wrote "Rise" together.

2. Captain America: the Winter Soldier/Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1)

Last year Marvel released two sequels, (one good, one really good) and this year it looks like they may release the two best films they have done yet. "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" is based off of a story line that got me interested in reading the comics again. I would like to see what the Russo brothers can bring to the table, because until now, they have no action films under their belts, and their most interesting film outing has been 2002's "Welcome to Colinwood". Thankfully, the script was written by Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely, who both wrote "Thor: The Dark World", which has been Marvel's strongest sequel so far.

"Guardians of the Galaxy" is a cult comic that is going to lead to what looks like a big budget cult film. "Guardians" even went so far as to snag cult legend James Gunn ("Tromeo and Juliet") to write and direct. He is dragging out an all-star cast to bring these little known characters to life, including "Parks and Rec's" Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, and Bradley Cooper as the voice of Rocket Raccoon. After the small taste we got during the credits of "Thor: The Dark World", I can't wait to see this. I'm literally thinking of breaking into Marvel Studios to find an advanced copy of it.

1. Bears (April 18)

It is a documentary ABOUT BEARS!!! Bears are my favorite!!!