2015's Most Anticipated: The Replacements

Shane Falco is here to right some wrongs

It was inevitable that some of my most anticipated would get knocked back to next year, I even caught wind of one during my write up (Kung Fu Panda 3). There's been 3 other movies, one a runner-up, that have moved release dates into 2016. It's a shame, but there have been some surprising trailers popping up for movies I hadn't even heard of until I saw them.



1st Replacement
Runner-Up Triple Nine
Creed
Starring: Michael B. Jordon, Sylvester Stallone
Director: Ryan Coogler
Writers: Ryan Coogler, Aaron Covington
Release Date: November 25
I'll say it again - I'm not a big fan of boxing, but I do love a good boxing movie, from Rocky to Raging Bull to The Figher - there's just something about a contender and an underdog/redemption story that I can get behind. It's quintessentially an American genre and Creed looks to revive a dormant franchise that Stallone couldn't do with 2006's Rocky Balboa. The director, Ryan Coogler, previously directed Jordon in Fruitvale Station, a very heartbreaking look at the last day of a kid who was killed at a Bay Area train stop. The trailer hits all the right notes here and it will be interesting to see how the angle of a legend's son stepping into his father's very big shoes plays out on screen. This could be a great homage to a very good series of films or it may end up disastrous. Either way, I'm pumped to check it out!


2nd Replacement
48. London Has Fallen
Steve Jobs
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen
Director: Danny Boyle
Writer: Aaron Sorkin
Release Date: October 9
My boy, Danny Boyle, is one of the most under-appreciated directors doing movies today. If you Google best directors today, he doesn't come up on any list. This, despite his Oscar win for Best Director for Slumdog Millionaire in 2009. He doesn't even hit the top 50 here! That's ridiculous! Anyway, he's working off of Aaron Sorkin's script based on the novel by Walter Isaacson. This should be fantastic and Fassbender looks to nab himself an Oscar nomination with his portrayal of the sadistic genius. Sorkin has been on a role with movies lately - The Social Network, Moneyball and now this movie - I can't wait to see what snappy dialogue he's got going. And Boyle hasn't made a bad film yet (his latest, Trance was pretty good but not well-received). I think this all-star cast and crew will make for a great movie - I'm betting there's a lot of Oscar-bait in the movie. Plus you can't go wrong with perpetually-stoner dude Seth Rogen turning in a dramatic performance that may get him a nomination too (think Jonah Hill with Moneyball and Wolf of Wall Street).


3rd Replacement
42. Jane Got a Gun
American Ultra
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart
Director: Nima Nourizadeh
Writer: Max Landis
This looks entertaining. And it could be terrible! But so far, I'm hooked. I think I'm up for a slightly dumbed-down parody of Jason Bourne. Max Landis is the dude who wrote the wonderful Chronicle about the kids getting superpowers, so I think this should be a fun zip through the world of secret agents. The director, Nima Nourizadeh has one other film to his credit - Project X - a film so bleak and terrible it made partying look like a terrible idea. So we'll see. Jesse Eisenberg is a man on a mission lately (14 movies the past 5 years including 2016!). I really enjoy his performances and this should be one of the weirder ones. And Kristen Stewart will more than likely end up looking like she's collecting a paycheck rather than doing any meaningful roles. Which I'm fine with for this movie - she's clearly not the focus and I'm excited to see what other oddball humor this movie has in store!