Hollywood finished strong in 2017, putting out some incredible titles to cap off a tremendous year in cinema. The Rock, Kevin Hart, and Jack Black took everyone on a rip-roaring reboot of our childhood favorite in “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle.” While these funnymen were a far cry from the late comedy king Robin Williams, their reboot soared into one of the top spots at the end of last year.
Hugh Jackman catapulted off his final performance in “Logan” and landed squarely in his role as famous ringmaster P.T. Barnum in “The Greatest Showman.” High school heartthrob Zac Efron and sassy musician Zendaya joined in for the raucous romp. While the movie was criticized for its lack of storytelling and somewhat cheesy messages of love, family and standing tall against adversity, the musical numbers hit home with crowds across the country, raking in millions as the new year broke open.
This wasn’t the only musical number to serenade 2018: our favorite pitches Anna Kendrick and Rebel Wilson brought the Bellas back for one last call in “Pitch Perfect 3.”
“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”
tugged hard at moviegoers’ childhoods and hearts when Daisy Ridley claimed her rightful place as the burning light for all Jedi, stepping out of the shadows of movie legend Mark Hamill to face off against Kylo Ren and the First Order. If the movie didn’t get you, it was the touching dedication in the credits to the late Carrie Fisher that had many diehard fans in tears as they left the theater.
2017 gave us all the feels, and it set us up for an action-packed new year, with the nail-biting ending of some series and the continuation of other, even more iconic movie franchises. On top of these, there are some breakout movies that look like they’re going to be worth the price of popcorn this year. Here are six of them that will get things cracking at the Digiplex.
“Avengers: Infinity War”
Let’s be honest; nothing will top this monster. The latest installment in the MCU’s “Avengers” movies is bringing half of Hollywood to the big screen for the most epic clash of the year.
Not only will we get to see some of our favorite stars in action—including Chris Pratt, Scar-Jo, and Chris Evans—but a few MCU newbies will be shaking things up. Chadwick Boseman will lead an army as Black Panther in “Infinity War” and shred in his own self-titled movie in February. French actress Pom Klementieff, who got her break in “Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2,” is back as the Guardians’ resident feels-reader, Mantis.
It’s shaping up to be an emotional roller coaster of action and agony for Marvelites, and we’re hoping we won’t be too engrossed in the spectacle to notice Stan Lee’s next cameo. If you haven’t done your homework, you’d better start binging on MCU flicks now. It’s a big universe, and it’s all led here: to war.
“Ready Player One”
Spielberg is back, and he’s hitting all the pop culture references in his latest title, “Ready Player One.” Set in the not-too-distant future, Spielberg is telling the story of a society so rundown that people must turn to a coveted VR program to escape reality.
When the ownership of this massively wealthy company is up for grabs in the form of an Easter egg hidden in the game, it’s the one chance for a secret resistance to push back against the people’s oppressors and make reality better than fantasy.
This movie will be a whirlwind of references. In fact, we’re betting that viewers will need to buy it on DVD and wear out their pause buttons just trying to catch them all. Keep an eye out for these gems, since some of these will be serious nostalgia for all of us 90’s gamer babies: Chun-Li, Gundam, Ryu and Lara Croft.
“Solo: A Star Wars Story”
Han Solo may no longer be gracing the main “Star Wars” cast with his flyboy charm and innate ability to translate Chewbacca’s growls, but we’ll get to crisscross the galaxy with him one more time in his backstory film.
Most of the early “Star Wars” movies hinged on the Skywalker family. First, it was Anakin and his transition into the feared Darth Vader, then it was Luke’s journey to help the scrappy Rebel Alliance overthrow the Empire. Both Skywalker boys grew up, and in more recent films, we’ve gotten snapshots of Kylo Ren and Rey’s childhoods as they fill the roles of their predecessors. However, Han Solo, one of the most beloved characters in the galaxy far, far away, never really got his time in the limelight like Luke and Anakin.
“Solo: A Star Wars Story” will change all of that. We suggest bringing tissues, since the nostalgia might be too much to handle.
“The Incredibles 2”
Remember this super-family? If memories of Mr. and Mrs. Incredible are fuzzy, that’s because the first film was released all the way back in 2004. Does it make you feel old to realize the high school freshmen who will probably be sitting next to you in the theater were the same age as Jack-Jack when he first hit the screen?
If you’re worried you won’t recognize the Parr family after they’ve been away for so long, chill out; the movie picks up right where the first left off. Get ready to join the Parr family and Samuel L. Jackson’s Frozone as they try their hands once more at living normal lives, and inevitably fail because there’s always some jerk lurking around and trying to take over the world. Again.
“Deadpool 2”
For all the fantasy and fun that will fill 2018, we can’t forget the grown-ups, and that means a second coming for the rated-R anti-hero Deadpool. Ryan Reynolds will be squeezing back into his lycra body suit and uncomfortable face makeup to reprise his role as the raunchy super-something who is bent on beating up badder guys than him.
There aren’t many details out yet (other than a side-splitting summary from 20th Century Fox), but rest assured that the fourth-wall-busting good-bad guy will be just as wicked as before. Children need not attend.
“Mary Poppins Returns”
Remember this classic? Do your parents? Bet your grandparents do. Mary Poppins has been in the hearts and minds of moviegoers for decades, feeding generations of kids with lies about medicine and sugar while singing beautiful little songs.
Now that the original children are all grown up and Michael has kids of his own, Mary Poppins returns to work her magic and remind them all of how wonderful life can really be. Emily Blunt will be taking on the classic title role, and the movie will be set in the same dreary, Depression-ravaged 1930’s London from the original story. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that Blunt’s talents will do justice to a timeless classic and that we won’t need too much sugar to swallow the performance.
Alden Ehrenreich will take over for Harrison Ford in the iconic role of Han Solo in “Solo: A Star Wars Story.”