Between the Thors and Hobbits of the movie season, some lesser-known movies inevitably slip through the cracks. The Tiger Cub Online staff has collected a list of some movies coming out this year that you can’t let go under your radar.
Runner Runner– Justin Timberlake stars as Richie Furst, a Princeton student cheated out of tuition in an online poker game. He then undertakes a mission to hunt down the site’s owner, Ivan Block (played by Ben Affleck), but ends up becoming his uneasy partner.
Why you should see it: It’s JT’s first starring role in a while, and the film is directed by Leonardo DiCaprio. It might also give a hint as to how Ben Affleck will portray Batman in 2015’s Batman vs. Superman, seeing as Affleck is playing a gruff, menacing character.
The Fifth Estate- Based on the fairly recent story of WikiLeaks and Julian Assange, the film follows Assange (portrayed by Benedict Cumberbatch) and the scandal that has followed his name throughout the past few years.
Why you should see it: Benedict Cumberbatch has long white hair. Also, it’s being distributed by Walt Disney Studios, which may have an impact on the tone of this political thriller.
Escape From Tomorrow- The word unique is used very loosely in the film world, but Escape From Tomorrow hits the nail on the head. Filmed in secret using iPhones and handheld cameras and shot entirely in Walt Disney World (without Disney’s permission), it chronicles a father’s nervous breakdown while on vacation.
Why you should see it: By all definition, this film should not exist. Disney should have shut the project down long ago. And yet here it is, coming to theaters. The project was so secretive that director Randy Moore edited it in South Korea to keep it out from under the ever-watchful eye of Disney’s legal team.
Kill Your Darlings– In 1944, a man named David Kammerer was murdered by Lucien Carr, and the greatest poets of the time are united by the following events.
Why you should see it: Daniel Radcliffe stars as poet Allen Ginsberg, with Dane DeHaan as Lucien Carr. Critics are already praising Radcliffe’s performance as the best part of the movie, and the film itself has been described as being close to Dead Poets’ Society in tone and setting.
All Is Lost– At first glance, All Is Lost seems like an average-at-best survival film. Robert Redford stars as a nameless sailor stranded at sea. However…
Why you should see it: …Redford is also the only cast member. There is almost no dialogue at all, and as the film currently holds a 100 percent rating at RottenTomatoes.com, it’s become critically acclaimed.
Don Jon– Written, directed by, and starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, the film introduces Jon Martello, a ladykiller who finds he’s unhappy with his love life and sets out to discover true love.
Why you should see it: Everyone needs a smart, snappy romantic comedy when falls rolls around, and when it stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Scarlett Johansson, and Tony Danza, what’s not to love?
The Wolf of Wall Street- Based on the memoirs of author and former criminal Jordan Belfort, Leonardo DiCaprio plays the cunning con artist who went to prison for manipulating the stock market.
Why you should see it: It’s the fifth collaboration between DiCaprio and director Martin Scorsese, plus it also stars Jonah Hill and Matthew McConaughey.
