Hey, remember back in 2014 when all of the Hollywood trade publications and entertainment reporters were deafeningly wringing their hands about the state of the movies and the box office?

How quaint.

Indeed, the sound of pearls being aghastly clutched has died down after a year that supplied not just one, but two record-breaking blockbusters: "Jurassic World" and "The Force Awakens," which hasn’t even released in China yet. Even better yet, 2015 was a phenomenal year for movies, delivering great movies big and small. There was a lot to like in the last 365 days – for both consumers and Hollywood execs alike – and thankfully, 2016 is set up to be just as good.

We’ve got a new Martin Scorsese movie on deck, as well as a new Spielberg and Malick. We’ve got the usual onslaught of comic book movies – including some potentially real oddball titles like "Deadpool," "Doctor Strange" and "Suicide Squad." We’ll be revisiting classics both old ("Ghostbusters," "The Jungle Book"), new ("The Conjuring 2," "Bad Santa 2") and a little of both ("Star Trek Beyond"). John Wick and Bridget Jones will be returning to theaters, while "The Ring" director Gore Verbinski will return to horror with "A Cure for Wellness" and Pixar will return to the ocean with "Finding Dory." There will be beloved book adaptations for kids ("The Little Prince") and adults ("The Girl on the Train"). With "Assassin’s Creed," there’s even a video game adaptation that might not suck.

And that’s not even including the 16 movies that I’m REALLY looking forward to this upcoming year, which are:

1. "Hail, Caesar!"

Anytime the Coen Brothers gift us a movie, it’s pretty much a shoo-in to make a most anticipated movies list. But even if you didn’t know "Hail, Caesar!" was a Coen Brothers joint, after reading its cast list and watching its first trailer, you’d still be anxiously awaiting its release date (February 5! It’s so close!).

The showbiz comedy, following a studio head whose big dim-witted star gets kidnapped and held for ransom, has plenty of stars in its own right: George Clooney, Channing Tatum, Scarlett Johansson, Josh Brolin, Tilda Swinton, Jonah Hill and Ralph Fiennes – just to name a few.

As for the story, after a run of mostly dramatic efforts ("Inside Llewyn Davis," "True Grit" and "A Serious Man"), this looks like a return to the kind of droll, blackly comic crime-based nincompoopery that made stuff like "Burn After Reading" fun and obviously "The Big Lebowski" and "Raising Arizona" classics. Plus, few are as good as the Coens at working with music – see "O Brother, Where Art Thou" or "Inside Llewyn Davis" – and from the looks of it, we’re going to have some delightful old school-inspired musical moments. To horribly misquote a line from the Coens’ last film, I see a lot of money here.

2. "Rogue One: A Star Wars Story"

"The Force Awakens" accomplished its most important goal: make a cubic crap-ton of money. Oh, and remind audiences why they loved "Star Wars" in the first place. The result was a lot of fun and really got me excited to see a truly new story, to see new worlds, characters and experiences, in that universe. And while we’re going to have to wait until 2017 for a new adventure with Rey, Finn and company, "Rogue One" looks like it’s going to scratch that itch a little early.

The first of several planned "Star Wars" spin-offs – including a future young Han Solo movie directed by "The LEGO Movie" guys – "Rogue One" will tell the story of the stealing of the Death Star plans before the "A New Hope." According to director Gareth Edwards, the hope is to put the war back into "Star Wars," delivering a grittier, on-the-ground look at the great galactic conflict following a new set of characters (played by a crazy good cast, including Felicity Jones and Mads Mikkelsen). Plus, judging by the leaked first footage, Edwards’ strong sense of scale from "Godzilla" hasn’t gone anywhere. If "The Force Awakens" gave us the fun blast of the familiar we want, "Rogue One" will hopefully give us the exhilarating excitement of something original we need.

3. "Midnight Special"

There’s a good chance you don’t know the name Jeff Nichols, but judging by the writer-director’s early work, you will. 2011’s "Take Shelter" is a hauntingly perfect movie, featuring sterling performers Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain at some of their best. His 2012 follow-up "Mud" – featuring Matthew McConaughey early on in his McConaissance – is almost just as good, a great coming-of-age tale splashed with Southern pulp and Mark Twain.

Now there’s "Midnight Special," which looks like Nichols’ naturalistic riff on Spielberg’s "E.T." That … that sounds awesome, and with the cast he’s assembled – Michael Shannon yet again, Sam Shepard, Kirsten Dunst of "Fargo" and Kylo Ren himself Adam Driver – there’s a good chance it will be.

4. "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice"

I’ll be honest: This is mostly here out of obligation. Making a "2016 movies to see" list without including likely one of the biggest movies of the year just seems wrong, even if every part of the marketing for "Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice" – including that unwieldy name – has landed like a bat-bomb.

Still, for all of his faults, Zack Snyder is a terrific visual director with a knack for iconic images and action, the cast is still strong – I’m actually looking forward to Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor, if only because his manic goofiness should puncture DC’s self-serious brood-apalooza – and these are still two of the most iconic figures in pop culture. You’d hope the movie that finally brings the two of them together – and Wonder Woman! – wouldn’t be all bad. Then again, they also think pulling out Aquaman is a good idea, so …

5. "Captain America: Civil War"

Now here’s a super hero conflict movie worth getting excited about. While DC’s struggling to establish its Justice League, Marvel laid out the template and has executed it perfectly. We’ve learned to really care for and like not only these movies, but these characters and their stories. And there’s consistency. They’ve yet to make a bad movie in the MCU ("Iron Man 2" is technically about as close as they’d want to get) and I can’t imagine "Captain America: Civil War" being the first.

Yes, much like in "Age of Ultron," there are a lot of moving pieces to get into place and new characters to introduce or flesh out, a potentially crushing weight for a movie to carry. But we already know we like these characters – and are concerned to see them officially coming to irreconcilable differences – and the actors who inhabit them, and the directing team of the Anthony and Joe Russo proved in "The Winter Soldier" that they’re skilled with the rough-and-tumble hand-to-hand super-powered combat these heroes require.

Marvel’s been the kings of the comic book movies this decade. "Civil War" doesn’t look like it’ll topple its reign – though, on a side note, "Doctor Strange" may be where Marvel will get to take its more intriguing risks.

6. "Triple 9"

The February release date and lack of buzz – not to mention a seemingly very, very revealing trailer – might scare you off from the brutal new cops-and-criminals action thriller "Triple 9" (also, for squeamish viewers, the word "brutal"). Still, you can’t look at this resume and not be impressed. The film comes directed by the underrated John Hillcoat – the guy behind the equally underrated "The Road" adaptation – and the cast features (takes deep breath) Aaron Paul, Norman Reedus, Kate Winslet, Wonder Woman herself Gal Gadot, Casey Affleck, Anthony Mackie, Woody Harrelson, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Omar from "The Wire." You can’t fool that much talent into a crappy project – or at least you’d hope not.

(The following trailer is NSFW)

7. "The Witch"

Last year, "It Follows" became everyone’s tiny indie horror darling. The year before, it was "The Babadook." Be prepared to hear "The Witch" land among that company when it hits theaters this spring. The horror flick – a period piece about witches and black magic causing havoc for a 17th century New England family – scored raves when it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, looking like a creepy cousin to M. Night Shyamalan’s "The Village" – but, you know, good. Horror buffs have been waiting a full year for it to finally fall into their laps. The wait will soon be over.

8. "The Nice Guys"

The buddy cop comedy has mostly been laid to rest, and when it does get resurrected, it’s usually a buddy cop comedy commenting on buddy cop comedy clichés. So who better to bring the subgenre back to life then the guy who helped make it a thing: Shane Black, the mastermind behind the "Lethal Weapon" movies – and "Iron Man 3," if you need more convincing.

Playing the buddies this time around are Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe, two private eyes trying to investigating a murder and disappearance in 1970s Los Angeles. The trailer shows plenty of that usual Shane Black color, from the snappy dialogue to the dark comedy to the fact that it seems to take place around Christmas. Definitely give the preview a look. It’s completely NSFW. It’s also completely hilarious.

9. "La La Land"

Did you see "Whiplash"? Why didn’t you see "Whiplash"? Judging by its box office turnout, you didn’t see it. So why not? Before I continue with this article, you’re going to have to watch "Whiplash." I’ll wait …

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Finished? Wasn’t that amazing? Don’t you feel like you just got struck by lightning? Well, the Oscar-nominated writer-director of that, Damien Chazelle has a new movie coming out this summer, a romantic musical about artists (played by Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone) falling in love in Los Angeles. J.K. Simmons and John Legend will be there too. You know what to do.

10. "Story of Your Life"

"Sicario" was one of my favorite movies of the past year, so imagine my delight in seeing that its extremely talented director Denis Villenueve has another movie coming out just this year. And, in even cooler news, "Story of Your Life" finds Villenueve dipping his toe into science fiction, telling the tale of a linguist (Amy Adams) tasked by the military to discover if some recent alien visitors come in peace or not.

It sure sounds like the kind of meaty premise Villenueve’s tense cool could do a lot with, and filling out the rest of the cast with Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker and quiet MVP of everything Michael Stuhlbarg ("Steve Jobs") does nothing to dampen my excitement. The only bummer? Roger Deakins, a cinematographer genius and regular Villenueve collaborator, isn’t around this time, replaced by … Bradford Young? The extremely talented cinematographer behind "Selma" and "A Most Violent Year?" Nevermind, I have no reservations about this.

11. "Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them"

Fellow muggles, there’s more Harry Potter coming out in 2016! Well, not quite … but more J.K. Rowling wizarding action is close enough! And this time, it’s on our side of the Atlantic, following Newt Scamander (Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne) hanging out in the magical side of New York several decades before The Boy Who Lived.

Looking back on the Harry Potter films, the franchise managed to maintain a very impressive level of quality across eight movies, even scoring some Oscar talk near the end of its run. Director David Yates, who helped guide those later films, will be back for "Fantastic Beasts," as well as Rowling – who, for the first time, will be writing the screenplay. Then there’s the cast, which goes deeper than just Redmayne. The very talented Ezra Miller ("The Perks of Being a Wallflower"), Colin Farrell, Ron Perlman ("Hellboy") and Katherine Waterston ("Steve Jobs") will also be joining on this trip to a wizarding world both familiar and fresh – and, more likely, financially profitable.

12. "Keanu"

No, it has nothing to do with Keanu Reeves. You’ll have to go to "John Wick 2" for that (and you bet I will!). "Keanu" instead follows two friends who pose as gangsters in order to infiltrate the seedy world of a drug cartel and … save a cat (even the plot sounds John Wick-ian … did I mention I recently watched "John Wick"?).

Now, obviously a movie about friends on a desperate cat hunt doesn’t sound like a must-see right away, but here’s your selling point: Key and Peele. That’s right; "Keanu" will reunite the comedy duo of Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele for the first time since the two discontinued their hit Comedy Central sketch show. "Keanu" might not completely fill that "Key & Peele"-sized whole in your life, but it will hopefully come close – and maybe Keanu himself will show up (I mean, come one; he has to, right?).

13. "Passengers"

I can’t imagine a more terrifying situation than being abandoned and alone in outer space …  unless I was a filmmaker, which, in that case, apparently it’s the financial and critical equivalent to striking oil. Two years ago, there was the spellbinding "Gravity." One year later, "The Martian" mined being the loneliest man in the universe for brainy thrills and big box office.

I highly doubt "Passengers" will end that yearly trend. The film – directed by Morten Tyldum of "The Imitation Game," which, ughhhh, OK, fine – follows a space passenger who accidentally awakens 60 years too soon on his trip through the stars. Obviously alone, he decides to waken another passenger to keep him company. Two people stuck in space alone? Again? Yawn, right? Did I mention the two people are played here by Chris Pratt and Jennifer Lawrence? And now that you know that, you just bought all of the tickets? OK then. Like I said, highly doubt "Passengers" will end the lost-in-space trend.  

14. "Kubo and the Two Strings"

If you’re looking for "Finding Dory," you’re not going to find it here. See, while Pixar mines itself for sequels – often quite good sequels, I should say – Laika Studios has taken up the torch of creating beautiful, complex and utterly unique animated worlds – often by crazily detailed hand. Their latest feature, "The Boxtrolls," was a box-slap-worthy delight, so of course I’m thrilled to see their next project, an animated tale inspired by the age of Samurai and voiced by the likes of Charlize Theron, Rooney Mara, Ralph Fiennes and Matthew McConaughey. Plenty of animated movies will come out this year, but it’s a guarantee that nothing will look or feel like "Kubo and the Two Strings."

15. "The Free State of Jones"

Did somebody say McConaughey!? The McConaissance continues! Well, hopefully. It certainly looks that way with his other upcoming project, "The Free State of Jones." McConaughey plays a Mississippi farmer during the Civil War who helps lead a rebellion against the Confederacy and establish a mixed-race community right in the middle of it. McConaughey has gone from a warning sign for viewers (the "Ghost of Girlfriends Past" years) to a borderline guarantee of high quality, and he’s got a great co-star here in Gugu Mbatha-Raw, a terrific young actress who you’ll be seeing much more of in the future. Like in "The Free State of Jones" when it comes out in May.

16. Untitled Next Bourne Chapter

Admittedly, it can be a little hard to get excited for an upcoming movie that’s got no footage to show. Several movies on here could be terrible; we have no idea what many of them even technically look like yet. But at least those movies have actual names! The fifth Jason Bourne installment doesn’t even have a title yet. But after a disappointing Damon-less and Greengrass-free fourth movie, how could I not be excited that the latest film in the franchise brings back its perfect action everyman and master of shaky hyper-editing?

True, we’ve only seen a production shot or two – and there’s even rumors it’ll be pushed back to 2017. Greengrass and Damon, however, have proven to be a golden combination with this franchise before. There’s little reason to doubt them the third time. And as for a title, after the clunky "Bourne Ultimatum," maybe we could something that rolls off the tongue a little smoother. Like perhaps "The Bourne Antiestablishmentarianism."