Now that the 2013 Oscars are over and the films of 2012 have been recognized for their achievements, it is time to put the focus on upcoming movies. 2013 has already brought us another Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Broken City, a film about an ex-cop seeking revenge on the all-too powerful mayor of their city starring Mark Wahlberg, Russell Crowe and Catherine Zeta-Jones and A Haunted House, another attempt at parody-ing films that came before it. Let’s see what March has in store.
Opening tomorrow is director Bryan Singer’s Jack the Giant Slayer, a fantasy-adventure film based on the “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Jack the Giant Killer” fairytales. The film follows the story of Jack, played by Nicholas Hoult (most recently known for his lead role in Warm Bodies, and also for his role as Hank McCoy in X-Men: First Class). Jack is a young farmhand who must rescue a princess and her kingdom from a race of giants after accidentally opening a gateway to their world.
Also in theatres tomorrow is 21 and Over, a film about a boy who turns 21 on the night before his medical school exam, but his best friends convince him to go out and celebrate anyway. The film gives off a Project X vibe, which isn’t surprising, considering the lead role is played by Miles Teller, who held a semi-important role in Project X. The film also stars Skylar Astin as Casey and Justin Chon as Jeff Chang, the birthday boy whose future is at stake. 21 and Over was directed by Jon Lucas (The Hangover and The Hangover Part II) and Scott Moore (Wedding Crashers).
Also arriving soon is Sam Raimi’s Oz: The Great and Powerful. Opening on March 8, the film is inspired by L. Frank Baum’s 1900 novel, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, and is set before the 1939 film The Wizard of Oz. The movie stars James Franco as Oscar Diggs, also known as The Wizard of Oz, “Dawson’s Creek” sensation Michelle Williams as Glinda, Rachel Weisz (The Mummy and The Mummy Returns) as Evanora and Mila Kunis as Theodora. The film follows the Wizard’s arrival in Oz and his journey to greatness.
Opening on March 15 is Don Scardino’s The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, starring Steve Carell, Jim Carrey, Steve Buscemi and Olivia Wilde. The film follows Magician Burt Wonderstone (Steve Carell) and his experiences while trying to realize what made him fall in love with magic in the first place. Buscemi plays Burt’s former partner. The two split after new magician Steven Gray (Jim Carrey) comes to town and steals their thunder with dangerous new tricks.
Also in theatres on the 15 is The Call, starring Halle Berry and Abigail Breslin. Directed by Brad Anderson, the film focuses on a veteran 911-operator, Jordan (Berry), who must confront a killer from her past after receiving a call from a young abductee, Casey (Breslin). While in the trunk of the abductor’s car, Casey calls Jordan in hopes of being rescued, and Jordan springs into action to save the girl. The film should be a big one for Berry, who seemed to have stepped out of the film industry’s spotlight for a bit.
As for the rest of the year, there will be more great movies to come, such as Man of Steel in June and The Hunger Games: Catching Fire in November. For now, let’s just hope that 2013 will bring us a new assortment of Oscar winners to enjoy.
By Danielle Taus