Summer is slowly but steadily drawing to a close, the days are constantly shrinking, and we’re not that far away from chilly, rainy weekends spent with a cup of piping hot tea or coffee in our hands, feverishly anticipating the start of the next summer, which is only 9 months away. So enjoy all the warm weather while it lasts, but do plan ahead for the incoming bleak seasons. What better way to do this than to have a sneak peak at a few exciting films which are soon to be released?
Here’s a list featuring 11 of them, which contains blockbusters and indie productions alike – I can spot at least 3 potential gems in there! We’ve arranged them in order of their UK release date, so that you can already start scheduling your trips(s) to the cinema.
1. It (8 September 2017)
We start our list with a remake of the 1990 film bearing the same title, that of a famous Stephen King novel. It revolves around a group of children who take a stand (no pun intended) against a monster taking the form of a clown, who hunts, guess what – children. Personally, I’m not that excited, particularly since there seems to be little novelty value in it, as this trailer comparison shows. I hope to be proven wrong, though.
2. Mother! (15 September 2017)
Darren Aronofsky’s last film, Noah, was a bit of a departure from its usual masterpieces, and was heavily criticised upon release. I have to admit that I did like it, but still consider it to be his weakest project. However, Mother! instantly looks like an almost certain hit: a psychological thriller featuring Javier Bardem and Jennifer Lawrence. Considering Aronofsky’s genius, I doubt that much could go wrong.
3. Blade Runner 2049 (6 October 2017)
A sci-fi party like it’s 1982! Blade Runner is back, and, of course, Harrison Ford is back, reprising his role as Rick Deckard 35 years after the original movie was released. Enter Ryan Gosling as a young blade runner tasked to track down Rick, and we’ve got quite a show on our hands. All directed by the highly talented Denis Villeneuve, whom we know from a wealth of other excellent projects, including Arrival, Sicario and Prisoners.
4. Jigsaw (27 October 2017)
The SAW franchise represented one of my early forays into the horror genre – as a teenager, I was fascinated not only by the gore fest and instantly chilling soundtrack, but also by the intriguing psychological study of John Kramer’s character. I absolutely loved the first three films, but after a few more entries, I could recognise the cash cow in which the whole franchise had turned. 7 years after the film called SAW – The Final Chapter, we learn that the finality was not all that final, and that Jigsaw is coming back. Just before Halloween, naturally.
5. Murder on the Orient Express (3 November 2017)
Sidney Lumet’s 1974 Oscar-winning Murder on the Orient Express was an excellent film altogether, and, at least in my opinion, needed no remake for today’s market. However, seeing that Kenneth Branagh is directing and staring as Hercule Poirot in this year’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s famous novel, alongside Judi Dench, Johnny Depp and Daisy Ridley, I became instantly excited about it, despite my initial reservation.
6. The Killing of a Sacred Deer (17 November 2017)
I’ve discovered Yorgos Lanthimos only recently, and mere hours later, I was a huge fan. Dogtooth was amazing, while The Lobster remains one of my favourite films of the last decade. Therefore, the Greek director’s upcoming project, starring Nicole Kidman and, once again, Colin Farrell, should be a real treat.
7. The Disaster Artist (8 December 2017)
You must know The Room, a 2004 film which was so horrendously bad, that it instantly became a cult classic. Well, here’s a film about the making of that film, directed by James Franco. Apparently, Tommy Wiseau, the man behind The Room, was not too upset about this project, since he agreed to star in it himself. Should be a fun hour and a half.
8. Star Wars Episode VIII – The Last Jedi (14 December 2017)
I could present Star Wars for you, but I really don’t think that’s necessary. Therefore, directed by Rian Johnson, the man behind Looper, Episode VIII will unfortunately be the final film where we’ll see the great Carrie Fisher in action, following her tragic death in December 2016. With a renewed emphasis on Luke Skywalker and the evolution of his ways, The Last Jedi shall be the penultimate episodic entry in the saga, and we hope it will be a memorable one.
9. Molly’s Game (26 December 2017)
Aaron Sorkin is arguably one of the best writers of dialogue out there – his recent Steve Jobs stands as testament to that. His newest project, Molly’s Game, is a special one, since it also represents his first foray into the art of directing. Starring the excellent duo of Idris Elba and Jessica Chastain, it tells the true story of Molly Bloom, an Olympic skier.
10. Untitled Paul Thomas Anderson Project (25 December 2017)
We all fantasise about some particularly alluring screenwriter/director and actor combinations, don’t we? Well, Paul Thomas Anderson and Daniel Day Lewis is, on paper at least, a match made in heaven. And it is for sure a solid project altogether – how else would it have convinced Daniel Day Lewis to come out of his sabbatical, which he took ever since sweeping all awards for the 2012 historical drama Lincoln? The only downside – the leading actor winner becomes all too predictable.
11. Mary Magdalene (23 March 2018)
Starring Rooney Mara as Mary Magdalene, Joaquin Phoenix as Jesus and Chiwetel Ejiofor as Peter, Mary Magdalene plans to recount the all-famous biblical tale, from the perspective of, surprise surprise – Mary Magdalene. We don’t really have much to go on, yet, but director Garth Davis already convinced me with last year’s Lion, so this film should be worth a shot, most likely.
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