Keanu

Director Peter Atencio

Genre Comedy

Cast Keegan Michael-Key, Jordan Peele, Will Forte, Jason Mitchell

Rating R

Release Date April 29th, 2016

“Friends hatch a plot to retrieve a stolen cat by posing as drug dealers for a street gang.”

Key & Peele have done quite well for themselves with their Comedy Central skits, that goes without saying. They have both "dabbled" in the movie business but have yet to concoct their own film for the masses. That is until now. Introducing Keanu, what looks to be a hilarious comedic version of John Wick with a cute kitten causing all of the fuss. When I first watched the trailer in theaters I wasn't quite sure if this was a gag or an actual film. Once I knew it was for real I was filled with anticipation and sheer joy. I honestly can't wait for April 29th! Check out the trailer below.

Ratchet and Clank

Director Kevin Munroe, Jericca Cleland

Genre Animation | Action | Adventure

Cast James Arnold Taylor, David Kaye, Jim Ward, Rosario Dawson

Rating PG

Release Date April 29th, 2016

“When the galaxy comes under the threat of a nefarious space captain, a mechanic and his newfound robot ally join an elite squad of combatants to save the universe.”

“Ratchet and Clank tells the story of two unlikely heroes as they struggle to stop a vile alien named Chairman Drek from destroying every planet in the Solana Galaxy. When the two stumble upon a dangerous weapon capable of destroying entire planets, they must join forces with a team of colorful heroes called The Galactic Rangers in order to save the galaxy. Along the way they’ll learn about heroism, friendship, and the importance of discovering one’s own identity.”

The Huntsman: Winter's War

Director Cedric Nicolas-Troyan

Genre Action | Adventure | Drama

Cast Jessica Chastain, Chris Hemsworth, Emily Blunt, Charlize Theron

Rating PG-13

Release Date April 22nd, 2016

“As two evil sisters prepare to conquer the land; two renegades - Eric the Huntsman - who previously aided Snow White in defeating Ravenna, and his forbidden lover, Sara set out to stop them.”

The Huntsman: Winter's War has me intrigued. The trailer looks action packed and the cast is incredible and includes a few of my favorite actors including Emily Blunt (loved her in Edge Of Tomorrow) and Chris Hemsworth. I am looking forward to this one and crossing my fingers that it does not dissapoint. Check out the exciting and intense trailer below.

The Jungle Book

Director Jon Favreau

Genre Adventure | Drama | Family

Cast Neel Sethi, Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Bill Murray

Rating PG

Release Date April 15th, 2016

“An orphan boy is raised in the jungle with the help of a pack of wolves, a bear, and a black panther.”

The Jungle Book is directed by actor/director Jon Favreau who previously directed Iron Man 1 & 2. The film has a ton of A-list voice acting talent including the always beautiful Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Bill Murray (his first ever Disney film), and plenty of others. The Jungle Book will release on April 15th, 2016 which is the 45th anniversary of the original 1967 film. It will be released in 3D and IMAX 3D.  I can't wait!! Check out the trailer below.

Barbershop: The Next Cut

Director Malcolm D. Lee

Genre Comedy

Cast Ice Cube, Cedric The Entertainer, Regina Hall, Anthony Anderson

Rating PG-13

Release Date April 15th, 2016

“It’s been more than 10 years since our last appointment at Calvin’s Barbershop. Calvin and his longtime crew are still there, but the shop has undergone some major changes. Most noticeably, our once male-dominated sanctuary is now co-ed. The ladies bring their own flavor, drama and gossip to the shop challenging the fellas at every turn. Despite the good times and camaraderie within the shop, the surrounding community has taken a turn for the worse, forcing Calvin and our crew to come together to not only save the shop, but their neighborhood.”

Directed by Malcolm D. Lee (The Best Man Holiday) Barbershop: The Next Cut or Barbershop 3 (10 years after the second film released) as you could call it takes place in Chicago and attempts to bring the focus to the current gang situation going in in the city. I think it looks really funny and includes a great cast that seems to have plenty of chemistry. Barbershop: The Next Cut will hit theaters on April 15th which is 2 months earlier than initially anticipated. Check out the trailer below.

Remember

Director Atom Egoyan

Genre Drama | Thriller

Cast Christopher Plummer, Dean Norris, Martin Landau, Henry Czerny

Rating R

Release Date April 1st, 2016 (Limited Release)

“With the aid of a fellow Auschwitz survivor and a hand-written letter, an elderly man with dementia goes in search of the person responsible for the death of his family.”

“Remember” is the contemporary story of Zev, who discovers that the Nazi guard who murdered his family some 70 years ago is living in America under an assumed identity. Despite the obvious challenges, Zev sets out on a mission to deliver long-delayed justice with his own trembling hand. What follows is a remarkable cross-continent road-trip with surprising consequences.”

Eye in the Sky

Director Gavin Hood

Genre Drama | Thriller | War

Cast Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, Alan Rickman, Barkhad Abdi

Rating R

Release Date April 1st, 2016

“A military officer in command of a drone operation to capture terrorists in Kenya sees her mission escalate from “capture” to “kill” just as a nine-year old girl enters the kill zone.”

Helen Mirren and Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad) together in a film? Sounds like the recipe for success. Eye In The Sky looks like a more intense and bigger scale version of the straight to on-demand but very well done film Good Kill which starred Ethan Hawke. The disconnect between a drone pilot taking lives from thousands of miles away provides a serious moral dilemma that is very real and something very much on this countries radar. Director Gavin Hood (Enders Game, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) might have a masterpiece on his hands with Eye In The Sky, I can't wait to see it. Check out the trailer below.

Midnight Special

Director Jeff Nichols

Genre Adventure | Drama | Sci-Fi

Cast Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst, Paul Sparks, Michael Shannon

Rating PG-13

Release Date March 18th, 2016

“A father and son go on the run after the dad learns his child possesses special powers.”

Midnight Special is very much an under-the-radar film but it actually includes an impressive cast including Adam Driver, Kirsten Dunst, Michael Shannon, and Joel Edgerton. It is directed and written by Jeff Nichols who also directed the hit independent film MUD. According to Nichols, Midnight Special which was completed in just 40 days, was written as a reflection of him becoming a father. Regardless of why the film came to fruition in the first place, it looks pretty good. Check out the trailer below.

Holidays

Director Anthony Scott Burns, Kevin Kolsch, Nicholas McCarthy, Adam Egypt Mortimer, Gary Shore, Kevin Smith, Sarah Adina Smith, Scott Stewart, Dennis Widmyer, Ellen Reid

Genre Horror | Comedy

Cast Lorenza Izzo, Kevin Smith, Seth Green, Clare Grant

Rating Unrated

Release Date April 15th, 2016 (Limited & On-Demand

“HOLIDAYS is an anthology feature film that puts a uniquely dark and original spin on some of the most iconic and beloved holidays of all time by challenging our folklore, traditions and assumptions.”

“HOLIDAYS is an anthology feature film that puts a uniquely dark and original spin on some of the most iconic and beloved holidays of all time. The film challenges our folklore, traditions and assumptions, making HOLIDAYS a celebration of the horror on those same special days’ year after year. A collaboration of some of Hollywood’s most distinct voices, the directors include Kevin Smith (Tusk), Gary Shore (Dracula Untold), Scott Stewart (Dark Skies), Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer (Starry Eyes), Sarah Adina Smith (The Midnight Swim), Nicholas McCarthy (The Pact), Adam Egypt Mortimer (Some Kind of Hate), and Anthony Scott Burns (Darknet).”

10 Cloverfield Lane

Director Dan Trachtenberg

Genre Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi

Cast Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Goodman, John Gallagher, Jr., Matt Vairo

Rating Unrated

Release Date March 11th, 2016

“Waking up from a car accident, a young woman finds herself in the basement of a man who says he’s saved her life from a chemical attack that has left the outside uninhabitable.”

I'm not quite sure how I feel about 10 Cloverfield Lane yet, I figure it could go a few different ways. Are we talking about a sequel to the shaky camera film Cloverfield that ranks in the top 10 list of films causing the audience to leave the theater early due to camera induced nausea? Or something altogether new and exciting? I guess I will have to wait and see just like everyone else but the trailer, the cast, and J.J. Abrams involvement (although possibly minimal) has me intrigued.

Before I Wake

Director Mike Flanagan

Genre Horror | Thriller

Cast Jacob Tremblay, Kate Bosworth, Thomas Jane, Annabeth Gish

Rating PG-13

Release Date September 9th, 2016

“A young couple adopt an orphaned child whose dreams - and nightmares - manifest physically as he sleeps.”

You never quite now what to expect with the horror genre these days but Before I Wake is certainly an intriguing entry. From director Mike Flanagan who also directed the highly rated horror film Oculus, it stars Kate Bosworth and Jacom Tremblay from the Oscar-winning film Room. Before I Wake looks like it could provide plenty of scares and I am looking forward to it. Check out the trailer below.

Criminal

Director Ariel Vromen

Genre Action | Crime | Drama

Cast Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Costner, Gal Gadot, Gary Oldman

Release Date April 15th, 2016

“The memories & skills of a deceased CIA agent are implanted into an unpredictable and dangerous convict.”

Criminal is directed by Ariel Vromen who also directed The Iceman which starred Michael Shannon. Criminal has a star studded cast including the likes of Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Costner, Gal Gadot (she seems to be in everything these days) and Gary Oldman. I feel like Criminal is one of those movies that can either make or break itself by having such a great cast. On one hand it should draw plenty of attention but on the other hand the expectations will be relatively high leaving a small margin for error. My hope is that Criminal is able to deliver, it does look promising. Check out the trailer below.

Knight of Cups

Director Terrence Malnick

Genre Drama | Romance

Cast Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, Natalie Portman, Antonio Banderas

Rating R

Release Date March 4th, 2016

“Once there was a young prince whose father, the king of the East, sent him down into Egypt to find a pearl. But when the prince arrived, the people poured him a cup. Drinking it, he forgot he was the son of a king, forgot about the pearl and fell into a deep sleep.”

Written and directed by Terrence Malnick (The Tree of Life) and starring Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett, & Natalie Portman, Knight of Cups looks like an artfully shot film about self-discovery and the toll life inevitably takes on all of us. Granted that is my own personal opinion of what I think the film will entail, the trailer looks quite unique and it could certainly go a few different ways. With this cast it deserves a look either way. See for yourself below. 

How To Be Single

Director Christian Ditter

Genre Comedy | Romance

Cast Dakota Johnson, Alison Brie, Leslie Mann, Rebel Wilson

Rating R

Release Date February, 12th 2016

“New York City is full of lonely hearts seeking the right match, and what Alice, Robin, Lucy, Meg, Tom and David all have in common is the need to learn how to be single in a world filled with ever-evolving definitions of love.”

Hail Caesar!

Director Ethan Coen, Joel Coen

Genre Comedy | Drama | Musical

Cast George Clooney, Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Tilda Swinton

Rating PG-13

Release February, 5th 2016

“A Hollywood fixer in the 1950s works to keep the studio’s stars in line.”

Glassland

Director Gerard Barrett

Genre Drama

Cast Jack Reynor, Toni Collette, Will Poulter, Michael Smiley

Rating Unrated

Release Date March, 18th 2016

“Set in Dublin Glassland tells the story of a young taxi driver (Reynor) who gets tangled up in the world of human trafficking while trying to save his mother (Collette) from addiction”

The Finest Hours

Director Craig Gillespie

Genre Action | Drama | History

Cast Chris Pine, Casey Affleck Ben Foster, Eric Bana

Rating PG-13

Release Date January, 29th 2016

“The Coast Guard makes a daring rescue attempt off the coast of Cape Cod after a pair of oil tankers are destroyed during a blizzard in 1952.”

The Choice

January 25, 2016

Director Ross Katz 

Cast Alexandra Daddario, Teresa Palmer, Benjamin Walker, Maggie Grace

Genre Drama | Romance

Rating PG-13

Release Date February 5th, 2016

“Travis and Gabby first meet as neighbors in a small coastal town and wind up in a relationship that is tested by life’s most defining events.”

Southbound

Director Roxanne Benjamin, David Bruckner

Genre Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Cast Kate Beahan, Matt Bettineli-Olpin, Susan Burke, Zoe Cooper

Rating Unrated

Release Date February, 5th 2016 (Limited Release)

“Five interlocking tales of terror follow the fates of a group of weary travellers who confront their worst nightmares - and darkest secrets - over one long night on a desolate stretch of desert highway.”

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot

Director Glenn Ficarra, John Requa

Genre Comedy | War

Cast Tina Fey, Margot Robbie, Billy Bob Thornton, Martin Freeman

Rating R

Release Date March 4th, 2016

“A journalist recounts her wartime coverage in Afghanistan and Pakistan.”

I like Tina Fey as an actress and thought she was great in Sisters but I wasn't quite sure what to think of Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, which interestingly enough is a humorous abbreviation to "WTF". The first few trailers I watched made it seem okay but the latest trailer has me excited for the film. It includes a great supporting cast alongside Fey, including the always beautiful Margot Robbie, as well as Martin Freeman and Billy Bob Thornton who starred together in the 2014 FX series Fargo. I think it might actually end up being pretty damn good. Check out the trailer below and see what you think.