So here we are in 2013. We survived the Mayan apocalypse, and we've made it to the year in which both
Kevin Costner's disaster epic "
The Postman" and sub-standard
John Carpenter sequel "
Escape To L.A." were set. And after a strong 2012, which contained some of the most anticipated movies in recent memory, from blockbusters like "
Prometheus," "
The Avengers," and "
The Dark Knight Rises" to new films from
Paul Thomas Anderson,
Quentin Tarantino and
Kathryn Bigelow, among many others, you might imagine that 2013 would be something of a step down.
But one look at the release calendar for the coming twelve months will reveal that that's far from the case, which is why we've gone to the almost exorbitant number of 100 picks (no really, there's
a lot of good stuff coming down the pike). Sure, there's also all kinds of dreck on the way, but the cinematic landscape for 2013 looks enormously exciting, from $200 million blockbusters to tiny indie pictures. For the rest of this week and next, we're going to round some of them up, starting today with the 50 films we're most looking forward to out of everything (many with more of a dramatic bent) followed with another 50 tomorrow (with more of a genre/escapist leaning). If you don't see a personal favorite, don't fret just yet, as it's entirely possible that it'll crop up in the next few days (here's our
Most Anticipated Films Of 2013 Part 2, if you're just landing on this feature today). BTW, here's all our
Most Anticipated 2013 coverage with several features closely looking at several types of movies coming out this year. Let us know what you're anticipating in the comments section. Here they are in alphabetical order.
“A Most Wanted Man”
Synopsis: Adapted from the book by
John Le Carré (“
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy”), this espionage thriller centers on an uneducated and destitute ex-prisoner who illegally arrives in Hamburg and gets caught up in the international war on terror.
What You Need To Know: Photographer-turned-filmmaker
Anton Corbijn has only made two features and he’s already been threatening to retire, but thankfully, he has at least one more picture to add to his CV. The moody anti-thriller “
The American" was overlooked in 2010, but it was grippingly taut and striking, so a tense espionage thriller could also be an incredible exercise in tone. Starring
Philip Seymour Hoffman,
Rachel McAdams,
Willem Dafoe,
Robin Wright and “
Inglourious Basterds" actor
Daniel Brühl, it’s actually relatively unknown Russian actor
Grigoriy Dobrygin who plays the lead role of Issa Karpov, but the movie as a whole should be a complex ensemble piece.
Release Date: TBD, but the 2013 fall film festival circuit feels like a likely place to find distribution (rumors that
Focus Features have acquired it are false).
"August: Osage County"
Synopsis: An eccentric, troubled Oklahoma family have to confront their past after their patriarch goes missing.
What You Need To Know: It might seem like Oscar bait on the surface, with
The Weinstein Company and
George Clooney backing an award-winning literary piece of material, and with
Meryl Streep heading up a starry, much-lauded cast including
Julia Roberts,
Chris Cooper,
Ewan McGregor,
Benedict Cumberbatch,
Abigail Breslin,
Sam Shepard and
Margo Martindale. But don't mistake this for "
The Iron Lady" -- this is an adaptation of the Pulitzer Prize-winning play by "
Killer Joe" author
Tracy Letts, a pretty spectacular piece of work, closer to an epic blend of
Arthur Miller and Greek tragedy than some simple, easy awards bait. As such, it should be great to see that cast (which also includes
Juliette Lewis and
Dermot Mulroney) deal with some of the best material they've ever had, although it could end up being a bruising sit, as the play ran around three hours. The question mark here is director
John Wells, a TV veteran (who ran "
E.R." and "
The West Wing," among others) who made his film debut a few years back with "
The Company Men," a decent, but hardly transcendent piece of work. Hopefully he can raise his cinematic game this time around.
Release Date: TBD, but certainly in the fall, probably with a November or December limited release widening once it gets closer to the Oscars.
“Before Midnight”
Synopsis: Now in their forties, Celine and Jesse meet nine years after their last rendezvous in France, this time in Greece.
What You Need To Know: Almost two decades have passed since their first encounter on a train bound for Vienna, but
Richard Linklater,
Julie Delpy and
Ethan Hawke are clearly enamored with the romantic duo of Celine and Jesse, first introduced in “
Before Sunrise” in 1995. The trio earn the best misdirection award of 2012 -- earlier in the year, all three of them in
separate interviews gave the, “who knows?” answer (though Hawke kind of
gave up the ghost) when quizzed about a third picture in this would-be trilogy, but by September they had shot the entire thing in secret. While it’s been called a type of conclusion to this will-they or won’t-they romance, Linklater himself has suggested that the picture doesn’t end on so much of a definitive note that they couldn’t do another one if they wanted.
Release Date: TBD, but the picture will
premiere at Sundance in January.
“Behind The Candelabra”
Synopsis: Based on an autobiographical novel of the same name, the picture is a behind-the-scenes look at the tempestuous relationship between legendary entertainer Liberace and Scott Thorson, his younger lover.
What You Need To Know: While it will premiere on
HBO, “
Behind The Candelabra” will be officially
Steven Soderbergh’s final feature-length effort before he exiles himself into a retirement/sabbatical or whatever you want to call it, so as such, it seemed more than worthy of inclusion here. In the works for several years, the picture stars
Michael Douglas as the famed singer,
Matt Damon as his young lover Scott Thorson, and co-stars
Rob Lowe,
Dan Aykroyd,
Scott Bakula and
Paul Reiser. ‘Candelabra’ was also written by
Richard LaGravenese (“
The Fisher King,” “
The Ref”), and in another piece of finality, features
the last written score by the late composer Marvin Hamlisch.
Release Date: Summer 2013 on HBO with a likely
Cannes Film Festival premiere beforehand in May.
“Bling Ring”
Synopsis: A group of teenagers obsessed with fashion and fame burglarize the homes of celebrities in Los Angeles.
What You Need To Know: Based on a true story about teenagers that robbed the likes of
Paris Hilton and more to the total tune of about $3 million in cash and belongings, what starts out as youthful fun spins out of control, and if the script is anything to go by, reveals a sobering view of our modern culture of celebrity, luxury-brand obsession and entitlement. Another disaffected youth story, writer/director
Sofia Coppola at least seems to have adapted one with a more concrete beginning, middle and end than usual. The picture stars
Emma Watson,
Leslie Mann,
Taissa Farmiga,
Israel Broussard,
Katie Chang,
Claire Julian, and
Georgia Rock, and it will be interesting to see what kind of tone the film takes given that Coppola’s last effort, “
Somewhere,” was her most opaque to date. Also notable as the final film of great, late
director of photography Harris Savides.
Release Date: TBD. "
Marie Antoinette" premiered at
Cannes, and "Somewhere" premiered at
Venice, so either fest could be feasible points of entry for "Bling Ring."
“Blood Ties”
Synopsis: Two brothers, on either side of the law, face off over organized crime in Brooklyn during the 1970s.
What You Need To Know: The French are obsessed with director
James Gray, so naturally, writer/director/actor
Guillaume Canet (“
Little White Lies”) tapped Gray to help him write the screenplay of what sounds very much like a James Gray film (one could argue it sounds like the premise of “
We Own The Night”).
He’s downplayed his involvement, but regardless, Canet has an intriguing-sounding story and a stellar cast, which includes
Clive Owen,
Zoe Saldana,
Mila Kunis,
Marion Cotillard,
James Caan,
Billy Crudup,
Matthias Schoenaerts,
Lili Taylor and more to boot. What’s not to look forward to? Canet is mostly known in the U.S. as an actor or Marion Cotillard’s baby daddy, but anyone who saw the overlooked and taut 2006 thriller “
Tell No One” knows he’s akin to the Gallic version of
Ben Affleck -- an actor who has bloomed into a terrific director (maybe not so coincidentally,
Affleck's been trying to remake Canet's film).
Release Date: TBD. But the French love their own so a
Cannes 2013 bow is very possible.
"Breathe In"
Synopsis: A happily married New York City music teacher is drawn to a young British foreign exchange student.
What You Need To Know: Between 2010's "
Douchebag" and 2011's breakout "
Like Crazy," youthful director
Drake Doremus has virtually become part of the furniture at
Sundance in recent years. And he's back in 2013 with "
Breathe In," a drama the prolific filmmaker had already completed photography on
before "Like Crazy" was even in theaters. Reuniting him with the ludicrously talented star of the latter,
Felicity Jones, it also sees the always-welcome
Guy Pearce and
Amy Ryan getting involved too, in a film that uses the same semi-improvised process that Doremus has made good use of in the past. But it's not just business as usual; word is that Doremus is using a more classical, handheld-free aesthetic, which should be interesting to see. "Like Crazy," for all its beautiful flaws, certainly made us keen to see more from the director, so this is certainly high on our list for Park City and beyond.
Release Date: First screens at Sundance on January 19th, a release date will surely follow from there.
“Captain Phillips”
Synopsis: The true story of Captain Richard Phillips and the 2009 hijacking by Somali pirates of the US-flagged MV Maersk Alabama, the first American cargo ship to be hijacked in 200 years.
What You Need To Know: True-life stories are the bread and butter of director
Paul Greengrass (the second and third ‘
Bourne’ films) and screenwriter
Billy Ray (“
State Of Play,” “
Shattered Glass”). So perhaps this will be a kind of dramatically rendered cinema verite?
Tom Hanks stars as the titular Captain, and the film also features
Catherine Keener and “
Not Fade Away” star
John Magaro, but other than that, the film is heavy on character actors and light on names. We presume it’s mostly a one-hander for Hanks, and it’ll be interesting to see how his everyman, likable style works with Greengrass’ handheld-y, naturalistic method. We're also keen to see whether Greengrass has dared to switch-up that aesthetic gleaned from his years as a documentary filmmaker.
Release Date: October 11, 2013
"Closed Circuit"
Synopsis: A former couple, both lawyers, end up on the same side of a controversial terrorist trial.
What You Need To Know: Once tipped to be a major A-lister,
Eric Bana is in need of a bit of a bounce these days, as films like "
Funny People" and "
Deadfall" haven't quite cemented him as the star he once showed promise to become. But if he has a good chance at a comeback, this might be it, as it's a promising-sounding thriller for grown-ups in which the Australian actor stars alongside the always-worth-the-price-of-admission
Rebecca Hall. The script comes from
Steven Knight, who between "
Dirty Pretty Things" and "
Eastern Promises" has become a reliable name in adult thrillers.
John Crowley (the undervalued "
Boy A") directs, while
Jim Broadbent,
Ciaran Hinds, and the excellent
Riz Ahmed, as the terrorist on trial, are all among the supporting cast. The premise, while still mostly under wraps, suggests it
could be a button-pushing, of-the-moment kind of picture. But with
Focus Features setting an August release date, is it the next "
Constant Gardener"? Or the next "
The Debt"?
Release Date: August 28, 2013, presumably limited at first before rolling out wider.
“The Counselor”
Synopsis: A lawyer finds himself in over his head when he gets involved in drug trafficking.
What You Need To Know: "
The Counselor" has an impressive talent call sheet around it, but it starts out with celebrated author
Cormac McCarthy (“
The Road,” “
Blood Meridian”) who penned his first original screenplay with this story.
Ridley Scott quickly snatched it up and dropped it into production with a cast that stars
Michael Fassbender as the lawyer and a supporting cast that includes
Brad Pitt,
Cameron Diaz,
Penelope Cruz,
Javier Bardem,
Rosie Perez and
John Leguizamo. Diaz is said to have a crucial antagonist role, and at the very least we might be seeing her in a very new light. Pitt plays the heavy, but evidently his role is a small one. Scott's been nominated three times for a Best Director Oscar and never won. And while “The Counselor” isn’t quite Oscar bait, if he pulls it off, it might be the closest he’s come to a nomination since “
Gladiator.”
Release Date: TBD, but likely the fall.
56 Comments
Tom | January 29, 2013 10:51 AM
Surely Denzel will go for the hattrick and make a film about a boat that can't slow down?
This mock on the Irish porn industry's the best thing I've seen so far this year;
youtube.com/watch?v=oTvCp88IQ_c
Marko | January 17, 2013 3:10 PM
Great list. My 50+ picks: http://recordinglivefromsomewhere.com/2013/01/17/recording-live-from-somewheres-most-anticipated-films-of-2013/
Vanessa | January 10, 2013 10:29 AM
No love for The Falling a.k.a Serena starring Jennifer Lawrence and Bradley Cooper, it should be impressive, it is also directed by Susanne Biers. It has oscars written all over it!
RoyalTenenbaum | January 8, 2013 12:55 PM
"True-life stories are the bread and butter of director Paul Greengrass (the second and third âBourneâ films)" - These aren't examples of true-life stories he's directed.
Sketch | January 7, 2013 4:08 PM
If 3 of these movies are - finally - worth seeing, I'll be surprised. And grateful.
Demme | January 7, 2013 2:55 PM
I disagree "The Life Aquatic" was much better than "The Darjeeling Limited" TDL was very slow at times, as TLA with Bill Murray I couldn't take my eyes off of it, one of my favs.
Matt | January 5, 2013 5:24 AM
Reading that the writer of this article thinks that "Moonrise Kingdom" was Wes Anderson's best since "Rushmore" made me about spit my soda all over my laptop. Moonrise Kingdom is Wes Anderson's best since "Fantastic Mr. Fox," as far as I'm concerned, which was the best since "Darjeeling Limited." Frankly, the only film of Anderson's career that "Moonrise Kingdom" is actually better than is "The Life Aquatic."
wes | January 4, 2013 1:27 PM
Post Tenenbras Lux by Carlos Reygadas?
Roger | January 4, 2013 12:41 PM
Wow, you were truly fast with that (fixed). Thanks
Roger | January 4, 2013 12:33 PM
You provided a link for part 2, but it redirects to part 1. Where is the second part?
Drian | January 4, 2013 11:56 AM
Tim Burton is said to release the sequel of Beetlejuice (1988) in 2013, according to Wikipedia. To me, easily one of the most anticipated films this year.
Nick | January 3, 2013 3:07 PM
Where is Zal Batmanglij's "The East"? Didn't you guys give "Sound of My Voice" an "A"?
Connor | January 3, 2013 1:39 PM
So glad this is finally out as I have been anticipating this feature for a while now. Thanks Playlist.
t-rex | January 3, 2013 12:09 PM
wolf of wall street , foxcatcher, nebraska should all be oscar contenders but i bet that o'rusell's abscam project will be the showstoper
Nadir Ahmed | January 3, 2013 11:15 AM
Im also looking forward to Louis Letteriers "Now You See Me" about a group of magicians who rob banks during there show. It stars Jesse Eisenberg, Isla Fisher, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffulo, Michael Caine and Woody Harrelson. Great Cast, Great Premise, looking forward to it
james | January 3, 2013 8:03 AM
Great article. It always seems that there's going to be far too many exciting and brilliant films to see... never quite works out that way. Excellent overview though.
Cruella | January 3, 2013 7:09 AM
many films sound great on paper. But whether they turnout good on film is a whole different matter. All the stars need to align.
Aix | January 3, 2013 6:14 AM
To be fair to Condon, no-one can save that Twilight sh*t!
concerned citizen kane | January 2, 2013 10:52 PM
what about They Came Together? David Wain's spoof of a rom-com with Amy Poehler and Paul Rudd. Spiritual sequel to Wet Hot American Summer?
JOHN | January 2, 2013 10:30 PM
I dig the under-the-radar stuff (you know, the films that should actually be playing in "independent" film festivals and reviewed by "indie"wire) and this micro-indie feature called "There Are No Goodbyes" looks ambitious and beautiful: http://ThereAreNoGoodbyes.com
Harris | January 2, 2013 7:44 PM
How about Frances Ha and jOBS?
BD | January 2, 2013 6:23 PM
The closest Ridley Scott might come to an Oscar nod since Gladiator?
He was nominated the following year for Black Hawk Down!
Genadijus | January 2, 2013 4:22 PM
My TOP10 of the most anticipated movies:
1. Lowlife
2. Inside Llewyn Davis
3. Only Lovers Left Alive
4. The Place Beyond the Pines
5. Only God Forgives
6. Twelve Years a Slave
7. Gravity
8. The Grandmasters
9. The Wolf of Wall Street
10. Oldboy
Darvy Joe | January 2, 2013 4:15 PM
"With "Moonrise Kingdom" proving to be the director's best since "Rushmore," expectations couldn't be much higher for this one." Huh? Cuz it's not like The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic weren't better than Rushmore, or that Moonrise Kingdom wasn't as good as either...
John | January 2, 2013 4:11 PM
"...note how [You Are Here's topic] seems fairly similar to another debut film from a famous television impresario who revealed himself to be COMPLETELY TONE DEAF to cinematic storytelling. That was âNot Fade Awayâ from David Chase, and Chaseâs âThe Sopranosâ was a FAR BETTER show than âMad Men,â leading one to imagine just exactly how this story could get away from Weiner." Fixed your typography
4567 | January 2, 2013 3:53 PM
"[James Grey] should be considered among the contemporary greats, but has failed to be completely recognized among the PTAs and Finchers" I have a bone to pick with that. There's a reason he isn't considered among the contemporary greats: his films aren't as good. I have immense respect for him, he's clearly talented and sharp, but I don't know by what measure he can be called a great filmmaker. Little Odessa was a decent debut, but far from Reservoir Dogs or Hard Eight as far as masterful debuts go. The Yards was fine, but when compared -- as a sophomore feature -- to Boogie Nights or Pulp Fiction or Seven, it doesn't mark an increase in ambition and skill in the same way. Especially after 5 years, it left something to be desired. We Own the Night was ambitious and well intentioned, but ultimately failed to achieve the Godfather-like epic tone and scale it strove for. Compare to Magnolia or Zodiac or Inglourious Basterds (I'm using PTA, Fincher, and Tarantino as roughly contemporaneous exemplary peers) as a historical/criminal panorama, and can you honestly say it doesn't fall far short? Two Lovers is his most thoroughly successful, but it's a minor film, small scale. It feels like a great, gorgeous debut from a youngish filmmaker, or a great entry in a film-a-year style filmography like Woody Allen's, or a victory lap (like Punch-Drunk Love) after nailing it back to back a few times. I'm honestly curious how The Playlist staff feels that Grey, after having had 15+ years to prove himself, and only emerging with four interesting but non-masterpiece pictures, deserves the same status as PTA, who's never made anything close to middling movie, has made from two to four masterpieces, depending on your perspective, and, at 27, made one of the best movies of the 90s? Even if, reasonably, you think Two Lovers was one of the best movies of the 2000s, better than There Will Be Blood (insane, but surely some think so), by what measure, considering his entire filmography, does he even come close to approaching his peers (PTA, Fincher, Tarantino, etc) in accomplishment? You'd have to contend that The Yards is as good as Pulp Fiction and Boogie Nights and Seven and The Game (it may be as good as the latter two, just not as impressive), that Little Odessa is great, on par or better than Hard Eight and Reservoir Dogs and other great 90s debuts, and that We Own the Night is as exceptional as Magnolia or Zodiac. And, really, you're really stretching it if you're making those contentions. And don't give me "You can't compare" because you can and you have to if you're going to contend that he's as good as these guys
bohmer | January 2, 2013 3:32 PM
"Chaseâs "The Sopranos" was a far better show than "Mad Men"; that's like your opinion man. (edit)
bohmer | January 2, 2013 3:31 PM
"Chaseâs âThe Sopranosâ was a far better show than âMad Menâ; that's like your opinion man.
Alex | January 2, 2013 3:27 PM
Great list but you forgot Untitled Terrence Malick Project, The Two Faces of January and Upstream Color!
S | January 2, 2013 2:47 PM
Empire State is starring Liam Hemsworth and not his brother Chris...
cirkusfolk | January 2, 2013 2:15 PM
Seeing as Mary Poppins is in my top five fav films of all time I am looking forward to Saving Mr. Banks starring Tom Hanks (Dec. 20). Not on list.
cirkusfolk | January 2, 2013 2:13 PM
So you have a couple films on the list by foreign directors making their first English language films (Snowpiercer, Stoker)...so my question is, how many English debuts by respected foreigners have been let downs? I know there's a bunch but can't think of them all.
Mimic - Guillermo Del Toro
Alien Resurrection - Jean-Pierre Jeunet
Once Around - Lasse Hallstrom
Hard Target - John Woo
Then of course The Last Stand by Jee-woon Kim is about to be released and looks horrible.
Lucas | January 2, 2013 2:12 PM
No Farhadi's The Past? Or are you doing a separate entry for foreign films?
emma | January 2, 2013 1:58 PM
I can't wait to see Low Life, The Place behond the pines, Only God Forgives
TB | January 2, 2013 1:58 PM
Quick fact-fixes: 'Wolf of Wall Street' isn't Scorsese's first time shooting digital (Hugo was digital 3D), and Wes Anderson had 4 movies in 00s (you forgot The Royal Tenenbaums in 2001). Incredible write-up. These are my favorite features
Michelle | January 2, 2013 1:58 PM
Kill your Darlings is my most anticipated film of 2013, but that does not appear to be on the list. I also want to see stoker, Place beyond the pines, Gravity, the great Gastby and a few others..
Glass | January 2, 2013 1:26 PM
Nebraska gets +1000 Tumblr points for also starring Devin Ratray - Buzz from Home Alone
Candid | January 2, 2013 1:22 PM
Super excited for The Double, Her, I'm So Excited, Inside Llewyn Davis, Labor Day, Only God Forgives, The Place Beyond The Pines, Side Effects, and Stoker... But thought Like Crazy was one of the most overrated, self-indulgent dull films I have ever seen and understand why his next feature is on this list (since playlist was one of the raters) but disappointed it is! Also would have been nice to see Caught In Flight or Filth actually included instead of just mentioned.
DG | January 2, 2013 12:49 PM
Goog god that's a lot of good movies. I don't even know where to start but only God Forgives, Her, Place Beyond the Pines, Only Lovers Left Alive, Under the Skin, Gravity, Lowlife, all have caught my eye. Honestly almost every one on this list looks good tho
Ade | January 2, 2013 12:39 PM
Nice overview, I'm particulary excited about Trance, Under the Skin, Only God Forgives, The Counselor, To the Wonder, Her.
Piotr | January 2, 2013 12:28 PM
The graphic novel has been described as efejreosrekore. WTF does that mean?
Seanna | January 2, 2013 12:17 PM
Killer. Definitive as usual. I can't wait to sink my teeth into this. Nice work as always, Playlist.