Despite the fact that 99% of the films that will be heading to your local cinema will be franchise sequels, pointless re-boots or comic book spin-offs – 2015 looks like it will still have a whole bunch of interesting and alternative cinema to check out.

We recently locked our programming department in one of our less luxurious “guest rooms” and told them that they could only come out once they had identified the films that we should be most curious and interested in over the coming year.

After 48 hours of violent, sordid discussion a scrap of paper was pushed through the bars in the door – covered in at least 7 different bodily fluids and the names of the following 13 films. The LUC Anticipation-ometer has been reset and will be updated as we get to see each entry over the next 12 months. (NOTE: there are a few more at the end that didn’t quite make the main list)

Release Date: Already Out

Anticipation Rating: 7/10

Michael Keaton plays a jaded actor putting on a difficult theatrical production, while plagued by visions of the superhero character he is famous for playing. All sounds very meta indeed. The added stylistic gimmick of being filmed one seemingly endless shot just makes it all the more enticing for the chin scratching, pretentious film bore in all of us. Trailer looks ace too. We’re off to see this imminently, so a judgement is not far away…

Release Date: 23rd January

Anticipation Rating: 7/10

Director J.C. Chandor has made two of the most intense and focussed films of recent years in Margin Call and All Is Lost. His new film has been described as a kind of neo-Lumet thriller, which has to be a good thing.

Release Date: 23rd January

Anticipation rating: 6/10

In film maths terms this looks like:

(Charlie & The Chocolate Factory x Blade Runner) / The video for All Is Full Of Love by Bjork

Alex Garland has been involved in a number of other notable sci-fi features before, so it will be really interesting to see what the result is when he is the person in charge.

Release Date: 25th January

Anticipation rating: 8/10

A new documentary from Adam Curtis, one of the most important, unique and fascinating filmmakers working today. This film about the failure of global politics and the impact that this had on Afghanistan is being released straight onto the BBC iPlayer on the 25th of January. Can’t wait.

There is more info and a trailer over on Adam Curtis’ blog.

Release Date: 30th January

Anticipation Rating: 9/10

As soon as the trailer for the new PT Anderson flick appeared it was always going to feature near the top of the LUC to-do list. An adaptation of Thomas Pynchon’s novel, this looks like an absolute blast. Like a seedier version of The Big Lebowski, with a noirish mystery plot and all manner of well-cast double -crossing.

Release Date: Being screened at Sundance in January, but no word on a wider release date.

Anticipation Rating: 10/10

Don’t know much about this new short from Don Hertzfeldt, but that doesn’t really matter. It’s Such A Beautiful Day is now firmly established as one of LUC’s favourite films of all time and if you missed his amazing Simpsons opening sequence you should watch it right now. Hopefully after it is screened at Sundance, we’ll find out how we can get to see World of tomorrow.

Release Date: March in the US, no UK date yet

Anticipation Rating: 7/10

This was on our most anticipated lit last year, partially because it comes from the director behind Dogtooth, but mostly because of the premise:

“A love story set in a dystopian near future where single people are arrested and transferred to a creepy hotel. There they are obliged to find a matching mate in 45 days. If they fail, they are transformed into an animal and released into the woods.”

No trailer yet, but this photo has been released. Which doesn’t help much.

Release Date: 27th March 2015

Anticipation Rating: 5/10

If there’s one thing that everyone agrees on here in the bunker (apart from the general disdain for the compulsory morning exercises), it is that there should be more anthology films like Cat’s Eye, or err Four Rooms. Advance word about this Argentinian example of the form is very exciting and it looks suitably cool…

Release Date: 24th April

Anticipation Rating: 5/10

In a stunning honest admission of our own shallow nature, this films inclusion is purely based on the following trailer. It may well turn out to be hard work, but just looks so good…

Release Date: 15th May

Anticipation Rating: 4/10

In a year crammed with sequels and franchise movies, this stands out as the one that we are most excited about. Hopefully channelling the crazed action movie vibe of Mad Max 2 rather than the Tina Turner-ness of Beyond Thunderdome, Mad Max Fury Road has raised expectations with a ridiculously great trailer.

Rumours abound of actual, real life car chase action, rather than the CGI fest that will no doubt swamp many other releases. We’re prepared to be disappointed by the end result, but really, really hope that it turns out to be ace.

Release Date: May in the US, no other dates yet

Anticipation Rating: 7/10

Somehow after years of confusion and rights wrangling, this unfinished Orson Welles meta-narrative, found footage film has been completed by Peter Bogdanovich and is going to see the light of day.

Apparently starring John Huston as a kind of Welles analogue in a film within a film (probably within another film) – this sounds like it might be slightly like F for Fake, or possibly nothing like it at all.

None the less – sounds like essential viewing

Release Date: Not a clue

Anticipation Rating: 6/10

Although Wrong Cops wasn’t that great, a new flick from Quentin Dupieux is always going to be worth a go – try watching this clip and then acting like you aren’t interested…

Release Date: Late 2015

Anticipation Rating: 9/10

The Star Wars film coming out in 2015 that LUC is most eager to see isn’t the one directed by JJ Abrams. Elstree 1976 is a documentary from the people behind Anyone Can Play Guitar – featuring a whole bunch of actors who played characters obscured by masks or helmets in the first movie. Keep an eye on their twitter feed or facebook page for more info – but in the meantime here is the video from their successful kickstarter campaign.

Other Stuff to look out for…

John Hillcoat crime drama Triple Nine

Tarantino western The Hateful Eight

Keanu Reeves action flick John Wick

Intense jazz drumming psychodrama Whiplash

HR Giger documentary Dark Star

John Carpenter-esque sci-fi chase movie Midnight Special