Posted in: Movies, Recent Updates | Tagged: believe, Black Sails, edge of tomorrow, entertainment, film, helix, interstellar, tv

Are We Ready For Plenty Of Sci-Fi And Pirates in 2014?

By Kevin Fischer,

You know the drill: a new year means new beginnings…especially when it comes to television and movies. With 2013, we said goodbye to a killer killing killers, a chemistry teacher cooking meth, and alternate realities. This year seems to be shaping up into something equally spectacular with just a few examples listed below. There's a striking predominance of science-fiction above more direct fantasy shows and films, which may mark a trend for 2014. But Pirates are perennial, it seems.

Helix

Helix is a science fiction thriller given to us by Ronald D. Moore – the human (or Humanoid Cylon) responsible for the reimagined Battlestar Galactica. The story follows a team of scientists from the CDC sent to a high-tech research facility to investigate a viral outbreak. Unseen and unheard, the virus claims victims, turning people against one another and deepening the mystery surrounding its origins.

Black Sails

Black Sails, if anything, is an attempt on the part of Jonathan E. Steinberg to set the record straight when it comes to piracy. The life of a pirate was not all eye-shadow, witty banter, ghost ships and fun – it was treacherous and soul-crushing. This series hopes to focus on the moral ambiguity, complexity and bleakness of the pirate life…with some visual dynamics from good old Michael Bay added to the mix.

Believe

Believe is the latest in a long series of Bad-Robot-Related productions involving exceptional children in exceptional circumstances. It follows the story of a young girl with special abilities and her guardian, a wrongfully-convicted death-row inmate. J. J. Abrams serves as executive producer, promising for an ambitious and perplexing journey.

It's also teaser trailer season, promising quite a few fascinating films for 2014, including:

Edge of Tomorrow

Based on the Japanese novel All You Need is Kill, Edge of Tomorrow has been jokingly described as a grittier Groundhog Day. The film follows Bill Cage (Tom Cruise), a man seemingly trapped in a time loop and destined to forever fight the alien adversaries. However, each death and "reboot" offers him new insight on the possible future and ways in which he can affect causality, and possibly break the cycle.

Interstellar

Christopher Nolan has been stingy on the particulars regarding Interstellar. All anyone really knows for certain is that it involves the discovery of a wormhole and a team of explorers sent to investigate the phenomenon. The trailer only seems to further complicate the plot, leading some to believe this will be a high-concept, hard-sci-fi epic harkening back to the age of discovery and the infinite imagination of the genre. We'll just have to wait and see…

With just a few of these examples to choose from, 2014 really does promise to topple the previous with these compelling offerings. This does not include the established greats that will be returning, as well, including The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones. Of course, all of these shows have a long way to go if they want to compete with some the longest running shows ever made. There certainly won't be any shortage of things to watch for 2014, particularly if you're a sci-fi buff. If not, there's always pirates.

Kevin Fischer is a freelance writer and contributor for Examiner.com. With a passion for TV, technology, sports, movies and music, Kevin is best considered an entertainment-enthusiast. In addition to keeping up with his favorite programs, teams, gadgets, and celebrities, Kevin enjoys going to concerts and exploring his musical talents. Check out his Examiner page or Tweet him @KevinTFischer

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