The Top 10 Most Anticipated Films Of 2009
2009 is going to be full of surprises. Big blockbusters such as Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen, Watchmen, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince stick out of an otherwise mysterious lineup of films. Look for 2009's Best Picture nominees to come out of nowhere. Keeping that in mind, here is a list of the ten movies I’m anticipating the most in 2009 (in alphabetical order):
A Christmas Carol
Release Date: November 6, 2009
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Starring: Jim Carrey, Gary Oldman, Colin Firth, Bob Hoskins, Cary Elwes
Why I'm Excited: If it's anything like The Polar Express (which was also directed by Robert Zemeckis), I'll be happy. Jim Carrey plays Ebeneezer Scrooge and all three ghosts in what I hope will be an awesome IMAX 3D experience. Judging by the early art above, it will be.
Funny People
Release Date: July 31, 2009
Director: Judd Apatow
Starring: Adam Sandler, Leslie Mann, Seth Rogan, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, Eric Bana
Why I'm Excited: Although he's had his name attached to many movies, this is Apatow's first film since Knocked Up (and The 40 Year Old Virgin). Apatow expressed interest in exploring a more dramatic mood with this film, and I'm looking forward to seeing him try.
Public Enemies
Release Date: July 1, 2009
Director: Michael Mann
Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, David Wenham, Billy Crudup, Channing Tatum
Why I'm Excited: It's Johnny Depp vs. Christian Bale. Johnny Depp plays John Dillinger in a historically thrilling story. With Michael Mann at the helm, Public Enemies will hopefully be in the mix during next year's award season.
Sherlock Holmes
Release Date: November 13, 2009
Director: Guy Ritchie
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law, Rachel McAdams, Mark Strong
Why I'm Excited: What can't Downey do? I'm convinced that with Jude Law by his side as Dr. Watson, he'll be able to create an original portrayal of Holmes. Let's hope Guy Ritchie's Sherlock Holmes is like Snatch. and not like Swept Away.
Shutter Island
Release Date: October 2, 2009
Director: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams
Why I'm Excited: Scorsese is great. Williams and Ruffalo are two of my favorites. The story is about a U.S. Marshall and his partner as they search for an escaped patient of the Shutter Island mental institution. It's sure to end up with some awards consideration. Moreover, Scorsese doing a thriller is always exciting.
The Brothers Bloom
Release Date: May 29, 2009
Director: Rian Johnson
Starring: Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rachel Weisz
Why I'm Excited: The film has already been screened numerous times, and critics are enjoying it. Johnson is an up-and-coming director to keep an eye on. Hopefully abundant in visuals and performances, this light con-film could be the crowd-pleaser of 2009.
The Lovely Bones
Release Date: December 11, 2009
Director: Peter Jackson
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon, Stanley Tucci
Why I'm Excited: If done right, it could win best picture. If done wrong, it could be a disaster. Luckily, Peter Jackson doesn't screw up. I don't want to jinx him, but, even with hit-or-miss Wahlberg, The Lovely Bones should be a riveting drama.
The Soloist
Release Date: April 24, 2009
Director: Joe Wright
Starring: Jamie Foxx, Robert Downey Jr., Catherine Keener
Why I'm Excited: The Soloist was supposed to be released in November of 2008, but it got unexpectedly delayed. Maybe that's a bad sign, but I have faith in Joe Wright (director of Atonement). There's been some early buzz for Robert Downey Jr. to get an Oscar for this, but we'll see.
Up
Release Date: May 29, 2009
Director: Pete Docter, Bob Peterson
Starring: Edward Asner, John Ratzenberger, Christopher Plummer
Why I'm Excited: I wasn't particularly excited about Ratatouille or Wall-E until after viewing them (both of them are phenomenal). With Up, a story about an old geezer who attaches balloons to his house, I hope to see Pixar top itself—a difficult thing to do.
Watchmen
Release Date: March 6, 2009
Director: Zack Snyder
Starring: Billy Crudup, Carla Gugino, Patrick Wilson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan
Why I'm Excited: Now that the legal battle is over, Watchmen can finally nestle into its March 6th release date. While I haven't read the graphic novel yet, I will definately read it before I see it. The fanboy hype is huge, and with Zack Snyder behind the camera, I hope to see something visionary.
5 Others to Look Out For:
Away We Go
Earth
Inglourious Bastards
The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus
Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen