Logan Sork Film Reviews
Most Anticipated Films of 2020
As the 2010s come to a close, it's time to look forward to the next decade of cinema and all of the wonder, thrills and potential it can bring. 2019 was a pretty great year in terms of cinema to end the decade on, but 2020 is likely going to do a good job of starting this new decade out with a bang.
From small thrillers to large blockbusters and everything in between, here's a look at my most anticipated films of 2020 in order of their release dates.
From small thrillers to large blockbusters and everything in between, here's a look at my most anticipated films of 2020 in order of their release dates.
Birds of Prey (and The Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)
While Suicide Squad was not that great, that’s not to say there weren’t great things in it. One of those things was Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn, who returns in this newest installment of the DC Extended Universe. While the trailers haven’t exactly done it for me, I am still very interested to see what this creative team and cast bring to the table. Hopefully, it’ll be more Wonder Woman and less Suicide Squad.
The Invisible Man
The original 1933 Invisible Man is one of my favorite films of the pre- 1950s and one of my favorites of the Universal Monsters series. With this adaptation of the H.G. Welles novel, director Leigh Whannell looks to not only update the source material but also bring in some new elements to help differentiate it from the original film. Let’s hope that this update pays off and we don’t have another Mummy situation on our hands, although previews of the film seem to indicate it’s heading in the right direction.
Mulan
While I am getting a little tired of Disney’s live-action remakes, Mulan is a very interesting case. While some of the recent remakes have been shot for shot retellings, this film looks to add more elements from the traditional Chinese folktale that inspired it. So, while it may not include song and dance numbers (at least based on some reports) it will look to replace those holes with epic scale and a few new additions to differentiate it from the animated film.
No Time to Die
Daniel Craig’s time as the iconic James Bond comes to an end in this newest installment in the long-running franchise. While there have been a few downs in Craig’s tenure as the character, there have been more ups and this film looks to continue that trend. While I was a bit nervous with Cary Fukunaga directing, the preview seems to indicate that he has leveled up in terms of action. Here’s hoping to end this era of Bond with a bang and not a thud.
Antlers
The Guillermo Del Toro produced Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark was a genuinely good surprise last year. Del Toro returns to producing with Scott Cooper’s antlers, which seems to focus on the cryptid from Native American legend: the wendigo. I am very interested to see not only Cooper’s take on the story but to see if Del Toro can repeat the same magical producing job this time around.
The Woman in the Window
Amy Adams is one of the best actors working today, and not enough people give her credit for it. Her latest film sees her teaming with Joe Wright, director of the excellent Darkest Hour, to tell the story of a woman who is afraid of the outside world and her attempts to deal with a complicated family. The film features the fun plot device of the unreliable narrator, a great cast, and thrilling set up. What’s not to look forward to.
Wonder Woman 1984
Wonder Woman was one of the best superhero films of the decade and is a lot better than many people are willing to admit. With Wonder Woman 1984, director Patty Jenkins looks to recapture that same success as the first film and while I don’t think it will, It looks like it will come close. Featuring a new take on the 80’s setting, fun new additions to the cast and inspirations from some of the best superhero sequels, Wonder Woman ’84 is shaping up to be a strong follow-up to an excellent film.
TENET
Christopher Nolan is one of the best directors working today and kicked off last decade with one of the best films ever made, Inception. So, it seems only fitting that he start this decade off with another high concept thriller that seems to revolve around death, espionage and time travel. While his behind the scenes crew may have changed, here’s hoping Nolan’s magic touch can still be delivered and we can have another great film from him.
The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It
While I enjoy many of the films of the Conjuring franchise, I will say that they have run out steam when it comes to some of their recent spinoffs. Now, after a hiatus of nearly 4 years, we have a new mainline Conjuring film with The Devil Made Me Do It. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga will reprise their roles as the Warrens, who are easily the best part of the franchise, as they battle yet another malevolent force of evil. While I am hopeful for this film, director Michael Chaves’ last film was The Curse of La Llorona, which was downright terrible. Here’s hoping that was a learning curve for him and he doesn’t ruin the story of the Warrens.
The King's Man
The first Kingsman film was surprisingly fun and enjoyable, and while the second one failed to capture the magic of the original, it still had its moments. With The King’s Man, Matthew Vaughn takes the franchise out of the slick modern world to the gritty aesthetic of World War I. The film looms like a lot of fun, promising great action and performances from its talented cast. And come on, who isn’t looking forward to a film that features a sword-wielding, over the top Rasputin as the main antagonist.
Death on the Nile
Say for a few problems, Kenneth Branagh’s Murder on the Orient Express was a fun, old-fashioned murder mystery that recaptured the feel of the star-studded films from the 1960s. With Death on the Nile, Branagh moves the action to Egypt, featuring another star-studded cast and a mystery for the great Hercule Poirot to unravel. While it may yet again feel old-fashioned, that’s not always a bad thing.
Godzilla VS Kong
A lot of people criticize the modern kaiju films for featuring poorly written human characters. While this may be true, the human characters are not the reason people watch these films, the main reason being the destructive kaiju action. This newest installment in the Monsterverse pairs the legendary Godzilla against the mighty King Kong for an earth-shaking showdown. Why you may ask? Well why not. Hopefully though, it will be a little better than the last time these two were onscreen together.
Dune
Rounding out the year is the film I am looking forward to the most: Denis Villeneuve’s cinematic adaptation of Dune. While it may not be the first adaptation of the classic Frank Herbert novel, it’s shaping up to be the best one. Featuring an all-star cast, including the likes of Timothee Chalamet, Rebecca Ferguson and Javier Bardem and many more, as well as a top-notch creative team, Dune will hopefully follow in the footsteps of Villeneuve’s Blade Runner 2049 as an excellent arthouse blockbuster.
Well there you have it, my most anticipated films of the coming year! Anything I left out, surprised by some of the choices? Also, what films are you most looking forward to this year?
Be sure to let me know in the comments below!