In case the 400-something posts about old movies on this blog didn’t tip you off, I’m a classics person. I’m always a bit wary of new release films and often go in with low expectations unless the trailer REALLY impresses me.

That being said, I still love taking trips to the theater and watching newer films. My world of viewing is not completely black and white, as you may have noticed if you scanned my “watched” list for 2012.

Here is a list of what I hope (Key word: hope. I never see as many films in the theater as I’d like to.) to see in the theater in 2013: the good and the bad, because we all know how much I love bad movies.

January

Broken City
January 18
Regardless of whether or not I wanted to see this, I would inevitably be seeing it because my dad and sister are both huge Marky Mark fans. Luckily for me, if I can get past Russell Crowe’s odd hair-do, it looks like it could be an interesting flick.

Gangster Squad
January 11
My hopes are not high for this one, but I do enjoy Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. I also love period films, and crime films. In a perfect world this film would be Warner’s return to making completely amazing, hard-boiled gangster flicks, but those are completely unrealistic hopes. Since this is not a perfect world, I’ll go into this one expecting a stinker but I’m willing to pay the matinee price ($4.25 around these parts) for it.

Mama
January 18
I’ll be going into this one with very high expectations because I’ve already heard great things about it. Plus, Jessica Chastain!

Movie 43
January 25
I really have no clue what to expect from this, but everyone and their brother is starring in it so at the very least the ensemble cast should be interesting to see. The trailer looks like it could be pretty awful.

February

Identity Thief
February 8
Damn you, Jason Bateman. In the past I sat through at least one terrible Jennifer Aniston movie for you, and I will sit through this one too (though it may be a bit more tolerable, due to the lack of Aniston).

No
February 15, limited release
My love for Gael Garcia Bernal knows no bounds. He is such an incredible actor. When I read about this a few months ago I was really hoping it would get some sort of run even remotely close to me – even a single screening at one of the small theaters – so I’m really glad I’ll (hopefully) finally get the chance to see it! Technically this is a 2012 release, but I’m counting it as 2013 because this is the first access I’ll have to viewing it.

Safe Haven
February 14
I’ve only truly enjoyed one Nicholas Sparks film (predictably, The Notebook) but whenever a new one is released I can’t stop myself from seeing it. I don’t know whether I’m subconciously hoping he’ll churn out something as enjoyable as The Notebook again or if I simply have a subconscious need to torture myself with bad films. (Probably both.) Nicholas Sparks, you and your mind control! This doesn’t look like as much of a trainwreck as Dear John and Robin Sparkles is in it, so while my hopes are very low I may get a tiny bit of enjoyment out of it.

Side Effects
February 8
I have pretty high hopes for this one based on the trailer, though I still am not on the Channing Tatum fan train. He seems to have won over a lot of people in the past year, but not this lady. (I’m sure he’s a great dude, I just don’t think he’s a superb actor!) I’ve heard a lot of people say this looks too “Lifetime-y” but I love a good/bad Lifetime movie, so there you have it.

Top Gun (3D re-release)
February 8
I’m a little bit surprised that this is being released, but Top Gun is one of my dad’s favorite movies, so a trip to the theater to see this in inevitable. (After all, my sister and I did drag him along to the 3D showing of Titanic. It’s only fair.)

March

The Place Beyond the Pines
March 29, limited release
I’m actually pretty freakin’ excited for this one based on the trailer/director/cast/etc., aside from the inclusion of Bradley Cooper in the cast. (Like our boy Tatum, I don’t understand Cooper’s appeal. Some of the ladies may think he’s a good lookin’ fella but I am not one of those ladies, and his performances have never wowed me. Granted, I have yet to see Silver Linings Playbook and also harbor an irrational disdain for anyone involved in The Hangover series.)

Stoker
March 1, limited release
The trailer for this really intrigued me. I’m not a huge fan of any of the actors involved but if those few minutes of preview are any indication, this is going to be a very good thriller.

April

42
April 12
This is a biopic of Jackie Robinson, and I am not really a baseball person. Why does it appear on this list, then? Two reasons:
1. I had never heard of it until recently, and the trailer caught me.
2. I love a good period piece and hope this will deliver as more than just a sports film.

To the Wonder
April 12, limited release
Malick and McAdams. I’m very interested to see this. The trailer looks beautiful.

May

About Time
May 10
Apparently this is sci-fi made by the guy responsible for one of my favorite films, Love Actually? I don’t know much about it, but I’ll watch pretty much anything that has Rachel McAdams in it, and I have lots of faith in Richard Curtis.

Black Rock
May 17, limited release
This looks kind of terrifying but also kind of Lifetime-y. The cast is interesting and I know it’ll freak me out at least a little bit (as any good thriller should), so I’ll gladly give it a watch if it plays near me.

The Great Gatsby
May 10
I’m so very much on the fence about this film. I love some of Baz Luhrmann’s work but I’m not here for Jay-Z scoring a Roaring Twenties story. Are Cole Porter and friends not good enough for you, Baz? If nothing else, it will certainly be very beautiful to look at, as is apparent in the trailer (and Luhrmann’s history of making visually stunning films).

June

Now You See Me
June 7
 I really, really can’t stand Jesse Eisenberg but this sounds ten kinds of ridiculous (The Four Horsement performing magic shows?) and Mark Ruffalo makes up for Eisenberg, so I’ll probably give it a watch at the matinee.

Part 2 coming soon, featuring July – December as well as films from 2012 that I need to catch up on this year.

What are your most anticipated films of the first half of 2013?