2022 was a fantastic year for film. People flocked to theaters in hordes for blockbuster sequels like “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Avatar: The Way of Water.” Steven Spielberg sent his love letter to cinema with “The Fablemans,” while Damien Chazelle sent hate mail to Hollywood with “Babylon.” 2022 was one of the most interesting years in movies since 2019 with a balanced mix of sequels and original ideas, but it is a new year now. 2023’s fate in film history is yet to be seen, much like its most anticipated releases coming this year.

If you have been online in the past few months, you have probably seen people talking about the two movies that will both be the smash hits of the summer, Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” and Chrisopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer.” These are movies I am eagerly anticipating, but everyone and their mother has talked these two to death, so I see no point in hyping them up further. Both look amazing and have the same release date, so I will be setting aside time on July 21 for an interesting double-feature.

“Cocaine Bear” directed by Elizabeth Banks, which releases February 24,  is the first movie of the year that I am excited about. The movie is based on the true story of a black bear who consumed a duffle bag full of cocaine. The movie takes a comedy-thriller approach, leaving a small town to fight off this drugged up bear. The premise is ridiculous and will hopefully be a wild ride keeping  audiences on the edge of their seats. Additionally, this movie features one of the last performances from Ray Liotta, the “Goodfellas” star who died last May. 

“Renfield” is a comedy movie that follows Count Dracula’s titular henchman who wants to quit his job and pursue love. The movie is based on a pitch by “The Walking Dead” creator Robert Kirkman, and stars Nicholas Hoult as Renfield and Nicolas Cage as Dracula. I am absolutely dying to see Cage playing the most famous vampire of them all. Cage is my favorite actor of all time, and just based on the promotional photos, it is apparent that we will be treated to an unchained Cage performance. “Renfield” swoops into theaters April 14. 

“Killers of the Flower Moon” is the next movie from director Martin Scorsese. The movie is based on the 2017 non-fiction book of the same name. It stars some of Scorsese’s most frequent collaborators, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert DeNiro, as well as Jesse Plemmons. The movie is about an FBI investigation into the mysterious murders of members of a Native American tribe in Oklahoma. Scorsese is one of the kings of movies, especially when it comes to adapting true stories about crime and murder. “Killers of the Flower Moon” arrives in theaters in May 2023 and will also stream on Apple TV.

Denis Villeneuve’s “Dune” was one of my favorite movies of 2021. The classic science fiction novel received an extremely faithful adaptation with breathtaking IMAX visuals. “Dune: Part Two” continues where the first film left off. The cast is relatively the same, with Florence Pugh and Autin Butler joining the cast, among other stars. I was pleasantly surprised at how many people were into 2021’s “Dune,” and I hope just as many, if not more, go to see this chapter so Villeneuve can keep adapting Frank Herbert’s books. “Dune: Part Two” hits theaters November 3rd.