Wednesday, February 15, 2017

2017 Movie Preview - Part II


Recently guest-writer, Greg Rouleau, and I broke down 2017's most notable early-year releases, as well as some of the year's biggest upcoming blockbusters (Part I). Now we'll dive deep into 2017's most anticipated comedy and horror/thriller titles. Here's a look at some other films you can expect to see this upcoming year:


Horror/Thriller


Get Out - February 24th

The hilarious sketch comedy show Key & Peele may not be around anymore, but at least we still have the writing and acting talents of Jordan Peele and Keegan-Michael Key floating around the industry. Later this month, Jordan Peele delivers his directorial debut with the horror entry Get Out. The movie follows an African American man () who visits his Caucasian girlfriend's parents in their small town estate, only to discover bizarre circumstances surrounding their behavior. And while the film's debut trailer (below) feels massively over the top - as if we'd expect anything different from  a mind such as Peele's - early reviews have been strong enough to pique my interest.




Raw - March 10th (limited release)

Plenty of buzz surrounds this French horror film that's captured headlines with its insanely gory tale of a young vegetarian girl who experiences a hazing ritual at veterinary school, and it unleashes an inescapable hunger for human meat. Raw's cannibalistic story is sure to excite some and detract others. Just make sure you can stomach the scenes as the urban legend rumors of fainting audience members circulate this grisly horror entry. You'll most likely have to seek out the film as Raw is merely slated for a limited release this March.


The Belko Experiment - March 17th (limited release)

Another horror title destined for a limited release next month is the Toronto Film Festival selection, The Belko Experiment. Greg McLean teams with writer James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) to deliver a twisted examination of human survival. Set in Bogota, Colombia, 80 employees of a U.S. company are locked in their high-rise building where a voice over the building's intercom instructs them all to participate in a murderous game of kill-or-be-killed. This wild premise catches my interest as I plan to keep an eye out for The Belko Experiment sometime next month.


Alien: Covenant - May 19th

Director Ridley Scott returned to the Alien universe with the prequel, Prometheus. His sci-fi horror follow-up, Covenant, arrives to big screens everywhere this May. Michael Fassbender reprises his role of the robot David and James Franco co-stars in this space exploration film that boldly re-introduces the creature from Alien and its origins. How can this next chapter not give you goosebumps? Catch Ridley Scott's first-look trailer for the film below.




It (2017) - September 9th

Remakes have become a staple within the industry, especially for the horror genre, and one classic reboot arrives later this year. Stephen King's classic tale, It, terrorized my youth with the creepy clown, Pennywise. In September a whole new generation gets to experience the small town madness in Andres Muschietti's re-imagination of the adapted horror classic. All that's been leaked from the film is a disturbing image of the new Pennywise, see for yourself (below) and prepare to re-experience the horror of Stephen King's It.



Other releases include: A reboot of the 1990 film Flatliners arrives on September 28th, and sequels such as Insidious: Chapter 4 (October 20th) and Saw: Legacy (October 27th) will premiere in 2017 as well.


Comedy


Chips - March 24th

Dax Shepard is trying his had at the comedy reboot with the March title, Chips. Based (very) loosely on the television show that aired between 1977 and 1983, this re-imagined endeavor features writer, director and leading man, Dax Shepard, alongside Michael Pena. They star as a pair of California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers who find themselves hunting down a dirty cop within their own ranks. The trailer for Chips doesn't appear to be anything special, but hopefully for their saving the biggest laughs for the movie theater experience.




Snatched - May 12th

Amy Schumer continues to push her hot streak as the latest big-thing in Hollywood comedy alongside veteran actress, Goldie Hawn, in Snatched. While vacationing with her mother on an exotic getaway to Ecuador, the pair of ladies end up kidnapped and forced to work together and fight back if they hope to make it out alive. This action-comedy comes from the producing team behind The Heat and Spy, but I'm doubtful that Snatched will even come close to them. We'll find out soon enough as Snatched is an early entry in the summer blockbuster season.




Rock That Body - June 16th

Another female-centric comedy premieres this summer with Rock That Body. Scarlett Johansson and SNL's Kate McKinnon star as members of a wild weekend bachelorette party who discover a dead male stripper during the festivities. Little else is known about the film, but its director, Lucia Aniello, lands an impressive cast in her debut feature after earning her stripes with the Comedy Central show Broad City.


The House - June 30th

Will Ferrell is back and teaming up with funny lady Amy Poehler in the summer comedy The House. After the mother and father spend all of their daughter's college fund, they decide to open up an illegal casino in their basement to try and recoup the money. Director Andrew Jay Cohen unveils his motion picture debut and we can only hope that the film delivers with its riotous premise. Keep an eye out for the first official trailer soon as The House will arrive in theaters this June.


Bastards - (No official release date)

After dropping a trailer nearly 5 months ago, little has developed for Lawrence Sher's indie comedy, Bastards. Ed Helms and Owen Wilson co-star as a pair of fraternal twin brothers who hit the road in search of their biological father, after learning that their mother had been lying about him being dead for all these years. The first look at Bastards has some well-earned laughs and I'm a big fan of the road trip comedy. Bastards is still lined up for a 2017 release but, whenever it happens, you can count me in.




Tully - (No official release date)

The effective collaborative trio of director Jason Reitman, writer Diablo Cody and lead actress Charlize Theron are slated to return in 2017 with Tully. Having previously worked together on the underrated comedy, Young Adult, they are back to deliver another emotional comedy. Charlize Theron stars as Marlo, a mother of three children who welcomes a nanny named Tully into their home. Together, the women form a unique bond with one another. While details of the film are tight-lipped and the premise doesn't sound all that funny, Cody and Reitman have a proven track record of stirring up legitimate laughs within a dramatic piece. Keep an eye out for Tully at some point in 2017.



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