We are constantly spoilt for choice when it comes to movies. Not sure which movies to make time for in the new year? CATCHPLAY has done the homework for you so you don’t have to.
Kong: Skull Island
While watching the famed giant ape wreak havoc is to be expected, this time around we get to dive deeper into the previously untold story of how King Kong got his name. Starring Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, Brie Larson and John Goodman, the film follows a team of scientists and soldiers on an expedition through uncharted territory in the Pacific. The island’s inhabitants are naturally none too pleased, and an explosive battle between man and nature ensues.
Fun fact: Kong: Skull Island has the largest American version of King Kong on screen, with the monster standing at nearly 100 feet (30.5 metres).
Blade Runner 2049
Set thirty years after the events of Blade Runner, this highly-anticipated sequel sees Ryan Gosling as new blade runner, LAPD Officer K, who discovers a secret that just might tear civil society to shreds. He embarks on a quest for former blade runner, Rick Deckard, protagonist of the original film, a role which is reprised by Harrison Ford. Set again in Los Angeles, the film features Earth with a different atmosphere – one where, according to director Denis Villeneuve, “the ocean, the rain, the snow is all toxic”.
Fun fact: Blade Runner 2049’s cast includes one Oscar winner, Jared Leto, and three Oscar nominees: Gosling, Ford and Barkhad Abdi.
Wonder Woman
Sexy woman wielding a sword? Gotta love it. Starring Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, the film revolves around an Amazon princess, Diana, who learns about the ongoing bloodshed of World War I through an American military pilot washed ashore. She makes the valiant decision to leave her home to bring an end to the conflict, and in the process not only finds love, but also comes to recognise her supernatural powers and true destiny.
Fun fact: Wonder Woman’s creator, William Moulton Marston, was also the inventor of the first lie detector.
Justice League
More superhero goodness comes our way with this film, which has Batman, Wonder Woman, The Flash, Aquaman, Cyborg and the newly-resurrected Superman banding together to fight against Steppenwolf and his army of Parademons. Will it, however, be too late to save the planet from an attack of calamitous proportions, especially since the villains are relentless in their hunt for three Mother Boxes? You should find out, especially as the star-studded cast includes Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill and Amy Adams.
Fun fact: Affleck, who directed Argo and Live by Night, was also considered to direct Justice League.
Pirates of The Carribean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Captain Jack Sparrow is back – this time in search of the trident of Poseidon, a formidable artefact that grants its owner complete control of the seas, so that he may defeat old rival Capitan Salazar. While it’s always nice to see Johnny Depp on the big screen, the real excitement lies in the return of Orlando Bloom, as Will Turner, following his absence from the fourth instalment On Stranger Tides.
Fun fact: The Pirates of the Caribbean franchise is the eleventh highest-grossing film series of all time, and the first franchise where more than one film raked in over $1 billion worldwide.
The Fate of the Furious
No matter how many times they’ve been put together, hot babes and fast cars always make for a sensational combo and this film ensures it’s no different. While most of the crew have found some semblance of normal life, one of them falls prey to the devious charms of a mysterious woman and spirals into a world of crime, going so far as to betray those dearest to him. Starring Vin Diesel, Dwayne Johnson, Charlize Theron and Jason Statham, this action favourite will see the gang’s friendships tested like never before.
Fun fact: This is the first Hollywood action film shot in Cuba. Sure took them long enough!
