Noah

The Bible has been a continual source of inspiration for Hollywood. Its universal truths, religious following and miraculous stories make for epic narratives. While Noah and the Ark may be regarded as a children’s Bible story, everything is about to change with Darren ‘Black Swan’ Aronofsky’s fantasy adventure starring Russell Crowe.

Quite possibly the most anticipated release of 2014, Noah is poised to steer film-makers back to the days of Ben Hur with a visually spectacular epic of Biblical proportions (pardon the pun). Starring greats such as Anthony Hopkins, Jennifer Connelly, and Emma Watson, Noah is set to line us up two by two at the cinema aisles.

Transformers: Age of Extinction

Love or hate him, Michael Bay has turned Transformers into an international box office sensation. The blockbuster juggernaut has just churned out his fourth Transformers movie. Instead of casting Shia LaBeouf again, the bigger-is-better film-maker has gone with a meatier actor in Mark Wahlberg.

After a complete overhaul, it makes sense that Wahlberg would play a mechanic. The Contraband star is supported by his conveniently hot daughter, Rosie Peltz, as they find themselves at the mercy of the Autobots, Decepticons and a paranoid government official. With Transformers 5 already on the cards, expect more loud, air punch action and explosive visual effects.

X-Men: Days of Future Past

X-Men: First Class was so well-received that it prompted Bryan Singer to return to the franchise after passing on The Last Stand. If the very thought of hand-picking the best of both worlds and sending X-Men mascot, Wolverine, on an epic time-travelling mission to change their past and save our future isn’t enough to give you goose bumps, its $250 million price tag will.

Essentially, a best of X-Men, the cast comprises big names like Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Patrick Stewart, Jennifer Lawrence, Michael Fassbender and James McAvoy. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a more exciting line-up of actors with a more colossal storyline that isn’t The Avengers.

The Amazing Spider-Man 2

Many were understandably upset when they heard that Spider-Man was getting recycled just a few years after Sam Raimi’s overblown Spider-Man 3. The irreverent decision spoke volumes about franchises and the overall lack of originality in Hollywood.

Yet, to their credit Marc Webb and lead actor Andrew Garfield refreshed the beloved superhero saga with just enough tweaks to make the second spin worth the admission price. Andrew Garfield brings a greater emotional depth to his portrayal of Peter Parker and Spider-Man than Tobey Maguire. This makes The Amazing Spider-Man 2 a superhero blockbuster to look forward to as Spider-Man takes on a slew of new villains and OsCorp.

Guardians of the Galaxy

Dubbed “Space Avengers”, it was only a matter of time before the lesser known Guardians of the Galaxy had their day. The superhero action-adventure is written and directed by James Gunn, known for his dark humour and edgy cult appeal in Slither and Super.

The ragtag team of space aliens must protect the galaxy, and is led by Star Lord, a hybrid alien-human. You also find Groot – a hulking tree; Gamora – a warrior assassin; Drax the Destroyer – a Titan killer; and Rocket Raccoon – which needs no further explanation. Onboard are Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista, with the voice talents of Vin Diesel and Bradley Cooper adding extra drawing power.

Article first appeared in TechSmart 124.