January 2015 Watchlist

Article by Gabe Zia
Ok, so it's January. For some, this may mean the beginning of a New Year. For movie fans like me, however, it means a month of new releases composed of (mostly) total garbage. However, there are some new releases that have peaked my interest, and some films that were supposed to come out in 2014 that I didn't end up reviewing, so there's that to look forward to.

January 6th

The Guest (DVD Release)
Directed by Adam Winguard
Stars Dan Stevens

I have wanted to see The Guest for way too long now, but rest assured I will see it on the day it comes out, and review it. I think it seems like an awesome action movie with some amazing visuals, which is basically what I've heard from everyone in every part of the world except where I am, which is where this movie has come out.

January 9th

Selma
Directed by Ava Duvernay
Stars David Oyelowo & Oprah Winfrey

Selma was one of those movies that, when I saw the trailer, I knew I was going to watch that movie. No two ways about it, I'm seeing this movie. Martin Luther King Jr. is - in my opinion - one of the coolest people to have ever lived, and I'm glad there's finally a movie about him, focusing on Selma, Alabama.

Zero Motivation
Directed by Tayla Lavie
Stars Dana Igvy & Nelly Tagar

It's early in the year, and I don't like to have my blog be basically empty, which means there will probably be no shortage of indie movies to review. My reason for being interested in Zero Motivation is that, upon watching the trailer, I think the movie looks genuinely funny and realistic. Not even like Tarantino realistic where the dialogue all feels natural, but like Richard Linklater realistic where it almost seems like they have the actors just having conversations.

January 16th

Blackhat
Directed by Michael Mann
Stars Chris Hemsworth & Viola Davis

Blackhat is one of those movies that seems both entertaining and interesting. The film follows a convicted hacker, trying to stop a cyber terrorist, and to me that sounds like a cool premise. While hacking is (to me) one of the most romanticized things in film just short of Romantic gestures, I still think the movie should be cool.

American Sniper
Directed by Clint Eastwood
Stars Bradley Cooper

I've been waiting to see this movie for a while now, and unfortunatley its coming out a bit too late in January to make my best of 2014 list, but seeing as how the release was about as limited as you can get, and that it's wide release is pretty late into January, I consider it a 2015 movie, for the most part.

Best of December 2014: Whiplash

From the trailer, Whiplash may seem like a melodramatic movie about drumming. However, that could not be further from the truth, as Whiplash is brilliant, amazingly acted, and incredibly intense. I didn't talk enough about Miles Teller in my review, this guy is now one of my favorite up and coming actors. J.K. Simmons is amazing in Whiplash, and absolutely needs to win he oscar for best supporting actor. Not just nominated, he needs to win, or else the Oscars will lose whatever legitimacy they had left. To my knowledge, Whiplash is playing in theatres in most places, so I seriously recommend you take some time to go watch this flat out awesome movie.