By David Weiner
3:22 PM PST, January 17, 2013
From familiar characters to promising newcomers, 2013 will not disappoint in serving up huge tentpole sequels and star-filled spectacles alongside indie thrillers, unexpected dramas and clever comedies. We break down 13 must-see movies of the year…
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13 Must-See Movies of 2013
Warner Bros.
From familiar characters to promising newcomers, 2013 will not disappoint in serving up huge tentpole sequels and star-filled spectacles alongside indie thrillers, unexpected dramas and clever comedies. We break down 13 must-see movies of the year…
Side Effects
Open Road Films
Release Date: February 8
The Plot: A troubled woman (Rooney Mara) is taking major amounts of prescription drugs to help her deal with the anxiety surrounding the pending release of her husband (Channing Tatum) from prison. Jude Law plays a psychiatrist who gets into a relationship with her – and realizes that it may be a deadly mistake. Catherine Zeta-Jones also stars.
Why It's a Must-See: Director Steven Soderbergh has announced that Side Effects will be his final film before he goes into semi-retirement, if you believe that (not counting his upcoming HBO Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra) -- and it represents sort of a greatest-hits cast package (he also worked with muse Tatum on Magic Mike and Haywire, with Law on Contagion and with Zeta-Jones on Traffic). It also gives Rooney Mara a chance to spread her wings after The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and demonstrate her talented range to audiences.
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Plot: A troubled woman (Rooney Mara) is taking major amounts of prescription drugs to help her deal with the anxiety surrounding the pending release of her husband (Channing Tatum) from prison. Jude Law plays a psychiatrist who gets into a relationship with her – and realizes that it may be a deadly mistake. Catherine Zeta-Jones also stars.
Why It's a Must-See: Director Steven Soderbergh has announced that Side Effects will be his final film before he goes into semi-retirement, if you believe that (not counting his upcoming HBO Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra) -- and it represents sort of a greatest-hits cast package (he also worked with muse Tatum on Magic Mike and Haywire, with Law on Contagion and with Zeta-Jones on Traffic). It also gives Rooney Mara a chance to spread her wings after The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and demonstrate her talented range to audiences.
Watch the Trailer HERE
Admission
Focus Features
Release Date: March 8
The Plot: Tina Fey plays a Princeton admissions officer up for a big promotion whose life is turned upside down when old classmate Paul Rudd informs her that one of his students could be the child she gave up for adoption. Also starring Lily Tomlin, Wallace Shawn and Michael Sheen.
Why It's a Must-See: A romantic comedy with a bit of dramatic heft, Fey and Rudd turn on the chemistry in a pairing that fans have been waiting to see with roles requiring them to flex their dramatic acting chops. Director Paul Weitz deftly balanced comedy and drama in the surprisingly sentimental About a Boy, so we expect to see great things.
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Plot: Tina Fey plays a Princeton admissions officer up for a big promotion whose life is turned upside down when old classmate Paul Rudd informs her that one of his students could be the child she gave up for adoption. Also starring Lily Tomlin, Wallace Shawn and Michael Sheen.
Why It's a Must-See: A romantic comedy with a bit of dramatic heft, Fey and Rudd turn on the chemistry in a pairing that fans have been waiting to see with roles requiring them to flex their dramatic acting chops. Director Paul Weitz deftly balanced comedy and drama in the surprisingly sentimental About a Boy, so we expect to see great things.
Watch the Trailer HERE
Oz the Great and Powerful
Walt Disney Pictures
Release Date: March 8
The Plot: Imagining the origins of L. Frank Baum's beloved character from The Wizard of Oz, James Franco plays Oscar Diggs, a small-time circus magician and flimflam man hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, where he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), and is reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the magical land's inhabitants.
Why It's a Must-See: Director Sam Raimi (the original Spider-Man trilogy) gets to flex his creative muscles with an all-new world, playing with our expectations of one of the most beloved stories of all time. Of the new movie, Kunis tells ET, "I do think it captures the magic of the original, but it's completely different. In my opinion a little bit darker, a little more grounded. There is no singing, there is no dancing." Franco adds, "You get to see a lot more of who this Oz is -- the search for his heart is one of the main themes of this movie."
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Plot: Imagining the origins of L. Frank Baum's beloved character from The Wizard of Oz, James Franco plays Oscar Diggs, a small-time circus magician and flimflam man hurled away from dusty Kansas to the vibrant Land of Oz, where he meets three witches, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), and is reluctantly drawn into the epic problems facing the magical land's inhabitants.
Why It's a Must-See: Director Sam Raimi (the original Spider-Man trilogy) gets to flex his creative muscles with an all-new world, playing with our expectations of one of the most beloved stories of all time. Of the new movie, Kunis tells ET, "I do think it captures the magic of the original, but it's completely different. In my opinion a little bit darker, a little more grounded. There is no singing, there is no dancing." Franco adds, "You get to see a lot more of who this Oz is -- the search for his heart is one of the main themes of this movie."
Watch the Trailer HERE
Stoker
Fox Searchlight
Release Date: February 28
The Plot: Adolescent India (Mia Wasikowska) is emotionally adrift after the death of her father (Dermot Mulroney), clashing with her unstable mother (Nicole Kidman). When her mysterious and charming Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode) -- a man she never knew existed -- comes to live with them, she comes to suspect he has ulterior motives, yet becomes increasingly infatuated with him.
Why It's a Must-See: Kidman, Wasikowska and Goode form an uncomfortable family trio in the new thriller from Oldboy director Chan-wook Park, with Kidman declaring to her daughter in the trailer, "You know, I've often wondered why it is we have children, and the conclusion I've come to is we want someone to get it right this time. But not me. Personally speaking, I can't wait to watch life tear you apart." Prepare to be disturbed…
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Plot: Adolescent India (Mia Wasikowska) is emotionally adrift after the death of her father (Dermot Mulroney), clashing with her unstable mother (Nicole Kidman). When her mysterious and charming Uncle Charlie (Matthew Goode) -- a man she never knew existed -- comes to live with them, she comes to suspect he has ulterior motives, yet becomes increasingly infatuated with him.
Why It's a Must-See: Kidman, Wasikowska and Goode form an uncomfortable family trio in the new thriller from Oldboy director Chan-wook Park, with Kidman declaring to her daughter in the trailer, "You know, I've often wondered why it is we have children, and the conclusion I've come to is we want someone to get it right this time. But not me. Personally speaking, I can't wait to watch life tear you apart." Prepare to be disturbed…
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Place Beyond the Pines
Focus Features
Release Date: March 29
The Plot: Ryan Gosling wants to provide for the son he just discovered he had with Eva Mendes, so naturally he decides to rob a bunch of banks. And Bradley Cooper is a rookie cop, also a father, who bumps up against corruption in the ranks. Both of their characters are heading for a violent collision in The Place Beyond the Pines. Ben Mendelsohn, Rose Byrne and Ray Liotta also star.
Why It's a Must-See: A combustible situation has been created on this cinematic canvas as Gosling and Cooper's forceful confrontation spirals into a tense generational feud. The thriller traces the intersecting lives of fathers and sons, cops and robbers, heroes and villains, and reunites Gosling with his Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance for a film that promises to be epic.
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Plot: Ryan Gosling wants to provide for the son he just discovered he had with Eva Mendes, so naturally he decides to rob a bunch of banks. And Bradley Cooper is a rookie cop, also a father, who bumps up against corruption in the ranks. Both of their characters are heading for a violent collision in The Place Beyond the Pines. Ben Mendelsohn, Rose Byrne and Ray Liotta also star.
Why It's a Must-See: A combustible situation has been created on this cinematic canvas as Gosling and Cooper's forceful confrontation spirals into a tense generational feud. The thriller traces the intersecting lives of fathers and sons, cops and robbers, heroes and villains, and reunites Gosling with his Blue Valentine director Derek Cianfrance for a film that promises to be epic.
Watch the Trailer HERE
Oblivion
Universal Pictures
Release Date: April 26
The Plot: Tom Cruise plays one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth, part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war. Patrolling the skies, his soaring existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger (Quantum of Solace beauty Olga Kurylenko) from a downed spacecraft – and her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he knows.
Why It's a Must-See: Part WALL-E and part I Am Legend, this sci-fi thriller is director Joseph Kosinski's highly anticipated follow-up to TRON: Legacy and features formidable visuals (the poster shows a spectacular view of what's left of the Empire State Building, reminiscent of the classic, final twist of the original Planet of the Apes -- surely no coincidence since the film is from the producers of Rise of the Planet of the Apes). With Cruise at the helm, Oblivion has EVENT MOVIE stamped all over it.
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Plot: Tom Cruise plays one of the last few drone repairmen stationed on Earth, part of a massive operation to extract vital resources after decades of war. Patrolling the skies, his soaring existence is brought crashing down when he rescues a beautiful stranger (Quantum of Solace beauty Olga Kurylenko) from a downed spacecraft – and her arrival triggers a chain of events that forces him to question everything he knows.
Why It's a Must-See: Part WALL-E and part I Am Legend, this sci-fi thriller is director Joseph Kosinski's highly anticipated follow-up to TRON: Legacy and features formidable visuals (the poster shows a spectacular view of what's left of the Empire State Building, reminiscent of the classic, final twist of the original Planet of the Apes -- surely no coincidence since the film is from the producers of Rise of the Planet of the Apes). With Cruise at the helm, Oblivion has EVENT MOVIE stamped all over it.
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Great Gatsby
Warner Bros.
Release Date: May 10
The Plot: F. Scott Fitzgerald's tale of loosening morals, glittering jazz and bootleg kings follows Midwestern wannabe writer named Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) as he heads to New York City in search of the American Dream in the spring of 1922. Nick ends up next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan) and her philandering husband, Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgarton). Soon, Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super-rich, along with their illusions, loves and deceits. Isla Fisher, Jason Clarke, Elizabeth Debicki, Amitabh Bachchan and Jack Thompson also star.
Why It's a Must-See: Raise your glass of bubbly! The classic novel arrives with a brand-new, opulent-looking adaptation, courtesy of the imaginative mind of Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge), promising a deliciously darker look at Fitzgerald's world that mirrors our own modern times and struggles.
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Plot: F. Scott Fitzgerald's tale of loosening morals, glittering jazz and bootleg kings follows Midwestern wannabe writer named Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) as he heads to New York City in search of the American Dream in the spring of 1922. Nick ends up next door to a mysterious, party-giving millionaire, Jay Gatsby (Leonardo DiCaprio), and across the bay from his cousin, Daisy (Carey Mulligan) and her philandering husband, Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgarton). Soon, Nick is drawn into the captivating world of the super-rich, along with their illusions, loves and deceits. Isla Fisher, Jason Clarke, Elizabeth Debicki, Amitabh Bachchan and Jack Thompson also star.
Why It's a Must-See: Raise your glass of bubbly! The classic novel arrives with a brand-new, opulent-looking adaptation, courtesy of the imaginative mind of Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge), promising a deliciously darker look at Fitzgerald's world that mirrors our own modern times and struggles.
Watch the Trailer HERE
Star Trek Into Darkness
Paramount Pictures
Release Date: May 17
The Plot: The Enterprise crew is called back to Earth to battle an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization. Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction, and our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death.
Why It's a Must-See: Without the baggage of meeting die-hard Trekkie expectations while establishing an all-new reboot of one of the most famous franchises in sci-fi, J.J. Abrams is free to play in his creative sandbox and deliver a darker, yet even more adventurous follow-up to the 2009 hit – with bad guy Benedict Cumberbatch looking like a formidable villain taking on the intrepid Enterprise crew. Audiences got to see the first 9 minutes of the movie before The Hobbit in IMAX 3D, and we can't wait to see the rest!
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Plot: The Enterprise crew is called back to Earth to battle an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization. Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction, and our heroes are propelled into an epic chess game of life and death.
Why It's a Must-See: Without the baggage of meeting die-hard Trekkie expectations while establishing an all-new reboot of one of the most famous franchises in sci-fi, J.J. Abrams is free to play in his creative sandbox and deliver a darker, yet even more adventurous follow-up to the 2009 hit – with bad guy Benedict Cumberbatch looking like a formidable villain taking on the intrepid Enterprise crew. Audiences got to see the first 9 minutes of the movie before The Hobbit in IMAX 3D, and we can't wait to see the rest!
Watch the Trailer HERE
Man of Steel
Warner Bros.
Release Date: June 14
The Plot: Superman (Henry Cavill) contemplates his purpose on Earth as he takes on Kryptonian villains General Zod (Michael Shannon) and Faora (Antje Traue). Also starring Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams, Diane Lane and Lawrence Fishburne.
Why It's a Must-See: The Son of Krypton is back on the big screen with a sonic boom, with The Tudors and Immortals star Henry Cavill taking on the title role and debuting a new look in the Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300) film, produced by The Dark Knight trilogy mastermind Christopher Nolan, that promises to be a darker, more psychological take on the Superman saga.
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Plot: Superman (Henry Cavill) contemplates his purpose on Earth as he takes on Kryptonian villains General Zod (Michael Shannon) and Faora (Antje Traue). Also starring Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams, Diane Lane and Lawrence Fishburne.
Why It's a Must-See: The Son of Krypton is back on the big screen with a sonic boom, with The Tudors and Immortals star Henry Cavill taking on the title role and debuting a new look in the Zack Snyder (Watchmen, 300) film, produced by The Dark Knight trilogy mastermind Christopher Nolan, that promises to be a darker, more psychological take on the Superman saga.
Watch the Trailer HERE
World War Z
Paramount Pictures
Release Date: June 21
The Plot: Zombie attack!!! Brad Pitt plays a family man and United Nations employee who faces a deadly zombie pandemic.
Why It's a Must-See: Just when you thought that the zombie genre may be starting to generate less screams and more Zzzz's, World War Z arrives with an adrenaline shot in the arm for the genre -- complete with insane special effects and a claustrophobic urgency and realism not seen since the introduction of those "speed zombies" in 28 Days Later. Plus, who doesn't want to see Brad Pitt in jeopardy on the big screen? Directed by Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace).
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Plot: Zombie attack!!! Brad Pitt plays a family man and United Nations employee who faces a deadly zombie pandemic.
Why It's a Must-See: Just when you thought that the zombie genre may be starting to generate less screams and more Zzzz's, World War Z arrives with an adrenaline shot in the arm for the genre -- complete with insane special effects and a claustrophobic urgency and realism not seen since the introduction of those "speed zombies" in 28 Days Later. Plus, who doesn't want to see Brad Pitt in jeopardy on the big screen? Directed by Marc Forster (Quantum of Solace).
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Lone Ranger
Walt Disney Pictures
Release Date: July 3
The Plot: Putting a new spin on the classic western heroes of old, The Lone Ranger is told from the point of view of Tonto (Johnny Depp), a spirit warrior on a personal quest who joins forces in a fight for justice with John Reid (Armie Hammer), a lawman who has become a masked avenger with a belt full of silver bullets. Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner, Barry Pepper, James Badge Dale, Ruth Wilson and Helena Bonham Carter also star.
Why It's a Must-See: Johnny Depp has been talking up his big-screen, revisionist spin on The Lone Ranger for years, and the final product looks amazing in the capable hands of his Pirates of the Caribbean helmer Gore Verbinski.
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Plot: Putting a new spin on the classic western heroes of old, The Lone Ranger is told from the point of view of Tonto (Johnny Depp), a spirit warrior on a personal quest who joins forces in a fight for justice with John Reid (Armie Hammer), a lawman who has become a masked avenger with a belt full of silver bullets. Tom Wilkinson, William Fichtner, Barry Pepper, James Badge Dale, Ruth Wilson and Helena Bonham Carter also star.
Why It's a Must-See: Johnny Depp has been talking up his big-screen, revisionist spin on The Lone Ranger for years, and the final product looks amazing in the capable hands of his Pirates of the Caribbean helmer Gore Verbinski.
Watch the Trailer HERE
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Lionsgate
Release Date: November 22
The Plot: The second film in the blockbuster dystopian franchise finds a triumphant Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) suddenly faced with the ramifications of the tricky stunt that kept them both alive as they prepare for the Quarter Quell.
Why It's a Must-See: With original Hunger Games director Gary Ross stepping down, Catching Fire is directed by Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend, Water for Elephants), and fans can expect a similar take to what Ross brought to the first film with a slightly different vision featuring beefed up special effects and production design. The Twilight Saga had its share of directors playing musical chairs and it still reaped huge box office, so why worry? May the odds be ever in your favor!
The Plot: The second film in the blockbuster dystopian franchise finds a triumphant Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) suddenly faced with the ramifications of the tricky stunt that kept them both alive as they prepare for the Quarter Quell.
Why It's a Must-See: With original Hunger Games director Gary Ross stepping down, Catching Fire is directed by Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend, Water for Elephants), and fans can expect a similar take to what Ross brought to the first film with a slightly different vision featuring beefed up special effects and production design. The Twilight Saga had its share of directors playing musical chairs and it still reaped huge box office, so why worry? May the odds be ever in your favor!
The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Warner Bros.
Release Date: December 13
The Plot: In the second installment of Peter Jackson's adaptation of the classic J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy, the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and his band of 13 Dwarves continue their quest to reclaim their kingdom from the gold-loving dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch).
Why It's a Must-See: Peter Jackson declared that he had so much good material while filming The Hobbit that he expanded a two-part film into a grand trilogy. After the excitement (and for some, slight disappointment) of An Unexpected Journey, we're looking for the story to really smolder with the highly anticipated confrontation with Smaug.
The Plot: In the second installment of Peter Jackson's adaptation of the classic J.R.R. Tolkien fantasy, the Hobbit Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman) and his band of 13 Dwarves continue their quest to reclaim their kingdom from the gold-loving dragon Smaug (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch).
Why It's a Must-See: Peter Jackson declared that he had so much good material while filming The Hobbit that he expanded a two-part film into a grand trilogy. After the excitement (and for some, slight disappointment) of An Unexpected Journey, we're looking for the story to really smolder with the highly anticipated confrontation with Smaug.
Honorable Mentions
Marvel
Of course, there will be hundreds of movies released this year, so keep an eye out for these additional titles to make your 2013 complete (in no particular order): Iron Man 3, Thor: The Dark World, The Wolverine, Monsters University, 42, Carrie, Elysium, Jack Ryan, Ender's Game, The Heat and Identity Thief, 2 Guns, Pacific Rim, The Host, Emperor, The Incredible Burt Wonderstone, The Iceman, Mud, To the Wonder, The Company You Keep, Pain & Gain, The Hangover Part III, After Earth, Now You See Me, The Internship, This is the End, White House Down, R.I.P.D., The To-Do List, Runner Runner, Oldboy, Captain Phillips, Anchorman: The Legend Continues, Gravity, Monuments Men and Saving Mr. Banks.