My 8 Most Anticipated Films of 2014

Looking back on 2013, it was not the greatest year in cinema. Sure there were a few notable films that will be remembered for years to come such as "Catching Fire," "Frozen," "Gravity," and the surprisingly successful "World War Z," but there were also some films that failed to live up to their expectations (Iron Man 3, Man of Steel, Thor 2, The Lone Ranger). Looking forward, 2014 may not seem like the most exciting year for movies either, especially when you look at the incredible line-up that 2015 has. But there are some bright spots this year that will surely leave their mark on Hollywood. So here are my most anticipated films of 2014, in the order of when they are released. 

The Lego Movie (February 7th): The first movie on my list comes out next week! Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, who brought us the hilarious remake of 21 Jump Street, are bringing Lego fans everywhere the movie of their dreams. Not only does this film boast a wide variety of characters from, Batman to Abraham Lincoln, to a Lego God voiced by Morgan Freeman, but it also boasts an incredible voice cast that includes Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Will Arnet, Will Ferrell, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, and Liam Neeson. From what I've seen in the trailers, the humor looks quite clever and the mix of stop motion animation and CGI is wonderful. Can't wait to see this one! 

 The Muppets: Most Wanted (March 21st): I was so surprised by the first Muppets film. I had actually never seen any of the old shows or movies (outside of the show at Disney) so I was coming in with no expectations. What I got was a very funny, very happy musical that is sure to brighten up anyones day when they watch it. It also manages to be very humorous and family friendly, not going near crass humor in the least. The sequel promises to be bigger and better than the 2011 film with more actor cameos, musical numbers, and laughs! 

Captain America: The Winter Soldier (April 4th): Ok, so this film barely made my list. The first Captain America was the obvious weakest link in the "pre-Avenger" line-up. BUT, the direction that this sequel is taking looks very different and very promising. Marvel has described the Captain America: The Winter Soldier as a political/espionage thriller which is a genre that Marvel has definitely not covered yet. Then again, they made Iron Man 3 a buddy cop film and are gearing up for a galactic space adventure with Guardians of the Galaxy (more on this later) so there is definitely a theme of "treading new ground" for the Phase 2 Marvel films. This sequel will see Captain America headed to the nation's capitol with Black Widow (Scarlett Johansen looking better than ever) to deal with a terrorist threat that may have a connection with the Captain's past. Robert Redford joins the cast as one of the top dogs of S.H.I.E.L.D and Anthony Mackie joins as the flying super-hero, Falcon. Expect this movie to surpass its predecessor.

X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23rd): My 3rd most anticipated film of 2014. This film is going to be awesome, there is just no way in my head that it can't be. X-Men is the Marvel movie that started it all way back in 2000 and now the franchise is continuing with the most ambitious film Marvel has ever made (yes more ambitious than The Avengers). Almost all of the original cast, including Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Shawn Ashmore, Ellen Page, Halle Berry, will be sharing screen time with the cast of X-Men First Class which includes Michael Fassbender, James Mcavoy, Jennifer Lawrence, and Nicholas Hoult, which is made possible by "time travel" of Hugh Jackman's Wolverine. Sound a little confusing? Well the title is pretty confusing too. How about this: In the future, the giant, mutant killing robots known as the Sentinels have almost wiped out all mutant life and brought about a kind of apocalypse (not the villain Apocalypse...thats in 2016). In order to save the lives of the remaining mutants, Professor X and Magneto form a plan to send the mind of Wolverine back into the mind of his body living in the 70s so that he can convince the younger versions of Prof-X and Mags to unite to stop the making of the Sentinels from ever happening. Still confused? Just watch the trailer and get ready for what could be the best X-Men film of all!

A Million Ways to Die in the West (May 30th): Say what you will about Family Guy, but Seth McFarland is a comedic genius, and he proved that he could make the jump from TV to film with his directoral debut and a pot smoking teddy bear in 2012. Ted was a huge hit (a sequel is in production for next year) and McFarland's second film looks just as good, if not better, than his first. The film is about a shy/cowardly farmer who gets on the wrong side of a dangerous outlaw's temper (maybe because he has become close friends with his wife??) The first trailer was released for the film yesterday (Warning: Red Band Trailer, contains crude language) 

Jupiter Ascending (July 25th): My 2nd most anticipated film of 2014. Sci-fi is definitely my favorite genre. With it, one can stretch the boundaries of reality without being too over-the-top or cheesy (ok, sometimes you can). Star Wars (the 1st three), The Matrix (the first one), I-Robot, Minority Report, these films are just a few examples of what great films can come out of the sic-fi genre. The Wachowski brothers, who were responsible from the Matrix trilogy, are bringing us another sic-fi spectacle this year that features Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum, and Sean Bean (whose character will probably die). Now I don't know hardly anything about this movie outside of the very cool trailer but we can probably expect some crazy action, brilliant visual effects, and deep philosophical undertones from the Wachowski's (basically everything that made the 1st Matrix so successful). 

Guardians of the Galaxy (August 1st): If X-Men: Days of Future Past is the most ambitious film Marvel has made in terms of team roster and scale, then Guardians of the Galaxy is their most ambitious film in terms of visuals (not to mention a giant risk). Set in, you guessed it, outer space, this new sic-fi adventure film brings a rag-tag group of characters together to keep a mysterious jewel (another jewel that Thanos needs to become all powerful, remember the guy at the end of The Avengers?) from getting into the wrong hands. Know here comes the fun part. This team includes an alien who was genetically engineered to kill (played by wrestler David Bautista), a walking, talking tree (voiced by Vin Diesel), and...wait for it...a violent, rocket-launcher-carrying raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper). I can only hope that Guardians is just the start of another incredible Sci-Fi franchise. Unfortunately we still do not have a trailer for the film but look for it being released very soon. 

Interstellar (November 7th): My #1 Most Anticipated Film of the Year. Christopher...Nolan. I should stop there, but I won't. In my eyes, Nolan has yet to make a film that is anything short of incredible. Memento, The Prestige, Inception, and of course the Dark Knight Trilogy have all been exceptional pieces of film-making. Luckily for the world, his next film will be released late this year and like all Nolan films...we know almost nothing about it (even the first trailer is very vague). What we do know is that the film likely revolves around time travel and is led by Matthew McConaughey and also includes Anne Hathaway, Jessica Chastain, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Topher Grace, and of course, Michael Caine. The teaser trailer for the film is intriguing and mysterious, and I absolutely cannot wait for the next film in the Nolan library. 

Jupiter Ascending -- Trailer -- Official Warner Bros.

Finding God in Cinema: Pulp Fiction

Jules tells Ringo why he is going to spare his life

"Wait, did I read that correctly?" Yes you did, God and Pulp Fiction are in the same title. I had the same reaction as well when I was reading that Quentin Tarantino's action film was sprinkled with more than just blood. When I learned that this film was supposed to contain certain Christian themes and allusions, I was a bit skeptical, but then I set out to watch the film (for a second time) and be on the lookout for these things, and what I found was remarkable. But before I get into what I found, allow me to give an overview on not only this article, but a series of articles that I intend on writing over the next several months.

God works in the most mysterious ways. He no longer chooses to reveal Himself physically to us, as He did back in ancient times, but that does not mean that He no longer chooses to reveal himself at all. God can be found everywhere, most of all in the Bible, the supreme force for which He reveals himself to us today. But not every Christian has become a follower of God solely through the reading of Scripture. Many have their eyes opened to the glory of God through other things in this world such as the beauty of nature, the complexity of science, or a miraculous event. This brings me to the subject of film. There is no denying that movies have become one of the top tentpoles in popular culture. Even in recent years when our nation's economy is struggling, it seems that movies make more and more every year. Since it is very likely that millions of people will see the newest blockbuster being released, it is common for directors to put their world views and ideas into their movie (just as an author puts their thought/ideas into their books). This is why I've been inspired to write this series of articles titled, "Finding God in Cinema." 

The Matrix, Finding Nemo, X-Men, The Conjuring, these are examples of films that believers and unbelievers alike may not expect to find elements of God's truth in. Whether directors know it or not, God is using them as a tool to showcase his glory through the art of movie-making. Now I am not saying that one viewing of Pulp Fiction will result in conversion to Christianity. What I am saying is that the ideas and elements of truth that are to be found in a film like this can lead to discussion and questions that may challenge the viewer the think more deeply about the film and its meaning. Movies are modern-day parables. To those who are not Christians, they have the capability to be a seed that God plants in their hearts that one day could blossom into faith. To those who are Christians, these films can act as methods of discussion among believers and can challenge us to make these connections between movies and Scripture. Now onto Pulp Fiction. 

To give a very brief plot summary of this film (if that is even possible), Pulp Fiction is told in chapter and revolves around three main characters, and a couple secondary characters. For the sake of this article I will only be focusing two of the three main characters. Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules (Samuel L Jackson) are two enforcers that work for a ruthless mob boss. In the events of the film, Vince is asked to "baby sit" the boss' wife, while Jules realizes that he needs to stop being a criminal. 

There are two major scenes that really stick out to me containing elements of truth and Christianity, each revolving around one of the two characters mentioned above. One is more obvious, one is more subtle, but they are both surprisingly profound for a Tarantino action movie. First for the more subtle one. Near the start of the film, Vincent and Jules are having a debate concerning where the line is with adultery. This conversation is prompted by a rumor that their boss threw a man out a window for giving his wife a foot massage. Jules thinks that nothing is wrong with a foot massage, claiming that something as "simple" as that has no meaning behind it. He goes on to say that he believes adultery only occurs when the two engage in a sexual act. Vincent believes quite the opposite. He insists that something as little as touching her feet is wrong, even thinking about another man's wife is wrong. In his argument he says to Jules that acts like that mean something, "We act like they don't but they do." 

And this line stood out to me. Isn't that what we tell ourselves when we sin. Isn't that how we try to reassure ourselves that we will be fine and that no consequences will arise. We lie to ourselves, thinking that these "little sins" don't mean anything. 

"Oh it was just a little bit of someone else's work I used on that paper, the professor will never notice." 

"I just wont tell my wife that I had took my female co-worker out to dinner last night, I don't want her to think anything of it."

"I'll never see that girl that I slept with again, everything's fine." 

We act like our sins don't mean anything but they do. We hind in our own deceit instead of accepting that we have done wrong and asking God, and those we have wronged, for forgiveness. Proverbs 28:13 states:  

"Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy." 

One of the hardest things for us as sinners to do is to admit that we have done wrong. But how comforting it is to know that when we admit to our sins and ask for forgiveness, we are doing so in the loving arms of our heavenly Father who has shown us mercy. 

The second scene (actually a couple scenes) that is of importance is near the end of the film and I was so surprised in what I saw. Tarantino, whether he knows it or not, has provided an example of special revelation through the character of Jules. This occurs after Jules and Vince are about to leave a room of men they have killed when suddenly, another guy jumps out from behind a closed door and shoots off an entire round point from his pistol right in front of the two...but he misses all of the shots. Jules cannot wrap his head around how all of those bullets missed, and this event has a profound impact on him when. After thinking on it for the remainder of the film he decides that he has witnessed a miracle. This is when Jules and Vincent get into another debate. Vincent argues that what they witnessed is simply and "occurrence," while Jules insists that they witnessed a miracle. And this is when Jules says two key lines:

"Whether or not what we experienced was an 'according to Hoyle' miracle is insignificant. What is significant, is that I felt that touch of God. God got involved."

"You can choose to be blind but my eyes are wide open."

This event has a profound impact on Jules, so much so that he decides right then to stop being a criminal and pursue a good life. He is willing to give up everything from his job, to his home, to his money because he has felt God intervene in his life. This is also the first time that Jules actually thinks on a Bible verse that he recites whenever he kills the men his boss tells him to kill, Ezekiel 25:17. 

"The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he, who in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who would attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee."

Throughout the film, Jules never thinks about what the verse actually means, he just likes it because it "sounds cool." But for the first time in his life, he wants the one that "Shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness," not the one who kills with "Great vengeance and furious anger." In the final scene he even tells a man who is threatening him that if this was any other day, he (Jules) would have no problem blowing his head off. But then Jules tells him that this isn't any other day. Instead, he tells him that, "I am trying really hard to be the Shepherd." This miraculous event has caused a complete 180 degree turn in Jules' character, showing just how much of an impact God's power can have over a person. 

Believe it or not, there is a lot more that can be discussed about parallels between Pulp Fiction and Christianity. I was so surprised with what I was able to pick up on in my 2nd viewing of the film and I would encourage everyone who is interested to watch it with these things in mind to maybe gain even more appreciation for the film. Why did I choose to write on Pulp Fiction first? Because honestly is it one of the last films I would think of when trying to think of films with Christian themes and lessons. And that is why it was so interesting to dissect these scenes and discover the messages that they tell. For those of you who would look at a trailer for this film and dismiss it as just the same old Tarantino movie with senseless violence with bad language, I would challenge to "not judge a book by its cover"...God works in mysterious ways. 

**Keep in mind that I am not saying that every film should be watched because you can find God's truth in it (ie don't watch Saw 7 and Project X to find what they say about Christianity). Just as films can be good to watch, many films (probably the majority of films) can also be harmful to the mind and soul to watch. This is a time where a friend or even the internet can be a useful tool in knowing what is in a film before you watch it. 

Noah Official Trailer (HD) Russell Crowe, Emma Watson

http://www.youtube.com/v/FRTlT3DEydU?version=3&autohide=1&feature=share&autoplay=1&autohide=1&attribution_tag=kyDogVTPYOodkYXgGwHW-g&showinfo=1

Trailer Showcase: Thor: The Dark World, The Muppets: Most Wanted, Kick Ass 2 Red Band Feature

Thor: The Dark World: A great new trailer has been released for November's sequel about the God of Thunder. The new footage showcases the film's more epic scope and shows more of the evolving relationship/team-up between Thor and the ever-so-loveable Loki.

The Muppets: Most Wanted: I was a huge fan of the "first" Muppets film in 2011. Not only was it hilarious but it was clean, clever, and just made me extremely happy ever time I watched it. That is why I am very excited for the sequel due out next year. The new film stars Ricky Gervais, Tina Fay, and Ty Burrell. While this doesn't give us much in terms of story, it's good to see the Muppets again.

Kick Ass 2 Behind the Scenes Video (Red Band): The first Kick Ass is one of the most creative, original, and violent (plus crude) super hero films to date, plus it featured a surprisingly great performance by Nick Cage. The sequel is due out August 16th so check out this video showing new footage and cast interviews. (Warning: Language)

Citrus County Graduate Miles Teller Being Eyed for Fantastic Four Reboot

Many would argue that "The Fantastic Four" series does not need a reboot, but somehow the Superhero genre continues to get more and more popular and therefore 20th Century Fox sees a potential money maker. It is for that reason that in 2015 we will see the return of the Fantastic Four with an entirely new cast. A couple months ago it was reported the Michael B. Jordan was being eyed to play The Human Torch, and now the rumors are swirling around that Miles Teller (who graduated from Lecanto High School) is being eyed to play Mr. Fantastic. Teller first gathered notice when he appeared in "Footloose" and "21 and Over." Now he is getting ready to star in a potential franchise starter opposite Shailene Williams in "Divergent" next year.

While I have never actually seen Teller in any of his films, I'm not sure how I feel about Mr. Fantastic being played by a 26 year old. But, if they are wanting to truly do a reboot then maybe a fresh, unexpected cast is the right way to go.

Finding the Heart of Cinema

PLEASE NOTE: THIS IS A "FAREWELL ARTICLE" WRITTEN TO MY NEWSPAPER THANKING THEM FOR SUPPORT AND LEAVING THEM WITH WHAT I BELIEVE TO BE THE MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF FILM. I WILL STILL BE UPDATING THE BLOG AFTER THIS TIME. 

Just over five years ago, I was on a bus headed home from a mission's trip to Belize. On that bus I was speaking with a man about my favorite subject...movies. And at some point in this conversation the man said to me, "Well you really know your stuff, have you ever though about making a website or a blog and writing about film on it?"
I never had thought of it, but it seemed like a fun idea. So when I arrived home the first thing I did was go to the computer and look up how to make a website. Within twenty minutes I had designed a blog using google and was looking for a name for it. My mind first thought of my oldest middle/high school nickname, Cashmoney, and so I named the blog "Cashmoney Movies" (it seemed to have a nice ring).

I then went on to write my first movie critique on a movie that I had just seen. The film was "The Dark Knight," one of my favorite films of all time. The whole review was a single paragraph and, looking back, pretty embarrassing. But I eventually picked up on more things to think on in these reviews: character development, pacing, predictability. And not long after that my dad came home and told me that he was talking to Mr. Mulligan about my site and that he wanted me to send a review of mine to The Chronicle for possible publication. I was thrilled of course, and I sent in what I believed was my best review up to that point. Then a few more months down the road, on March 20th, 2009, I published my first review with The Chronicle.

That was about four and a half years ago, and since then I have written numerous reviews for the paper on some of the greatest cinematic achievements of the past couple of decades: "Avatar," "Harry Potter," "The Artist," "Les Miserables," and many more. But now, as I am preparing to leave for college a few weeks from now, and I am very sad that my time with The Chronicle has come to an end. My last review will be on "The Wolverine," a good film to end with in my critical opinion, being that he is my favorite super-hero (and the film was great). The opportunity to write for this paper has not only allowed me to share my passions with others on a weekly basis, but it has given me an incredible experience that will help me immensely throughout the rest of my life.

I would like to thank Mr. Mulligan for giving me the chance to write for the Citrus County Chronicle. Without his generosity and encouragement, I would have never been able express my love for journalism and cinema like I have been doing. I would like to thank Cheri Harris (who no longer works at the Chronicle) for guiding me in the beginning of my time with the Chronicle, and giving me friendly advice and tips for my writing. And finally, I wish to thank the readers of the Chronicle, who over the years have offered numerous accounts of encouragement, compliments, and even debate (which is the fun part).

But before I sign off, I want to give a final word on what I believe to be the greatest thing the world of the silver screen has given us. I have always tried to stress in my reviews that the key aspect of film that will make it or break it, is the story. No matter how much action, or suspense, or laughs there are in a film, it will never amount to anything if there is not a good story. A good story has the power to reach the farthest corners of our imaginations, as we smile in awe at the story of a girl with ruby slippers, trying to find her way back to Kansas. A good story has the power to tug on our heartstrings and make us cringe and sigh at the tragic story of a man who wants nothing more than to escape from being pulled in to the family business, but through unfortunate events is forced to be a ruthless Godfather. A good story has the power to make us cheer and rejoice at the triumph of good, as two little hobbits, against all odds, finish the task they set out to accomplish.

A good story stands the test of time, and when you look inside the story, when you dig just a little bit deeper, you find something even greater. This is not something you can find without looking, it's not something that just presents itself on screen, and when and if you find it then you will see the true greatness of a film...it's heart. It's message. It's truth. The greatest of films act as parables of of our time. They are stories with messages that teach us, inspire us, and challenge us. There have been countless super hero films over the last thirteen years but when you break them down they are all about the same thing: they are about one person who has been called to stand up and pursue goodness, to defy the darkness around them. Isn't that what we all want? To pursue goodness, to make a difference, to be a light in a dark world? No wonder these films are so popular.

It is the message of a film that makes it stand out. These films teach us things. They show us that there is a difference between what is right and what is easy, that with great power comes great responsibility, and that there is still some good in this world that is worth fighting for. Lessons like these can shape an individual.

So I leave you with a challenge: the next time you walk into a movie theater and watch a great story, try to dig a little deeper. Find something that is really worth talking about, worth remembering, worth believing in. Because when you find the heart of a film and the truth it tells, then you will be able to appreciate it's greatness even more.