While we don't get any Pixar films this year, they're making it up to us by releasing two next year, the second of which is The Good Dinosaur, directed by Peter Sohn (who directed the fantastic Pixar short Partly Cloudy) after Bob Peterson (who co-directed Up) was removed as director mid-production for failing to nail the third act. Though that doesn't exactly sound promising, the plot, which takes place on an Earth where the dinosaurs weren't rendered extinct by an asteroid, follows a dinosaur, Arlo, as he tries to make his way through life. It sounds like a fun "What If?" scenario, and with a voice cast including John Lithgow, Frances McDormand, Neil Patrick Harris, Judy Greer and Bill Hader, the talent is unquestionably on their side. If they can tighten up the apparent scripting issues, Pixar just might have another subversive hit on their hands. Predicted Rotten Tomatoes Score: 74%
4. Star Wars: Episode VII (Dec 18)
This is it, the big one, the movie that pretty much everyone is going to see, and the movie that already has absolutely impossible expectations piled on top of it. JJ Abrams is looking to make the Star Wars franchise cool, fun and relevant again after George Lucas' disappointing prequel trilogy, and with a cast including Adam Driver, Oscar Isaac, Max von Sydow and Andy Serkis alongside series mainstays Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Anthony Daniels, Peter Mayhew and Kenny Baker, it's certainly hard not to get excited. From the brief glimpses we've seen of the movie's set, it looks as though Episode VII is relying heavily on practical sets and effects work, which is hugely encouraging in light of Lucas' near-abusive use of visual effects trickery on his mostly soulless prequel trilogy. In true Abrams style, the plot is being kept as water-tight as possible, though we know that it takes place roughly 30 years after Darth Vader's death, with a group of youngsters being nurtured by the classic characters we know and love. If there's any film that can beat Avatar's $2.7 billion box office, this is it. And let's face it, it can't be any worse than any of the prequel trilogy (especially the first two). Predicted Rotten Tomatoes Score: 87%
Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes).
General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.
