The year 2014 has already brought blockbuster hits to theaters, and trust the critics when they say it’s not slowing down. Most students already know the big-name releases, so here are five lesser-known movies scheduled for release this year.
1. ‘Magic in the Moonlight’ (Release date: July 25. Starring Colin Firth, Emma Stone, PG-13.)
Notable for being this year’s film contribution from filmmaker Woody Allen, this comedy/drama takes place in the French Riviera during the 1920s. It tells the story of Stanley (Firth), an Englishman whose stage persona is Chinese magician Wei Ling Soo. Stanley is sent to the Catledge family mansion in disguise as a businessman in order to debunk a possible fraud involving the young spiritualist Sophie (Stone). Magical events ensue.
2. ‘The Hundred-Foot Journey’ (Release date: Aug. 8. Starring Helen Mirren, Charlotte Le Bon, PG.)
Based on the novel by the same name, this film tells the story about an Indian family thst moves to France and opens a restaurant across the street from a Michelin-starred French restaurant run by Madame Mallory (Mirren). The story focuses on the conflict between the two parties, as Madame Mallory does not want an Indian food restaurant located so close to her classical French restaurant. Though they begin as rivals, Madame Mallory learns to recognize the magic that comes from weaving two cultures together.
The film is produced by Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey and Juliet Blake.
3. ‘The Two Faces of January’ (Release date: Aug. 28. Starring: Kirsten Dunst, Viggo Mortensen, Oscar Isaac, PG-13)
Set in 1962, this thriller tells the story of a wealthy American couple (Dunst and Mortensen) on vacation in Greece. At the Parthenon the couple meets Rydal (Isaac), a scammer posing as a tour guide. The couple befriends Rydal but the three are forced to go on the run after a murder takes place at their hotel. As they flee Athens, their loyalty to each other is put to the test.
The film is directed by Hossein Amini, who also wrote the screenplay. Both are based on the 1964 novel by Patricia Highsmith.
4. ‘St. Vincent’ (Release date: Oct. 24. Starring Bill Murray, Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts, PG-13.)
This comedy portrays the story of a single mother (McCarthy) who moves with her 12-year-old son, Oliver, to Brooklyn. Because she has to work long hours, she is forced to leave her son in the care of their next-door neighbor, Vincent (Murray). Vincent is a surly war veteran with a fondness for alcohol and gambling. However, Oliver and Vincent develop an unlikely friendship, and Oliver discovers that there is more to Vincent than meets the eye.
The film is directed by Theodore Melfi, who also wrote the screenplay.
5. ‘Love and Mercy’ (Release date: TBA. Starring John Cusack, Paul Dano, Elizabeth Banks, Paul Giamatti, not yet rated.)
There are already many biopics about famous musicians coming out this year (James Brown, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin), but one to look out for is “Love and Mercy,” about The Beach Boys’ major creative force, Brian Wilson (Cusack and Dano).
The film loosely follows Wilson’s life in the mid-1960s to the early 1990s and follows his major creative triumphs (“Pet Sounds,” the “Smile” sessions). It chronicles his nervous breakdown and years of depression, and his encounter with controversial therapist Dr. Eugene Landy (Giamatti).
Bill Poland (producer of “The Tree of Life”) directs this film, with Oren Moverman providing the screenplay.
