January 2015 Movies On Our Radar

Is January the month where films go to die? You decide in our January preview!

Story by Matt Cummings

After an incredibly busy month of December that saw no less than 12 interesting flicks go for our hard-earned dollars, January arrives with a distinctly "Don't forget about us!" feel. January has usually been the month where films go to die, cast off to the Island of Misfit Toys after entertaining earlier Oct-Dec releases. The reality: most of these will flop, some will linger around like Jay and Silent Bob, while others will make a profit and actually lead in the box office until around March. This year might be a different story, with one of the most anticipated slate of films in recent memory. For now. we're holding to our theory but for now there are a few that could be interesting.

Our list includes a talking bear, a computer hacker, a sniper, and the end of Bryan Mills. Welcome to our January 2015 movie preview!

January 6
Taken 3

Plot: Ex-government operative Bryan Mills is accused of a ruthless murder he never committed or witnessed. As he is tracked and pursued, Mills brings out his particular set of skills to find the true killer and clear his name. (IMDB)
Director:Olivier Megaton
Starring:Liam Neeson, Forest Whitaker, Maggie Grace
Why We're Interested: It's a fact that the Taken series has both ushured in a new genre and gotten old with moviegoers. Cheap to make and filled with fun thrills that mirror the European action cinema, Taken has given Actor Liam Neeson even more street cred as a viable action hero. Although the series has made nearly $285m domestically, it does feel a bit old and has actually become an anachronism Fans of the series won't care as the final episode premieres with no actual kidnapping plot. Here, Mills is on the run after he's pegged in the death of his wife. But the series needs a fitting send off - with plenty of explosions and good exposition - before fans will feel satisfied. Our concern: the film is not screening locally, usually a sign that the studio has low confidence in its picture. Whether that's true or not will play out this Friday as the series returns for its final run.
Watch the Trailer for Taken 3:


Selma

Plot: A chronicle of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s campaign to secure equal voting rights via an epic march from Selma to Montgomery, Alabama in 1965. (IMDB) Director: Ava DuVernay Starring: David Oyelowo, Carmen Ejogo, Tim Roth Why We're Interested: With lots of Oscar buzz coming down, it's hard not to be interested in whether that love is justified. From its growing list of acclaims - acting to directing to writing - Selma looks like one that should be given consideration for your viewing time. It takes the Lincoln route, highlighting one moment in particular for Martin Luther King Jr, a decision that could help its Oscar run by keeping audiences interested in a single plot point. David Oyelowo stars as King, who's generated a lot of raves about his performance; audiences looking to fill up their Oscar dance card should probably take a look at this one.
Watch the Trailer for Selma:


Jan 16
Blackhat

Plot:A man is released from prison to help American and Chinese authorities pursue a mysterious cyber criminal. The dangerous search leads them from Chicago to Hong Kong. (IMDB)
Director:Michael Mann
Starring:Chris Hemsworth, Viola Davis, Wei Tang
Why We're Interested: While the cyber terrorist thing has been to death, the recent hack of Sony Pictures makes its January placement feel just perfect. Add to that Thor and Rush star Chris Hemsworth and Viola Davis - who's in the running to play a key role in the upcoming DC flick The Suicide Squad - and you have a fairly solid cast. But it's the announcement of Director Mann who helmed Heat and Collateral that most interests us. Mann is the kind of person who's selective about the films he directs, adding in new touches that helps shine new light on a potentially old idea. Blackhat could be a flop, but Mann's resume is good enough to keep us interested.
Watch the Trailer for Blackhat:


The Wedding Ringer

Plot:A shy young groom needs to impress his in-laws, so he turns to a best-man-for-hire to help him out.(IMDB)
Director:Jeremy Garelick
Starring:Kevin Hart, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Alan Ritchson, Josh Gad
Why We're Interested: Hart hit January gold last year with Ride Along, which remained a top film until March. This time, he returns to help out Frozen's Josh Gad while creating all sorts of mayhem along the way. This is Cuoco's first leading film since her success on The Big Bang Theory, and we like her ditzy style enough to think this might be a good mix with Hart and Gad. All the same, it also looks like a potential flop if audiences don't buy Hart's role as a kind of wedding whisperer for dudes. Either way, it looks fun enough to make our list - whether it pans out at all is hard to say at this point. Watch the Trailer for The Wedding Ringer:


Paddington

Plot:A young English boy befriends a talking bear he finds at a London train station. A live-action feature based on the series of popular children's books by Michael Bond. (IMDB)
Director:Paul King
Starring:Ben Whislaw, Nicole Kidman, Peter Capaldi
Why We're Interested: If you've been following the news on this one, Actor Colin Firth was working as the voice of Paddington when he decided to leave after creative differences. This allowed Skyfall's Whislaw to enter, pushing back its release to January. Beyond that, it does have a several obstacles to overcome. The tallest: American audiences know Winnie the Pooh, but will they accept a live-action English version? From the trailers it looks like a solid production, but this one also has the ability to fail massively, especially if children are turned off or even frightened by a talking bear causing havoc. It's the only child-friendly movie in January and so by default we've added it here.
Watch the Trailer for Paddington:


American Sniper

Plot: Navy SEAL sniper Chris Kyle's pinpoint accuracy saves countless lives on the battlefield and turns him into a legend. Back home to his wife and kids after four tours of duty, however, Chris finds that it is the war he can't leave behind. (IMDB)
Director: Clint Eastwood
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Kyle Gallner
Why We're Interested: If you've seen the trailers for this biopic, you'll know just how intense this looks. But looks alone don't help films to success: they take a solid director, actors, and a script that works for lots of different people. Sniper has the director, stars Cooper, and focuses on a timely tale, that of the most prolific sniper in American history and the troubles he encounters after his return home. Think of The Hurt Locker but with a big gun. Early buzz has been very favorable, with even the word 'Oscar' mentioned for Cooper and Eastwood, leading us to believe based on our research that the film's lauds are credible. We;ll find out soon as it's already marching its way to theaters.
Watch the Trailer for American Sniper:


Jan 23
Mortdecai

Plot: Art dealer Charles Mortdecai searches for a stolen painting that's reportedly linked to a lost bank account filled with Nazi gold. (IMDB)
Director: David Koepp
Starring: Johnny Depp, Olivia Munn, Ewan McGregor
Why We're Interested: We're big fans of slapstick humor, and in certain cases Actor Johnny Depp is perfectly suited. From the trailers it looks like Director Koepp has merged channeled a bit of The Pink Panther. Joining him are Gwyneth Paltrow and Paul Bettany, while McGregor looks ready to amaze us with his straight man routine. We also know Depp has starred in several big-name flops over the past two years, so it's anyone's guess whether Mortdecai will connect with audiences. We'll let you decide.
Watch the Trailer for Mortdecai:


Jan 30
The Loft

Plot: Five friends who share a loft for their extramarital affairs begin to question one another after the murdered body of an unknown young woman is found in the property.(IMDB)
Director: Erik Van Looy
Starring: James Marsden, Karl Urban, Rhona Mitra
Why We're Interested: Karl Urban? Check. Thriller about a murdered woman in a den of inequity? Love it. How it will play out all depends on whether Looy - who directed Loft for German audiences in 2008 - can modernize it for the US market. Based on the trailer, it looks to feature an entirely unique plot, with a collection of good talent to take on Looy's vision. We like this one based on the trailer, and also because Director Michael Bay's found-footage Project Almanac - which premieres the same week - looks like a dud on arrival.
Watch the Trailer for The Loft:


Who's Ready for 2015?
For a month that entertains a rather unsavory reputation, January 2015 looks to feature at least several entertaining films and even a couple of genuine Oscar candidates. We might even go so far as to say that several of them could be outright hits if we can believe the Hollywood buzz. In fact, we'd have to go back before 2012 to find so many potentially interesting films, a fact which encourages us in a year that could be the best in awhile in terms of creativity. Taken 3 looks to be the leader through January, but American Sniper could steal its thunder if it connects with audiences hungry for another Lone Survivor. For now, our interest is piqued throughout the month, and we'd encourage you to check each of these out:
January 9th: Taken 3, Selma
January 16th: Blackhat, Paddington, American Sniper
Janaury 23rd: Mortdecai
January 30th: The Loft

Which of these titles are you looking forward to seeing? Anything we missed? Join the conversation!!

Discuss this story with fellow SJF fans on Facebook. On Twitter, follow us at @SandwichJohnFilms, and follow author Matt Cummings at @mfc90125.