“The Monument’s Men” — Feb. 7
Written, directed, and starring George Clooney, “The Monument’s Men” is based on a true story about a group of soldiers and civilians on a mission to protect and rescue famous art pieces from Nazi thieves and return them to their original owners. With a veteran cast of Bill Murray, Matt Damon, Cate Blanchett and many more, “The Monument’s Men” is sure to please the action and adventure fans while showcasing a different view of history.
“The Wind Rises” — Feb. 21
The name Hayao Miyazaki should bring delight for anime fans and Miyazaki newcomers to the acclaimed Japanese director’s last film. Miyazaki’s animated films like “Spirited Away” and “The Secret World of Arrietty” are the most familiar works for US audiences and having already won many critic awards, “The Wind Rises” should not be a disappointment either. “The Wind Rises” creatively uses Jiro Horikoshi’s life story of building Japanese fighter planes in World War II while also exploring conflicted Japanese sentiments within the Empire. English audiences will take in the voice talents of stars like Elijah Wood, Stanley Tucci, Emily Blunt, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.
“Veronica Mars” — March. 14
It’s time for a trip back to Neptune High! Fans of the popular mystery series were disappointed when after three seasons the show was canceled back in 2007. Through Kickstarter, creator and director Rob Thomas was able to finance and make the film possible. The film’s narrative follows former private investigator Veronica Mars back to the fictional town of Neptune, CA for a case that involves her ex-boyfriend during her high school reunion. Kristen Bell, Chris Lowell, and Krysten Ritter star in the film.
“Divergent” — March. 21
Readers of the Divergent trilogy will eagerly wait and see if the film stays on track with the novel’s storyline. Taking place in the near future where society is divided into factions dependent on personality traits, a young woman discovers that she is “divergent,” and soon finds herself uncovering a plot that will overthrow the seemingly perfect system. The first installment in the series stars Shailene Woodsley, Theo James, Kate Winslet and is directed by Neil Burger.
“Captain America: The Winter Soldier” — April 4
Steve Rodgers aka Captain America returns to the big screen following the events of “The Avengers” in 2012. Captain America teams up with the Black Widow along with the help of newcomer hero Falcon to fight a powerful enemy called the Winter Soldier. This Marvel Studios film will be the last before “Avengers 2” is released in 2015 and should provide the right mixture of action and humor that has brought the franchise new fans to the Marvel Universe. Both Chris Evans and Scarlett Johansson reprise their roles as Captain America and Black Widow with the Russo brothers Anthony and Joe as co-directors.
