We have a mere handful of days before the year is out. Maybe you (and when I say you, I really mean me) are laying about wearing Avengers pajama pants and a Firefly t-shirt trying desperately to wrap that last present for that last person that you finally had an idea of what to get them, with NetFlix playing in the background, in lieu of a fire in the fireplace. And then that last present gets wrapped and you catch yourself saying something like “Now what?” Yes, now what? Now what. Nouwhut. Its strange when everyday words sound like for off lands in Middle-Earth. I went on this mini-tangent to distract myself from writing this article. But I can’t stop. Won’t stop.
Wuntztope, fabled land of the Third Draft.
So as 2013 turns off its neon “OPEN” sign for the last time, what do we have to look forward to? Is there any last tricks up this year’s sleeve? And what can 2014 do to wow us?
Quite a friggin’ lot, actually.
1. The Doctor Who Christmas Special
December 25, 2013
“The Time of the Doctor” is one of the last hurrahs of 2013. This… is a mixed bag of anticipation. Its more Doctor Who, yes… but its also the final performance of one Mr. Matt Smith, the Eleventh Doctor. This guy has been amaze balls as the Doctor. I really hate to see him leave, but I’m glad he’s going out in style. Prepare to cry and howl at the heavens when he regenerates…
2. Peter Capaldi as the Twelfth Doctor, the 8th Series of Doctor Who
Autumn 2014
…into the 12th Doctor, Peter Capaldi! All we’ve seen so far is some intense eye contact:
But I am very curious to see what he does with the character. And what kind of new and old stuff we can come to expect with this Doctor. Also, for the first time since the Ninth Doctor, this is a Doctor who has goal in mind instead of just running away, because now he’s running to Gallifrey. Whether this happens in the 8th series or later, I can’t wait to see what happens next.
3. Hannibal Season 2
February 28, 2014
The first season was absolutely mind-blowing. It was beautiful. In cinematography, writing, acting, and ambition. And we almost didn’t get a second season. But thanks to some reason getting through the cracks of stupidity, this show has a second chance to gain an even larger audience. So Please Watch It!
4. Captain America: The Winter Soldier
April 4, 2014
Chris Evans has won me over, and every time I see him in red, white, and blue, the more I’m convinced he’s an excellent Captain. This movie looks like its going to showcase how a man with such clear convictions can operate in a world so conflicted and cast in shadows as the spy world of SHIELD. And with an enemy like The Winter Soldier, who’s more closer to him than he would ever expect, we are going to get some fantastic action and writing.
5. X-Men: Days of Future Past
May 23, 2014
With a humungous cast, and I mean gigantic, this movie is going to be friggin’ bursting at the seams with talent and possibilities. And then you throw time travel, moral ambiguity, my man-crush on Hugh Jackman and my love of Jennifer Lawrence and Ellen Page, then you know I’m going to be all over this movie. I need to watch it.
6. Skin Game (Book 15 of The Dresden Files)
May 27, 2014
I love this series. Like, if it was a girl, I would have ran away from her, because this kind of love is not healthy for her, and I would have joined an Alaskan fishing crew to stay away, only asking about her once in a while, happy for her success and happiness, but waiting for the sweet release of the ocean’s embrace. Never to love another ever again…
…so yeah, this series is about a Wizard Private Eye who fights monsters, like Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Philip Marlowe. 15 books sounds intimidating at first, but believe me, once you start, 15 seems like so little.
7. Guardians of the Galaxy
August 1, 2014
James Gunn is a very interesting director. The dude is imaginative and funny as hell. So, I always pondered, lazily mind you, what he would do with millions of dollars and kind of a free reign for something epic. Marvel apparently skipped my lazy pondering stage and went right on ahead to giving him the money and free reign. From what little I’ve seen…? Guardians of the Galaxy is going to absolutely amazing. For me. Guaranteed. But for everyone else? I don’t know. And I like that question. I can’t wait to see what happens.
8. Sin City: A Dame To Kill For
August 22, 2014
Its been too damn long a wait for this. But that’s a good sign, because I’ve been wanting to see this that badly. Robert Rodriguez is magic. This dude can assemble some of the greatest and coolest actors on the planet like its no big thing. And gather them all inside a huge green screen box and let them have a blast. I’m already in line with my ticket.
9. The Hobbit: There And Back Again
December 17, 2014
Okay. First of all, The Hobbit NEVER needed to be cut up into three movies. Two movies, maybe, and even that is stretching it. But Three? No way. But it looks like they’ve gone and done it. This will be the third and final installment. I heard Peter Jackson decided to beef up the script with stuff from The Silmarillion and his own stuff. If anyone has earned the right to do that, it is definitely Jackson. So I will watch it, but I much rather have seen a third and separate movie from The Hobbit. But whatever, I still wanna see this thing!
10. The Shrouded City #02
Spring 2014
I try not to do this too much, but I’m pretty happy, so what the hell. My comic book’s second issue will be done soon and I will be hocking it to anybody who wants a copy. And who knows? Maybe Autumn 2014 will see #03 finished! Here’s to hoping.
Okay, well, that’s some premonitions for 2014. Here’s to hoping they rock.