As the summer movie season begins to wind down a bit and the little ones return to school, it is a sign that the best films of the year are approaching. You see, studios like to have their best films fresh on the minds of critics when award season rolls around. While 2014 has been a disappointing year in film so far, there is a light at the end of the tunnel and it is fast approaching. Some of the best directors in the world have films coming out this fall and winter, so make sure to save up for tickets because you should be going to your local theatre (as well as the IMAX theatre) often in the near future.

10. Guardians of the Galaxy

On the surface, this seems to be just another bland superhero movie, right? Well, it is going to be anything but traditional. Whether that’s a good thing or not has yet to be seen, but it will certainly a crazy ride. Instead of some generic pretty boy action star, Guardians features a group of anti-heroic misfits that include a delusional wannabe renegade, a green alien femme fatale who can kick more butt than almost any superhero, a jacked-up red alien hell-bent on revenge, a taking tree, and a machine gun wielding talking raccoon. You read those last two right, a talking raccoon (voiced by Bradley Cooper) and a talking tree (who can only say one word—his name—and is voice by Vin Diesel). If that isn’t intriguing enough for you to look forward to, I can’t help you. Go on leading your talking Raccoon-lacking life. Guardians has the potential to bring something new to the superhero genre with a combination of grand scale, great comedy, and self-awareness.

Guardians of the Galaxy releases in the U.S. on August 1st, on July 31 in the U.K., and check here for more international release dates.

9. The Interview

Any movie that has the potential to start a war is bound to garner a lot of attention. In case you missed it, Kim Jong-un threatened “stern” and “merciless” retaliation on the United States if this film is released. His outrage is certainly understandable, as the film revolves around Seth Rogen and James Franco carrying out an assassination plot on the North Korean ruler. While the Kim may be blowing hot air, his objection emphasizes how bold this movie is. This is the second film directed by writing partners Rogen and Evan Goldberg after last year’s great This Is the End. Rogen is on a hot streak with This Is the End and Neighbors and there is no reason to believe he can’t keep it going, especially with the crew involved.

The Interview releases in the U.S. on October 10th, on October 29th in the U.K., and check here for more international release dates.

8. Foxcatcher

Imagine this pitch a couple of years ago: Steve Carell and Channing Tatum team up for a tragic murder drama revolving around two wrestling brothers and an esteemed wrestling coach. Oh, and we are going to give Steve Carell this really weird prop nose. That pitchman would have been laughed out of the room. But recently both Carell and especially Tatum have flexed their acting muscles and become two of the most likable and in-demand actors in the industry. The film played to very good reviews at Cannes earlier this year and follows a fascinating true story. It seems to be a smaller, more intimate story, but if it can establish great characters (and by the looks of it this seems likely) it could end up being one of the best films of the year.

Foxcatcher releases in the U.S. on November 14th, on January 15th, 2015 in the U.K., and check here for more international release dates.

7. The Zero Theorem

This may be a controversial pick, and I’m not even sure if it will end up being any good, but it may be the most intriguing film of the year. Director Terry Gilliam makes some out-there films, so expect something equal parts strange and thought provoking (or maybe verging more towards weird). Think Darren Aronofsky turned up to 11. The film stars the fantastic Christoph Waltz and the title refers to the mathematical theory that instead of the universe constantly expanding, it eventually collapses in on itself. AKA: life has no meaning. It will definitely be a very uplifting story, just like the rest of Gilliam’s work (sarcasm cannot be communicated well through text sometimes, but rest assured I have seldom been more sarcastic in my life). I really have no idea how this film will shake out, but I am thoroughly looking forward to seeing it.

The Zero Theorem releases on August 19th in the U.S., was already released in the U.K., and check here for more international release dates.

6. The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1

The first Hunger Games movie was mediocrity defined; a very bland action flick with unnecessary shaky cam and a protagonist who uses his baking skills to camouflage himself in a group of rocks (dumb plot device or dumbest plot device?). But the series’ second entry, Catching Fire, was genuinely pretty great. This was mostly due to the fact that the series really grew up with this entry. The characters were older and the political undertones really ramped up. It also featured one of the best endings of last year, leaving audiences everywhere clamoring for more right away. There is also a sad element to the film’s release, as it will be one of the last times we will see Philip Seymour Hoffman in a new film, so make sure to take in his sure to be a great performance.

Mockingjay – Part 1 releases in the U.S. and U.K. on November 21st and check here for more international release dates.

5. Exodus: Gods and Kings

Ridely Scott and I have a very complicated relationship. If I didn’t know the film was directed by Scott (or if it was from Ridley Scott a decade ago or more), it would easily vault into the top three of this list. However, as it stands, Ridley Scott being attached to a film is a mild deterrent for me right now. Let’s take a look at his last four theatrical releases:

1. The Counselor: a meandering mess

2. Prometheus: an eye-rolling, pseudo-philosophical (but beautiful) mess

3. Robin Hood: a failed attempt to retell a classic story

4. Body of Lies: bland, bland, bland, bland, stale

Some people, unlike me, may have enjoyed Prometheus but I will bash that movie into oblivion. I miss the Ridley Scott that made Blade Runner, Alien, and Gladiator. I keep trying to convince myself he has that quality left in him, but he continues to disappoint. This film stars a buff Christian Bale and a bald Joel Edgerton as Moses and Rhamses, respectively, during the time of Moses freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The trailer looks great and I am giving Scott one more chance (for the second or third time).

Exodus: Gods and Kings releases in the U.S. on December 12th, on December 26th in the U.K., and check here for more international release dates.

4. Fury

It’s been awhile since there has been a truly great war movie made. The Hurt Locker in 2008, maybe? Fury has all the makings of being the next one. The film has a fairly inexperienced director at the helm in David Ayer, but all of the stills and trailers that have leaked out have been beautiful and the action looks to be truly top notch. The film is attempting to transcend a mere action movie and develop characters that you care about and show the brutality and mental anguish of war. Brad Pitt plays a character named Wardaddy (awesome), a sergeant in charge of a small crew on a mission behind German lines near the end of World War II. Often these war movies that focus on a small number of troops make for the more personal and affecting films. The trailer by itself gets the heart racing.

Fury releases in the U.S. on November 14th, on October 24th in the U.K., and check here for more international release dates.

3. Gone Girl

We are absolutely spoiled this fall in having three films directed by three of the top filmmakers in the world coming out with new releases. The first of these filmmakers is David Fincher. Fincher is perhaps the best director when it comes to dark, intense films. With films like Se7en, Zodiac, and The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo, Fincher has shown that his ceiling is as high as just about anyone’s. Gone Girl is an adaptation of 2012 best selling book of the same name. However, Fincher has said that the film’s last third has been changed significantly for the novel’s. Ben Affleck plays a man whose wife mysteriously disappears. Originally, he is an object of sympathy in a story that takes the media by storm but he quickly becomes a suspect in her possible murder. There is a good chance it will make your skin crawl, there is a great chance it will put you on edge, and there is a tremendous chance you will love it.

Gone Girl releases in the U.S. and U.K. on October 3rd. Check here for more international release dates.

2. Interstellar

The second fantastic filmmaker releasing a film this year is Christopher Nolan. Nolan does a tremendous job balancing art with commercial success and this film appears to be no different. Starring Matthew McConaughey, not much is known about Interstellar except that it is about wormholes. That in and of itself is enough to pull me in. It is nice to get Nolan away from the superhero franchise (let’s be honest—The Dark Knight Rises was a tad disappointing) and back to making original films. He studied with some of the best scientists America has to offer to bring realistic effects to the film and it seems that he is extremely excited about the product he will be delivering. The element of the unknown surrounding the film adds even more anticipation to the project. With a director and stacked cast like this film has, the sky seems to be the limit.

Interstellar releases in the U.S. and U.K. on November 7th. Check here for more international release dates.

1. Inherent Vice

Paul Thomas Anderson. That is all you need to know: Inherent Vice is a Paul Thomas Anderson film. In my opinion this is without a doubt the best filmmaker working today. He is pretty selective with his projects so we don’t see his work too terribly often, but when we do he shows us why we love the movies. Anderson creates characters unmatched by any other director, which is what stories are truly about at their core. The film’s cast is absolutely tremendous: Joaquin Phoenix, Josh Brolin, Owen Wilson, Reese Witherspoon, Benicio del Toro, Maya Rudolph, and Martin Short, among others. Anderson always manages to get actors to put on the best performances of their careers (like Tom Cruise in Magnolia and Adam Sandler in Punch-Drunk Love). The film is based on Thomas Pynchon’s novel, a very funny, psychedelic, and layered noir with tons of characters moving in a million different directions. When you see something made by the best, you expect nothing but the best, and that is the case with Paul Thomas Anderson and Inherent Vice.

Inherent Vice releases in U.S. on December 12th (limited) and January 9th, 2015 (wide), on January 30th in the U.K., and check here for more international release dates.

The second half of the year is almost always the best for film, and 2014 seems to be no different. The simple fact that Fincher, Nolan, and Anderson all have films coming out within the next several months is enough to make any filmgoer giddy. There are movies for everyone: huge-scale franchises, intimate character studies, out-there experiments, and more. All of these studios will be battling for golden statues as the year moves forward and the field appears to be loaded.

Which of these movies are you looking forward to most?

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