Star Trek Into Darkness, Iron Man 3 and 10 Movies You Can't Miss in 2013

With the awards season lighting up, people are looking back at 2012’s great movies. However, amidst all this, we should not ignore that the current year also has some fantastic things lined up so, for the sake of good cinema, here are 10 movies everyone should watch in 2013.

1) Star Trek Into Darkness — May 17

A sequel to the 2009 hit re-imagining the TV and movie series, the latest in the beloved franchise is being led by extraordinaire J.J. Abrams and features the return of Chris Pine the rest of the crew for another battle against evil. Sure to carry the charm of the original and the wit that only Abrams can manage, this trek into darkness is sure to be enlightening. The movie has seen some recent news coverage after a terminally ill fan was very kindly allowed an advanced screening prior to his death.

2) Iron Man 3 – May 3

The third in Jon Favreau’s career defining series, Iron Man 3 will see Robert Downey Jr.’s Tony Stark take on his most serious villain, portrayed aptly by Oscar-winner Sir Ben Kingsley. The movie is already appearing to be darker than its predecessors, trading in the quick-witted banter of the originals for something more profound, although the creators are still insisting that it is a light-hearted film.

3) The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – November 22

The 2012 film that made Jennifer Lawrence and lethal arrows a household thing, the latest adaptation of the best-selling novel series will serve as a direct sequel to the original and will see protagonist Katniss Everdeen dealing with the issues of actually winning a hunger game and preparing for her latest challenge, the Quartel Quell. While it is easy to label this another Twilight, both the books and the movies are smarter than most tween rags so should be on everyone’s radar.  

4) The Wolverine – July 26

Starring the most bulked up 43-year old ever, Hugh Jackman’s The Wolverine sees our favorite mutant with anger management issues travel to Japan following the death of his beloved Jean Grey. The story is based on Frank Miller’s iconic run with the character and attempts to rectify the horrors of X-Men Origins: Wolverine.

5) Oz: The Great and Powerful – March 8

Ever since the Spider-Man flicks, Sam Raimi has been going in fairly varied and experimental directions. His latest film, starring James Franco, is Disney’s take on the beloved Oz tale. Now revolving around a male character, the story shows us the origins of the Wizard character in the classic L. Frank Baum novel, as he attempts to navigate the treachery and deception of three witches.

6) Pacific Rim – July 12

Guillermo Del Toro knows his epic battles, and this sci-fi adventure, revolving around thwarting alien invasions using giant robots, is sure to have plenty of them. Already a show of tremendous visual prowess, it will be interesting to see if the movie bothers with a decent story although, considering the scale of the battles, it doesn’t seem necessary.

7) Monsters University – June 21

After having their reputation somewhat dented by the underperforming Cars 2 and Brave, Disney Pixar will probably look to reestablish their crystal clear reputation with this prequel to the 2003 hit. Starring John Goodman and Billy Crystal, the film will see our heroes Mike and Sully meet up in college and become best friends, although they will not start out that way. With returning antagonist Randall (voiced by Steve Buscemi), the movie is sure to hit a high note as one of the year’s best animated films. 

8) The Lone Ranger – July 3

From the people that brought you Pirates of the Caribbean, this action comedy sees Johnny Depp starring as Tonto, a Native American spirit warrior who is brought back to life only to have to fight greed and corruption in the wild, wild West. After being delayed by some budgeting concerns, the film is now very much alive and will once again allow us to see Depp at his manic best.

9) The Heat – April 5

Melissa McCarthy was somehow hiding all these years, but following her amazing performance in Bridesmaids, she has now become lead status and will star in this parody of the buddy-cop genre alongside Sandra Bullock. The two wonderful actresses will play maverick type cops that do not work with partners but are now forced to rely on each other in order to catch a drug lord. Sure to please both fans of comedy and fans of brilliant acting, this tribute to a bygone era is a wonderful display of gender reversals and the modern comedy.

10) GI Joe Retaliation – March 29

Initially scheduled for a 2012 release, this action sequel to the 2009 adaption of the classic toy line stars Bruce Willis, the Rock and Channing Tatum. Rendering action in glorious 3-D while also giving us a taste of nostalgia for a hero that seems to have lost his status in the minds of children everywhere, Retaliation is sure to please any fan of the classic actioners, where body count mattered more than brain cells.

Needless to say, there are many other fun movies coming out, so which are you most hyped about? Sound off in the comments below.