This rain won’t stop, will it!? We’ve actually been blessed with some mildly warmer weather this week, but since our skies have been gray for two weeks now, it is all for naught. I finally have some time to golf, and Mother Nature ruins it for everyone! While the clouds look miserable, there aren’t many outdoor activities to look forward to this week, and there are only so many virtual grandmas you can pick a fight with in Grand Theft Auto V. It’s a good thing we have not only one, but two movie theaters in Ocean City! The last time we talked about new movies coming out, my list ended in September and I know you’re just dying for a new list! So here are six movies coming out by the end of the year that you absolutely can’t miss!

 

Thor: The Dark World
Release date: November 8
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston
    I can’t believe we’re getting two big Marvel movies this year! And after seeing how good Iron Man 3 was earlier this year, I can’t wait for this film. After joining The Avengers to save Earth, Thor’s (Hemsworth) home world, Asgard, is in danger of being destroyed by an evil otherworldly race. This race is so powerful, Thor needs the help of his nemesis and brother Loki (Hiddleston), who was the main villain of the first Thor film and the Avengers movie. We’ll be seeing a lot more of Asgard this time around, and some of Thor’s godly allies will see expanded roles in this film.

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

Release date: November 22
Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth
    Watch out guys, it’s about to get real in Panem. After winning the 74th Annual Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen (Lawrence) and Peeta Mellark (Hutcherson) must go through it all again; only this year, it will be substantially more difficult to come out alive. The 75th Annual Hunger Games are known as Quarter Quell, an event that happens only every 25 years, in which the best of the best combatants are selected for the games. Accused as cheating during the last games by the ruler of Panem, Katniss and Peeta will face their toughest challenge yet.

 

Oldboy
Release date: November 27
Starring: Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Olsen, Sharlto Copley
    This is a remake of a movie that was a remake of a Japanese comic book (known as manga by us nerds). Yeah, I know what you’re saying; I’m tired of remakes, reboots and any movie with “re” in it, but the original 2003 South Korean film is a classic. Oldboy is a thriller that follows Joe Doucett (Brolin), a man who was kidnapped and kept prisoner in solitary confinement for twenty years until being mysteriously released by his captors. His journey to figure out why this happened will put moviegoers through a crazy ride.    

 

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug
Release date: December 13
Starring: Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Benedict Cumberbatch
    Just like the Hunger Games sequel, it's about to go down in Middle Earth. While Bilbo Baggins (Freeman) continues on his journey with Gandalf (McKellen) and the thirteen dwarves to free the dwarf city of Erbor from the dragon known as Smaug, events are also taking place putting into action the evil we see in the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Cumberbatch will continue being one of Hollywood's greatest villains of recent memory, as he will perform the roles of the two major bad guys in this sequel. He will voice Smaug as well as play the Necromancer, a character who fans know will make a little bit of an impact in the Lord of the Rings films. Also, Orlando Bloom will return as Legolas, so that's a reason on its own to see this movie.       

Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues
Release date: December 20
Starring: Will Ferrell, Steve Carell, Paul Rudd, David Koechner
    Oh man, I can't express how excited I am for this movie. The entire Channel 4 news team is back and this time they'll be wreaking havoc in New York City during the 80s. It will be nearly ten years since we've last seen Ron Burgungy (Ferrell), and if the new car commercials he's in are a hint of the humor we'll see in this sequel, you're going to laugh your ass off the entire film. There are several confirmed celebrity cameos and Kristen Wiig will play Brick Tamland's (Carell) love interest. I have a feeling we'll be quoting this movie for years.

 

47 Ronin
Release date: December 25
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Rinko Kikuchi, Tadanobu Asano
    This movie is actually based on a true story. The Forty-seven Ronin were a real group of Japanese samurai warriors in the 18th century who went on a quest to avenge the murder of their master. Only, much like the film 300, it is a heavily stylized fictional tale that sees the Ronin perform superhuman feats against other warriors and even monsters. While it may seems strange that Reeves is joining an almost all-Japanese cast… you're kind of right. However, Reeves' character was created for this film, and he's supposed to be half-Japanese and half-British; so he won't look too out of place in the movie. Who cares, anyway? There's going to be lots of action, lots of swords slicing through limbs and lots of awesomeness all around.