Now that we’ve got that pesky 2012 out of the way, we can
turn our attention to the year ahead of us. 2013 still seems sparkly and new,
there are no dings or scratches, and the possibilities are positively
intoxicating. From all appearances, the next 12 months should be a pretty good
time to be a fan of science fiction movies. We’ve got high-profile sequels on
the way, a couple of long-awaited follow-ups to phenomenal debuts, and a whole
mess of exciting films to see in the theaters. Some will be kick ass actioners,
while others bring big ideas, themes, and thinkin’ to the genre.
With all of that in mind, here are the ten movies I’m most
looking forward to.
10. Oblivion
Sure, this may look something like a live-action remake of
WALL-E, but Oblivion also has the
potential to be a slick, action-packed take on a post-catastrophic-war Earth.
Most of the plot details are being kept under wraps, but the more that comes
out, plus all the flashy eye candy, the more intrigued you get. And how can
Morgan Freeman as the leader of a group of pseudo-steampunk, underground
survivors not make you curious?
9. The World’s End
2013 will also bring us the third installment of the
so-called “Cornetto Trilogy,” from the team of Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg.
They’ve already skewered zombies with Shaun of the Dead, and
taken the piss out of action cinema with Hot Fuzz.
The World’s End follows a group of old friends on an
apocalyptic pub crawl, one that may conclude, both literally and figuratively,
with the World’s End, the last tavern on their list. Sometimes after a night
like this, you wake up feeling like the world is ending, but this time, however,
it might be for real. Thus far, Wright and Pegg’s collaborations manage to work
both as fun send-ups, while still functioning as strong genre films in their
own right. Shaun of the Dead is funny, but also a good
horror flick, and Hot Fuzz takes some dark, action-heavy
turns after a laughter filled beginning. If The World’s End
is even a fraction of the first two movies, we’re in for a damn fine time.
8. Riddick
After meeting with repeated delays, but also much fan
anticipation, the third film in the Chronicles of Riddick
universe, simply titled Riddick, drops this year. Production
was fitful, but star Vin Diesel and director David Twohy made this happen
through sheer force of will. Chapter three is more in line with the smaller
budget and scope of Pitch Black, the first film in the
series, rather than the overreaching, PG-13 Chronicles.
Riddick finds the titular antihero stranded on a barren
planet, fighting for his life against creatures that were there first. His only
avenue of escape is to alert the bounty hunters on his trail to his
whereabouts, but when they arrive, he meets a deadly new breed of merc, and a
familiar face that is none too pleased to see him. Already boasting a hard-R rating,
Riddick sounds like a better set up for a character that is
a cold-blooded mass-murderer with an extensive space rap sheet.
7. World War Z
The big screen adaptation of Max Brooks’ best-selling oral
history of the zombie wars has been in trouble from the get go. With a
non-linear story that lacks both a central protagonist and any narrative
through lines, World War Z, the book, feels almost
unfilmable. Mix that with well-publicized script problems, and extensive reshoots,
and this has disaster written all over it. But that’s part of what makes this
so intriguing. If they do manage to pull a good movie out of their ass, hats
off to them; and even if World War Z crashes and burns,
it’ll be a spectacle worth gawking at. Not that I’m rooting for failure, I love
the book, and want to see justice done.
6. Upstream Color
It’s been almost a decade since Shane Carruth’s micro-budget
time travel film Primer blew us all away, but he’s finally
back. After watching two trailers with very different tones, and reading what
might be the shorted plot synopsis ever, I still have no clue what his follow
up, Upstream Color, is all about. But that’s not going to
stop a lot of us from being damn excited to find out. Whatever this turns out
to be, you can bet it’s going to esoteric, unique, and thought provoking.
5. Ender’s Game
Though there are some serious departures from the source
material, the adaptation of Orson Scott Card’s celebrated novel,
Ender’s Game, will still delve into the book’s twisting
themes about war, morality, duty, and more. Young Ender Wiggin trains in an
intense military academy, fights fellow recruits and the administration, in
preparation to lead the human race into battle against an alien race. Throw in
Harrison Ford as Colonel Graff, the crotchety head of the Battle School, and
you’ve got the makings of a winner here.
4. Elysium
Another sophomore effort many of us are anxious to see, is
Elysium, Neill Blomkamp’s first film post-District
9. If that picture of Matt Damon holding a giant gun isn’t enough to
get pique your interest, consider the big themes involved, like class conflict
between groups who live in a luxurious space station, and those forced to
scrape out a living among the shambles of a ruined Earth. Again, Blomkamp dives
into deeply political waters, bringing a big name cast that features Jodie
Foster along to tell a story about regular people struggling to get basic
necessities, like food and healthcare.
3. Star Trek Into Darkness
If you’re reading this site it’s a safe bet that you know
that there’s a new Star Trek movie coming out this year.
It’s called Star Trek Into Darkness, you may have heard of
it. Love for J.J. Abrams’ reboot of the franchise can be somewhat contentious
among Trek purists, but his 2009 version kicked a lot of
ass, and Into Darkness aims to deliver another dose of the
same medicine. Not much is known plot wise, and while it might be a bit early in
a series to dip into the “going rogue” well, we’ve been promised a harrowing,
formidable villain in John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), and the tone in the
trailers is suitably dark and ominous. You get the definite impression that
there are going to be some serious downers. Paramount has done such a masterful
job pimping this film that they don’t even need to tell us anything about it,
yet we’re all foaming at the mouth. Odds are, regardless of your stance,
Star Trek Into Darkness will be one of the biggest sci-fi
movies of 2013.
2. Snowpiercer
Korean director Bong Joon-ho (The Host)
is tackling a post-apocalyptic joint for his English language debut. An
adaptation of a French graphic novel, Snowpiercer is the
story of the last remnants of humanity, endlessly circling a frozen wasteland
in a train. On the inside, a rigid class hierarchy has developed, and
revolution simmers among the lower, oppressed caste. The inherent tension of a
confined space, the high stakes of being the last people alive, and a top of
the line international cast that includes Chris Evans, Ewen Bremner, Tilda
Swinton, Octavia Spencer, Jamie Bell, John Hurt, Song Kang-ho, Alison Pill, and
Ed Harris, adds up to a taut, riveting thriller. Bong has a deft touch when it
comes to balancing character, action, and special effects, and as more comes
out about Snowpiercer, the more exciting it looks. I’m
looking forward to this more than any film in 2013 other than Pacific
Rim.
1. Pacific Rim
Guillermo del Toro, massive monsters, giant robots? Can you
ask for anything more in a movie? It promises to be everything Robot
Jox isn’t (and I love me some Robot Jox). Any one
of those elements alone is enough to warrant watching a movie. Add them all
together and you have magic, colossal, destructive magic. Everything else in
2013 takes a back seat to Pacific Rim.
BONUS (because it probably won’t come out until 2014, but
it’s still one of my most anticipated films): Mad Max: Fury
Road
Assuming that god doesn’t blink it out of existence, the
Earth doesn’t open up and swallow it whole, and the studio doesn’t shelve the
film indefinitely, we may, one day, lay eyes on Mad Max: Fury
Road, George Miller’s long-gestating return to the post-apocalyptic
highways. I’ve been waiting for the further adventures of Max Rockatansky since
Beyond Thunderdome in 1985. The production survived floods,
delays, budget overruns, and finished filming under the scrutiny of a studio
stooge, but the set photos of all those badass, custom-built war-machines
tear-assing around Namibia is enough to start you salivating. Principle
photography finished up in December, so with a little bit of luck we’ll finally
have the chance to see how Tom Hardy measures up to Mel Gibson.
So that’s my list. There’s bound to be at least a couple
miserable failures involved, there always are when I attempt something like
this. And there are so many more notable sci-fi movies coming up, there are
going to be some stumbles. You also have, among others, The Hunger
Games: Catching Fire, Escape From Planet Earth,
After Earth, The End of the World,
R.I.P.D., and most likely Alfonso Cuaron’s
Gravity, to look forward to in the relatively near future.
It’s going to be a good year.
What are you especially excited about in 2013?
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