Worst2First: My Most Anticipated Films of Spring 2022

Worst2First:
My Most Anticipated Films of Spring 2022

March and April look to be thrilling months in the cinema, as we'll be gifted with a slew of different styles of films. From animated children's films to thought-provoking dramas and the return of the Caped Crusader, spring has a lot to offer viewers both in the cinema and at home.

Here are the top ten films I'm most excited to see this spring...

**THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS**
**DATES ARE SUBJECT (looking at you "Morbius") TO CHANGE**

 #10

Turning Red

March 11

Pixar, to me, was always the high standard of animated films. They revolutionized the market with the first all-computer-generated animated film ("Toy Story") and only improved from there. Yet last year's "Luca" - to me anyway - seemed like a step down for the company, producing a so-so animated film that looked like it was done by Dreamworks. "Turning Red" is another one of those films whose animation I'm not a big fan of, as compared to Pixar's other stellar work. The story itself is of typical flair: a girl going through prepubescence deals with the emotions and stress of growing up, but this time whenever those strong feelings come, she turns into a giant red panda.  "Turning Red" is skipping theaters and going straight to Disney+ (much like "Luca" did), and it may be due to poor audience reception in the screenings.

#9

The Lost City

March 25

Sandra Bullock is best known for her blend of action and comedic work in films like "Miss Congeneality" and "Speed," and "The Lost City" looks to be another classic Bullock caper. This time she plays a romance novelist who's latest story centers around the search for an ancient lost city, told through the eyes of her written protagonist, the stunning Dash, who's model is the dim-witted Alan, played by Channing Tatum. When she's kidnapped by an eccentric billionaire (played by Daniel Radcliffe) to find the real lost city, Alan seeks to prove that he's more than just a pretty face and rescue her. What'll follow is undoubtedly an action-comedy story that follows its own story by the book, with a budding romance, an actual ancient lost city, and where everything turns out perfectly in the end - but still, with Sandra Bullock at the helm, it'll be a hilariously good time.

#8

Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore

April 15

The "Fantastic Beasts" prequel series has never matched the unparalleled perfection of their host series "Harry Potter," and each sequel so far has resulted in diminishing returns (sure, this is only the third coming up, but still). It seems that the films are deviating more from the stories of Newt Scamander and more toward beloved "Harry Potter" characters in order to bring in a bigger audience, and "The Secrets of Dumbledore" is no different (heck, even the title points to the beloved Hogwarts headmaster). This time around, the gang attempts to stop a wizard war between muggles and the evil Gellert Grindelwald, and looks to follow the same formula as its predecessors, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. The big behind-the-scenes story will still probably take prominence, as the unfair firing of Johnny Depp due to false abuse allegations by his ex-wife still looms heavy over the project, but Mads Mikkelsen can do the job.

#7

Sonic the Hedgehog 2

April 8

The first "Sonic the Hedgehog" was a surprise hit, a rare video game film adaptation that actually worked in every sense of the word, and that's due to the company actually listening to the public when the first trailer showed Sonic as some sort of CGI abomination, and spent millions of dollars to change his look to be more like the video game. I have huge respect for a company that would do that, as others who are just in it for the money probably wouldn't have spent that much money to change it, and the result is a fun, humorous, and surprisingly emotional family action/adventure. Now Sonic is back, but he's not alone - Tails, the beloved sidekick from the video game franchise, has also come along for the ride. Jim Carrey reprises his juicy role as Dr. Eggman, who returns to seek the powerful Master Emerald to take over the world. No longer in need of Sonic's power, he has an unlikely ally - Knuckles, an Echidna who possesses powers of his own that rivals the lovable hedgehog. Once again this will be a fun, funny family-friendly fare with lots of humor, heart, and action.

#6

Morbius

April 1

"Morbius" is a movie about a man who seeks a cure for a rare blood disease that turns him into a living vampire, and much like the undead concept this is a film that seemingly will never die. It holds the distinction of being the most moved movie due to the Covid-19 pandemic, having its first release date being July 10, 2020...then July 31st, 2020...then March 19, 2021...October 8, 2021...January 21, 2022...and finally April 1, 2022, and it seems that this will be the date that'll stick. Hopefully, because popularity is waning for this once-highly-anticipated look at the antihero Morbius, played by Jared Leto. Continuing their Spider-Man Universe, Sony brings to the big screen the Living Vampire known as Morbius. Jared Leto stars as Michael Morbius, a brilliant scientist who's suffering from a rare blood disease, who goes to great lengths to cure himself - by turning into a vampire. Although he sets out to do the right thing, his thirst for blood leads him down some darker paths, and this film looks like it'll explore the dual nature of the scientist. Leto could possibly pull off the performance, which could hold future ties to "Spider-Man" films with the inclusion of Michael Keaton's Vulture, but again time will tell.

#5

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

April 22, 2022

There was a time where Nicolas Cage (who's related to the iconic director Frances Ford Coppola) was the most respected actor in Hollywood. He won an Oscar for his performance in "Leaving Las Vegas" and the 90s was filled with his action films "The Rock," "Face/Off," and "Con Air." Yet something happened in recent years where he's been reduced to a meme, and mocked for his numerous terrible direct-to-streaming films. Yet through it all, he maintained his humor, and that's what makes him so endearing and loved despite being joked about - he seems to be in on the joke. There's no better proof of this than "The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent," where Nicolas Cage plays...Nicolas Cage. Taking a million dollars to attend the birthday party of his biggest fan, things of course go crazy, resulting in Nic Cage relying on his past experiences to save himself and his family. Featuring Pedro Pascal, Neil Patrick Harris, and Tiffany Haddish, this looks to be the Nic Cage film we've all been waiting for, and one that Nic Cage himself seems to be salivating over.

#4

X

March 18

When you get the combined talents of "The House of the Devil" and "The Sacrament" director Ti West and the insurmountably respectable production company A24, you're undoubtedly in for a wild, horrific, blood-fueled ride. "X" seems to be the best of both worlds, as the story centers on a group of people who are filming an adult movie in the barn of a secluded farmhouse in Texas. All is not as it seems with the nice elderly couple, as it appears that the wife has some homicidal tendencies. Brittany Snow, Martin Henderson, and "Scream" breakout Jenna Ortega star in what'll easily be a wild adventure through the lens of Ti West's own unique blend of madness and macabre many years in the making.

#3

The Northman

April 22

Robert Eggers has already proven himself to be a visionary powerhouse, gifting us with the likes of "The VVitch" and "The Lighthouse," both films that delve into the inner workings of the human psyche as well as providing thrilling, horrifying moments on the big screen. Here he looks to return to those deeply introspective roots with "The Northman," but seemingly abandoning the sense of horror (but we'll see). Alexander Skarsgard (who's obviously a descendant of Vikings himself) stars as Amleth, a Viking prince who spends decades in search of revenge against his evil Uncle Fjonir (Claes Bang), who murdered his father (Ethan Hawke). Co-starring Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy (who made her big screen debut in Eggers' "VVitch") and Willem Dafoe (who worked with Eggers in "The Lighthouse"), "The Northman" looks to be a thrilling, action-packed adventure filled with vivid imagery and explosive performances that'll only continue Robert Eggers' cinematic legacy.

#2

Everything Everywhere All at Once

March 25

The idea of the multiverse has taken on a more serious tone in the world today, both in reality and in entertainment, thanks to the ever-increasing hold that the Marvel Cinematic Universe has on our collective psyche. There's not a lot disclosed about the synopsis of the film (which I feel is a good thing), but it seems to center around a woman who must save the multiverse by embracing each version of herself. Michelle Yeoh stars as Evelyn Wang, and as always she looks to be providing her own unique action style (despite being almost 60) with a collective mix of humor, heart, and passion. Jamie Lee Curtis co-stars in what appears to be a multiverse villain (or maybe not, I honestly have no idea), and under the banner of A24, this looks like it'll be a highly divisive movie: people might hate the fact that its so unique and different and not understanding it, but I feel that this will be a huge hit - at least critically - and one I absolutely can't wait to see, in any multiverse.

#1

The Batman

March 4

Clearly one of the most anticipated films of all 2022 is Matt Reeves' "The Batman," a film that's been both in developmental and metaphorical hell for years. Once supposed to be directed and starring Ben Affleck, Warner Bros. had a massive falling out with the actor who gave up on the project entirely, before Reeves picked up the mantle. He chose to feature Robert Pattinson as the Caped Crusader after seeing his spellbinding performance in "Good Time," and for anyone who thinks Pattinson can't pull Batman off because "he's just the 'Twilight' guy" hasn't seen any of his groundbreaking performances in aforementioned "Good Time," "High Life," "The Lighthouse," "The Devil All the Time," or "The Lost City of Z." I have no doubt that Pattinson will pull off a pitch perfect performance, and neither will his talented co-stars, including Zoe Kravitz, Colin Farrell, Jeffrey Wright, and especially "There Will Be Blood" actor Paul Dano as a much more darker version of "The Riddler" than Jim Carrey's cinematic abomination. Two years into his crusade to clean the streets of Gotham, Batman attempts to track down The Riddler, a serial killer targeting Gotham's corrupt elite. Forming an unlikely alliance with Selena "Catwoman" Kyle, Batman tracks The Riddler through the crime-ridden streets while learning dark secrets about his own family history. Looking to be equal parts detective drama and comic book action (with some deep philosophical tones for good measure), "The Batman" seems poised to go up against another Batman film - "The Dark Knight" - as the best superhero film ever made.