Feature – Top 10 Autumn/Winter Movie Preview

The cold (wet) and darker nights have finally arrived as Autumn is here with Winter not far behind as well. Whilst the days and nights might be miserable, in film land however we are creeping closer to the most important season the awards season so things are heating up. It’s the time the film studios unleash their big players, the films they believe will scoop them the awards but most of all entice us out of our warm homes to spend a few hours at our local cineplex.

With David Fincher’s fantastic Gone Girl and David Ayer’s war drama Fury now warming up cinema seats around the country.With Jake Gyllenhaal Nightcrawler ing them next week kicking off the Autumn season we have a look at 10 of the best films we can expect of to enjoy the next fe months. Some of those films will be potential Oscar winners or at least making their mark during the awards season, the list everyone will agree with but we love to know your choices, so why not share those films in the comments section below this post?!

Interstellar 7th November 2014

After re-inventing how we look at comic book movies it’s time to see Christopher Nolan has moved on from the Caped Crusader to pastures new. When it comes to his first true post movieMatthew McConaughey leading the cast in a film that needs to be seen on an Imax cinema screen. Things are looking good for Interstellar but will it win Nolan Oscar accolades?If we go by the last awards with the success of Gravity anything is possible!

The Gunman 20th February 2015
Pierre Morel played his part at helping re-invent Liam Neeson then in his 50’s as an action star could he help another unexpected actor become an action icon in his 50’s too? The Gunman could see Sean Penn be an unlikely action star a film that may have an generic action plot of an agent on the run to clear his name from the company he works for? Will Penn gain a ‘particular set of Skills’? It may not win many plaudits but will gain many as it looks like brainless popcorn munching fun.

Jupiter Ascending 6th February 2015

When it comes to epic storytelling you could do no wrong at look at the Wachowski’s, experts in the field plus they don’t do ‘small’ films! Jupiter Ascending sees us head into space with Channing Tatum as an Blonde elf looking bounty hunter who discovers his latest ‘bounty’ (Mila Kunis) is actually air to the throne of the universe. The film is ticking all the right boxes for a Wachowskis typical film: big story, stunts and plenty of eye candy CGI but can they achieve the holy grail of The Matrix once again? Everything is set up looking like they could!

Blackhat 20th February 2015

Cybercrime/terrorism crime thrillers on paper are a match made in heaven but for some strange reason it seems to be covered more in the anime genre than live action genre. It seems thing maybe changing in Hollywood as Michael Mann‘s Blackhat hoping to bridge that gapwith Chris Hemsworth playing the lead role as a one time cyber criminal who helps to track down fellow criminals in what looks like a smash and grab heist flick.There is plenty of style on show here and if Mann uses the formula he used in his now cult heist classic Heat we may now be looking at the new contender to the crown with Blackhat.

The Hobbit: The battle of The Five Armies 12th December 2014

It’s amazing to think a decade ago we just faced up to the end of the ‘fellowship’ when the Lords Of The Rings Trilogy ended. No one may have believed the franchise could have produced another franchise and this December that franchise The Hobbit ends with The Hobbit:The Battle Of The Five Armies. With Bilbo (Martin Freeman)and the dwarves finally made it to Lonely Mountain only piss off it’s new owner Smaug (Benedict Cumberbatch) who now seek vengence on those that pillage his lair. The final film is looking like an epic showdown that brings Dwarves, Men, Orcs, Hobbits even the Eagles together for one monsterous barney. Peter Jackson has promise more character driven plots mixed with some ‘extras’ to the mythlogy to set up a truly fantastic ending.

The Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1 20th November 2014

It’s the queen (or King ) of the young adult genre and next month will be the start of the end for The Hunger Games making sure Mockingjay will get the ending it truly deserves. The final chapter may now be following the generic 2 part finale however as we get closer plus hearing from fans of the books maybe 2 parter is the logical route. The games may now be finished but now it’s time for war as Katniss Everdean (Jennifer Lawrence) must step up now and lead the people to revolution and bring down the privilage of Panem City. The character who help and develop Katniss will themselves finally step up in a world thats now larger more dangerous than the games themselves. Even President Snow (Donald Sutherland) has some 4 legged mutant friends we’re very eager to see in action too! The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1 looks like it’ll show it’s maturity moving from YA roots into a more progressive story, you just have to look at the heavyweights of Hollywood who are in the cast Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Julianne Moore, Woody Harrelson along with Sutherland and Lawrence.

Inherent Vice 29th January 2015

From the discovery of oil in the wild west (There Will Be Blood) to scientology inspired religion (The Master) to this January PT Anderson‘s Inherent Vice it’ all about the drug fuelled dectective. Starring his now regular lead Joaquin Phoenix as Doc Sportello a stoner detective who is hired to investigate the disappearance of his old girlfriend. It’s the first time since Punch Drunk Love since Anderson has delivered a film with a big comedy appeal and if Inherent Vice follows PDL route we have a funny but also exciting film to watch in the new year, expect Oscar nods too!

Wild 16 January 2015

It’s been a few unforgettable few years for Reese Witherspoon so what better way to fight back than appear in film what could possibly bring you Oscar glory, Wild. Directed by Dallas Buyers Club director Jean Marc Vallee, it’s a film based on the best selling memoirs of Cheryl Strayed a recovering drug addict who embarks on a 1000 mile trek through some of Americas most inhospitable terrains. Valle seems to to shine when his lead character is one up against all odds and if the word from Valle that we’ll see a side of Witherspoon we haven’t really seen much of before it looks a cert Wild may get a lot of awards recognition.

Birdman 2nd January 2015

Alejandro Gonalez Inarritu‘s Birdman is coming straight from wonderful Telluride, Tornoto film festival reviews in a film that looks like could possibly rejuvenate the career of Michael Keaton. Birdman looks like it will deliver an satirical look at the book genre and a movie that may bring mainstream and arthouse film fans together under one roof. Keaton plays a washed up actor known for tv role as ‘Birdman’ hoping to make a comeback under his feathered persona, however he must overcome his ego and his family at the time. It’s ironic 25 years on the actor who helped to launch the current period of comic book movies with Batman is back in that genre once more. Don’t expect Avengers or any other type of superhuman saving the day, Birdman is a film with real humans with real problems.

Foxcatcher 9th January 2015

Let’s get ready to rumble!!! This January Bennett Miller’s dark drama Foxcatcher will arrive in UK a true life story of sibling wrestling brothers Mark & Dave Schultz (channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo) who are attempting to get sponsorship to head to the 1988 Seoul Olympics. They find the sponsorship from eccentric millionaire John Dupont (Steve Carrell) but what forms is a relationship blighted with struggle leading to unexpected circumstances. Like most of the films on this list Foxcatcher will be in the running for Awards with Steve Carrell up for possible best actor with a role we haven’t seen him do before a lot like the late Great Robin William’s role in One Hour Photo. If you ever thought Channing Tatum was only good for dumb comedies this film may show he’s a little smarter than he likes to say …

Unbroken 26th December 2014

2014 has been an outstanding year for Jack O’Conell and looks like the year will end on a high too with Unbroken. The Angelina Jolie directed film is a true story of inspiration about Olympian runner Louis Zamperini (O’Connell) who was shot down during World War 2 before been captured by the Japanese after 47 days adrift. O’Connell is maturing into one of Britain’s finest after superb performances in Starred Up as well as ’71. Jolie herself is proving maybe her best talents are behind the camera instead of the front and with Coen Brothers scripting this movie Oscar Gold might be on the cards

So there you go, January and February are potentially looking great months for cinephiles but as I said earlier this list isn’t complete. Before anyone wonders why certain films are not here, it doesn’t mean they are not going to be highly entertaining or be even more successful than the top 10 list. Everyone have their own tastes in film genre, there’s plenty of films I haven’t mentioned like The Drop, The Imitation Game, Mortdecai, The Kingsman, Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Kill The Messenger, Dumber & Dumber too, 50 Shades Of Grey, The Kingsman: Secret Service, Into The Woods, Big Hero 6, Whiplash and The Theory Of Everything all equally as good as the top 10 films.