The first Monsters was an excellent exercise in how to create some truly beautiful effects and atmosphere with a tiny budget. It launched director Gareth Edwards into the spotlight and was generally very well received by critics. For the follow-up, a whole new cast and crew has been brought in, but there’s no reason not to be hopeful about Monsters: Dark Continent. Taking place two years after the original, we’re excited to hop back into the story set up by the first film and explore even further some of those political themes and intriguing questions that were posed by its predecessor.
True Story is making its way onto this list simply because we’re excited to see Franco and Hill do drama. It’s not like they haven’t worked in the genre before (they have, and to great results), but considering the fact that they’re mostly known for their comedy, it’s always nice to see them take on something a bit heavier. Here, the two A-listers tell us the riveting, true story (no pun intended) of the relationship between journalist Michael Finkel and Christian Longo, an FBI Most Wanted List murderer who for years lived outside the U.S. under Finkel’s name. The film sees both actors playing against type and judging by the trailer, they seem to be doing excellent and potentially even awards-worthy work.
Smart sci-fi is hard to come across these days, which is why the swarm of positive buzz surrounding Alex Garland’s upcoming directorial debut has us pretty excited. Boasting an impressive cast that includes Oscar Isaac, Domhnall Gleeson and Alicia Vikander, and an intriguing premise that promises to ask some thought-provoking questions, Ex Machina looks to be smart, sexy and thrilling sci-fi filmmaking at its most fascinating.
At this point, it’d be easier to list off the reasons that you shouldn’t see Furious 7 instead of why you should. And that’s because there really is no reason not to catch James Wan’s high-octane sequel next month. Not only has this franchise become better and better with each outing, but early reviews are already pegging it as one of the best in the series, confirming that Wan has successfully made the transition from horror to action. With mind-blowing set pieces promised and acting as a fitting tribute to the late Paul Walker, Furious 7 is ready to kick off the summer blockbuster season in style.
After doing some impressive work in The Drop, it’ll be a treat to see Tom Hardy and Noomi Rapace back on screen together. Add in the fact that they’re supported by Joel Kinnaman, Gary Oldman, Jason Clarke and more, and this film is practically bursting at the seams with top tier acting talent. Based on the novel of the same name, Child 44 promises a thrilling ride through Soviet Russia that could very well prove itself to be a major awards contender.
