Quentin Tarantino Films Ranked

With Quentin Tarantino’s latest film Once Upon a Time in Hollywood released in cinemas last month, I decided to rank his entire filmography. In the months leading up to its release, I’ve been re-watching the movies from him I haven’t seen more than once to make sure about how I felt about them, and for the most part I appreciated them a lot more after the more recent viewings.

Tarantino’s filmography in general has been absolutely fantastic, and I must emphasise this before I get into my ranking, as some movies may be placed differently compared to most other people. I consider all but one of his movies great. So I’ll just start with that previously mentioned one movie that doesn’t really work that well for me.

10. Death Proof

Death Proof sticks out like a sore thumb amongst Quentin Tarantino’s filmography. While I’m fully aware of the fact that Death Proof is supposed to be a tribute to exploitation movies, it doesn’t succeed in that fully. It tries to be dialogue driven, and that just doesn’t really work with the exploitation genre. Even if it is possible for it to work, the dialogue here while not bad, is on such a lower level compared to his other movies, and isn’t enough to make you genuinely interested in the characters or what is going on. So, when it is following these two groups of characters as they are talking about random things (like Tarantino does), you might be mildly interested but it really just feels like a grind for the most part.

That’s not to say that the movie is without merit. Kurt Russell is great as the serial killer Stuntman Mike, and the rest of the cast are honestly decent for the most part, even though they really didn’t have much to work with. Also, a lot of the aesthetics seen in exploitation movies are captured very well here, from the sleazy side to the freeze frames and the scratchy visual effects. The scenes involving cars, whether that be the murders in the first half, and the chase scenes in the second half are generally thrilling too. Watching it again more recently, I definitely disliked it less than when I saw it, but I still take a lot of issues with it. Placing it at the bottom of this wasn’t exactly a difficult decision to make.

My original review of Death Proof

My more recent review of Death Proof

9. Kill Bill Vol. 1

I know some people would put both parts of Kill Bill as one movie, and Tarantino himself has called them one movie, but the tones and approaches to the story are so different that it can easily be split into two parts, and they are released years apart, so I will treat them as separate movies. I know that it must be pretty outrageous to some putting Kill Bill (any of the parts) close to the bottom of the list. However, I do think it’s really good, and I think I’ll like it even more the more I watch it.

Kill Bill Vol. 1 is one of the most stylistic movies ever made, and I love a lot of Quentin Tarantino’s style and direction throughout. This is the more Eastern style revenge movie, with some really over the top elements, but Tarantino’s blend of different styles and genres work so well together to culminate in a really entertaining movie. I mean he even inserted an anime segment for a character in a lengthy backstory and it actually worked seamlessly with the rest of the movie. The over the top gory action and violence is still memorable, with it remaining Tarantino’s bloodiest movie (which is saying a lot). The cast all work well, with Uma Thurman cementing herself as an icon here as The Bride. With all that said, I’d be lying if I said that it was hard placing this movie towards the lower end of the list. When I think back to the movie, I tend to remember how stylish, bloody and entertaining it is, but that’s it. The dialogue I guess is reasonably good but none of it stuck with me like his other movies. The story itself was pretty simple and didn’t have a lot to it (and you can probably already guess why I prefer the second volume over the first), even though it does its job fine enough and easily gets you on board with Thurman’s character. I’m not complaining that there’s not much ‘substance’, I don’t have a problem with movies having ‘style over substance’ (whatever that even means at this point), but I just personally got a lot more out of his other movies outside of the entertainment. Although I may not quite love Kill Bill Vol. 1 as much as other people, it nonetheless remains and iconic classic and definitely deserves all the acclaim.

My review of Kill Bill Vol. 1

8. Jackie Brown

Jackie Brown is often widely known as one of Tarantino’s weaker movies, I myself thought it was just alright when I first saw it but not on the level of most of his other movies. As you can tell by my placement of it on my list, it’s not one of my favourites, but I definitely liked it a lot more when I saw it again.

Jackie Brown is a slow burn for sure, but it’s also Tarantino at his most restrained (along with his latest movie). He really takes his time with the plot progression and although it takes a while to get use to the pacing, it’s very rewarding to stick through it all the way to the end. The cast were good, with some of the characters among the best written from Tarantino, with the highlights being Pam Grier, Robert Forster and Samuel L. Jackson. Although I don’t think it’s one of his best movies, it’s still great, and I get the feeling that I’ll appreciate it more and more I watch it.

My review of Jackie Brown

7. Kill Bill Vol. 2

Kill Bill Vol 1 used to be my favourite of the 2 parts, with Vol. 2 feeling rather weak in comparison to me. It felt more drawn out, less flashy, and I was even a little bored at certain points. However looking at it again more recently, Vol. 2 really stuck with me more, especially with it being a lot more story driven.

Whereas the first volume was more of an Eastern style revenge, Volume 2 is a Western style revenge, though that’s not necessarily why I prefer it more. As I said, it’s a much more story driven movie, and it really takes its time with its pacing. Save for a few moments, a lot of the more over the top and outrageous parts from the first volume has been significantly toned down here. It gave me a little more to care about what is going on outside of the obvious revenge aspect. The acting also stood out more in this movie. Uma Thurman was already great in the first volume, but she’s even better in Volume 2. And in his small screentime, David Carradine as the titular character of Bill remains one of the highlights of the movie. Volume 2 does have its issues, like the odd random monologue which comes out of nowhere and just feels unneeded. Also I should mention that generally the Kill Bill movies just don’t really stick with me, as I know for many other people they’re much higher on other peoples’ lists. But if I had to pick a favourite of the two parts, I’d definitely take the second over the first.

My review of Kill Bill Vol. 2

6. Reservoir Dogs

Quentin Tarantino made one of the best directorial debuts ever with Reservoir Dogs. It’s a real standout in the crime heist genre, showing only the aftermath of the heist. While Tarantino was still finding and discovering his style at this point in time, he already showed some impressive talent here and would only build upon it later on.

Reservoir Dogs demonstrated Quentin Tarantino’s abilities early on, mostly with his real standout writing, with some clever and surprising twists, fantastic (and occasionally meandering) dialogue, and unconventional ways of telling the story. Even when Reservoir Dogs is significantly lower budget, and Tarantino’s direction seems pretty standard compared to all his movies that would follow it, today it still holds up at being very effective. The small but talented cast did a very good job, with Harvey Keitel, Tim Roth, Steve Buscemi and Michael Madsen particularly standing out. I’m not sure where people generally place Reservoir Dogs amongst his filmography, but I still think for the most part it still holds up reasonably well today.

My review of Reservoir Dogs

5. Pulp Fiction

The placing of this film on the list is maybe a little different than most would expect from lists ranking Tarantino’s movies. Pulp Fiction is often labelled as his masterpiece, it’s the film that launched Tarantino onto the map as a director to really watch, and as inspired so many future filmmakers. Make no mistake, it’s an excellent movie, and absolutely deserves all the acclaim it’s been receiving ever since its release.

Reservoir Dogs was Quentin finding his style and tone, and with Pulp Fiction, he fully defined it for audiences everywhere. Tarantino’s script was fantastic, doing a great job at making 3 interconnecting stories all worked together seamlessly. It’s generally an entertaining movie, with some great dialogue, and very memorable characters and scenes. The cast also were great, with John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson and Uma Thurman being the highlights, giving some of the best performances of their careers. At this point, you might be wondering why this movie is lower on the list. The movie doesn’t exactly have many problems, but I personally found the Bruce Willis storyline to be a little weaker in comparison to the other two, and it even managed to drag at certain points. Outside of that, I personally just think the next movies on this list just stuck with me a lot more. Nonetheless it’s a classic for a very good reason.

My review of Pulp Fiction

4. Django Unchained

For a while, Django Unchained was my favourite of Tarantino’s movies ever since I first saw it, I actually think it was the first movie I saw from him. It’s over the top, brutal, stylistic, and entertaining from beginning to end, and I had a blast with it.

Tarantino has infused western elements in a number of his movies, but this is his first attempt at making a full on western, and you can tell he absolutely loved doing that with every second of Django Unchained. Jamie Foxx is really good but Christoph Waltz, Leonardo DiCaprio and Samuel L. Jackson are fantastic here. Django Unchained is a standout among the western genre in recent years, and Tarantino brought to the table some of his best aspects, from the snappy dialogue, the fantastic writing, and the deliberately larger than life and stylish direction. Granted it’s been a little while since I’ve seen it last, but from the past few times I saw it, I loved it.

My review of Django Unchained

3. Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

Quentin Tarantino’s most recent release is also one of his best. His love letter to Hollywood is also his most laid back, optimistic, impressive considering most of his other movies (and especially considering the film he made just beforehand). It may not work for everyone especially how different it is compared to much of his other movies, but I consider it to be amongst his best work.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is quite a long movie at almost 3 hours long and meanders for much of its runtime, but it’s one of the rare cases where I actually loved it despite much of its plotless narrative. Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt gave some of the best performances of their career, and there are some good performances from the rest of the cast as well. Tarantino and Margot Robbie also successfully tributed Sharon Tate in a respectful way, showing audiences who Tate is (more than a tragic victim of the Manson murders). The third act is also fantastic and is amongst Tarantino’s best final acts in his filmography. It’s not quite my favourite of his movies however, even though I really do love it. I guess the first act was a little slower, even though the movie really picked up after the second act started. Also I feel like the rest of the cast outside of DiCaprio and Pitt didn’t really get to shine as much, I particularly would’ve liked to seen more of Margot as Sharon, the latter will no doubt be fixed with the longer cut that Tarantino has planned to release. With that said, I get the feeling I’ll like the movie the more I watch it, I already love it and it’s getting better the more I think about it.

My review of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood

These next two movies are interchangeable, I’m still trying to figure out which I like more.

2. Inglourious Basterds

In most lists ranking Tarantino’s movies, Inglourious Basterds is ranked in at least the top 3 of his best movies and for very good reason. Absolutely everything in this movie works at such a high level, from the writing, direction, acting, there’s really no weak spot that this film has that I could really pinpoint.

Inglourious Basterds is probably Tarantino’s most complete movie. From the beginning with the excellent opening with Christoph Waltz, to the fiery and chaotic climax, Inglourious Basterds doesn’t make a single misstep. With his writing, Tarantino has crafted some great characters and dialogue, as well as countless incredibly memorable scenes. The cast all worked very well in their roles, with Christoph Waltz and Melanie Laurent being the highlights. Entertaining and all round fantastic, Inglourious Basterds really does get better every time you watch it and is one of my all-time favourite movies.

My review of Inglourious Basterds

1. The Hateful Eight

Bit of an unconventional pick for Quentin Tarantino’s best perhaps. While The Hateful Eight is generally well received, responses have been split a little. Some loved it, others found it to be disappointing and one of Tarantino’s weakest movies. I really liked The Hateful Eight when I first saw it, however I only loved it when I watched it again in prep for his latest film. I can’t exactly explain why this movie worked so well for me particularly, but there’s something about it that I love over his other movies.

The Hateful Eight nearly 3 hours long (and even longer if you watched the extended cut) but from beginning to end it is completely riveting, even before people start being killed off. It’s a slow burn with the first half, but with the characters and the incredible dialogue, I was on board with it all the way. This is by far Tarantino’s bleakest movie from beginning to end, with his most despicable lineup of characters, and an uncomfortable vibe between many of the characters throughout. Strangely enough though, it still managed to be darkly funny at times, and I just had a really good time watching it. The ensemble cast all around were fantastic, with Samuel L. Jackson, Jennifer Jason Leigh and Walton Goggins being the standouts. It may be interesting watching it as your first viewing as detectives trying to figure out what’s going on, but it’s even better rewatching it knowing exactly what’s going on. The Hateful Eight is I guess on the side of the more divisive of his filmography, but I consider it among his best, if not his all-time best.

My review of The Hateful Eight

What is your ranking of Quentin Tarantino’s movies?

EDIT: Upon further thoughts and a rewatch, I’d now move Once Upon a Time in Hollywood to the number 9 position of the ranking, ahead of Death Proof and behind Kill Bill Vol. 1.

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The Hateful Eight (2015) Review

Time: 168 Minutes
Age Rating: Graphic violence, sexual violence & offensive language
Cast:
Samuel L. Jackson as Major Marquis Warren
Kurt Russell as John Ruth
Jennifer Jason Leigh as Daisy Domergue
Walton Goggins as Chris Mannix
Demián Bichir as Señor Bob
Tim Roth as Oswaldo Mobray
Michael Madsen as Joe Gage
Bruce Dern as General Sandford “Sandy” Smithers
James Parks as O.B. Jackson
Director: Quentin Tarantino

While racing toward the town of Red Rock in post-Civil War Wyoming, bounty hunter John “The Hangman” Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive prisoner (Jennifer Jason Leigh) encounter another bounty hunter (Samuel L. Jackson) and a man who claims to be a sheriff. Hoping to find shelter from a blizzard, the group travels to a stagecoach stopover located on a mountain pass. Greeted there by four strangers, the eight travelers soon learn that they may not make it to their destination after all.

I had been meaning to rewatch The Hateful Eight for a while. I remember looking forward to The Hateful Eight ever since its announcement, mostly because of Quentin Tarantino’s involvement. We nearly didn’t get this movie when the script leaked and Tarantino initially wanted to not do it, but I’m glad he changed his mind because The Hateful Eight ended up being really great. Having rewatched it (the recently released extended version), I now consider it to be one of his all time best movies. The acting from its large and talented cast is fantastic and Tarantino’s script is great, it had me riveted from start to finish.

Quentin Tarantino is generally great when it comes to writing, and his script here is among his best work. This movie like his many of his others are dialogue driven, and unsurprisingly the dialogue is fantastic, no one writes dialogue like him. The theatrical cut is very long at 168 minutes and people need to know that going in. Also it’s not like an explosive action movie, it’s a suspenseful mystery film and moves at quite a slower pace. Once all the main characters are in the same place in the same house, it builds up the suspense as we spend time with the characters and have to try to figure out if they are trustworthy or not. It definitely improves on a repeat viewing, because you know exactly what is going on. People only really start dying around the halfway point, from then on it becomes very tense. So if you are a little bored during it, the second half should pick up for you. None of these characters are particularly good people, in fact in terms of lineups of Tarantino characters in each of his movies they are easily the most despicable group, but they are entertaining and interesting enough that you’re still willing to watch them for just under 3 hours. This movie was surprisingly darkly hilarious as well, it really had me entertained throughout. As for people who have seen the movie already and are wondering about the extended cut, Netflix broke it up into 4 50 minute segments, making the movie about 3 and a half hours long. I looked up at some parts of it, and the parts that did add in were written pretty good. Otherwise for the most part I didn’t notice too many differences, and you’re not necessarily missing out anything major. So if you’re watching the movie for the first time, it might be better to go with the theatrical cut.

This cast is large and talented with Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Walton Goggins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Demian Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern and James Parks and they were all fantastic, there were a few highlights though. This is one of Samuel L. Jackson’s all time best performances, he just absolutely nails this role. This was actually the first movie I have seen Walton Goggins in, and if I was forced to pick a highlight performance among plenty of other great performances in this movie, it would be his. Another showstealer was Jennifer Jason Leigh, who is amazing here as the prisoner being taken by Kurt Russell’s bounty hunter. I do feel like the writing didn’t give the character quite as much to do in the movie as she could’ve, but JJL really brought it to the performance. Channing Tatum also makes an appearance that’s a little more than a cameo, and I will say that he is great in his screentime, very different role for him.

Tarantino once again directs this film really well. One of the first things you’ll notice about this movie is Robert Richardson’s cinematography, it’s a stunning looking movie. It really felt like we were back in the 19th Century and it really places you in this snowy environment, we don’t really get that with Westerns. The Hateful Eight is a much smaller movie compared to Django Unchained, there are very little action or scenes with violence. It’s very much a suspense and mystery film, almost like a longer and Western version of Reservoir Dogs. There aren’t a whole lot of people being killed like in Kill Bill or Django Unchained but when people die, it is unsurprisingly violent in pure Tarantino style. However this time it’s much more brutal than you’d expect it to be, which fits the tone of the movie. The soundtrack from Ennio Morricone was masterful, he actually used some unused music from The Thing as part of it. It fits absolutely perfectly for this movie.

The Hateful Eight is yet another fantastic film from Quentin Tarantino that has gotten a bit of a mixed response from some people, but it really worked for me. From the fantastic writing, the great performances and direction, everything about this movie I really loced. This Hateful Eight definitely does hold up on repeat viewings, in fact it gets better upon rewatches. Both this and Inglourious Basterds are now my favourite movies from Tarantino, and I’m looking forward to seeing if Once Upon a Time in Hollywood manages to be at that level.

2016 Oscar Predictions

When you look at it in the grand scheme of things, movie awards really don’t matter. There are plenty of movies that should win but don’t, some of them don’t even get nominated, and there are some movies that don’t really deserve to win, but win anyway. So no matter what happens during the awards ceremony, it doesn’t really matter. But still, it’s fun to predict what movies will win and at the same time state what you think should win. Since everyone else is doing it, I decided to give my predictions for the 2016 Academy Awards. I have watched most of the films in the major categories but occasionally there’s a movie like The Hateful Eight which I can’t or just haven’t seen, so just keep that in mind.

* – Haven’t seen yet

BEST PICTURE

The Big Short
Bridge of Spies
Brooklyn
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Room*
Spotlight

Will Win – The Revenant
Should Win – The Revenant
Should’ve Been Nominated – Carol

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Best Director

Adam McKay – The Big Short
George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant
Lenny Abrahamson – Room*
Tom McCarthy – Spotlight

Will Win – Alejandro G. Iñárritu – The Revenant
Should Win – George Miller – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should’ve Been Nominated – Todd Haynes – Carol

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BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Bryan Cranston, Trumbo
Matt Damon, The Martian
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Michael Fassbender, Steve Jobs
Eddie Redmayne, The Danish Girl

Will Win – Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant
Should Win – Leonardo DiCaprio, The Revenant

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BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Cate Blanchett, Carol
Brie Larson, Room*
Jennifer Lawrence, Joy
Charlotte Rampling, 45 Years*
Saoirse Ronan, Brooklyn

Will Win – Brie Larson, Room
Should Win – Cate Blanchett, Carol
Should’ve Been Nominated – Rooney Mara, Carol (instead of being nominated for supporting)

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BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Christian Bale, The Big Short
Tom Hardy, The Revenant
Mark Ruffalo, Spotlight
Mark Rylance, Bridge of Spies
Sylvester Stallone, Creed

Will Win – Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Should Win – Sylvester Stallone, Creed
Should’ve Been Nominated – Benicio Del Toro, Sicario

=============================

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Jennifer Jason Leigh, The Hateful Eight*
Rooney Mara, Carol
Rachel McAdams, Spotlight
Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Kate Winslet, Steve Jobs

Will Win – Alicia Vikander, The Danish Girl
Should Win – Rooney Mara, Carol

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BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY

The Big Short
Brooklyn
Carol
The Martian
Room*

Will Win – The Big Short
Should Win – The Big Short
Should’ve Been Nominated – Steve Jobs

=============================

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY

Bridge of Spies
Ex Machina*
Inside Out
Spotlight
Straight Outta Compton*

Will Win – Spotlight
Should Win – Spotlight
Should’ve Been Nominated – The Hateful Eight*

=============================

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

Anomalisa*
Boy and the World*
Inside Out
Shaun the Sheep Movie*
When Marnie Was There*

Will Win – Inside Out
Should Win – Inside Out

=============================

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE

Bridge of Spies – Thomas Newman
Carol – Carter Burwell
The Hateful Eight – Ennio Morricone
Sicario – Johann Johannsson
Star Wars: The Force Awakens – John Williams

Will Win – The Hateful Eight
Should Win – The Hateful Eight
Should’ve Been Nominated – Mad Max: Fury Road – Junkie XL

=============================

BEST SOUND EDITING

Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Sicario
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Will Win – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Win – Mad Max: Fury Road

=============================

BEST SOUND MIXING

Bridge of Spies
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Will Win – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Win – Mad Max: Fury Road

=============================

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN

Bridge of Spies
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant

Will Win – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Win – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should’ve Been Nominated – Star Wars: The Force Awakens

=============================

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY

Carol
The Hateful Eight*
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Sicario

Will Win – The Revenant
Should Win – The Revenant
Should’ve Been Nominated – Star Wars: The Force Awakens

=============================

BEST MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

Mad Max: Fury Road
The 100-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out the Window and Disappeared*
The Revenant

Will Win – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Win – Mad Max: Fury Road

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BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Carol
Cinderella
The Danish Girl
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant

Will Win – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Win – Mad Max: Fury Road

=============================

BEST FILM EDITING

The Big Short
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Revenant
Spotlight
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Will Win – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Win – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should’ve Been Nominated – Star Wars: The Force Awakens

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BEST VISUAL EFFECTS

Ex Machina
Mad Max: Fury Road
The Martian
The Revenant
Star Wars: The Force Awakens

Will Win – Mad Max: Fury Road
Should Win – Mad Max: Fury Road

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So what are your thoughts, what do you think will win, what do you think should win and what do you think should’ve been nominated? Comment below and let me know your predictions for 2016.

Top 15 Most Anticipated Movies of 2015

2014 was a big year for movies, whether it be with big blockbusters such as Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Guardians of the Galaxy and X-Men Days of Future Past or other impressive films like Gone Girl, Boyhood and Interstellar. I was initially going to write a list of the best films of the year, however I changed my mind as there are many films that I missed or at least won’t be able to see for a while (Nightcrawler, Birdman, Whiplash, etc). It is something to consider doing for the end of this year however.

I’m looking ahead at the movies coming up next and 2015 looks to be a very big year, an even bigger year than 2014. 2015 will have the release of a sequel to the third highest grossing movie of all time (The Avengers), a new Mad Max movie, a new Terminator movie and how can anyone forget, a new Star Wars movie. Along with that, we have many original films made by some great directors (Michael Mann, Quentin Tarantino). There are so many reasons to be excited for 2015.

Now keep in mind that I don’t know every movie coming out this year, many of them might have made my list if I had heard about them earlier. I’ve made a list of movies I’ve heard about at the last moment that I thought were worth mentioning (check at the end of the list for those chosen movies). With that said, let’s start the countdown.

15. Terminator Genisys

The Terminator franchise is one of the greatest franchises ever made and Terminator 2 is one of the best movies of all time. The last entry from the franchise was Terminator Salvation and it really disappointed. I didn’t personally find it bad but a lot of the elements were forgettable. 6 years later, the next entry in the franchise, Terminator Genisys will be released this year and has a chance to energize the franchise again.

On the verge of winning the war against Skynet in 2029, John Connor (Jason Clarke) sends his trusted lieutenant Kyle Reese (Jai Courtney) back through time to save his mother’s life and ensure his own existence. But what he finds on the other side is like nothing he ever expected. After being orphaned at age 9 by a Terminator, Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke) has since been brought up by another Terminator (Arnold Schwarzenegger), programmed to protect her. This Terminator has then trained her to face her destiny, which she adamantly tries to reject. The film also stars Matt Smith, Lee Byung-hun, Dayo Okeniyi, Courtney B. Vance, Sandrine Holt and J. K. Simmons

Apart from the slightly generic title (and a confusing way of spelling Genesis) I’m quite curious with what the movie will be like. It is directed by Alan Taylor (Thor the Dark World, Game of Thrones) and I think that he’s a competent director for this movie. Although I don’t know what the outcome will be of the movie, I’m sure it will at least be entertaining. The story seems quite like X-Men Days of Future Past, in that it shows time travel from different time periods. There is an impressive cast which consists of Arnold Schwarzenegger (obviously), Emilia Clarke, Matt Smith and many others. There is a great amount of potential that this film has to be great and perhaps one of the better movies in the franchise. In either case it will at least be better than Terminator Salvation.

Terminator Genisys is scheduled to be released on 1 July 2015

14. Jurassic World

Jurassic Park is one of the most revolutionary films ever made and one of Steven Spielberg’s best films. Its two sequels were okay but didn’t get even close to reaching the level of the original. After many years, the franchise is releasing another movie, Jurassic World. I honestly don’t really know how this movie is going to turn out, it could turn out to be only better than Jurassic Park 2 and 3 or it could be even end up being better than just that. No matter how it turns out, I’m excited to see it.

Twenty-two years after the events of Jurassic Park, Isla Nublar now features a fully functioning dinosaur theme park, Jurassic World, as originally envisioned by John Hammond. This new park is owned by the Masrani Global Corporation. Owen (Chris Pratt), a member of Jurassic World’s on-site staff, conducts behavioural research on the Velociraptors. At the request of the corporation, the park’s geneticists create a genetically-modified hybrid dinosaur. The film also stars Bryce Dallas Howard, Vincent D’Onofrio, Jake Johnson, Nick Robinson, Ty Simpkins, BD Wong, Judy Greer and Irrfan Khan.

I personally think Jurassic World will turn out to be at least good but I’m cautiously optimistic of the results, as the last two instalments did lack some of the elements of the first, and this movie is made a couple of decades after the original. I do however think the film will at least be better than Jurassic Park 2 and 3. From the trailer it does look good, the special effects look decent and Chris Pratt is a great actor to be chosen as the main star. Although I’m not sure how the movie will turn out but I’m sure it will at least be entertaining.

Jurassic World is scheduled to be released on 12 June 2015.

13. Ant Man

Marvel is continuously expanding its movie universe and I’ve liked all of their recent movies ever since Iron Man. Although I don’t know much about the comic books, Ant Man looks to be another great addition to the franchise and I am confident that this movie will succeed just as well as Marvel’s other movies.

It’s about a con-man (Paul Rudd), who has a super-suit with the astonishing ability to shrink in scale but increase in strength, who must embrace his inner hero and help his mentor, Dr. Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), plan and pull off a heist that will save the world. The movie also stars Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale and Michael Peña.

I don’t know too much about the character or the comic books but I am nonetheless interested in how Ant Man will turn out, I’m a big Marvel movie fan after all. Marvel did very well with Guardians of the Galaxy, which was based on a group of characters that weren’t that well known, so I’m confident that this movie will turn out being really good. I am a little sceptical of the director Peyton Reed who has made such movies as The Break Up and Yes Man, however I’ll remain open minded until I finally see the movie. Marvel has been on a winning streak and have never let me down yet and if all goes well, Ant-Man won’t let me down either.

Ant Man is scheduled to be released on 17 July 2015

12. Mission Impossible 5

I’m a fan of the Mission Impossible movies (even the second despite its problems) and I particularly loved Mission Impossible 4: Ghost Protocol which is why I’m really excited for its sequel. Even though I’m not sure if it will reach the level of its predecessor, I’m curious to see how Mission Impossible 5 will end up. Although the plot isn’t given yet, I am confident that the movie will have a great plot to go along with the great direction.

Under the direction of Christopher McQuarrie (who previously directed Jack Reacher, a misunderstood film in my opinion) this movie looks to be quite big. It’s hard to imagine a bigger Mission Impossible movie than Ghost Protocol, particularly with the scene of Tom Cruise on the side of the tall skyscraper in Dubai. Recently however, there was news that Tom Cruise performed a stunt which involved him strapping himself to the side of an airbus as it’s flying in the air. This news shows me that there is a good chance that it won’t disappoint, even if it may not reach the level of Ghost Protocol, I am certain that it will be quite entertaining.

Mission Impossible 5 is scheduled to be released on 25 December 2015.

11. Furious 7

The Fast and Furious franchise didn’t really have my interest until it picked up with 2011’s Fast Five. It changed the franchise from a street race series to a heist movie series and in my opinion, the change was for the better, with it being more interesting and entertaining. 2013’s Fast and Furious 6 did in my opinion just as well. Furious 7 looks to follow along those lines of the previous two movies, which means those who loved those movies (including myself) won’t be disappointed.

Furious 7 is set to take place after Fast and Furious 6. After defeating Owen Shaw and his crew in the previous movie, Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel), Brian O’Conner (Paul Walker) and the rest of the crew are able to return to the United States and live the normal life again as they had wanted, but Owen’s older brother, Ian Shaw (Jason Statham), is after Dominic, seeking revenge for the death of his brother, putting the entire crew in danger once more.

I’m guessing that the film will follow the same tone and feel as Fast Five and Furious Six. Paul Walker’s final and posthumous performance makes this movie seem even more interesting and elevates my anticipation even more. Added to this is the fact that Jason Statham is playing the villain; Statham for me is one of the most ideal actor to be in the Fast and Furious franchise, he’s been in a lot of action movies (especially those involving cars); it’s only just that he finally plays a part in the series. Under the direction of James Wan (Saw, The Conjuring) Furious 7 looks to be entertaining and another great addition to the franchise.

Fast and Furious 7 is scheduled to be released on 3 April 2015

10. Chappie

Neill Blomkamp is a director to watch, with his great films District 9 and Elysium. His next film, Chappie, is another science fiction movie but it is different from his previous two films, one that isn’t quite as dark as them. Although the plot does seem a little similar to some other movies, because of Blomkamp direction, I think that he has an opportunity to add some originality to it and to tell an engaging story.

Every child comes into the world full of promise, and none more so than Chappie: he is gifted, special, a prodigy. Like any child, Chappie will come under the influence of his surroundings – some good, some bad – and he will rely on his heart and soul to find his way in the world and become his own man. But there’s one thing that makes Chappie different from anyone else: he is a robot. The first robot with the ability to think and feel for himself. His life, his story, will change the way the world looks at robots and humans forever.

I’ve liked Neill Blomkamp’s previous movies so far which is the main reason makes I’m excited to see Chappie. The cast is great here which consists of actors such as Hugh Jackman, Dev Patel and Sigourney Weaver. Sharlto Copley, who was with in the director’s previous movies is also in this movie to motion capture Chappie and is sure to steal the show. The movie doesn’t look like it will have too much action (from the trailers there are some there but not a lot) but it looks good, as does Chappie. The main thing I’m looking forward to Chappie is the story and how Blomkamp will direct it, and so far, it looks like he will end up with a great movie.

Chappie is scheduled to be released on 6 March 2015.

9. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2

The Hunger Games franchise is one of the better young adult book adapted movies which I like. I personally liked the first Hunger Games despite its flaws and Catching Fire improved on everything and is overall a great movie. I also liked Mockingjay Part 1, although it at times felt stretched, it was a good movie. Finally after years of these movies, The Hunger Games movie series finally concludes with Mockingjay Part 2. Despite being a little tired of movies based on young adult books series always ending in two parts (Harry Potter, Twilight, Divergent), after all these Hunger Games movies building up, I’m excited to see the conclusion.

Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) now fully realizes the stakes are no longer just for survival, they are for the future. With the nation of Panem in a full scale war, Katniss confronts President Snow (Donald Sutherland) in the final showdown. Teamed with a group of her closest friends – including Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claflin), and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) – Katniss goes off mission, using the unit from District 13 – and risking their lives – to stage an assassination attempt on President Snow increasingly obsessed with destroying her, the mortal traps, enemies, and moral choices that await Katniss will challenge her more than any arena she faced in The Hunger Games.

Under the direction of Francis Lawrence, the director of the previous two movies, it looks to be a fitting conclusion to the series. I am certain that Mockingjay Part 2 will end up being the best of the franchise and will be the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 of The Hunger Games franchise. The rest of the great cast of the previous film returns: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Julianne Moore and Phillip Seymour Hoffman in one of his last performances ever to be recorded on film. I am hyped for the final chapter of the franchise and I’m sure that it will be the best.
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 2 is scheduled to be released on 20 November 2015.

8. Blackhat

Michael Mann is one of my favourite directors so I was excited when I heard about him directing a new movie. Blackhat is another crime-based sort of movie which I think are his best type of films (Collateral, Heat, Public Enemies). This time Mann is directing a movie involving cyber-technology and from everything I’ve seen and heard, Blackhat looks to be a very good movie, despite my initial worry of it being released in January, the month of bad generic movies (like with Woman in Black 2).

It’s about a man, Nicholas Hathaway (Chris Hemsworth) who is released from prison to help American and Chinese authorities pursue a mysterious cyber-criminal which leads them from Chicago to Hong Kong. The film also stars Tang Wei, Viola Davis, Holt McCallany and Leehom Wang.

The thing I’m most looking forward to see Mann’s direction, he is one of those visual directors who knows exactly how everything should look, just take the heist scenes from Heat or the nightclub scene from Collateral for example. The world from the trailer looks quite interesting and very big with all this cybertech. Michael Mann also knows how to create great tense thrillers and Blackhat looks to be that and even more. I’ve only seen a few of his movies but he’s so far hasn’t disappointed.

Blackhat is scheduled to be released on 16 January 2015.

7. Kingsman: The Secret Service

Comic book superhero movies are often enjoyable but I find it interesting when there are movies based on graphic novels which aren’t superhero based. That is the case with Kingsman, which is based upon an acclaimed comic book and is about spies. Although I haven’t read them, from everything I’ve heard and seen of the movie, it could be really good and an overall really fun experience.

The movie tells the story of Harry Hart (Colin Firth), a veteran secret agent of a super-secret spy organization that recruits an unrefined but promising street kid, Gary Unwin (Taron Egerton) into the agency’s ultra-competitive training program just as a global threat emerges from a twisted tech genius, Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson). The film also stars Mark Strong and Michael Caine.

With this film based on a graphic novel, it is only suitable that Matthew Vaughn, who directed movies like Kick Ass and X-Men First Class is the one to direct it. Kingsman from the trailer does have a Kick Ass vibe to it, it’s like the Kick Ass of British spy movies. It has a really good cast, including actors such as Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson and Michael Caine who are sure to bring a lot to this movie, I’m particularly looking forward to seeing Firth. I haven’t read the comic book it’s based on but from the trailers and everything I’ve seen about it, it looks to be a whole lot of fun.

Kingsman: The Secret Service is scheduled to be released on 1 February 2015.

6. Mad Max Fury Road

Before hearing the director of this movie, when I heard that there was going to be another Mad Max movie, I was sceptical because reboots/sequels of really great franchises don’t always turn out for the better. It is rare that a reboot/sequel which is made decades after the previous film is directed by the same person, in this case, George Miller, whose involvement boosted my confidence in the movie. I liked the three movies (some more than others, Mad Max 2 is my favourite) and it was fitting that Miller would be the one to make this movie.

From the trailer, this film looks like it will go back to the previous 3 movies’ styles with its gritty look and brilliant stuntwork and action scenes. Along with that, the cast looks pretty good with actors like Tom Hardy and Charlize Theron, Tom Hardy in particular as he is the one to play the role of Max. Tom Hardy has shown that he is an actor to really pay attention to and I’m certain he will be able to portray Mel Gibson’s classic character, which isn’t easy seeing as how much of an icon Max Rockatansky is as a character. I’m pretty sure Miller, Hardy and the rest of the people involved will have created a great movie.

Mad Max Fury Road is scheduled to be released on 15 May 2015.

5. Silence

Martin Scorsese is one of my favourite directors and has so far never failed in making a great movie. He just directs everything with style and every movie he makes feels complete, so naturally I would be very interested in him making a new movie. This type of story is much different than his previous film The Wolf of Wall Street, it’s more closely related to Kundun and The Last Temptation of Christ. I haven’t read the book it’s based on but nonetheless, I’m hyped to see it.

Two Jesuit priests, Sebastião Rodrigues (Andrew Garfield) and Francis Garrpe (Adam Driver), travel to track down their mentor, Father Ferreira (Liam Neeson) in seventeenth century Japan which has, under the Tokugawa shogunate, banned Catholicism and almost all foreign contact. There they witness the persecution of Japanese Christians at the hands of their own government which wishes to purge Japan of all western influence. The film also stars Tadanobu Asano.
Silence is based off the book of the same name by Shūsaku Endō which is a historical fiction novel set in the 17th century. I’m looking forward to what Scorsese can bring to this movie, he has some good material to adapt and work with. The film also has a great cast, particularly Liam Neeson, Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver and I’m looking forward to seeing their performances. Everything I’ve heard so far about Silence is great and I can’t wait to see it when it comes out.
Silence is scheduled to be released in November 2015

4. Spectre

I’m a big fan of the Bond movies, especially with the latest instalments in the franchise. Because of this I’m of course excited that a new James Bond movie is being made. Sam Mendes’s involvement in this movie is exciting after directing 2012’s Skyfall, which was in my opinion one of, if not the best Bond movie. Every bit of news I hear about this movie is exciting, whether it be the cast or the story and elevates my anticipation even more.

A cryptic message from an unlikely source sets James Bond (Daniel Craig) navigating the layers of a sinister organisation known as SPECTRE. As M (Ralph Fiennes) continues fighting political pressures that threaten the future of MI6, Bond draws closer to uncovering a hidden truth that threatens to destroy everything he has fought to protect. The film also stars Naomie Harris, Ben Wishow, Rory Kinnear, Christoph Waltz, Léa Seydoux, Monica Bellucci, Andrew Scott, Dave Bautista and Jesper Christensen

The fact that Spectre is now a part of these new Bond movies really gets me excited because there is now a chance that it can play a part in multiple movies. I also really like the new James Bond movies have a more serious tone, my two favourite Bond movies are Casino Royale and Skyfall. The characters of Moneypenny, M and Q are established and the new cast is pretty good. A highlight of the cast is Christoph Waltz who will playing the villain, I’m very excited to see his performance as he’s a great actor. Some people are speculating that his character is secretly Ernst Stravo Blofeld, the head of SPECTRE. I don’t know whether it is true but in either case I’m glad that Christoph Waltz is playing the villain. I’m overall very confident that this instalment of the Bond franchise will result along the same lines of Casino Royale and Skyfall.

The film is scheduled to be released on 23 October 2015.

3. The Hateful Eight

After his intentions to not make it because of the script leaking, Quentin Tarantino finally deciding to create The Hateful Eight, his new western. I really liked Django Unchained and how well he managed to create that western world and I’m 100% confident that he will be able to create this movie at least as good as Django Unchained.

In The Hateful Eight, set six or eight or twelve years after the Civil War, a stagecoach hurtles through the wintry Wyoming landscape. The passengers, bounty hunter John Ruth (Kurt Russell) and his fugitive Daisy Domergue (Jennifer Jason Leigh), race towards the town of Red Rock where Ruth, known in these parts as “The Hangman,” will bring Domergue to justice. Along the road, they encounter two strangers: Major Marquis Warren (Samuel L. Jackson), a black former union soldier turned infamous bounty hunter, and Chris Mannix (Walton Goggins), a southern renegade who claims to be the town’s new Sheriff.

Losing their lead on the blizzard, Ruth, Domergue, Warren and Mannix seek refuge at Minnie’s Haberdashery, a stagecoach stopover on a mountain pass. When they arrive at Minnie’s, they are greeted not by the proprietor but by four unfamiliar faces. Bob (Demian Bichir), who’s taking care of Minnie’s while she’s visiting her mother, is holed up with Oswaldo Mobray (Tim Roth), the hangman of Red Rock, cow-puncher Joe Gage (Michael Madsen), and Confederate General Sanford Smithers (Bruce Dern). As the storm overtakes the mountainside stopover, our eight travelers come to learn they may not make it to Red Rock after all…

So far this movie seems like a mix between Reservoir Dogs and Django Unchained, both great movies by Quentin Tarantino. It has a great cast so far with actors like Michael Madsen, Tim Roth, Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Channing Tatum and Bruce Dern. The real star of the movie however is Quentin Tarantino (his writing of course). Every line that he writes is perfect (excluding Death Proof) and I don’t see any reason why he would fail doing it here. Everything from the acting, directing and of course brilliant writing has my anticipation. The Hateful Eight might even turn out to be one of my favourite Tarantino movies, he has certainly achieved that with Django Unchained.

The Hateful Eight is scheduled to be released in the second half of 2015.

2. The Avengers 2: Age of Ultron

The sequel to the third highest grossing movie of all time is finally here, and everything from it looks absolutely amazing so far. The Avengers universe has been consistently good in making movies link into each other. I particularly like how Marvel managed to place all the Marvel characters, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Black Widow and Hawkeye in one movie, The Avengers. This continues into Age of Ultron which even looks like it will be better than the first.

With S.H.I.E.L.D. destroyed and the Avengers needing a hiatus from stopping threats, Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) attempts to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program with Ultron (James Spader), a self-aware, self-teaching, artificial intelligence. However, his plan backfires when Ultron decides that humans are the main enemy and sets out to eradicate them from Earth, and it is up to Iron Man, Captain America (Chris Evans), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) and Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), along with support from Nick Fury and Maria Hill, to stop him from enacting his plans. Along the way, the Avengers encounter the powerful twins, Pietro (Aaron-Taylor Johnson) and Wanda Maximoff (Elizabeth Olsen), as well as the familiar Vision.

The thing that stood out to me is the darker tone that set for this movie, I am excited to see how dark Whedon takes the film. With new characters Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch (played by Aaron Taylor Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen), and a much darker story, this movie looks to be one of the great superhero movies. Along with this, we have Andy Serkis (who’s character’s name is unknown as of this time) and James Spader, playing Ultron, who looks to be one of the best super villains. The trailer has made this movie look much darker and I actually think that this movie will end up being better than the first, which is no easy task.

The Avengers: Age of Ultron is scheduled to be released on 1 May 2015

1. Star Wars Episode 7 – The Force Awakens

I just couldn’t resist putting this at number one. I’m excited to return to the Star Wars universe after the last film, Revenge of the Sith was released 10 years ago and J.J. Abrams is in my opinion a great person to start the new trilogy off. Everything from the cast to the director and story looks great and seems to be going in a better direction.

Mark Hamill, Carrie Fischer, Harrison Ford, Kenny Baker and Anthony Daniels return to their roles after many decades, which is very exciting. The new additions to the cast include Andy Serkis, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong’o, and Max von Sydow. So far, everything I’ve heard is quite good, the director is good, the cast is good and there is a great potential for an incredible story. I don’t know if it would be as good as the original trilogy but I’m certain that it is better than the prequels. The teaser trailer makes the movie look incredible and much better than the prequels. After everything I know of The Force Awakens, I can say that I’m certain that this film will not let anyone down.

Star Wars Episode 7 – The Force Awakens is scheduled to be released on 18 December 2015

There are a lot of movies that I’ve heard of recently that sound very interesting. As I made the list already though, they might have missed making it. Had I heard of them earlier, I may have included them on the list. Many of the movies do sound very good and should be noticed, so I think I should mention them and give my quick thoughts on them.

Honourable Mentions

True Story

Michael Finkel (Jonah Hill) is a recently terminated New York Times journalist who’s struggling for work after a story gone wrong. One day, he receives a phone call from a man regarding an FBI Most Wanted individual named Christian Longo (James Franco), who’s been captured and claimed to be living as Finkel. Longo and Finkel meet and form a potentially marriage shattering bond while Longo is in prison awaiting his trial. Finkel exchanges journalism tips for the real events behind Longo’s alleged heinous acts of murdering his family. Through the twists and turns in the movie, only at the end will Finkel uncover the True Story.

The main reason I’m interested in this movie is the acting. The acting looks really good here, especially from Jonah Hill who has been on a winning streak recently with roles in movies like Moneyball and The Wolf of Wall Street. Along with that, the story does actually look pretty interesting, and it’s based on a true story. If all goes well this might be one of the best movies of the year.

Carol

Set in 1950s New York, a department-store clerk, Therese Belivet (Rooney Mara), who dreams of a better life falls for an older, married woman, Carol Aird (Cate Blanchett).

Carol is based on a book, The Price of Salt by Patricia Highsmith. Again, like True Story, the reason I’m most looking forward to this movie is the acting. The two standouts in the cast for me is Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara, who are really great actresses and I’m sure that they will be really good in their roles.

The Revenant

It’s about a frontiersman, Hugh Glass (Leonardo DiCaprio), in the 1820s who sets out on a path of vengeance against his companions John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy), Jim Bridger (Will Poulter) and Andrew Henry (Domhall Gleeson) who left him for dead after a bear mauling.

The main reason I’m looking forward to this movie again is for the acting, particularly from Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hardy. Alejandro González Iñárritu is another reason to be excited. Even though I haven’t seen his 2014 film Birdman yet (I can’t see it for at least a couple months), everything that I’ve heard about it is great. The story is also quite an interesting one, it’s a revenge movie. The Revanant is a revenge film directed by a great director with an excellent cast. What’s not to love?

Macbeth

Spurred on by an eerie prophecy of the power he could gain if he were King, Macbeth (Michael Fassbender), an army general, murders Duncan, the King of Scotland, and takes the throne. However, his guilt, and that of his wife (Marion Cotillard), may prove to be their undoing.

I haven’t read the play of Macbeth but I know of the type of story and characters that Macbeth has. From what I know of the characters, Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard are so far perfectly cast in this movie. These actors are the main reason I’m interested in this movie, as well as the type of story that it has, which is very interesting. If all goes well, this movie may end up getting some nominations at the Oscars.

Knight of Cups

Knight of Cups is a story of a man, temptations, celebrity, and excess from director Terrence Malick. Once there was a young prince whose father, the king of the East, sent him down into Egypt to find a pearl. But when the prince arrived, the people poured him a cup. Drinking it, he forgot he was the son of a king, forgot about the pearl and fell into a deep sleep. Rick’s (Christian Bale) father used to read this story to him as a boy. The road to the East stretches out before him. Will he set forth?

I will be honest, I’ve never seen a movie by Terrence Malick so far, I just haven’t gotten around the time to doing it but I know that he’s a great filmmaker. Just based on what I know of the film, Knight of Cups looks like a great movie. It’s not entirely clear to me what the story is but it does look quite interesting. Another thing that excites me the most is the great cast with actors like Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Natalie Portman; all who, from the trailer looks like they give great performances. Overall, everything I’ve heard so far is great and will hopefully result in one of the year’s best films.

Thank you for taking the time to read my list. Let me know in the comments what your most anticipated movies of the year are.