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10. Star TrekDirected by: J.J. Abrams
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana
At first, another Star Trek didn't seem all that interesting. But then the fantastic first trailer hit. Lost mastermind and Mission Impossible III director J.J. Abrams has assimilated a cast of rising stars (Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto) to top-line a reboot of the franchise that is sure to gain new fans in the process. If it's a hit (and it probably will be), expect many sequels.
9. Brüno
Directed by: Dan Mazer
Starring: Sacha Baron Cohen
Borat was one of the funniest films of the decade. Sacha Baron Cohen will next take another of his Da Ali G Show characters—the flamboyant Austrian fashion journalist Bruno—to the big screen, undoubtedly exposing countless of homophobes across America. You know a film is going to be funny when its title makes you laugh (Bruno will be apparently be subtitled: Delicious Journeys Through America for the Purpose of Making Heterosexual Males Visibly Uncomfortable in the Presence of a Gay Foreigner in a Mesh T-Shirt).
8. Inglourious Basterds
Directed by: Quentin Tarantino
Starring: Brad Pitt, Mike Myers, Eli Roth, Samuel L. Jackson
Hollywood's love affair with Nazis continues (see in theaters now: Valkryie, The Reader, Defiance). Quentin Tarantino directs a story about a group of Jewish-American soliders who scalp Nazis. Despite some curious casting, Tarantino rarely disappoints and this could be as gloriously bloody as his Kill Bill films.
7. The Lovely Bones
Directed by: Peter Jackson
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon
Peter Jackson's adaptation of Alice Sebold's beloved novel has had its fair share of production issues (Mark Wahlberg replacing Ryan Gosling, for one). But there's still hope Jackson can pull off the story's tricky imagery (about a young girl, to be played by Atonement's gifted young actress Saoirse Ronan, who narrates from heaven as her family deals with her tragic rape and murder). Jackson hasn't directed a film this intimate since Heavenly Creatures.
6. Up
Directed by: Pete Docter
Featuring the voices of: Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer
Will audiences embrace Up's decidedly non-commercial 78-year-old protagonist? Of course they will. This is Pixar we're talking about, and after back-to-back masterpieces (Ratatouille, Wall-E), it's a safe bet that Up will be the cream of the crop in a year flooded with animated flicks. Early trailers haven't given away many plot details, but it looks charming and visually stunning nonetheless.
5. Watchmen
Directed by: Zack Snyder
Starring: Billy Crudup, Patrick Wilson, Malin Akerman
Adapted from Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons' graphic novel of the same name—a novel that Time Magazine listed as one of 100 greatest English novels of all time—Watchmen has some serious pedigree to be the superhero movie to end all superhero movies. Zack Snyder (300) certainly has a lot to prove, but every trailer released thus far has raised goosebumps. Watchmen should be worth the wait, regardless of the legal hubbub.
4. Public Enemies
Directed by: Michael Mann
Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard
This is the Johnny Depp role we've been waiting for. He plays the notorious bank robber John Dillinger in Michael Mann's Great Depression-era crime epic. Christian Bale will play the the FBI agent assigned to taking him down, and Marion Cotillard will play his girlfriend. Public Enemies has a big-name director and big-name cast, and seems destined to be a critical and commercial success. The best part? It hits theaters July 1. No waiting until Oscar season for this one.
3. Shutter Island
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley
Martin Scorsese collaborates with Leonardo DiCaprio for the fourth time, which is good news because DiCaprio's performances have improved in each successive Scorsese film (with The Departed being, arguably, his finest performance to date). This film's an adaptation of Dennis Lehane's novel about a U.S. Marshal (DiCaprio) investigating a disappearance on a remote island. Co-starring Oscar nominees Michelle Williams, Patricia Clarkson and Jackie Earle Haley, Shutter Island already boasts one of the finest ensemble casts of 2009.
2. The Tree of Life
Directed by: Terrence Malick
Starring: Sean Penn, Brad Pitt
Film lovers have to consider themselves lucky: the incredibly talented Terrence Malick has never made films as close together as The New World (in 2005) and the forthcoming The Tree of Life, which stars Sean Penn and Brad Pitt. Malick re-teams with his New World cinematographer Emmanuel Lubezki for a story presumably about the quest for immortality, though plot descriptions have been frustratingly vague.
1. Avatar
Directed by: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver
There must be some good reason James Cameron hasn't directed a feature film since Titanic, over a decade ago. And Avatar certainly sounds ambitious enough to justify his absence. It is a 3D science fiction epic that reportedly costs between $250-to-$300 million and is 20% live-action and 80% live-action with CGI elements. Cameron's goal is supposedly to change the way we view movies. Considering this is the highest-profile 3D, CGI/live-action film to date, he just might. It will be interesting to watch either way.
The 20 Best Live Acts of the…
The 10 Best Movie Soundtracks of the…
The 17 Best Romantic Comedies This Decade
The 50 Best Albums of the Decade…
The 25 Best Movie Performances of the…
Blind Pilot - The Story I Heard
Kim Taylor - Days Like this
B.O.B. - Put Me On
Gregory Alan Isakov - The Moon Song
Punch Brothers - Punch Brothers at CMJ
Elvis Perkins in Dearland - Stay Zombie…
Anya Marina - Whatever You Like
David Bazan - Hard To Be
Some of those look very cool ...
Um, and what about The Limits of Control, dir. by Jim Jarmusch, starring BILL MURRAY, Gael Garcia Bernal,John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, and the ever so versatile and evocative lead actor, Isacc De Bankole,along with many others in this suspense thriller set in Spain, also written by the ingenious Mr. Jarmusch. sure to be a gem
The people that made this list clearly forgot about Transformers 2.
No love for Transformers 2??
some of these really look great, and thanks liz for the heads up on limits of control. but the movie i am most looking forward to is ninja assassin, the new wachowski flick. features korean pop star rain, and if his dancing is any indication, it will be an awesome movie.
What about The Time Travellers Wife? And looking forward to Sunshine Cleaning too.
I was looking forward to The Time Traveler's Wife (the book is certainly terrific), but between the odd casting and rumors of it tanking in previews, I'm not sure it's going anywhere.
I'm mostly looking forward to The Road, The Lovely Bones, and The Tempest (with Helen Mirren as Prospera!).
Christian Bale does the throaty Batman voice in Terminator? PASS!
Way to not know what you are talking about. Joe Johnston replaced Mark Romanek on Wolfman AFTER Del Toro was cast.
I demand you take away those kudos immediately.
Good list. Glad Watchmen made top 5. But arn't you forgetting a little remake of horror gem Friday the 13th? Coming out Friday the 13th?? Bound to be epic.
Borat was one of the funniest movies of the decade? I guess it is if you live your life with a railroad spike shoved deep into your brain.
Nice list, but you should have Sunshine Cleaning, Los Abrazos Rotos, and New York I Love You on there, as well.
For everyone wondering about Transformers 2, what is wrong with you people? Did you watch the first Transformers? What was it that you liked? Was it the Chevy car commercials as they shot every vehicle from the cross emblem up (they might as well have had Shia say "Chevy an American Revolution") Was it the acting or the dialog (Megan Fox in her serious tone "No matter what happens, I'm really glad I got in that car with you")
I can't say enough about one of the worst movies I have ever seen
Kudos though to the way Michael Bay depicted transformer battles. All the shiny CGI metal flying through the air really caught my attention.
As for this post I'm looking forward to a lot of these, especially The Watchmen and The Road (both great novels) although I haven't seen a release date yet for The Road.
Julie and Julia looks good
wow the second top anticipated film list of 2009 to either forget or just ignore transformers 2. the LA Times list did the same thing last week. this cant be just an oversight but a ass kick to Bay
What about "The Brothers Bloom", Rian Johnson's follow-up to "Brick", with Adrien Brody, Rachel Weisz and Mark Ruffalo?
Click here to read my 35 most anticipated films of 2009 (second entry)
http://blogs.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.view&friendID=3752440&blogID=442267518
No G.I. Joe?
Granted, it's a popcorn flick, but it's going to be big none-the-less.
Where are the smaller films? All of these are the blockbusters. Personally, im looking foward to seeing "The River Why". Great Cast, Great Story, nuff said!
Dustin, Stop hating on Transformers. You're just mad because you thought the film was about Transvestites. But don't worry, you can still enjoy the film with your dad and cut a hole in the bottom of his popcorn so you can butter it from him. While you are at it, why don't you have a Payday bar? You sound like someone who likes to have a lot nuts in his mouth.
For those wondering about Transformers 2, please read Paste's review of Transformers (blatant plug, I know, but still).
General comment: Jeremy, you're missing out on foreign films and documentaries entirely! I'm tempted to write up my own list of 10 of each to anticipate for 2009. Especially since, imo, 2008 was a much better year for those categories than for American features, it's definitely something worth thinking about.
are we forgetting "angles and demons"?
c'mon plp!!!!
You guys put Avatar where nothing else has been told about this movie where as you took out tranformers 2 and dragonball. Transformers 1 was a major success and the hype towards number 2 is greater. Dragonball had the most viewed trailer when it was released. So clearly these two movies are worthy to be hyped about. Not only that but transformers 2 had a teaser in between the super bowl that shows how hyped this movie is gonig to be
Watch this upcoming film, if you want your mind blown:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcl-uofCzRc
OFFICIAL SELECTION: London Independent & St. Louis International Film Festivals
QUOTES:
• “Shocking, compelling… intense...”
Thom Hartmann, Air America Radio
• “My best character since ‘Uhura’”
Nichelle Nichols
• "I got sucked right in... from beginning to end. It's like a Stephen King/John Grisham short story. SCARY!!! I'm a little spooked now..."
Christina Park, WNYW/ Fox 5, New York, CNN
• “Amazing…. It’s the perfect festival film”
Chad Coles, Asst. Producer, “SAW” 1,2,3,4&5
• “A riveting film… great performances...”
James Seale – Director, “Throttle” and “Juncture”
• “The flick is killer!! To the Nth degree! You and anybody else can kiss my @ss if you, they... whoever thinks different!!”
Mark Alston, Producer “Music is My Life, Politics my Mistress”
• “An excellent job conveying the horrors of torture and the impossible plight of the prisoners.”
Laurie Walters, Ironweed Films
• “I can't get it out of my mind. It really stays with you. It was incredible. By far the best film (at the AFM 2008).”
Charlie Fagin – American Film Market, Projectionist
• “Extremely Powerful”
Ban Bessie, Producer “Executive Action” (Burt Lancaster, Will Geer)
• “Extremely powerful and would be nominated for a Political Film Society award if available for a week at a commercial cinema in LA”
Michael Haas, CEO, Political Film Society, Stanley Awards
• “An important film and one that deserves wide distribution”
Linda Zises, WBAI, New York
• “I wish you the best of luck and say that I appreciate what you are doing”
Anthony Lagouranis, author of the biography “Fear Up Harsh: An Army Interrogator's Dark Journey Through Iraq”
• “About time.”
An Army Wife
new moon should be on the list!!!!
Ah!!! at last I found what I was looking for. Somtimes it takes so much effort to find even tiny useful piece of information.
Nice post. Thanks