Fall's 10 Most Anticipated Movie Releases

by Philip Price
10. “Spectre”

It was really difficult for me to decide whether or not I should include the 24th James Bond film on this list. I enjoyed “Skyfall” well enough and was happy to see director Sam Mendes returning to the franchise for one more go-around after delivering a crowd-pleaser with the previous installment, but I'm simply not a huge fan of the franchise and find it hard to conjure up a lot of excitement. I recognize this is in large part due to the fact I didn't really begin watching the Bond films until the latter part of Pierce Brosnan's tenure (which I again realize wasn't the best entry point) and that Daniel Craig has more or less been the definitive Bond for me so there isn't as much invested in the franchise, but I know that once the film draws closer and the realization of actually being able to see the next chapter in this new, larger world hits me I'll be genuinely excited to catch a glimpse of it and so I couldn't resist placing it at the beginning here. “Spectre” will apparently find Bond on a trail to uncover a sinister organization while M (Ralph Fiennes) battles political forces to keep the secret service alive. My only concern for the film is that after a summer consisting of great action spectacles like “Furious 7,” ‘Avengers,’ ‘Mad Max,’ “Jurassic World” and ‘M:I-Rogue Nation’ can the oldest franchise of them all compete? Premieres: 11/6

9. “I Saw the Light”

I keep a running list of my favorite films throughout the year so that when we reach the time to make the annual top 10 list I have a strong point of reference and don't simply pull from the batch of Oscar contenders that crowd theaters at the end of the year. So far in 2015 I have five films on my list that I've ranked higher than any others and two of those just happen to be music biopics. I don't know if it's because I've always had an affinity for the music-making process or have been intrigued by how the human condition reacts to the intrigue of fame and adoration due to the reaction of bearing your sole in song, but I simply adore them and I can't imagine the Hank Williams biography, “I Saw the Light,” being any different. Especially having been raised in the south, Williams is something of a mythic figure who represents more than just what he sung about, but a way of life that is still preserved. With a cast that features Tom Hiddleston as Williams and Elizabeth Olsen as his wife Audrey Mae I can't wait to see what director Marc Abraham's feature holds for fans of both music and film. Premieres: 11/27

8. “Black Mass”

I will have the chance to see “Black Mass” at the Toronto International Film Festival this year, but considering it will open in wide release while I'm at the festival I may decide to skip it at the festival and see something I won't have the chance to see elsewhere for a while and catch up with director Scott Cooper's latest upon returning. That said, despite the abundance of press material for the film that has given away what feels like a lot I am very much excited to see what will no doubt be touted out as "Johnny Depp's Return!" In “Black Mass,” Depp plays Whitey Bulger, the brother of a state senator and the most infamous violent criminal in the history of South Boston, who becomes an FBI informant to take down a Mafia family invading his turf. Not only does this come from Cooper who has a knack for tapping into stark tones, but “Black Mass” features a rather incredible cast outside of Depp that includes Benedict Cumberbatch, Sienna Miller, Joel Edgerton, Juno Temple, Dakota Johnson, Kevin Bacon, Corey Stoll, Adam Scott, Peter Sarsgaard, Julianne Nicholson and Jesse Plemons. Premieres: 9/18


7. “Creed”

I've always relegated the ‘Rocky’ films to something of a memory where I know I've seen the majority of them (specifically the first, second, fourth and ‘Balboa,’ so I actually have a little catching up to do), but it was in the underrated “Rocky Balboa” where I really caught a glimpse of what made the series mean so much to so many people. It was the film that came at the right time for me as I was really beginning to dig into cinema. That film deserved more than the pre-ordained bad word of mouth it received and by the time people saw it and realized it was actually a solid little closing chapter to the series the window of opportunity had passed. Almost 10 years removed from that film though and we have a new chapter in the story, but this time it isn't about Rocky-we're talking Adonis Johnson, the son of Apollo Creed (as played by Carl Weathers) and his quest to follow in his father’s footsteps despite never knowing him. From “Fruitvale Station” director Ryan Coogler and starring Michael B. Jordan, “Creed” will clearly capitalize on the nostalgia of the subject, but it also seems intent to be Johnson's story and Jordan looks to be giving a wholly dedicated performance that will only push his star further, and if we're lucky, spawn him his own boxing franchise. Premieres: 11/25

6. “The Martian”

I'm currently reading Andy Weir's The Martian and hope to have it finished before traveling to Toronto as I fully intend on catching Ridley Scott's adaptation once there. There isn't much reason to expect much from the extremely proficient director given he seems to have traded quality for quantity as of late, but it's hard to argue with the allure of the trailers for “The Martian.” The film tells the story of how, during a manned mission to mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. Watney survives though and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he is forced to draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal Earth that he is, in fact, still alive. Besides Damon, Scott has recruited a rather stellar supporting cast including the likes of Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Kate Mara, Sebastian Stan, Jeff Daniels, Sean Bean, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Michael Peña and Donald Glover with Drew Goddard adapting Weir's novel for the screen. Color me insanely intrigued. Premieres: 10/2

5. “The Revenant”

Anything that Leonardo DiCaprio does these days seems destined to be on my most anticipated list. Whether it's that he has truly impeccable taste or the luckiest timing in the world, he seems to be consistently picking the right projects. Truth is, it is a combination of both those things. The taste aspect is most evident in that DiCaprio is finally working with heralded director Alejandro González Iñárritu, whereas the timing aspect comes into play given he's working with him on the follow-up to Iñárritu's Best Picture Winner, “Birdman.” The fact that DiCaprio is one of the most well-regarded actors working today combined with Iñárritu's current clout and the added bonus of starring Tom Hardy (who is on a hot streak of his own as of late) in the supporting role gives off the impression everything fell in line perfectly for this film to be positioned as an awards season favorite. I'm sure the filmmakers and stars would gawk at that previous sentence though given the difficult and tumultuous shoot they reportedly experienced. Iñárritu shot the entire film with outdoor lighting in the rather inhospitable Canadian wilderness over nine months. “The Revenant” is based on the real-life story of Hugh Glass who was left for dead by his companions following a bear mauling in the early 19th century. Premieres: Limited-12/25, Wide-1/8

4. “Legend”

Speaking of Tom Hardy, the guy who has already starred in one of the most critically lauded blockbusters of the summer and will be a part of what is no doubt a front-runner in the awards race this season (see above), will make his own bid for Best Actor with director Brian Hegleland's “Legend.” With the success of “Mad Max: Fury Road,” Hardy has become a more visible star than ever before and “Legend” seems perfectly poised to be that definitive performance that forever puts him on the map as one of the greats. In the film, Hardy plays both Ronald and Reginald Kray who were identical twin gangsters that essentially ran the London crime scene in the 1950s and ‘60s. The trailers for the film are selling it as a must-see and the potential for greatness seems to be off the charts. If you've been watching a variety of movies over the last few years you already know the true talent that Hardy is, but based purely on what we've seen from “Legend” so far he's seemingly getting ready to make sure the rest of the world knows who he is. The film overall looks to be a massive gangster epic with a top shelf supporting cast that includes Emily Browning, David Thewlis, Christopher Eccleston, Chazz Palminteri, Tara Fitzgerald and Taron Egerton. Premieres: 10/2

3. “The Hateful Eight”

When Quentin Tarantino makes a new film it immediately shoots up to the top of most movie-lovers most anticipated lists. It has been three years since Tarantino graced us with his last project, but he will return this Christmas with another venture into the Western genre. “The Hateful Eight” was famously the subject of a rather sordid affair after an early draft of the script leaked online causing Tarantino to more or less cancel any plans of actually making the film and instead staged a live read of the script in April of 2014. Tarantino finally confirmed “The Hateful Eight” would indeed be his next film in July of last year after much speculation about whether it would come to fruition or not. A few minor changes were made to the cast after the table read (the most notable being the addition of Jennifer Jason Leigh) and production officially began at the end of last year. So, it has been a long road for Tarantino and his crew to reach this point and for audiences who are aware of the journey, the film is a long time coming as well. Needless to say, I can't wait to see the final product as Tarantino has given himself the set-up of post-Civil War Wyoming where a small group of stagecoach passengers get stranded during a blizzard in which to flourish. Premieres:12/25   

2. “Steve Jobs”

Said to be made up of only three scenes, each backstage at the launch of one of Apple's iconic products, “Steve Jobs” is not just the second movie about the Apple founder. As for the reasons why, let's take a look at the credentials this thing has going for it. The screenplay comes to us via Aaron Sorkin. The film is directed by Danny Boyle who, beyond winning an Oscar for 2008's “Slumdog Millionaire,” has directed more thrilling material with the likes of “127 Hours,” “Sunshine” and “28 Days Later” (though folks seem to really enjoy “Trainspotting,” as well). The cast is toplined by Michael Fassbender as the titular CEO and I won't be surprised if he takes home the Best Actor statue come February (sorry, once again, Leo). The supporting cast is filled out by the likes of Kate Winslet as Joanna Hoffman, one of the original members of both the Macintosh team and the NeXT team, Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak, the man who single-handedly developed the 1976 Apple I or the computer that launched the company, Katherine Waterson Vice will play Chrisann Brennan, Jobs high school girlfriend who's also the mother of his first child. Couple this with the fact Jeff Daniels will portray Chief executive officer of Apple, John Sculley, while Michael Stuhlberg will play original member of the Apple Macintosh development team Andy Hertzfeld and this thing can't be stopped. In short, the film looks rapturous and I don't use that word often. Premieres: 10/9


1. “Star Wars: The Force Awakens”

It's now been over a decade since we received the last ‘Star Wars’ film, 2005's ‘Revenge of the Sith.’ In that time, the ‘Star Wars’ universe has undergone some major transformations and shifts in power and thus we now have the beginning of a new trilogy that will continue where the original three films left off. Every other movie in town has pretty much cleared out of this juggernaut's path and I'm still trying to register the fact we're actually getting a new ‘Star Wars’ movie this year. All of the factors that inform this excitement are things no other film can really compete with and that's not necessarily fair, but it is what it is and while the subsequent ‘Star Wars’ sequels and anthology films may not immediately rank as high as this one I would be lying to myself if I put anything above ‘Episode VII’ on this list. Given the quality of the two trailers we've received thus far and the amount of good will that seems to be behind this project I can only hope for the best and relish in the fact no major story points have been given away as there is no need to divulge any plot details (people will show up for ‘Star Wars’ no matter what), but that we've simply been hyped for ‘The Force Awakens’ by catching glimpses of the new cast (Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac) as well as a quick peak at the older one as well. Chewie, I can't wait to come home. Premieres: 12/18

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