Preparing for Civil War - 5 Favorite MCU Films

Some may be feeling the superhero fatigue, both from the volume of films being released from the sub-genre and also the vitriol being spewed from the fans from each side (call me an optimist, but I root for them all to be good), but I doubt any of this will harm the box office totals that are about to roll in for Captain America: Civil War. The film is going to be insane business, and from the look of it rightfully so because I am expected something special.

As this will be the 13th film released since the start of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it seems like a solid time to run down the best of the bunch, my personal five favorites thus far. I hope to amend this soon when I get a chance to see Civil War.

5. Iron Man

The one that started it all eight years ago. It seems crazy to think of all that has happened since the first Iron Man was released, seeing as how it isn't even an old film by any standards. The MCU has done a magnificent job of world building since it kicked off and Robert Downey Jr. has been the engine that made the whole universe go. The first Iron Man film also happens to still be the best Iron Man film.

4. Captain America: The First Avenger

This one being in the top 5 may surprise people because I know loving it is a somewhat unpopular opinion, but I think the introduction to Captain America is an absolute blast, beautifully standing up as an action packed superhero film and also a fun period piece. The aesthetic of the era really stands out and the chemistry between Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell, Tommy Lee Jones and Sebastian Stan gives the entire picture a heavy dose of charm. I have come to realize that Cap is my favorite Avenger and it all starts with this movie.

3. The Avengers

I still remember how much I doubted that this whole thing would really work when it all came together. I didn't quite appreciate just yet how the patience of Marvel to establish all of their characters before delivering the big show would pay off so wonderfully, but Joss Whedon found a way to balance all of the big personalities and make them each shine thanks to delicious dialogue and an exciting plot. So much fun, a Blu-ray I can put on anytime and just sit back, relax and admire the spectacle.

2. Captain America: The Winter Soldier

Prior to seeing Captain America: The Winter Soldier, I had one major complaint about the MCU solo films: the villains. They never really did much for me, and that is such a let down. Ever since I was a kid, I loved being unnerved by a great bad guy. Enter the Winter Soldier, a kick ass character that owns the frame when he is a part of it and the entire film turned out to be absolutely terrific. I had such severe doubts about this movie because the choice of directors seemed so random and out of place, calling on Joe and Anthony Russo to take the helm when they had previously been focused on comedy, and yet they crushed an absolute home run here. Now I am thrilled that those same brothers have taken on Civil War and will also be behind the camera for the Infinity War. 

1. Guardians of the Galaxy

If a film based on a comic book wants to win my heart, it needs to feature a terrific script, outstanding characters and a stunning aesthetic. Guardians of the Galaxy fits the bill and thus is my favorite film from the MCU thus far. Endlessly clever and exciting and utilizing grandiose world building by writer/director James Gunn, I can't stop smiling watching Guardians and the fact that it also hits me pretty hard emotionally at times only adds another layer to why I love it so. This movie is one of those releases that exemplifies why I love going to the cinema.

Will Civil War push its way into my top 5? As I said earlier, I am an optimist and my anticipation for this one fits right into that mold as everything involved in the marketing and the proven talent involved tells me this is going to be a film I adore in 2016. Can't wait to see it, but for now revisiting these joyous MCU entries will have to do.

Avengers: Age of Ultron Review

Who gives a shit about Hawkeye? Honestly? No one gives a shit about Hawkeye. Hawkeye barely gives a shit about Hawkeye. In a battle involving a genetically enhanced super soldier, a playboy billionaire in a flying iron suit, a pretty girl in a tight leather costume, a god and a hulk, why should we pay mind to Jeremy Renner with a bow and arrow? 

Well, I just got back from my screening of Avengers: Age of Ultron and I figured it out. Joss Whedon gives a shit about Hawkeye. Joss Whedon values character and relationships and brilliantly clever dialogue amidst all of the expected chaos of battle, and that is why I admire the hell out of him and his work. With modern day technology and bloated budgets, it's easy to make things look pretty and then have them explode. Pretty much anyone can make an audience gasp at the sight of a collapsing building, but it takes actual talent to make them honestly, deeply care about the people inside it. 

Now let me get some of the brief negatives out of the way before I continue gushing about everything Avengers: Age of Ultron did right. This isn't the game changing, defining moment of the MCU that some may be hoping for. I entered the theater with a mentality that this would be not just Avengers 2, but Avengers 2.0, and with an expanding cast and elevated stakes the entire experience would be bigger, bolder and more bombastic, but really this didn't feel like it was on a different level than either the first Avengers or Captain America: The Winter Soldier. What I am trying to honestly figure out at this very moment though is whether or not this is really a flaw or just a matter of perception? I may have been expecting a new level of epic, but was that ever the intention? Would that have even been a good thing had it pulled a Spinal Tap on us and gone to 11?

Also, there is a love story going on here that I can admire the attempt, but I didn't really buy it. Giving these characters a deeper connection seems like a smart way to make an audience care more, as their fates suddenly transcend being merely their own and instead directly relate to each others mental well being, but I didn't feel the chemistry that Whedon tried pretty damn hard to build through multiple quiet scenes between the two characters. Actually, despite very little screen time devoted to it, I was more captivated by the bond between newcomers Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver as twins than I was by the romantic angle. Did you noticed I am being vague about who exactly is in love here? That's on purpose in case you haven't seen it. Some people get pretty pissed about even the less consequential spoilers. 

While the love story may not have completely worked for me, on an individual level I probably cared more about the members than I ever have before. That is because over the years and multiple films I have grown to really like these characters and I think I know why: because despite their status as superheroes, they are just vulnerable enough to feel real. Avengers: Age of Ultron does a fantastic job of continuing that tradition, showing us that every single member regardless of the strength of their powers is, on some level, human. They are haunted by their dreams, the visions that bring about their deepest fears, and it is becoming more and more clear that every one of them is mortal and could meet their demise at any moment. Underneath the costumes and weapons and capes and shields are beating hearts, blood that can be spilled and minds that are capable of being shattered.

At the end of the day, Avengers: Age of Ultron works for the same reasons the first Avengers did: because it is written by a man with an immense amount of talent who knows how to hit all the notes needed to make people buy in. We laugh, we gasp, we are in awe of the action and we are moved by the heroism on display. Most of all, this is pure, joyous entertainment, the type of picture that leaves absolutely no doubt regarding whether or not the experience was worth the price of admission. 

Joss Whedon gives a shit about Hawkeye, and Avengers: Age of Ultron is all the better for it. 

4.5/5

Guardians of the Galaxy Review

Everywhere I look I find people who close their minds off to something, assuming the worst about a film without ever seeing a single frame. Perhaps it is a genre thing, as once something gets labeled it instantly turns off a certain portion of a potential audience. Comedy is too silly? Horror is too gory? More into realism than fantasy? It's up to each individual to carry with them these biases and it's also up to them to let their guards down for a bit and try and connect with a work outside their comfort zones, but for their sake I hope they can give any movie a fair shake. A lot of comedic pictures are dreadfully unfunny, but had I dismissed an entire genre I would have never discovered that the dude abides. A lot of horror attempts to grab for the lowest hanging fruit with entire narratives centered around torture and the shedding of limbs and lives, but I still couldn't wait to enter a theater recently and figure out what exactly it follows. I have connected in deep and profound ways with realism that feels intensely personal, but I wouldn't be who I am today without decades of admiring science fiction and fantasy storytelling that swept me away to other eras and worlds. 

Another problem is this bizarre desire to pledge allegiances to something specific and thus dismiss the other options out there. Star Trek or Star Wars? James Bond or Jason Bourne? Marvel or D.C.? Apparently once you pick a side, it prohibits that person from ever saying a kind thing about the "opposition" again. This whole concept baffles me. Sure I grew up in a galaxy far, far away, but that wouldn't stop me from learning about the original vision of Gene Roddenberry. I am a big fan of the Bourne films, but did you see how outstanding Skyfall was?

Which leads me to both the Marvel vs. D.C. comic book turf war and also my main overall point. Why can't I love both? Why can't I watch the masterful Nolan Batman trilogy one weekend and then the next treasure the Avengers on a quest to save the world? Sure I stylistically tend to prefer the dark and gritty over the bright and fun, but the tone of a picture is not the only factor in play. Man of Steel brought the exact dark and serious twist I wanted on the amazing story of Superman, but heaven help me with that crappy David Goyer script and Zack Snyder's addiction to zoom in on shit every chance he got, where as I approached Guardians of the Galaxy with some trepidation because it was clear before the film was even released that it would be far more of a comedic space opera than anything else.

I could have easily predetermined my eventual issues with Guardians of the Galaxy and not allowed myself to be swayed away from those thoughts no matter what I saw on the screen, especially after the failings of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 2013 when it came to comedy. Instead though, I treat it like an open minded challenge made from my brain to a filmmaker, in this case James Gunn: prove me wrong. Write a screenplay that will actually make me laugh and yet also feel some emotion. Entertain me with thrilling action but balance that with developed and nuanced characters that I can care enough about to either root for or again them. 

James Gunn proved me wrong. He delivered in every way I could have hoped for. He thrilled me, made me laugh more during this one movie than the entire MCU had before it combined, made me give a shit about a tree that can only say three words and a talking raccoon and even brought quite a few tears to my eyes. Guardians of the Galaxy is an absolute blast and my single favorite film from the studio thus far. 

Hours from now I will be seeing Avengers: Age of Ultron, and months later Ant-Man. Later in 2015 there will be a Bond and the awakening of the force, and then next year Batman will fight Superman and Captain Kirk will voyage out into the depths of space. Will all of these films be good? I have no idea, and I would be lying if I said I was confident in all of them. Pessimism is a normal part of the cinematic journey, but refusing to enjoy a movie for arbitrary reasons like what fan club you joined as a kid or what studio released it now is a sad reason to overwhelm yourself with negative thoughts and refuse to accept the positives. 

Instead approach each like a challenge and hope for the best. If you have had issues with Marvel films in the past so you decided to not see Guardians of the Galaxy, do what I did and give it a chance to prove you wrong. 

I'm glad I did.

5/5

Captain America: The Winter Soldier Review

The old adage is to never judge a book by its cover, but we all do it. I genuinely try not to in regards to any films I have not yet seen, but it is impossible to stop the mind from wandering away and finding reasons to be either overly optimistic or pessimistic despite limited advanced knowledge. The key is the ability to keep an open mind, one way or another, and be willing to accept the fact that you may have been wrong initially. It's okay to be wrong. When it involves a movie I expected to be a disappointment and instead it dazzles me from beginning to end? In that case I love being wrong.

I was wrong about Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Very, very wrong. Thank god. 

It all began way back when they announced that Anthony and Joe Russo would be directing the superhero sequel. If you aren't entirely familiar with these two gentlemen and why their names would make me cringe initially, let me help you out. Prior to any involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the most prestigious projects on their resumes were directing comedy sitcom episodes and the wacky movie You, Me and Dupree. That's it, and when I was fresh off of bitching about the misguided screenplay for Thor: The Dark World that was loaded with far too much unfunny comedy, you can imagine my skepticism about bringing in a couple of guys who had only very similar experience and nothing else.

So there I was, me and my pessimism sitting inside a theater waiting to be proven right. The lights dim. The show begins. Only a few minutes later, I knew I was going to be wrong. I knew I was in for a treat. The tone was not only serious, it has a feeling of importance to it, like what would unfold during those 2 hours would carry more weight and meaning than anything done during the previous eight films that came before it. The direction was surprisingly slick and confident, the action hard hitting and delivered in only the right sized doses. I don't mean to pick on Man of Steel, a movie I liked but certainly did not love, but the last 45 or so minutes of it are exhausting and ponderous. After the 200th skyscraper has fallen and the 800th angry punch lands on an opponent, you start to check your watch and wonder when the hell it will end. Here, the Russo brothers knew how to limit those blows and cut an explosion or two out, instead focusing a great deal on character and story and performances. It pays off, big time.

Finally, cue the music, light the fireworks, it's time to celebrate. A solo film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe got the damn villain right. Actually, let me rephrase that. An MCU film brought a totally kick-ass, shockingly cool bad guy to a Captain America movie, and I was so excited to actually find the evil component of one of these pictures compelling. The Winter Soldier is so darn awesome, and his back story as to how he ties into the whole situation matters and actually resonates. No more farting Mandarins or bland tribes of evil elves, no no. The Winter Soldier is legit, the type of figure that draws your attention in the frame rather than make you roll your eyes and wonder what could have been.

The movie I always believed Marvel was capable of, the one that would nail the tone and the atmosphere and find a perfect balance of everything needed to tell a great story had finally arrived, and it was directed by the Russo brothers, a couple of comedy guys who seemingly had no business crafting something so cool. I judged this book by its cover. What was inside proved me so totally wrong.

4.5/5

Thor: The Dark World Review

I don't know Kat Dennings as a person. Perhaps she is quite lovely, a gentle soul whose friendship is the kind worth having. I have never sought out any anecdotes regarding her off screen persona because frankly, I don't really care. I only care about one part of her life: her inclusion in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It's too late to fix the mistakes of the past, the way she was involved in far too many sequences during Thor: The Dark World, and to be clear here, none of this is actually her fault. She does what I assume she was asked to do in that film, and technically I'm sure she does it well. The problem is what she was asked to do. The problem is that someone wrote these scenes and the words said during them and thought it was a good idea. 

See, I know going into a film like this that accepting silliness is mandatory in order to enjoy the picture. It is a superhero film based on a comic book about people living in a fictional world named Asgard wearing costumes and the one dude in particular carries a giant mythical hammer with him and throws it at his enemies, only for it to return to him like a boomerang. You can't enter the cinema for a movie like this and demand gritty no-nonsense realism, if you do you are setting yourself up for failure. Still though, there needs to be a limit on the amount of comedic bits that are forced into a less than two hour long film that still asks its audience to take the overall vision seriously.

Little moments pop up here and there throughout the entire movie that I find unsavory, but for the most part nothing so egregious that it actually ruins the entire experience. For whatever reason though the writers and director Alan Taylor felt the need to ramp up the amount of Kat Dennings in our lives to maximum overdrive. Enough already. With literally less than 20 minutes left to go in the film, Thor is facing off against the bad guys of the story, a race of creatures known as the Dark Elves, and I thought alright, this is where I end up blown away by breathtaking set pieces, amazing action sequences, slick direction and so on. This is where I leave the flaws behind and walk away from the film remembering the stunning conclusion that leaves me wanting more.

What actually happens during the last 20 minutes? Instead of anything I said above, we are treated to a non-stop barrage of cutaways from the action so we can be beaten over the head with comedy involving Kat Dennings and some intern assistant guy, running around, narrowly avoiding death and saying little quips regarding the situation. Why would I, or anyone, give a shit about what is happening with these inconsequential secondary characters during the most important sequences of the movie? Why isn't the entire focus at this point on Thor and his seemingly important plight to save the day yet again?

The moral of the story whether in regards to Kat Dennings or anyone else inside the world of Thor: The Dark World is please stop trying so hard to be funny. When you try too hard, it is noticeable and thus it is far less funny than if you space these moments of relief out and make them mean something. The Avengers was clever and funny because Whedon had such a confident grasp of the material and knew exactly when to deliver a hearty chuckle, a moment to break up the chaos and carnage that made up every second of the previous ten minutes.

Thor: The Dark World is a pretty darn decent, fun film that should and could have been so much more, and you know what? I have picked on Kat Dennings far too much in this review. Time to call out another problem here. Stellan Skarsgard, put your damn pants on. A scientist in his briefs isn't inherently funny, if that is all a writer has in his comedic bag of tricks he needs to invest in some better material.

2.5/5

Iron Man 3 Review

After the misguided handling of Iron Man 2, not to mention coming off of the high of the nearly perfect execution of a superhero film with The Avengers a year earlier, I was excited that the reigns of the franchise were handed off to a new voice in Shane Black. I can't say for sure whether Jon Favreau was really to blame at all for the failings of the second installment but regardless, a new voice and vision was appreciated. I still recall the first time I saw the trailer for Iron Man 3 and a shockingly dark tone seemed to hang over every frame. I was so damn excited that the character was going to shy away from some of the ridiculous comedy and instead focus on the serious side of the saga of Tony Stark.

Well...almost. Things do indeed get serious with the exploration of what troubles a superhero could face when dealing with PTSD, and some breathtaking dramatic set pieces absolutely thrill in ways the franchise never had before. Damn it though, those villains. Both the strange twist involving the Mandarin and the Extremis folk. I just can't comprehend some of the villain choices in these Marvel films.

First let me clarify my issue with the Mandarin twist. It isn't the concept of the twist itself that bothers me, because I am all for keeping an audience on their toes and doing something unexpected. What troubles me is the sudden, jarring tonal shift that takes place, going for completely bad ass terrorist to...well, that. Jokes land with a thud instead of a laugh and I couldn't help but scratch my head at not so much the idea but the execution of it. After coasting with joy for much of the movie up until that point, the way the Mandarin character was handled was unfortunate and revisits haven't changed my opinion of this. I still don't get it.

What might be even worse than the way they handled that one specific character is what it meant for the big picture of the story. By pushing aside what was by far the best villain Iron Man had faced thus far in a solo effort, we are left with Guy Pierce and his glowing band of misfits, and frankly nothing about this crew is compelling in any way. From the opening scene that takes place in 1999 to the modern day handsome version, the character of Aldrich Killian did absolutely nothing for me throughout. Yet still the streak continued, as no solo film from the MCU had gotten the villain right yet. Someday though, right Captain America?

Still though, the overall completed picture is a massive upgrade from the previous film, with a far more likable and believable turn from Robert Downey Jr. as Tony Stark/Iron Man. In fact his performance in Iron Man 3 is the best of his work thus far in the universe, and with the assistance of flat out amazing sequences like the attack on his home and, of course, the Air Force One rescue, I can easily recommend Iron Man 3 as a pretty joyous blast of a picture.

I just wish it had a damn good villain like the trailer indicated. Without that misstep, this would have been up there competing for the best entry into the MCU to date.

3.5/5

Captain America: The First Avenger Review

Of all the pre-Avengers phase one films in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, I am still so impressed by Captain America: The First Avenger every time I see it. Its aesthetic is stylish, its pacing a perfect flow thanks to a balanced blend of character development and fun to watch action. The World War II setting is such a unique and fascinating backdrop for a super hero origin story, and by combining a piece of real world history with a fictional unstoppable man with a shield, the lines between reality and the pages of a comic book are blurred enough to make me buy in.

The story of Steve Rogers, a man who only transforms in body but has always had the heart and the bravery of a hero, is an easy one to become emotionally invested in and of the five solo films leading into the Avengers, Captain America: The First Avenger has always been my favorite. I am aware this means I am in the minority because I have come across a fair amount of unflattering discussion regarding this film, which surprises me. I try to see what others see because I feel the better I understand and appreciate differing opinions, the more I will learn about the medium as a whole, but not only do I not discover more flaws with each viewing of this movie, I end up liking it more and more.

Where the film does miss the mark a tad is with its villain because frankly, the Red Skull isn't all that compelling, but until the Avengers came along and Loki absolutely stole the show this was a common thread between the five solo films leading into it. They simply could not present anything more than an adequate at best bad guy, which is a shame because I find that an impressive antagonist is usually what puts a superhero film over the top.

This is mostly forgiven because of the strength of everything else though, especially the chemistry between Chris Evans in the lead and Hayley Atwell as Peggy Carter. Director Joe Johnston and the screenwriters really understand that ensuring the story and the characters that occupy it will resonate with the audience is far more vital than a constant onslaught of flashy special effects, loud noises and explosions. Don't get me wrong, Captain America: The First Avenger showcases all of those things at times, but it's the sincerity of the quiet moments that make it a winner for me.

4/5

Iron Man 2 Review

Right off the bat in this review I am going to stir the shit, and I apologize for this, but I really mean what I am about to say. Ready? Okay, here it goes...

Iron Man 2 is the Jar Jar Binks of the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

I know, the whole bitch about Jar Jar thing is so damn played out and I agree. You can't turn a corner in a discussion regarding Star Wars: Episode VII online without someone making a "Maybe Abrams will bring Jar Jar back! LOL!" joke being made, and I need to be perfectly clear here, that isn't what I am trying to do. I am not laughing out loud as I write this, and that is precisely my point. Iron Man 2 cranks up the silly factor to 11 and is practically begging the audience to chuckle so hard it makes us slap our knee, but there is a problem. It isn't funny. At all.

It is a bit unfair to equate this entire film to an annoying, pointless, terrible character from another franchise because not everything in Iron Man 2 is misguided. When it actually attempts to portray a serious narrative, it succeeds and I am locked in during these moments, but unfortunately it spends so much time trying to be wacky and "fun" that it mostly fails as a complete movie. The reason I couldn't help but think of good ol' Jar Jar during this revisit was because I ask myself the same question here as I did back when The Phantom Menace was released 16 years ago: Why?

Why so silly? Why so over-the-top? I completely understand and appreciate that the source material these films are based on are comic books featuring men in costumes fighting super villains, so expecting total realism is obviously not in the cards. Why did it have to go that far in the other direction though?

Robert Downey Jr. is just as charming and perfectly suited to play the role of Tony Stark as ever, but that is another prime example of why the screenplay fails in Iron Man 2. Even his wit and clever banter is often times falling on my deaf ears because I had to tune out the terrible villain performance from Sam Rockwell the scene prior. I love Sam Rockwell and when I hear his name, I immediately think of his masterful turn in the science fiction film Moon. I will choose to pretend this nonsense isn't even actually on his résumé. On the other hand, a welcome bright piece of the Iron Man 2 puzzle is the introduction of Natasha Romanoff, a.k.a. Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson). Her role in this film is refreshing and interesting, a nice break from the cringe inducing comedic dialogue that is otherwise so prevalent here, and we now know just how important to the entire universe of movies her character proves to be. 

Iron Man 2 has always been my least favorite effort from the MCU and that has not changed a bit. I have no hatred in my heart for anything relating to this franchise as I have had some fun with even the lesser efforts like this, but the tone of this film is something I have never been able to understand.

2/5

Iron Man Review

While I am now an excitable fan of comic book/superhero films just like the vast majority of the planet, not long ago I was completely in the dark regarding the sub-genres as a whole. I literally did not see a moment of the first set of films from the Marvel Cinematic Universe until a month or two before the release of The Avengers, when I decided to see what all the fuss was about.

I quickly ran through the five preceding films, learning about the characters, discovering their connective tissue, exploring their worlds, and I realized what I was missing out on during those years of ignoring the existence of characters like Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, and Hulk: a whole shit ton of fun. Are any of the Phase One films perfect cinema? Modern masterpieces dripping with rich subtext and art house sensibilities? Of course not. Hell, I think one of the movies is flat out bad, although the revisit coming soon will be approached with an open mind. The point is, I don't demand perfection nor do I desire losing sleep as I ponder the nuance of a movie about a guy in a cool metal suit. It's okay to crave simple, flashy fun.

Even with their shortcomings, films like the original Iron Man manage to warm my heart and put a giant smile on my face because I look over at my daughter and realize that in this moment, she thinks the images on the screen are the coolest thing imaginable. At one time, I was that kid too. I refuse to let go of the part of me that still recognizes and cherishes that, the part of me that holds those memories near and dear, the days when the sights and sounds of cinema felt like a magic trick and I didn't even feel compelled to peak behind the curtain. 

I just wanted to see it again and behold the wonder of it all. 

4/5

10 Most Anticipated Films March - June

As the weather begins to warm up, so does the season of cinema. While the second half of the year always features a far more interesting slate of films overall, that doesn't mean some truly special gems aren't released before July.

Here are the 10 movies I am most excited about that will hit theaters between now and the end of June.

Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter

Directed by Nathan Zellner

Starring Rinko Kikuchi

U.S. Release Date: March 18th

A film based on an urban legend surrounding the real life and death of Takako Konishi, as the media falsely reported that she died while on a quest to find the missing money buried near the end of the film Fargo. In actuality Konishi killed herself, but the fictionalized version of events is far more interesting and cinematic than reality. Reviews are pretty outstanding for this one, and I can't wait to see it.

Clouds of Sils Maria

Directed by Olivier Assayas

Starring Kristen Stewart, Juliette Binoche, Chloe Grace Moretz

U.S. Release Date: April 10th

Unfortunately, a common reaction when many people see the cast listing will be to write this film off because of the presence of Kristen Stewart. Insert Twilight jokes, comments about her personal life, whatever. The truth is, with the right material she can certainly act and apparently that is the case here. Why do I say that? Well, she recently won the Cesar Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance here in France. Not only is this a prestigious award, it's especially significant because Stewart is the FIRST American actress to ever win one. So yeah, safe to say I am excited to see this film.

Lost River

Directed by Ryan Gosling

Starring Christina Hendricks, Matt Smith, Eva Mendes, Saorise Ronan

U.S. Release Date: April 10th

Reviews for Lost River have been almost universally terrible and it was booed viciously at the Cannes Film Festival last year. So why do I have it on my most anticipated list? Because I don't care, I want to see it for myself and make up my own mind. The directorial debut by Ryan Gosling, word is this film was heavily and noticeably influenced by David Lynch and Nicolas Winding Refn, which makes me intrigued to say the least. 

A couple of years ago, people kept talking about how terrible Only God Forgives by Refn was. It was angrily booed at Cannes and the negative reviews came pouring in. In my opinion, it was one of the finest films of the year. So yeah, Lost River may be terrible, but I need to make up my own mind.

Ex Machina

Directed by Alex Garland

Starring Alicia Vikander, Domhnall Gleeson, Oscar Isaac

U.S. Release Date: April 10th

Oh man do I love some good science fiction. I literally don't need to know anything from a project, just tell me it is well reviewed and science fiction and I will be there, and that is exactly the case here with Ex Machina. Critical reception has been fantastic, my boy Oscar Isaac is in it, and the writer/director Alex Garland previously wrote 28 Days Later, Sunshine and Never Let Me Go. Count me in.

Avengers: Age of Ultron

Directed by Joss Whedon

Starring Robert Downey Jr, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, James Spader, Paul Bettany

U.S. Release Date: May 1st

What really needs to be said? The first Avengers film was, in my opinion, the first truly excellent thing to come from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, until 2014 rolled around and both Captain America: The Winter Soldier and Guardians of the Galaxy exceeded it. Those are the last two films to be released before Age of Ultron, so yeah, expectations are through the roof.

Far From the Madding Crowd

Directed by Thomas Vinterberg

Starring Carrie Mulligan, Michael Sheen, Juno Temple, Matthias Schoenaerts, Tom Sturridge

U.S. Release Date: May 1st

Talk about jumping in the complete opposite direction of Age of Ultron, and with the same release date no less. I read Thomas Hardy's novel of the same name, which was published roughly 140 years ago, and I liked it but was underwhelmed. Despite this, I am very excited to see this film adaptation. Why? Director Thomas Vinterberg's last work was The Hunt from 2013, which was without a doubt one of the greatest films from that year, so I was going to be excited about whatever he did next. Plus, I'm a fan of Carrie Mulligan, a pretty extraordinary actress. So while I will be seeing Avengers on the biggest screen possible that weekend, Far From the Madding Crowd won't be far behind.

Mad Max: Fury Road

Directed by George Miller

Starring Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult

U.S. Release Date: May 15th

While on my list because of the outstanding trailer, Mad Max: Fury Road is the first film on this list I am truly skeptical about. I can't shake that amazing trailer, disappointing film overall feeling, but I am hoping for the best. Regardless, I'm sure this will be a pretty spectacular sight on the big screen, and I hope it lives up to the footage we have seen thus far.

Tomorrowland

Directed by Brad Bird

Starring Britt Robertson, George Clooney, Hugh Laurie

U.S. Release Date: May 22nd

An intriguing trailer, a summer slice of science fiction that I can see with my very excited daughter, and Brad Bird. Enough said, I will be there.

Jurassic World

Directed by Colin Trevorrow

Starring Chris Pratt, Bryce Dallas Howard

U.S. Release Date: June 12th

Much like Mad Max: Fury Road, I approach Jurassic World with what can best be described as highly excited pessimism. I am going to see it, I really want to see it, and I hope it is great, but I just can't shake the bad feeling it will be a dud. Excited that Colin Trevorrow is at the helm here as I loved his previous feature film Safety Not Guaranteed, and much like most of the planet right now, I'm a big fan of Chris Pratt, so I am hoping for the best. 

Inside Out

Directed by Pete Docter

Starring Amy Poehler, Mindy Kaling, Bill Hader, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Kyle Maclachlan, Diane Lane

U.S. Release Date: June 19th

The world needs a truly great Pixar film. I have not hated anything they have done, including the Cars films which do what they intend to for their target audience, but it has been years since the glory days of a studio that released animated masterpieces annually. I have big expectations for Inside Out and will be severely disappointed if it ends up merely being "good. This one needs to be something special, and the first couple of trailers indicate it has the potential to be just that.

I'm sure a few of these ten films will be disappointing, but obviously I will hope for the best across the board. Here's to an exciting and highly anticipated next few months of cinema!