Looking Forward to in 2012...

Director: Peter Jackson
Cast: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Christopher Lee, Richard Armitage, Andy Serkis, Aidan Turner, Cate Blanchett, James Nesbitt, Mikael Persbrandt

Plot: Bilbo Baggins, a Hobbit, journeys to the Lonely Mountain accompanied by a group of dwarves to reclaim a treasure taken from them by the dragon Smaug.

Australian Release Date: December 18th

Cal's Thoughts:

I shouldn't be alone in proclaiming that I absolutely love the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Combined, it is the greatest movie ever made bar none. After anticipating a movie adaptation for The Hobbit for so long, this is a dream come true. Add to this an ideal cast and Peter Jackson's involvement, and this is a wet dream come true. I've read the book, and I know that with Peter Jackson behind it...practically nothing can go wrong. It will indeed be great to see this after all the years of endless delays and setbacks.

Excitement Rating: 10/10

Plan your getaway


Director: Adrian Grunberg
Cast: Mel Gibson, Peter Stormare, Kevin Hernandez, Dean Norris, Dolores Heredia

Plot: A career criminal nabbed by Mexican authorities is placed in a tough prison where he learns to survive with the help of a 9-year-old boy.

Australian Release Date: May 31st

Cal's Thoughts:

Mel Gibson is God. Nuff said.

Excitement Rating: 10/10

Director: Simon West
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Dolph Lundgren, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Chuck Norris, Scott Atkins, Liam Hemsworth

Plot: Mr. Church reunites the Expendables for what should be an easy paycheck, but when one of their men is murdered on the job, their quest for revenge puts them deep in enemy territory and up against an unexpected threat.

Australian Release Date: August 30th

Cal's Thoughts:

So it was meant to be PG-13, but now it looks like it will be R. This pleases me greatly. I want to see where the story heads, I like Stallone action movies, and the cast is absolutely epic. Arnie and Bruce Willis in bigger roles, Scott Adkins is on-board, Van Damme is present, and even Chuck Norris has joined the crew. This is destined to be amazing!

Excitement Rating: 10/10

Director: Ruben Fleischer
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Giovanni Ribisi, Josh Brolin, Sean Penn, Anthony Mackie, Mireille Enos, Nick Nolte, Robert Patrick

Plot: A chronicle of the LAPD's fight to keep East Coast Mafia types out of Los Angeles in the 1940s and 50s.

Australian Release Date: January 10th, 2013

Cal's Thoughts:

Oh my goodness, this looks like a goddamn masterpiece. Ryan Gosling has now established himself as a great actor, and he's joined here by some tough-as-nails supporting players (including Nick Nolte). The premise is full of potential for a badass, gleeful action flick, and I have no doubt it will deliver based on the amazing trailer and the confirmed R rating. Fuck, I can't wait! This is a masterpiece in the making!

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Nicolas Winding Refn
Cast: Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas, Tom Burke, Yayaying, Vithaya Pansringarm, Gordon Brown, Oak Keerati

Plot: A Bangkok police lieutenant and a gangster settle their differences in a Thai-boxing match.

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

A re-teaming of Refn and Ryan Gosling is something to get very excited about, as Drive was the greatest movie of 2011 bar none. This film looks and sounds very interesting. I can't wait to see what kind of film Refn has cooked up this time.

Excitement Rating: 9/10

To survive the end of the world you must first survive each other


Director: Xavier Gens
Cast: Lauren German, Michael Biehn, Milo Ventimiglia, Courtney B. Vance, Ashton Holmes, Rosanna Arquette, Iván González

Plot: Survivors of a nuclear attack are grouped together for days in the basement of their apartment building, where fear and dwindling supplies wear away at their dynamic.

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

Whoa, this looks awesome. Michael Biehn is great in everything, so his presence alone justifies me wanting to see this movie. The fact that the story is interesting and the trailer looks promising only heightens my expectations. I'll definitely be seeing this!

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Maksim Korostyshevsky
Cast: Sean Bean, Christian Slater, Ving Rhames, Dominic Monaghan, James Cromwell, Colm Meaney, Freddy Rodríguez

Plot: Wealthy thrill-seekers pay huge premiums to have themselves inserted into military adventures, only this time things don't go exactly to plan.

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

The most prominent thing which sticks out about this movie is the cast, which is amazingly epic; combining such names as Sean Bean, Ving Rhames, Dominic Monaghan, Colm Meaney and James Cromwell, among others. Plenty of badasses here. Plus, the plot suggests this will be a Dirty Dozen/Wild Geese-style ensemble action pic, which excites me tremendously. I cannot wait to check this one out!

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Ben Affleck
Cast: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, Barry Livingston, John Goodman, Michael Cassidy, Taylor Schilling, Clea DuVall

Plot: As the Iranian revolution reaches a boiling point, a CIA 'exfiltration' specialist concocts a risky plan to free six Americans who have found shelter at the home of the Canadian ambassador.

Australian Release Date: October 25th

Cal's Thoughts:

I have no doubt that this will be a masterpiece. Ben Affleck has become one of the greatest directors currently working. The notion of another Affleck-directed thriller is very exciting. Throw in a few great actors (including Bryan Cranston) and an engaging story, and I'm very excited!

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Larry Charles
Cast: Sacha Baron Cohen, Sayed Badreya, Anna Faris, Ben Kingsley

Plot: The heroic story of a dictator who risks his life to ensure that democracy would never come to the country he so lovingly oppressed.

Australian Release Date: May 16th

Cal's Thoughts:

It's Sacha Baron Cohen doing what he does best. It should be absolutely hilarious...

Excitement Rating: 9/10

He rides again...2012


Director: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor
Cast: Nicolas Cage, Ciarán Hinds, Idris Elba, Christopher Lambert, Violante Placido, Johnny Whitworth

Plot: As Johnny Blaze hides out in Eastern Europe, he is called upon to stop the devil, who is trying to take human form.

Australian Release Date: February 13th

Cal's Thoughts:

Honestly, I didn't mind the original Ghost Rider, but it had a lot of glaring problems. With the Crank guys behind the camera here, I have rather high hopes for this. Plus, I just can't help but hold out hope that it'll be good.
EDIT: HOLY SHIT TRAILER IS FUCKING EPIC THIS IS GOING TO FUCKING RULE!!!!

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Rian Johnson
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Bruce Willis, Emily Blunt, Piper Perabo, Paul Dano, Garret Dillahunt, Jeff Daniels

Plot: A killer who works for the mob of the future recognizes one of his targets as his future self.

Australian Release Date: October 11th

Cal's Thoughts:

Okay, so Bruce Willis has been doing a lot of pure paycheque roles these days and doesn't seem to consider the quality of the films he stars in... But I have high hopes for this one, especially because of the intriguing premise and a really promising cast. I still don't really know what to make of this one... But hey - the first official image of the film shows Bruce Willis firing a gun, so it should be pretty cool...right? Plus the trailer looks pretty awesome. I just hope we don't have another Surrogates on our hands...

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Noomi Rapace, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, Logan Marshall-Green, Rafe Spall

Plot: A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.

Australian Release Date: June 5th

Cal's Thoughts:

From the sounds of it, Fox has caved in and allowed Ridley Scott to make the Alien prequel/s he has always wanted to make. It indeed sounds like Scott and his team will make not a cash-in, but a prequel that's being made for artistic rather than financial reasons. Scott is a smart man, and I have no doubt this will be positively epic. Can't wait.

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Daniel Day-Lewis, Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Hal Holbrook, James Spader, John Hawkes, Tim Blake Nelson, Bruce McGill, Joseph Cross

Plot: Based on Doris Kearns Goodwin's bestseller Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln, the film will follow Lincoln's leadership during the years of the American Civil War.

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

Yes! Steven Spielberg is further revisiting his bygone Oscar bait instincts. This should be a damn good movie.

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Joss Whedon
Cast: Robert Downey Jr., Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Chris Hemsworth, Mark Ruffalo, Don Cheadle, Lou Ferrigno

Plot: When an unexpected enemy emerges that threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of the international peacekeeping agency known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world back from the brink of disaster.

Australian Release Date: April 25th

Cal's Thoughts:

As an avid watcher of Marvel's movies, it's very difficult to not be excited at the prospect of an Avengers movie. Not only are the heroes themselves mega awesome, but the cast is epic. If this wasn't enough, Joss Whedon is on-board as writer and director. This is the guy responsible for Firefly/Serenity, so he knows how to use an ensemble in a way that does justice to all the cast members involved. This should be a terrific movie, and I cannot wait.

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: John Gulager
Cast: Gary Busey, David Hasselhoff, Danielle Panabaker, Chris Zylka, Jean-Luc Bilodeau, David Koechner, Matt Bush

Plot: There’s something in the water... again. And this time no one is safe from the flesh eating fish as they sink their razor sharp teeth into the visitors of the best summer attraction, The Big Wet Water Park.

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

I may not have loved 2010's Piranha 3D, but it was cheesy fun. I'm kinda looking forward to this on the basis of wanting to see what happens next due to the cliffhanger at the end of the first film... But I'm mainly looking forward to it because GARY FUCKING BUSEY is in it! This is history in the making right here. Gary Busey returns to the big screen...with piranhas. Can you imagine it?

"Piranha season's over, butthorn!"

While filming Predator 2, they said that Gary acted like he was actually fighting intergalactic aliens... His on-screen performance here will likely equal that awesomeness.

Here's what Gary has to say about his role in the movie: "I play a farmer. A cow explodes because of its farting ability and out of it come hundreds of piranha, raining down on me. You'll see how I treat one of them."

EDIT: New trailer! This movie is going to be a MASTERPIECE. I'm not even kidding. It looks genuinely witty, tongue-in-cheek and hilariously awesome. And check out Gary Busey's bit at 1min, 31 secs. That alone makes it better than your favourite movie.

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Kimble Rendall
Cast: Alice Parkinson, Sharni Vinson, Julian McMahon, Xavier Samuel, Phoebe Tonkin, Cariba Heine

Plot: A freak tsunami traps shoppers at a coastal Australian supermarket inside the building ... along with a pack of tiger sharks.

Australian Release Date: September 20th

Cal's Thoughts:

How can I not be excited by the notion of an Aussie shark movie which showcases sharks mauling people in 3-D? I mean, sure, we'd all love a new Jaws (we got it last year with The Reef, mind you), but this sounds like it'll satisfy the side of my brain which craves fun. Plus the trailer looks pretty damn impressive. Pure R-rated horror bliss...

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Stephan Elliott
Cast: Xavier Samuel, Rebel Wilson, Olivia Newton-John, Kris Marshall, Kevin Bishop, Elizabeth Debicki

Plot: A comedy about a groom and his three best men who travel to the Australian outback for a wedding.

Australian Release Date: January 26th

Cal's Thoughts:

Where the hell did this gem come from? I hadn't even heard of it until I saw the trailer in a cinema, and cried with laughter. Not only does it look bloody hilarious, but it's from the director of The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and was written by the Death at a Funeral scribe. Add to this a promising cast and some Aussie scenery, and this is an instant classic in the making. Can't wait!!

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Mike McCoy, Scott Waugh
Cast: Roselyn Sanchez, Emilio Rivera, Nestor Serrano, Gonzalo Menendez, Ailsa Marshall, Jason Cottle

Plot: An elite team of Navy SEALs embark on a covert mission to recover a kidnapped CIA agent.

Australian Release Date: May 3rd

Cal's Thoughts:

Where did this movie come from?! All of a sudden someone linked me to the trailer, and now it's one of my most anticipated movies of the year. The main draw of this movie is that the soldiers are not just actors who've gone through some type of boot camp, but real, genuine Navy SEALS whose actions will look absolutely genuine. This has the potential to be the best, most authentic military movie of all time. I cannot wait.

Excitement Rating: 9/10

There Was Never Just One


Director: Tony Gilroy
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Edward Norton, Rachel Weisz, Oscar Isaac, Joan Allen, Scott Glenn, Albert Finney

Plot: Centered on a new CIA operative in the universe based on Robert Ludlum's novels.

Australian Release Date: August 16th

Cal's Thoughts:

Being an avid lover of the Bourne trilogy, I was hesitant about the proposed fourth Bourne movie which was rumoured and talked about for so long. Luckily, it looks as if this will actually be good. Without Jason Bourne, the film will not tarnish the terrific ending of Ultimatum. Most importantly, Tony Gilroy is an excellent writer and director. I hope and pray this will be good, and I look forward to it.

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Roman Coppola
Cast: Charlie Sheen, Bill Murray, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman, Patricia Arquette, Katheryn Winnick

Plot: A graphic designer's enviable life slides into despair when his girlfriend breaks up with him.

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

This is written and directed by a Coppola, so this is the first sign of brilliance. The second sign is Charlie Sheen, who's always awesome. The third promising sign is comedic genius Bill Murray. And Mary Elizabeth Winstead is in this, too. Whoa, what a cast! The film will apparently intersect with some of Sheen's real-life persona...now that is destined to provide many moments of inspired hilarity. In unscripted talk shows, Sheen is side-splitting. I can't wait to see him unchained in a feature movie alongside Bill Murray...

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Seth MacFarlane
Cast: Mila Kunis, Mark Wahlberg, Seth MacFarlane, Giovanni Ribisi, Laura Vandervoort, Patrick Warburton, Jessica Stroup, Joel McHale, Ginger Gonzaga

Plot: A story centered on a man and his teddy bear, who comes to life as the result of a childhood wish.

Australian Release Date: July 5th

Cal's Thoughts:

Straight off the bat, I love Seth MacFarlane's brand of humour. Family Guy is awesome. The fact that he's handling such a premise, and that it will be R-rated gives me really high hopes. This will more than likely be an awesome, hilarious comedy.

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Olivier Megaton
Cast: Liam Neeson, Maggie Grace, Famke Janssen, Rade Serbedzija

Plot: When his wife is kidnapped during a vacation in Istanbul, retired CIA operative Bryan Mills works to get his family to safety, rescue his wife, and take out the kidnappers one by one.

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

I frikkin' loved Taken - it was a lean blast of pure action fun with no pretensions. It's the closest thing to an '80s action movie that we've gotten in recent years. With the original cast returning and with the original writers returning, I have high hopes that Taken 2 will be as fun as its predecessor. Though the director of Transporter 3 is at the helm here... I hope he has improved his technique in the last few years. And I damn well hope that this film is R-rated, or I'll be very cross.

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Roel Reiné
Cast: Luke Goss, Danny Trejo, Ving Rhames, Dougray Scott, Tanit Phoenix, Brandon Livanos, Robin Shou, Fred Koehler

Plot: TBA

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

After Paul W.S. Anderson's surprisingly awesome reboot of Death Race from 2008, it spawned a sequel that was also surprisingly awesome. It went direct to home video, but it got pretty much everything right. With the second film's writer and the second film's director returning for this third film, and with plenty more vehicular carnage practically guaranteed, Death Race 3 should be awesome.

Excitement Rating: 9/10

Director: Pete Travis
Cast: Karl Urban, Olivia Thirlby, Lena Headey, Domhnall Gleeson, Langley Kirkwood, Jason Cope, Deobia Oparei

Plot: In a violent, futuristic city, the police have the authority to act as judge, jury and executioner.

Australian Release Date: October 25th

Cal's Thoughts:

While I admittedly enjoyed the Sylvester Stallone-starring Judge Dredd, I would love to see another Judge Dredd movie - one which took a more serious, R-rated route. And that is what this new Judge Dredd movie is promising. Added to this, Karl Urban should make an amazing Dredd, Pete Travis can handle action competently, and Alex Garland (Sunshine, 28 Days Later) is one of those contributing to the script. I'm very optimistic, and the outlook is promising.

Excitement Rating: 8/10

Director: Robert Sarkies
Cast: Hamish Blake, Bret McKenzie, Maaka Pohatu, Filip Berg, Russell Smith, Erin Banks, Lee Hatherly

Plot: When Nige finds himself in a spot of bother after a series of unfortunate incidents, he is forced to ask Deano for help. The problem is Deano is not really the kind of guy you should turn to in a crisis.

Australian Release Date: November 29th

Cal's Thoughts:

Bret McKenzie from Flight of the Conchords. Hamish Blake from all of his brilliant collaborations with Andy Lee. I could stop justifying my interest right there. But added to this, it's a comedy, it sounds fun, and I have high hopes.

Excitement Rating: 8/10

Director: Sam Mendes
Cast: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Ralph Fiennes, Javier Bardem, Albert Finney, Helen McCrory, Naomie Harris

Plot: Bond's loyalty to M is tested as her past comes back to haunt her. As MI6 comes under attack, 007 must track down and destroy the threat, no matter how personal the cost.

Australian Release Date: November 22nd

Cal's Thoughts:

I didn't go crazy for Casino Royale or Quantum of Solace. In fact I intensely disliked the latter, and I'm not sold on the new direction the Bond franchise took. Still, all the homework is out of the way...now the Bond series should be returning to self-contained narratives and more classic Bond stuff... I hope...

Excitement Rating: 8/10

Director: Michael J. Bassett
Cast: Sean Bean, Carrie-Anne Moss, Malcolm McDowell, Radha Mitchell, Deborah Kara Unger, Kit Harington, Adelaide Clemens

Plot: Heather Mason and her father have been on the run, always one step ahead of dangerous forces that she doesn't fully understand. Now on the eve of her 18th birthday, plagued by horrific nightmares and the disappearance of her father, Heather discovers she's not who she thinks she is. The revelation leads her deeper into a demonic world that threatens to trap her forever.

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

I really, really liked the Silent Hill movie. In fact I borderline loved it. All the critics can go screw themselves. I've been looking forward to a sequel ever since I saw the first movie, and therefore I'm understandably chuffed about the follow-up happening at long last. You can guarantee that no matter what the critics say, I'll be checking this one out.

Excitement Rating: 8/10

Director: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Cast: Katie Featherston, Brady Allen

Plot: Unknown

Australian Release Date: October 18th

Cal's Thoughts:

The series gets a lot of flack, but I adore the Paranormal Activity films. Well, I loved the first and found the sequels pretty good, but it's the franchise as a whole that I love because there are some fantastic ideas. The notion of a fourth is stretching it a bit, but what can I say? I'm hooked. I want to see what's going to happen next.

Excitement Rating: 8/10

Director: James Mather, Stephen St. Leger
Cast: Maggie Grace, Guy Pearce, Peter Stormare, Lennie James, Vincent Regan, Joseph Gilgun, Jacky Ido

Plot: A man wrongly convicted of conspiracy to commit espionage against the U.S. is offered his freedom if he can rescue the president's daughter from an outer space prison taken over by violent inmates.

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

The genre is action/thriller/sci-fi, which is enough to make me jump at the chance to watch this. Added to that, the story sounds extremely interesting, and the cast has a few solid names. Sure, count me in.

Excitement Rating: 8/10

Director: Baz Luhrmann
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Tobey Maguire, Carey Mulligan, Isla Fisher, Joel Edgerton, Callan McAuliffe, Jason Clarke

Plot: Nick Carraway, a Midwesterner now living on Long Island, finds himself fascinated by the mysterious past and lavish lifestyle of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby. He is drawn into Gatsby's circle, becoming a witness to obsession and tragedy.

Australian Release Date: January 10th, 2013

Cal's Thoughts:

I've not read the book, nor am I familiar with this story, but my interest is piqued due to the amazing cast and a great director. Plus that trailer looks very promising. This looks to be a very stylish, engaging picture - and the 3-D effects look stunning from what I've seen.

Excitement Rating: 8/10

Director: Brenda Chapman
Cast: Reese Witherspoon, Kevin McKidd, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson

Plot: Scottish princess, Merida, defies her parents by perusing an interest in archery, but inadvertently jeopardizes her father's kingdom in the process.

Australian Release Date: June 21st

Cal's Thoughts:

Being another release from Pixar, I'm looking forward to this movie primarily because of the studio's involvement (their almost-perfect track record is unprecedented). Yet, in addition to this being a Pixar movie, the plot sounds promising, and the voice cast is intriguing. I'll certainly catch this one at the cinema.

Excitement Rating: 8/10

They are back... in time.


Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Cast: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Emma Thompson, Rip Torn, Jemaine Clement

Plot: Agent J travels in time to MIB's early years in the 1960s, to stop an alien from assassinating his friend Agent K and changing history.

Australian Release Date: May 24th

Cal's Thoughts:

I'm anticipating this third Men in Black movie solely because I'm fan of both the original and the main characters. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are a marvellous odd couple. While MIB II was definitely lacking, I do hope this third film will be good. Though it's difficult to remain optimistic due to the law of declining sequels. We'll wait and see, I guess.
EDIT: Trailers look remarkably good... I'm surprised.

Excitement Rating: 7/10

Director: Drew Goddard
Cast: Richard Jenkins, Bradley Whitford, Jesse Williams, Chris Hemsworth, Fran Kranz, Kristen Connolly

Plot: A twisted and unusual take on the familiar "cabin in the woods" formula.

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

Like many others, I adore the works of Joss Whedon - particularly his Serenity/Firefly creations. Considering the talent involved here (Drew Goddard co-wrote the script, while the cast has got some good names in it) and the premise, this has the potential to be a fun slice of horror cinema. I'm looking forward to it.
EDIT: Reviews are out and they're VERY positive. This sounds like it will be a total masterpiece.

Excitement Rating: 7/10

The Legend Ends


Director: Christopher Nolan
Cast: Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Michael Caine, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Anne Hathaway, Tom Hardy

Plot: Eight years after Batman took the fall for Two Face's crimes, a new terrorist leader, Bane, overwhelms Gotham's finest, and the Dark Knight resurfaces to protect a city that has branded him an enemy.

Australian Release Date: July 19th

Cal's Thoughts:

Upfront: I cannot say I loved The Dark Knight as much as everyone else did. In my books, it's the most overrated movie of all time. Still, I liked it to an extent, and I'm definitely curious to see where the franchise will head in this third instalment. Quality usually declines a hundredfold by a third movie, so we'll wait and see how this one pans out.

Excitement Rating: 7/10

Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Winona Ryder, Catherine O'Hara, Martin Landau, Martin Short, Robert Capron, Christopher Lee, Conchata Ferrell

Plot: When young Victor's pet dog Sparky (who stars in Victor's home-made monster movies) is hit by a car, Victor decides to bring him back to life the only way he knows how. But when the bolt-necked "monster" wreaks havoc and terror in the hearts of Victor's neighbors, he has to convince them (and his parents) that despite his appearance, Sparky's still the good loyal friend he's always been.

Australian Release Date: October 25th

Cal's Thoughts:

Being an adamant fan of Tim Burton and a worshipper of many of his cinematic creations, I will see anything this man creates. Added to my adoration for Burton, I like the short film this new production is based on. It's an interesting story, too. Plus, this is a stop-motion animation rendition of the story. I'm intrigued.

Excitement Rating: 7/10

Director: Quentin Tarantino
Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Samuel L. Jackson, Kerry Washington, Zoe Bell, James Remar, Don Johnson, Jonah Hill

Plot: With the help of his mentor, a slave-turned-bounty hunter sets out to rescue his wife from a brutal Mississippi plantation owner.

Australian Release Date: January 24th, 2013

Cal's Thoughts:

I'm not the biggest fan of Quentin Tarantino and personally feel that he has lost his touch after the godawful Death Proof and the disappointing Inglourious Basterds. Nevertheless, I'm willing to give this movie the benefit of the doubt due to the promising-sounding plot and the great cast. I'm in no rush to see it, but I'll see it.

Excitement Rating: 7/10

Director: Walter Hill
Cast: Sylvester Stallone, Sung Kang, Jason Momoa, Christian Slater, Sarah Shahi

Plot: After watching their respective partners die, a cop and a hitman form an alliance in order to bring down their common enemy.

Australian Release Date: November 8th

Cal's Thoughts:

I'm excited to see this. For starters, I will see Sylvester Stallone in anything, and to top this off this is an action movie. Walter Hill is also at the helm, meaning it could be a really badass but darkly comic action film.
EDIT: Tom Jane has been replaced with a pussy action star, and the rest of the cast is worse. I want to think it'll be good, but Christ the outlook is amazingly shaky.

Excitement Rating: 7/10

Evil goes global


Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
Cast: Milla Jovovich, Michelle Rodriguez, Sienna Guillory, Kevin Durand, Oded Fehr, Bingbing Li

Plot: Alice fights alongside a resistance movement in the continuing battle against the Umbrella Corporation and the undead.

Australian Release Date: October 11th

Cal's Thoughts:

The Resident Evil series gets a lot of flack, and I really didn't like the fourth film. But I am excited for this one. After all, it's a big-budget, R-rated zombie action picture which should kick some serious ass. The trailers look promising, too. Hopefully it won't be as dull as its predecessor.

Excitement Rating: 7/10

The Games Will Change Everyone


Director: Gary Ross
Cast: Jennifer Lawrence, Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley, Josh Hutcherson, Willow Shields, Elizabeth Banks, Liam Hemsworth

Plot: Set in a future where the Capitol selects a boy and girl from the twelve districts to fight to the death on live television, Katniss Everdeen volunteers to take her younger sister's place for the latest match.

Australian Release Date: March 22nd

Cal's Thoughts:

It sounds interesting. Plus it has a lot of hype surrounding it. Yeah sure I'll see it.

Excitement Rating: 7/10

Director: Dan Bradley
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Adrianne Palicki, Josh Hutcherson, Josh Peck, Isabel Lucas, Jeffrey Dean Morgan

Plot: A group of teenagers look to save their town from an invasion.

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

I'm against remakes. I'm sure most people are, unless they're really shallow movie-goers. However, the original Red Dawn is mega cheesy and left room for improvement. Plus, the concept is good. This remake has potential. Excellent action director Dan Bradley at the helm, Tony Gilroy was involved in the script, and a number of the cast-members are actually half-decent. Bring it on.

Excitement Rating: 7/10

Director: Tim Burton
Cast: Johnny Depp, Eva Green, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jonny Lee Miller, Chloë Grace Moretz, Gulliver McGrath, Helena Bonham Carter, Jackie Earle Haley

Plot: A gothic-horror tale centering on the life of vampire Barnabas Collins and his run-ins with various monsters, witches, werewolves and ghosts. Based on the cult TV series.

Australian Release Date: May 10th

Cal's Thoughts:

A lot of factors intrigue me about this project, from the notion of old-school vampires (not faggy Twilight vampires) to the cast to the story. But perhaps most importantly, this is another Johnny Depp/Tim Burton collaboration, and I love it when those two get together to make a movie. I can't wait to see what Burton makes of vampires, and I can't wait to see what Depp makes of a vampire role.
EDIT: Trailer's out. Doesn't look good.

Excitement Rating: 6/10

Revenge is a dish best served cold.

Director: Kern Saxton
Cast: Tony Todd, James Duval, Noah Hathaway, Mark Hamill, Cyrus Alexander, Michael Biehn, Sonny Chiba, Danny Trejo

Plot: Fish has spent six years in jail. Six years alone. Six years keeping his mouth shut about the robbery, about the other men involved. The night he is released, the four men he protected with silence celebrate his freedom with a congratulatory dinner. The meal is a lavish array of sushi, served off the naked body of a beautiful young woman. The sushi girl seems catatonic, trained to ignore everything in the room, even if things become dangerous. Sure enough, the four unwieldy thieves can't help but open old wounds in an attempt to find their missing loot.

Australian Release Date: TBA

Cal's Thoughts:

This just sounds...interesting. Interesting premise. A very interesting cast. And an extremely interesting trailer. It might be too arthouse-ish for my taste, but I'm definitely prepared to give it a whirl, if for no other reason than to see Mark Hamill in a movie for the first time since Star Wars, har har.

Excitement Rating: 6/10

The untold story begins


Director: Marc Webb
Cast: Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Denis Leary, Irrfan Khan, Annie Parisse, Campbell Scott, Embeth Davidtz, Chris Zylka, Martin Sheen

Plot: Peter Parker finds a clue that might help him understand why his parents disappeared when he was young. His path puts him on a collision course with Dr. Curt Connors, his father's former partner.

Australian Release Date: July 4th

Cal's Thoughts:

A reboot of the Spider-Man film franchise? Really? I was in the minority who enjoyed the entire Sam Raimi Spider-Man trilogy, and therefore I perceive reboot as quite superfluous. That said, I am curious to see how this reboot pans out. Perhaps it will be superior to Raimi's version... Perhaps it will be one of the best comic book movies of all time... Or perhaps it will sink without a trace. But right now, I'm fairly certain it will suck. It has fail written all over it (i.e. little-known male lead, a director of a rom-com and music videos with no blockbuster experience, and the script is being written by the guy who penned The Losers).

Excitement Rating: 6/10

Director: Steve Martino, Mike Thurmeier
Cast: Ray Romano, Karen Disher, Queen Latifah, Jennette McCurdy, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary, Chris Wedge, Avril Lavigne, Carlos Saldanha

Plot: Manny, Diego, and Sid embark upon another adventure after their continent is set adrift. Using an iceberg as a ship, they encounter sea creatures and battle pirates as they explore a new world.

Australian Release Date: June 28th

Cal's Thoughts:

Another Ice Age?! Really?! I have a certain attachment to the series after adoring the first instalment, but the sequels were lacking. I have little doubt this unnecessary fourth film will further disgrace the original film, but I am curious to see how it pans out.

Excitement Rating: 5/10

Feel the Wrath


Director: Jonathan Liebesman
Cast: Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes, Rosamund Pike, Sam Worthington, Bill Nighy, Danny Huston, Toby Kebbell, Édgar Ramírez

Plot: Perseus embarks on a treacherous quest into the underworld to rescue Zeus, who has been targeted for capture by his traitorous son, Ares, and his brother, Hades.

Australian Release Date: March 29th

Cal's Thoughts:

Everyone I know hated 2010's Clash of the Titans remake... everyone. And I disliked it, too. But I'm curious about this sequel because of the cast, and because the makers seem to agree that the first movie was a piece of shit, and they're keen to rectify the mistake. We'll see what happens, but it's doubtful this movie will incur a cinema visit.

Excitement Rating: 5/10

Director: Peter Berg
Cast: Liam Neeson, Alexander Skarsgård, Taylor Kitsch, Brooklyn Decker, Rihanna

Plot: A fleet of ships is forced to do battle with an armada of unknown origins in order to discover and thwart their destructive goals.

Australian Release Date: April 12th

Cal's Thoughts:

Hmm...I'm not exactly pumped about this one. Trailer looks squiffy and the premise is in no way promising. But meh, maybe it could be fun. In no rush to see it, though.

Excitement Rating: 4/10