The movies of 2009: Part 1
I've been meaning to comment on my most anticipated movies of 2009 for a little while now, but compiling a list has been no simple task. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've forgotten some titles, but c'est la vie. Deal with it... or remind me of my omissions in Comments.
Then again, you may want to hold back on your suggestions for now... this blog post has grown so long and involved that I'm going to have to split it over a few posts - especially since I've just had a ton of work dumped on my desk, all of it with ridiculously tight deadlines. This better NOT be the norm in 2009 :(. Anyway...
The Top 2:
These are the 2 films I am most excited for. If their release meant that no other new films would come out all year, well, I'd be alright with that. Of course, every time my anticipation levels are so high I tend to be horribly disappointed (Troy, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) so I'm trying to moderate my expectations a bit. Still though I'm holding thumbs that they won't be let-downs.
Watchmen
Hooray, hooray, hooray, Warner Bros and Fox have settled their lawsuit out of court so we will be seeing this movie (based on the a graphic novel masterpiece) at the beginning of March. For well over 25 years now rabid fans have been waiting for a big screen adaptation of the "impossible to film" Watchmen. Now it's finally here and we'll be able to see if the wait was worth it. Here's hoping 300 director Zack Snyder has pulled off this incredibly tough task.
Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince
The 6th Harry Potter film should have been released in November 2008, but thanks to the writer's strike, its debut was postponed to mid-2009 to pump up Warner Bros. slim number of offerings for the year. Although such a move by the studio was very disappointing to fans, it does make sense from a business point of view. The wait has meant anticipation levels have gone through the roof for the penultimate Potter tale, where the young wizard delves into the history of his nemesis to discover how to beat Voldemort once and for all.
Other biggies
Other 2009 releases that I have been following with interest (like many movie bloggers, comic book fans and geeks) include the following - all of which I am keen to see:
Terminator: Salvation
A rifle-packing Christian Bale leads the human rebellion against the machines in this extension of the Terminator franchise - now set in post-Nuclear Apocalypse Los Angeles. Arnie may make a CGI'd cameo appearance, but who knows?
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Although I'm a big Hugh Jackman fan, I'm actually over the X-Men's most popular, most over-exposed hero. The X-Men movies were all pretty much Wolverine: The Movie, Parts 1 through 3. Still, this film focuses on Logan's mysterious backstory, his rivalry with Sabretooth and relationship with many other famous mutants... including Gambit. Finally! Plus South Africa's Gavin Hood is in the directing chair.
Friday the 13th
Horror remakes are all the rage these days, but I'm curious to see Jason Voorhees's story taken back to basics as a group of teens come to a long-deserted Camp Crystal Lake to investigate the nightmarish legend. I'm expecting the sex and gore to be given a gritty realism this time around. The original is still bloody good though.
Kick-Ass
From Wanted writer Mark Millar, Kick-Ass apparently provides an ultra-violent, real-world take on masked heroes. A dorky teenage boy takes his inspiration from comic books and decides to don a costume to fight crime, triggering a number of copycats.
Sherlock Holmes
Guy Richie's attempt to give the fictional Victorian Era detective a bit more street cred. Played by Robert Downey Jr, the new Holmes is an amateur boxer who uses his fists as much as he does his incredible brainpower. Jude Law is Holmes's trusted companion Dr. Watson.
Star Trek
The original Enterprise crew, Captain Kirk and co. are back for the reignition of the famous sci-fi franchise. This time though, a time travel plot means we'll be seeing how the diverse team came together in their twenties. A cast of young mostly unknowns step into the iconic roles. Could be good, could be very generic.
Dragonball Evolution
The first trailer suggested the film could be appalling - as low budget-looking and kiddie-centric as an episode of Power Rangers. However, there certainly is a genuine curiosity to see if the popular anime series can make a convincing transition to live action - with constipated grimaces intact.
Bride Wars
Definitely one for the girls only! Bride Wars stars Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway as best friends turned bitter rivals when their wedding dates clash. Female rivalry (and sabotage) is a staple of movie comedy, and has been depicted dozens if not hundreds of times before. Still, the film could be lighthearted if predictable fun. Plus, I like Anne Hathaway.
The Proposal
Speaking of comedies and romance, The Proposal features the dream pairing (for some) of Sandra Bullock and Van Wilder himself, Ryan Reynolds. The plot involves a tough editor who reaches an agreement with her much-abused assistant - they get engaged so she won't be deported to Canada(?) and he reaps a few benefits of his own. Expect lots of verbal sparring and foot-stomping frustration as the couple's wedding of convenience draws near.
Angels & Demons
Tom Hanks and director Ron Howard reunite for this follow-up to The Da Vinci Code, also based on the Dan Brown bestseller. This time symbologist Robert Langdon has to tackle a mysterious threat to the Vatican City. Darker and more action-packed than The Da Vinci Code, this movie should be way better than the original dull dud.
Then again, you may want to hold back on your suggestions for now... this blog post has grown so long and involved that I'm going to have to split it over a few posts - especially since I've just had a ton of work dumped on my desk, all of it with ridiculously tight deadlines. This better NOT be the norm in 2009 :(. Anyway...
The Top 2:
These are the 2 films I am most excited for. If their release meant that no other new films would come out all year, well, I'd be alright with that. Of course, every time my anticipation levels are so high I tend to be horribly disappointed (Troy, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull) so I'm trying to moderate my expectations a bit. Still though I'm holding thumbs that they won't be let-downs.
Watchmen
Hooray, hooray, hooray, Warner Bros and Fox have settled their lawsuit out of court so we will be seeing this movie (based on the a graphic novel masterpiece) at the beginning of March. For well over 25 years now rabid fans have been waiting for a big screen adaptation of the "impossible to film" Watchmen. Now it's finally here and we'll be able to see if the wait was worth it. Here's hoping 300 director Zack Snyder has pulled off this incredibly tough task.
Harry Potter and the Half-blood Prince
The 6th Harry Potter film should have been released in November 2008, but thanks to the writer's strike, its debut was postponed to mid-2009 to pump up Warner Bros. slim number of offerings for the year. Although such a move by the studio was very disappointing to fans, it does make sense from a business point of view. The wait has meant anticipation levels have gone through the roof for the penultimate Potter tale, where the young wizard delves into the history of his nemesis to discover how to beat Voldemort once and for all.
Other biggies
Other 2009 releases that I have been following with interest (like many movie bloggers, comic book fans and geeks) include the following - all of which I am keen to see:
Terminator: Salvation
A rifle-packing Christian Bale leads the human rebellion against the machines in this extension of the Terminator franchise - now set in post-Nuclear Apocalypse Los Angeles. Arnie may make a CGI'd cameo appearance, but who knows?
X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Although I'm a big Hugh Jackman fan, I'm actually over the X-Men's most popular, most over-exposed hero. The X-Men movies were all pretty much Wolverine: The Movie, Parts 1 through 3. Still, this film focuses on Logan's mysterious backstory, his rivalry with Sabretooth and relationship with many other famous mutants... including Gambit. Finally! Plus South Africa's Gavin Hood is in the directing chair.
Friday the 13th
Horror remakes are all the rage these days, but I'm curious to see Jason Voorhees's story taken back to basics as a group of teens come to a long-deserted Camp Crystal Lake to investigate the nightmarish legend. I'm expecting the sex and gore to be given a gritty realism this time around. The original is still bloody good though.
Kick-Ass
From Wanted writer Mark Millar, Kick-Ass apparently provides an ultra-violent, real-world take on masked heroes. A dorky teenage boy takes his inspiration from comic books and decides to don a costume to fight crime, triggering a number of copycats.
Sherlock Holmes
Guy Richie's attempt to give the fictional Victorian Era detective a bit more street cred. Played by Robert Downey Jr, the new Holmes is an amateur boxer who uses his fists as much as he does his incredible brainpower. Jude Law is Holmes's trusted companion Dr. Watson.
Star Trek
The original Enterprise crew, Captain Kirk and co. are back for the reignition of the famous sci-fi franchise. This time though, a time travel plot means we'll be seeing how the diverse team came together in their twenties. A cast of young mostly unknowns step into the iconic roles. Could be good, could be very generic.
Dragonball Evolution
The first trailer suggested the film could be appalling - as low budget-looking and kiddie-centric as an episode of Power Rangers. However, there certainly is a genuine curiosity to see if the popular anime series can make a convincing transition to live action - with constipated grimaces intact.
Bride Wars
Definitely one for the girls only! Bride Wars stars Kate Hudson and Anne Hathaway as best friends turned bitter rivals when their wedding dates clash. Female rivalry (and sabotage) is a staple of movie comedy, and has been depicted dozens if not hundreds of times before. Still, the film could be lighthearted if predictable fun. Plus, I like Anne Hathaway.
The Proposal
Speaking of comedies and romance, The Proposal features the dream pairing (for some) of Sandra Bullock and Van Wilder himself, Ryan Reynolds. The plot involves a tough editor who reaches an agreement with her much-abused assistant - they get engaged so she won't be deported to Canada(?) and he reaps a few benefits of his own. Expect lots of verbal sparring and foot-stomping frustration as the couple's wedding of convenience draws near.
Angels & Demons
Tom Hanks and director Ron Howard reunite for this follow-up to The Da Vinci Code, also based on the Dan Brown bestseller. This time symbologist Robert Langdon has to tackle a mysterious threat to the Vatican City. Darker and more action-packed than The Da Vinci Code, this movie should be way better than the original dull dud.
Comments
I know, after they became the 1-2 popularity punch, stories were contrived that put the two of them in the limelight. Whee. I preferred Gambit to have been a completely different man of mystery from Wolverine. But that's just me.
And, yeah, I love Hugh Jackman, but I'm not a big Wolverine fan.