(First of two parts)
LOS ANGELES—Coming to your neighborhood cineplex this year: “Deadpool,” “Aquaman,” “Tolkien,” “Tomb Raider,” “Scarface,” “Mowgli,” “Fantastic Beasts,” “X-Men,” Ethan Hunt, “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom,” “Crazy Rich Asians” and more.
And in this era of #MeToo and Time’s Up movements, what could be timelier than an all-female “Ocean’s 8”?
But I am especially eager to see “Crazy Rich Asians,” a mainstream Hollywood project with an all-Asian cast, directed by Jon M. Chu and written by Kevin Kwan and Adele Lim, succeed.
I also look forward to seeing Lisa Lu, my friend and colleague, as the grand matriarch, and Filipino actors Nico Santos and Kris Aquino in the movie, which premieres in August.
In this two-part column, I bring you some of the most anticipated movies of 2018. The capsule descriptions of these movies were provided by the studios or taken from IMDb.
‘Crazy Rich Asians’
The rom-com follows native New Yorker Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) as she accompanies her longtime boyfriend, Nick Young (Henry Golding), to his best friend’s wedding in Singapore. Excited about visiting Asia for the first time but nervous about meeting Nick’s family, Rachel is unprepared to learn that Nick has neglected to mention a few key details about his life. It turns out that he isn’t only the scion of one of the country’s wealthiest families, but also one of its most sought-after bachelors.
Being on Nick’s arm puts a target on Rachel’s back, with jealous socialites and, worse, Nick’s disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh) taking aim.
“Crazy Rich Asians”
‘Tomb Raider’
Lara Croft (Alicia Vikander) is the fiercely independent daughter of an eccentric adventurer who vanished when she was scarcely a teen. Now a young woman of 21 without any real purpose, Lara navigates the chaotic streets of trendy East London as a bike courier, barely making the rent. Determined to forge her own path, she refuses to take the reins of her father’s global empire just as staunchly as she rejects the idea that he’s gone.
“Tomb Raider”
‘Ready Player One’
From Steven Spielberg comes this sci-fi action adventure based on Ernest Cline’s bestseller of the same name. The film is set in 2045, with the world on the brink of chaos and collapse. But the people have found salvation in the OASIS, an expansive virtual-reality universe created by the eccentric James Halliday (Mark Rylance).
When Halliday dies, he leaves his immense fortune to the first person to find a digital Easter egg he has hidden somewhere in the OASIS, sparking a contest that grips the entire world. An unlikely young hero named Wade Watts (Tye Sheridan) decides to join the contest.
“Ready Player One”
‘Ocean’s 8’
The tide has turned, and it’s a whole new “Ocean’s” when eight women plan and execute a heist in New York: Sandra Bullock, Cate Blanchett, Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Sarah Paulson, Awkwafina, Rihanna and Helena Bonham Carter.
“Ocean’s 8”
‘A Star is Born’
This drama stars four-time Oscar nominee Bradley Cooper and Oscar-nominated music superstar Lady Gaga, in her first leading role in a major motion picture. Cooper helms the film, marking his directorial debut.
In this new take on the tragic love story, Cooper plays seasoned musician Jackson Maine, who discovers—and falls in love with—struggling artist Ally (Gaga).
“A Star is Born”
‘Mowgli’
Andy Serkis directs this action-adventure. Blending live action and performance capture, the story follows the upbringing of the human child Mowgli (Rohan Chand), raised by a wolf pack in the jungles of India.
As he learns the often-harsh rules of the jungle, under the tutelage of a bear named Baloo (Andy Serkis) and a panther named Bagheera (Christian Bale), Mowgli becomes accepted by the animals of the jungle as one of their own. All but one: the fearsome tiger Shere Khan (Benedict Cumberbatch).
‘Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald’
At the end of the first film, the Dark wizard Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) was captured by MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America), with the help of Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne).
But, making good on his threat, Grindelwald escaped custody and has set about gathering followers, unsuspecting of his true agenda: to raise pure-blood wizards up to rule over all nonmagical beings.
In an effort to thwart Grindelwald’s plans, Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law) enlists his former student Newt, who agrees to help, unaware of the dangers that lie ahead.
“Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grinderwald”
‘Aquaman’
James Wan directs this action-adventure. An icon for more than 75 years, Aquaman (Jason Momoa) is known by fans of DC Comics as the ruler of Atlantis, but committed to protecting the entire globe, both land and sea.
“Aquaman”
‘Isle of Dogs’
This eagerly awaited animated feature, written and directed by Wes Anderson, tells the story of Atari Kobayashi.
When, by Executive Decree, all the canine pets of Megasaki City are exiled to a vast garbage-dump called Trash Island, Atari sets off alone in a miniature Junior-Turbo Prop and flies across the river in search of his bodyguard-dog, Spots.
“Isle of Dogs”
‘Can You Ever Forgive Me?’
Melissa McCarthy stars in the adaptation of the memoir of the same name. It’s the true story of best-selling celebrity biographer (and friend to cats) Lee Israel (Melissa McCarthy) who made her living in the ’70s and ’80s profiling the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Estee Lauder and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen.
When Lee is no longer able to get published because she has fallen out of step with current tastes, she turns her art form to deception, abetted by her loyal friend, Jack (Richard E. Grant).
‘Tolkien’
This biopic explores the formative years of the orphaned author, JRR Tolkien (Nicholas Hoult), as he finds friendship, love and artistic inspiration among fellow outcasts at school. This takes him into the outbreak of World War I, which threatens to tear the “fellowship” apart.
‘Peter Rabbit’
The mischievous and adventurous hero (voiced by James Corden) who has captivated generations of readers now takes on the starring role of his own irreverent, contemporary animation comedy with attitude.
In the film, Peter’s feud with Mr. McGregor (Domhnall Gleeson) escalates to greater heights than ever before as they rival for the affections of the warm-hearted animal lover who lives next door (Rose Byrne).
“Peter Rabbit”
‘Venom’
Tom Hardy is Eddie Brock in the coming film from Sony’s Marvel Universe, directed by Ruben Fleischer. It also stars Michelle Williams and Jenny Slate. Cinematography by Oscar-nominated Filipino-American, Matthew Libatique.
“Venom”
‘Bumblebee’
On the run in the year 1987, Bumblebee finds refuge in a junkyard in a small Californian beach town. Charlie (Fil-Am Hailee Steinfeld), on the cusp of turning 18 and trying to find her place in the world, discovers Bumblebee, battle-scarred and broken. When Charlie revives him, she quickly learns this is no ordinary, yellow VW bug.
“Bumblebee”
(Conclusion on Sunday)
E-mail rvnepales_5585@yahoo.com. Follow him at https://twitter.com/nepalesruben.