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Thursday 1 May 2014

May 2014: The 5 Releases You Can't Miss

2014's Summer of Film is in full force, but the film industry is only contributing a fraction of this release-packed month's offerings...
At first glance, it might seem as if entering May couldn't be less of an attractive prospect, what with revision and examinations on the horizon and multiple Bank Holidays limiting student-staff contact hours, but thankfully, the entertainment industry appears more than willing to compensate. April may have produced little in the way of quality big-screen and televised productions, but the playing field will alter drastically in the coming weeks (and it's for the better, let us assure you right now).

So as to demonstrate the gloriously crowded nature of this month's entertainment output, we've compiled a list of our Top 5 Most Anticipated Releases of May 2014 for your viewing delight. Here, then, is our round-up of those adrenaline-fuelled on-screen experiences which will see you through the exam period and its aftermath:

5. GODZILLA- Like it or not, this year's Summer of Film sees the return of a number of CGI-heavy action blockbusters, and first up on the slate is none other than a remake of the classic 1954 fantasy film Godzilla. Starring Breaking Bad's Bryan Cranston, Kick-Ass 2's Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Avengers: Age of Ultron's Elizabeth Olsen, this visually spectacular franchise reboot will chronicle the origins of the titular 160-foot beast and its initial confrontations with both humanity and a deadly force of nature which threatens to tear the Earth apart...(Friday 16th)
4. GAME OF THRONES- Prior to last week's episode of HBO's fantasy drama, Game of Thrones fans who had already read George R.R. Martin had a complacent, dramatically ironic smirk of foreknowledge on their faces whenever they sat in the same room as the uninitiated and watched a new instalment, but after watching the pivotal fourth chapter of Season Four- "Oathkeeper"- unfold, it became abundantly clear that no-one really knows where the show's ever-captivating storylines are heading next. Nevertheless, it'll be nothing short of an absolute joy to witness the development of Westeros' ongoing pre-established power struggles in First of His Name, The Laws of God and Men, Mockingbird and The Mountain and the Viper alone, and that's before we even begin to contemplate the non-novelised shocks that are more than likely in store! (Monday 5th, 12th, 19th & 26th- HBO/Sky Atlantic)
3. ARROW- This is one of the rare instances in which it's virtually impossible for us to discuss what's coming on The CW's finest superhero series yet without spoiling key plot elements of upcoming instalments for UK viewers. As such, we'll simply say this of Arrow's impending final trilogy (or duo, depending on where you're based when these programmes air) of Season Two episodes- with Slade Wilson's campaign of prolonged torture finally set to reach its terrible climax in the season finale Unthinkable, fans are about to witness Oliver Queen undergo the darkest trials of his life so far, and you can be absolutely certain of just one fact- not everyone will make it out of the explosive final battle alive. (Wednesday 7th, 14th- The CW)
2. X-MEN: DAYS OF FUTURE PAST- Bryan Singer may have ditched his latest project's marketing campaign in order to deal with an ongoing legal case, but that technicality won't stop X-Men: Days of Future Past from creating waves aplenty in the superhero film genre upon its release in the penultimate week of the month. Taking place after the events of 2007's X-Men: The Last Stand, 2011's X-Men: First Class and 2013's The Wolverine (despite the latter pair of films' narratives being separated by nearly half a century- go figure!), Days unites the original trilogy's beloved cast ensemble with James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender's gang of youthful mutants, as the X-Men must join forces for a final time to prevent the creation of the omnipotent Sentinels and, ultimately, their race's extinction...now, be honest, could its release date seem any further away? (Thursday 22nd)
1. WATCH DOGS- Better late than never! Ubisoft Montreal have been hard at work on their latest (and potentially greatest) open-world video game for years and years now, and judging by Watch Dogs' most recent promotional trailers, their toil and strife is most certainly about to pay off. Though its gameplay mechanics and narrative structure may resemble those of the Assassin's Creed and FarCry series, the notion of exploring such a diverse, alive free-roamable hub as Chicago is every inch as enticing as the prospects of living the lives of our ancestors and/or island survivors were when the aforementioned classic franchises first débuted. South Park: The Stick of Truth was this year's first major Game of the Year contender, yet make no mistake, the battle is far from over, and Watch Dogs has all the makings of the title which will knock Obsidian Entertainment from their spot on the throne! (Tuesday 27th- PS4, PS3, One, 360, PC)

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