Remember when I did this a year ago? Yeah, a year ago (Saturday). Well, it’s time to do it again. Uh, I think John said This Side of the Truth isn’t coming out this year any more, so I guess it doesn’t get to make the list.
10. Public Enemies
July 1
Michael Mann, the Great Depression, the FBI, Johnny Depp, Christian Bale. I hope I don’t need to give you any more reasons to get excited for this July release. Now, sure Miami Vice sucked hard, but that shouldn’t even enter into the equation. Because this sounds sweet.
9. Star Trek
May 8
There is so much about this film that can go wrong. The guy they’ve got playing Kirk doesn’t seem like a better choice than Matt Damon, but what do I know? I’ve only seen the trailer, but what’s that shit going on about Kirk being like a troubled youth and all that nonsense? I don’t know, maybe that works for the character. What I do know is that I love me some sci-fi and we certainly do not get enough of that out of Hollywood. To Hollywood: if you make a movie with spaceships or giant robots (probably even Transformers II: Sequel to a Bad Movie with a Worse Title) I’ll probably go see it.
8. Up
May 29
I’m not entirely sold on this concept yet, but Pixar always delivers so I’m sure I’ll enjoy it. This is the story of an old man (Ed Asner) who flies his home to fulfill his deceased wife’s last wish. While that’s pretty much all I know now, I’m sure this film will be both heartwarming and completely charming.
7. Funny People
July 31
John will agree with me when I say Adam Sandler can be quite good when he doesn’t stick to his usual played roles. It looks like he’ll be breaking the mold here in the Judd Apatow-directed film about a dying stand-up comedian. It features Apatow regulars Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill and Leslie Mann, and it will probably be pretty good. Pretty, pretty good.
6. Inglourious Basterds
August 21
Will this really come out? Really? Because I feel like we’ve been waiting for a pretty damn long time now. Quentin Tarantino is simply one of those directors that you have to follow because you know each project is going to be interesting. I hear this one pays homage to war movies and spaggheti westerns. The cast is insane. Sign me up.
5. Where the Wild Things Are
October 16
This might just make a hell of a movie. Spike Jonze is directing, and the cast includes Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini and Forest Whitaker. A project this ambitious is certainly something I’m going to want to see. And I do.
4. The Fantastic Mr. Fox
November 6
What can I say, I like me some Wes Anderson. It’s got George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Cate Blanchett, Anjelica Huston, Bill Murray and even more great talent. It’s based on a Roald Dahl book. It’s claymated. Really, how can this disappoint?
3. Ashecliffe
October 2
Don’t even remember what this is about. When Martin Scorsese makes a film, you just go see it. That’s how it works. I’m guessing Leo DiCaprio’s in it. You know, cause he’s like the new Robert De Niro. It’ll be good.
2. Watchmen
March 6
The trailers for this film certainly have captured the attention of America’s youth, like 300 before it. Hopefully it can live up to that movie’s faithfulness to the source material. Watchmen certainly is among the most celebrated graphic novels in the history of the medium, and a lot of what makes it great will be lost in translation. But if they can capture just a pinch of its brilliance, we’ll be in for quite a ride. Woo, Jeffrey Dean Morgan!
1. Avatar
December 18
Seriously, this film has been in development for like a decade. James Cameron says it is going to be this generation’s Star Wars (even though we already have that, it’s called Attack of the Clones). Now, we don’t know much about the film’s premise, or its rising star Sam Worthington, but after all these years I can’t wait to finally see if this can live up to any of its hype.