Star Wars! Ip Man! Chris Hemsworth and Chris Evans! What more could you ask for to cap off the end of the yet another eventful year?
Scheduled release: Now in cinemas
Director: Ron Howard
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Benjamin Walker, Cillian Murphy
Leading actor Chris Hemsworth, widely known for his muscle-bound body in the Thor movies, took his body to another sort of physical limit when he underwent dramatic weight loss for his role in this film.
But his sacrifice may very well be worth it, as In the Heart of the Sea looks at the occurrence and aftermath of the real-life maritime disaster that marooned the surviving crew of the whaling ship Essex, back in 1820. Those who’ve read Herman Melville’s classic Moby-Dick novel will no doubt see similarities between this movie and the book.
Scheduled release: Now in cinemas
Director: Ericson Core
Cast: Édgar Ramírez, Teresa Palmer, Luke Bracey
Loosely based on the 1991 original film of the same name, this remake stars Luke Bracey as Johnny Utah, an FBI agent sent to infiltrate and put a stop to the high-profile crimes spearheaded by Bodhi (Édgar Ramírez).
The stakes are high and the playing field treacherous, as Utah endures wingsuit flying, extreme motorcycling and big-wave surfing to get into Bodhi’s inner circle. If you’re an adrenaline junkie, this is the film to watch.
Scheduled release: December 17th
Director: Chris Evans
Cast: Chris Evans, Alice Eve
Chris Evans has extended his repertoire beyond starring in superhero movies by making his directorial debut in Before We Go. The story revolves around two strangers who are stuck in Manhatten for the night, slowly but surely becoming acquainted and more. And who better to take on the role of the male lead than Evans himself, with Alice Eve playing his eventual love interest.
If this story sounds familiar, that’s because it is inspired by Richard Linklater’s Before Sunrise of 1995. Not to worry though, reviews for Evans’ movie have been pretty favorable so far, and it’ll be interesting to see what genres he gets up to in future.
Scheduled release: December 17th
Director: J. J. Abrams
Cast: John Boyega, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver
A sequel that fans of the Star Wars franchise have long clamored for, this movie’s storyline remains shrouded in secrecy, leaving many questions unanswered, such as: Who is Kylo Ren? Where is Luke Skywalker? Weren’t the Sith wiped out with Darth Vader’s death?
What has been revealed is that almost all of the original cast have returned to this film, and that fans can expect the plot to thicken. With sequels already set for the future, this is one saga not to be missed.
Scheduled release: December 24th
Director: Wilson Yip
Cast: Donnie Yen, Lynn Hung, Mike Tyson
Donnie Yen is making it big in Hollywood, with a role in the upcoming Star Wars VIII movie that’s slated for a 2018 release. But before we see him welding a lightsaber, we get to enjoy seeing him reprise the role of Ip Man, a real-life martial arts practitioner who also happened to be Bruce Lee’s Wing Chun teacher.
We’ve seen reel-life Ip Man face off against 10 men at one go and triumph over other martial artists, but to see him fight against “Iron” Mike Tyson, who plays a property developer-cum-boxer in this movie, is a dream come true.