We’ve gone through the big superhero and sci-fi movies yet to be released in 2013, so next it’s onto a personal favourite of mine… animation.
Some may disagree, but in my opinion 2013 wasn’t a strong year for animated movies. Brave proved to be somewhat of a let-down, especially since it was in development for nearly 10 years! Rise of the Guardians, ParaNorman, Hotel Transylvania and Madagascar 3 were all fine films but nothing truly spectacular stood out amongst the crowd. Quality over quantity is a phrase that comes to mind to describe the year.
Will 2013 be an improvement? Let’s see what the year has in store for us…
WRECK-IT-RALPH
RELEASE DATE: 8th February
STARRING: John C. Reilly, Sarah Silverman, John Tudyk, Jane Lynch
FIRST THOUGHTS: Already nominated for a Golden Globe and a sure bet for an Academy Award nomination too, Wreck-It-Ralph has the potential to blow the rest of the year’s animations out of the water before the year has even begun. The film see’s John C. Reilly, a video game villain who craves to be a hero, jump out of his game and into another, causing chaos amongst the arcade universe. Disney’s film is chock-a-block with retro video-game references, much like 2010’s Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. With comedians Jane Lynch, Sarah Silverman and Joe Lo Truglio lending their voices, it promises to be a very funny film.
VERDICT: MUST SEE IN THE CINEMA
THE CROODS
RELEASE DATE: 22nd March
FIRST THOUGHTS: With a voice cast of Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone and Ryan Reynolds, Dreamworks certainly have high hopes for their family comedy, The Croods. The film is set in the prehistoric age as the Crood family venture out of their secluded cave for the first time and into a wondrous world full of exotic plants, creatures and monsters. The film is co-written and directed by Chris Sanders, the man behind How To Train Your Dragon and also the writer of The Lion King and Mulan, so if The Croods is half as good as his previous work, it’ll be worth a watch. And with a March release date, the competition is weak enough for the film to make quite a splash.
VERDICT: POSSIBLY SEE IN THE CINEMA