Evan Fox

Reporter

There are quite a few movies of note coming out this week, many of which may be worth seeing.

The first film on the list is “12 Years a Slave.” An ensemble cast stars in this historical drama, including Chiwetel Ejiofor (“Salt”), Michael Fassbender, Brad Pitt and Benedict Cumberbatch.

“12 Years a Slave” is based on the life Solomon Northup (Ejiofor). Northup was a free black man from New York who was kidnapped and forced to work as a slave in Louisiana. The film has already received critical acclaim on the festival circuit, and it will most likely be a heavy contender in this year’s Oscar race.

Next up is “All is Lost,” an independent survival drama starring Robert Redford. It is about a man lost at sea and fighting to survive. Redford is the only cast member and has almost no dialogue, but the film is compelling and intense. Think “Gravity” meets “The Perfect Storm.”

Third on the list is “Escape Plan,” a Sylvester Stallone and Arnold Schwarzenegger action vehicle that has received good reviews pre-release. The film follows a man who assesses a prison’s security by becoming an inmate and escaping. He is tricked and imprisoned, vowing revenge against his unknown captor.

“The Fifth Estate” is a political drama and the second film coming out this week to star Benedict Cumberbatch. It is about Julian Assange, the head of WikiLeaks, who released classified American documents in 2010, and his struggle to avoid arrest.

Finally, this Friday sees the release of “Carrie,” a remake of the horror classic starring Chlöe Grace-Moretz and Julianne Moore. The film is about a girl who has telekinetic powers that suffers abuse from classmates and a mother who is religious fanatic.

Interestingly, this is the only major horror release this month, with genre staples “The Conjuring” and “Insidious Chapter 2” being released over the summer.