As we travel into the frontier that is 2013, Hollywood will be riding last year's wave of excellent films (Lincoln, The Master, Zero Dark Thirty) into the unknown. While a litany of sequels threatens to overwhelm the reels (Anchorman: The Legend Continues anyone?) there are a number of notables beyond the basic piggyback films. Here are 10 highlights that should be on your radar.
• 42 – Follow the unbelievable story of Jackie Robinson (played by Chadwick Boseman) who fought past countless race barriers to become the first black man to play professional baseball in the modern era. A delight for any sports fan.
• Elysium – Class struggle! How timely. This post-apocalyptic film follows a hero (Matt Damon) who fights for equality between the rich, who live on a space station, and the poor, who live on a depleted Earth. Because space is involved, Jodie Foster is in there, too.
• Gangster Squad – An all-star cast that includes Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Ryan Gosling. Set in LA, it's the LAPD vs. East Coast mafia. Gripping.
• Jack the Giant Killer – Another fairy tale brought to life. In what's sure to be a fun adventure, Jack (Nicholas Hoult) will be slaying giants like it's his job, which it is.
• Now You See Me – A group of magicians who rob banks? Genius! Starring Isla Fisher, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg and Common!
• Oblivion – With screen veteran and certified crazy person Tom Cruise as the lead, this sci-fi thriller looks to be a hoot, though eerily similar to several of Cruise's past films, which could dampen feedback.
• Oz: The Great and Powerful – A Disney film that acts as a visually stunning prequel to the original 1939 version. But this time around it's about how the wizard (James Franco) became the magical man who rules the land.
• The Great Gatsby – The fourth big-screen adaptation of the F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel. Upside: Leonardo DiCaprio. Downside: Director Baz Luhrmann. Remember his 2008 film Australia? Me neither.
• The Lone Ranger – With "Ke-mo sah-bee" (Armie Hammer) astride his trusty horse, Silver, and Johnny Depp as Tonto, this new spin on an old favorite should have broad appeal.
• World War Z – Based on the recent novel of the same name, this Brad Pitt film (one of four in 2013—be sure to see 12 Years a Slave, too) will add to the world's overabundance of zombie-apocalypse storylines.
