Now Reading
25 Reasons to Head to the Cinema in 2019

25 Reasons to Head to the Cinema in 2019

spilt popcorn

While at this time of year many like to look back wistfully and ruminate on the moments that have taken place, whether that be personal issues or significant global and political events, here at MALESTROM HQ we prefer to look ahead to next years top movies. Shallow? We have our moments, but who doesn’t need a bit of escapism in the turbulent times in which we dwell. That being said here are 25 reasons to head to the cinema in 2019.

– January –

GLASS

Filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan’s films collide in a big way in his new thriller Glass. Here Bruce Willis & Samuel L. Jackson’s characters from 2000’s Unbreakable return along with the many personalities of James McAvoy from 2016’s Split. In what Shyamalan has called his “most difficult movie”, we find the three men in psychiatric care being treated by a specialist who deals with patients experiencing grandiose delusions of narcissism, who think they have superpowers. Expect more twists and turns than a pretzel.

THE FRONT RUNNER

Hugh Jackman looks distinctly un-Wolverine in this political drama. Set in 1987, he plays Gary Hart, the charismatic former senator of Colorado, who becomes the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination. The popular politician seems to be a shoo-in for The White House, until a scandal emerges threatening to throw his campaign off the rails. A politician and a scandal, where do they dream these things up?

– February –

ESCAPE ROOM 

Looking like a mash-up of brilliant 90s sci-fi horror Cube, the Saw pictures and one of those trendy adventure games your office boss sends you on as a team building exercise, this micro-budget horror sees four friends trapped in an escape room with the clock ticking for them to find the clues leading to different rooms or face the grave consequences. Early reports haven’t been too kind, but the trailer makes us interested.

COLD PURSUIT

How long will it take for people to realise Liam Neeson is not a guy to be messed with? Here the Irishman plays a snowplough driver (yes we wrote that) who seeks bloody revenge on drug dealers who he believes killed his son. Cue lots of shots of Neeson sneaking around in the snow and bumping off henchmen by increasingly harsh methods as he finds his way to the kingpin.

– March –

US 

Few details have been released for Jordan Peele’s follow up to Get Out, but with him at the helm one thing we expect is it’s going to be very good. We do know that Lupita Nyong’o and Winston Duke (both seen in Black Panther) will star as a mother and father who take their kids to their beach house expecting to unplug and unwind with friends. But as night falls, peace and quiet turns to riot when some shocking visitors arrive uninvited. Doesn’t sound like one for the faint of heart.

GREYHOUND

Based on the novel The Good Shepherd by C. S. Forester, Greyhound will see Tom Hanks step back into WWII to play Commander Ernest Krause, as he leads an international convoy of 37 Allied ships across the treacherous North Atlantic while being hotly pursued by wolf packs of German U-boats. Run Forrest!

– April –

HELLBOY 

We’re not always fans of reboots, especially when the original films have been pretty satisfying. But, maybe just for the fact that Stranger Things star David Harbour – who you might know better as the character Hopper – is taking on the role of the demon Big Red, will make this worth a watch. It’s being directed by a very safe pair of hands in the shape of brit Neil Marshall (Dog Soldiers, The Descent) and the rest of the cast isn’t too shabby either with Ian McShane and Milla Jovovich playing the Blood Queen, a sorceress after revenge.

PET SEMATARY

With the massive success of IT, it’s little wonder Stephen King adaptations are hot property at the moment. One of his novels already turned into a feature in the late 80s is getting a rework, this new version tells the tale of a man who discovers that the pet graveyard behind his new family home possesses the power to bring the dead back to life. Although as John Lithgow’s character says in the trailer, “sometimes dead is better”.

– May –

JOHN WICK CHAPTER 3

John Wick: Chapter 2 was a slight misfire in Keanu Reeves’ hitman franchise, so we’re hoping this third installment gets back to what the first film did so well and maybe adds a tad more plot. This movie picks up right where that one left off with Wick on the run after breaking the rules of assassin sanctuary, The Continental after he took out a crime lord on the premises. Here John, with the help of the criminal underworld has to survive the bounty that’s been put on his head, and we’re not talking about a chocolate bar.

AD ASTRA 

No this isn’t an advert for you’re old Vauxhall but rather a Brad Pitt starring vehicle about an Army Corps engineer searching across the galaxy for his father (Tommy Lee Jones), who disappeared on a one-way mission to Neptune to find alien life 20 years prior. Donald Sutherland also stars.

GODZILLA: KING OF THE MONSTERS

Godzilla movies have been more miss than hit since the big old Japanese lizard’s classic films of the 50s. Here Godzilla faces off against some of the most popular monsters in pop culture history. We’re talking Mothra, Rodan, and King Ghidorah. It could be epic, with the emphasis on could.  Stranger Things‘ Millie Bobby Brown and Sally Hawkins star.

BRIGHTBURN

The interesting premise here is what if a child from another world crash-landed on Earth, but instead of becoming a hero to mankind, à la Superman, he proved to be something far more sinister?

Produced by Guardians of the Galaxy helmer James Gunn this superhero horror sees Elizabeth Banks and David Denman play the couple that take in this otherworldly child and raise him as their own, only for him to use his special powers to terrorise their rural town. Watch the trailer and get excited for the month of May coming round.

– June –

X-MEN: DARK PHOENIX

The latest entry in the X-Men franchise will see a dark and dangerous cosmic force manifest within Jean Grey (Sophie Turner), causing her to spiral out of control. As a result, our mutant heroes will not only have to battle one of their own but a race of aliens seeking to control her powers. Let’s hope they’ve had their Weetabix.

47 METERS DOWN: THE NEXT CHAPTER

As you know we at The MALESTROM are slightly obsessed with any movie that has even a sniff of a shark in it. And given that 47 Meters Down was a surprisingly good entrant into the shark movie canon, we can’t help but be excited about the sequel. Here a group of adventurous backpackers go diving to explore an underwater city and, well you can probably guess the rest.

– July –

THE LION KING 

Fans of the Disney classic The Lion King will likely be salivating at the prospect of this live-action remake. After creating similar magic with The Jungle Book, director Jon Favreau oversees a seriously star-studded cast with Donald Glover, Seth Rogan, James Earl Jones and Beyoncé just a handful of the names appearing.

We all know the story, with Simba the lion facing adversity to try and take his rightful place on the throne, but we’ve never seen it told like this.

ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD 

It feels like we’ve been talking about Tarantino’s new picture centred around the Manson murders in 60s LA for forever. Here Leo DiCaprio & Brad Pitt star as a faded actor and his stunt double out to make a name for themselves against the backdrop of the brutal killings taking place in the city. There’s a lot to be excited about here, not least the cast list that reads like a who’s who with Al Pacino, Margot Robbie & Kurt Russell just some of the outstanding talent on show.

– August –

X-MEN: THE NEW MUTANTS 

This genre-bending tale is part superhero movie with a large dollop of horror added. Based on the comic book of the same name it sees five young mutants, who are just discovering their abilities while being held in a murky looking secret facility against their will, all forced to fight to escape their past sins and save themselves. Maisie Williams & Charlie Heaton are among the superpowered teens.

– September –

IT: CHAPTER TWO 

Time to hide behind your red balloons because evil clown Pennywise is set to return. After the success of the Steven King adaptation last year, this time around the children of the Loser’s Club are all grown up and face an intense battle against everyone’s favourite painted face nightmare.

Legend has it that evil revisits the town of Derry every 27 years which is why the friends will have to team up again to counter the killer clown. Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy star.

– October –

JOKER 

Multiple Oscar nominee Joaquin Phoenix will play the latest incarnation of Batman’s famed nemesis in this origins story. The film’s set to explore how a failed comedian descended into a life of villainy in the city of Gotham. With all the set leaks so far many people will feel they’ve seen the movie already, but we have high hopes for this one, especially with such a strong lead playing the crown prince of crime.

ZOMBIELAND 2 

Take your time, no rush or anything, it’s only been TEN YEARS wait for the sequel to the brilliant comedy horror Zombieland to come around. The principal cast of Woody Harrelson, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg & Abigail Breslin are all returning, just a shame Bill Murray won’t be after the finest cameo in film history in the original. Here our heroes will be taking on zombies that have evolved since the last time we caught up with them.

– November –

SONIC THE HEDGEHOG

Anyone who had a Mega Drive back in the day will be a fan of the icon that is Sonic. Here the hurried hedgehog gets the live-action treatment being placed in the present-day world with Parks and Recreation‘s Ben Schwartz voicing Sonic and Jim Carrey bringing his classic nemesis Doctor Robotnik to life. We’ve only had a poster so far and fans are already divided, but we’re going to give this one a chance… till the trailer at least.

sonic the hedgehog poster

– December –

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE

We here at The MALESTROM might be some of only a handful of fans of the camp as Christmas 1987 version starring Dolph Lundgren. This reboot of the much-loved cartoon has brothers Adam and Aaron Nee on directing duties with no confirmed cast as of yet. We do know that He-Man will be taking on the dastardly Skeletor to save the planet Eternia, so nothing new there. Watch this space.

STAR WARS: EPISODE IX

Fanboys who felt Rian Johnson took the Star Wars saga off track rejoiced in the news that this sequel trilogy finale was to be helmed by J.J. Abrams who did such a great job with The Force Awakens. No details have been released as of yet but with
Kylo Ren in control of the First Order, we can expect a mighty dust-up between them and the Resistance with Rey leading the charge. Fingers crossed.

Unconfirmed releases

BILL AND TED FACE THE MUSIC 

More than 25 years after Bill and Ted had their bogus journey the Wyld Stallions are back together for this long-awaited sequel. The movie explores Bill & Ted’s lives after their music was expected to save the world… if they’d managed to write it that is. The boys have to search for the inspiration to pen the tunes that can bring about peace and harmony (no pressure). No official date as to when we’ll see it, but all signs point to it dropping in 2019.

THE IRISHMAN

We’ve been talking about this one since we heard the rumour Joe Pesci had signed on the dotted line back in summer 2017. There’s no set release date yet for Scorsese’s Netflix gangster movie, but it’s odds-on to be released in Autumn/Winter 2019, with the likelihood it’ll get a short theatrical release to qualify for the many Oscar nods we hope the film will get. With DeNiro, Pacino & Joe all making up the Holy Trinity of the crime film’s cast we can’t wait for this one.

Click the banner to share on Facebook

The MALESTROM interviewees everywhere
View Comments (0)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Scroll To Top