20 Most Anticipated Movies Still to Come In 2009
Six months to go and there's no looking back...
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At the beginning of the year I made a list of my Top 15 Most Anticipated Films of 2009. Of that list I have now seen five of them. Nine out of the remaining ten made this list as I bumped Alejandro Amenabar's Agora since it has still yet to get picked up by a distributor due to rather weak reactions out of the Cannes Film Festival. However, a few films have made their way onto this list thanks to strong film festival reactions as I have put together a list of 20 films to look forward to as we move into the final six months of 2009.
One film I didn't include merely because it is coming out next week and I felt it would be a wasted space is Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. I am undoubtedly anticipating seeing it and had it been only a few more weeks in the offing I would have given it notice here.
 | The Invention of Lying (September 25) |
This one is a no-brainer for me as anything with Ricky Gervais instantly captures my attention and comes with a load of comedic talent around him including Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, Jonah Hill, Louis C.K., Tina Fey, Christopher Guest, Jeffrey Tambor, Patrick Stewart and Jason Bateman. Of course, the plot device takes a bit of convincing as the film is set in an alternate reality where everyone tells the truth all the time, but not only tells the truth, they actually say what's on their mind, which takes it a bit out of the realm of believability, but considering what we are talking about I don't think that hardly matters.
Gervais's character, in this world, invents lying and through a series of wacky scenarios will most likely come to some moral lesson in the end, but the hope is it will be funny along the way. I enjoyed Ghost Town, so here's to hoping this one is a match.
Get additional information on this film here.
 | Ninja Assassin (November 25) |
The only reason I am interested in this film is the fact I love, love, love V for Vendetta and Vendetta helmer James McTeigue is directing this one and once again has the Wachowski's producing. I don't have high expectations, but I do have high hopes as Korean pop star Rain plays Raizo, one of the deadliest assassins in the world. After some issues with the secret society known as the Ozunu Clan he breaks free and plots his revenge.
Get a look at pictures and additional information from this film here.
 | Green Zone (TBA) |
I have no idea why Universal is keeping the lid shut tight on director Paul Greengrass's upcoming film, but I can only assume it is to unveil the fact this is yet another Iraq War film as late as possible and spring it on the audience touting the fact the Bourne duo of Matt Damon and Greengrass are once again working together. The fact these two are involved is enough for me to get interested, but who knows about the rest of society.
Get a look at pictures and additional information from this film here.
 | Bright Star (September 18) |
Jane Campion's Bright Star made quite a splash at the Cannes Film Festival with a lot of attention paid to Abbie Cornish such as Screen Daily's Allan Hunter saying, "She captures all the youthful impetuosity of the English Fanny [Brawne] and portrays her as a young woman trying to maintain control of a life torn apart by all the fresh emotions and new sensations that she is experiencing. It is a performance that should win her awards season consideration and emphatically underlines why she is one of the most highly regarded performers of her generation." The film is apparently a weepy, but not a melodramatic one. Can't wait to see it.
Get a look at pictures and additional information from this film here.
 | A Serious Man (October 2) |
The only film on this list of 20 that doesn't have an image to accompany it is the Coen brothers' A Serious Man, which stars a fleet of unknown actors. The film is set in 1967 and is a dark comedy set around a dysfunctional family. Here's the synopsis as given by Focus Features:
A Serious Man is the story of an ordinary man's search for clarity in a universe where Jefferson Airplane is on the radio and F-Troop is on TV. It is 1967, and Larry Gopnik, a physics professor at a quiet midwestern university, has just been informed by his wife Judith that she is leaving him. She has fallen in love with one of his more pompous colleagues, Sy Ableman, who seems to her a more substantial person than the feckless Larry. Larry's unemployable brother Arthur is sleeping on the couch, his son Danny is a discipline problem and a shirker at Hebrew school, and his daughter Sarah is filching money from his wallet in order to save up for a nose job. While his wife and Sy Ableman blithely make new domestic arrangements, and his brother becomes more and more of a burden, an anonymous hostile letter-writer is trying to sabotage Larry's chances for tenure at the university. Also, a graduate student seems to be trying to bribe him for a passing grade while at the same time threatening to sue him for defamation. Plus, the beautiful woman next door torments him by sunbathing nude. Struggling for equilibrium, Larry seeks advice from three different rabbis. Can anyone help him cope with his afflictions and become a righteous person – a mensch – a serious man?
Get additional information on this film here.
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Nope…. its still Avatar for me…
very happy to finally see someone NOT have AVATAR as there number 1, and NINE is diffentley going to raise the bar for musical to movie adaptations
I literally clicked on the link to this from twitter so i could see where Julie & Julia placed on your list… and its not that i'm not excited for all of THESE movies to come out tooo.. but where is my Meryl Streep?
Hmmm….. Where the Wild Things Are!
@Emily: You know, it's one I expect may be good, just not largely excited for it. The combination of Adams and Streep is obviously a winning one though… we'll see. :)
@Malick: Yeah, I have very little interest in that film even though it seems to be the collective online love child. Not to say it won't be good, just not one that ranks high on my must see list at this time.
1. Inglourious Basterds
2. The Lovely Bones
3. Avatar
4. Shutter Island
5. Nine
6. Where the Wild Things Are
7. The Princess and the Frog
8. The Informant
9. (500) Days of Summer
10. The Wolfman
11. District 9 (surprised you didn't mention it Brad)
12. Funny People
The new trailer for District 9 looks awesome.
I admire the way you stick to your guns about "The Road," Brad. You've been talking about this movie for a while.
You started out slow for me, but in the end I agree with most of your selections for enthusiastic anticipation. But "Anti Christ"? OK, there's a truck wreck on the highway, and some talk about body parts still lying about. Blood is everywhere. You definitely jump in your car and give it a looksee. I'm staying home. Thet can talk about genital mutilation all they want but I'm not watching it.
I hadn't heard anything about "The Informant" but this preview is funny. If you can take corporate fuckery and legalese and make it funny, you've got a movie, by George.
My most enthusiasticly anticipated film? "Bright Star" without a doubt. I'm not a romantic. I'm not into historical pieces. I'm just a huge Abbie Cornish fan and the little snippets I've seen have been very enticing. I was just reading a viewer's remarks from the New Zealand Film Festival where it played today…or is it tomorrow there…and she says that Ben Whishaw's performance is outstanding. I love little personal films that focus on the details so this is right up my alley.
닭치고 ninja assassin!!!
I'm surprised you didn't mention "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus" but I guess it looks like that might not have a release date yet.
Neither Nine nor Avatar are anywhere near my most anticipated films for the rest of the year. Sign me up for Green Zone, Shutter Island, and Invictus, though. Oh, and The Informant! looks terrific.
I dig the list. It does represent 20 movies I would like to see in the next 6 months, however, Where the Wild Things Are is #1, no question.
(500) Days of Summer, Mystery Team, Paper Heart, Jennifer's Body, Whip It, Dr. Parnassuss are also flicks I'm looking forward to.
I'm incredibly skeptical about "The Road" the book did not seem 'screen freindly' to me. And the marketing of it as an action movie is deeply disappointing.
And on a personal note; theatres in Florida SUCK so I'm also really looking forward to the DVD release of Gigantic, cause that movie looked dope.
@Patricia: I would be very happy if Ben Whishaw were to garner an Oscar nomination for his performance. I hear it's absolutely outstanding, and from the few clips I've seen, I'd have to agree.
You missed my top two: An Education and Precious. The buzz around those two films has been deafening!
BRUNO
Inglorious Basterds
Harry Potter
Funny People
Probably the only other movies im gonna see this summer.
:My Top 20 Most Antcipated:
1. HP6
2. Funny People
3. Avatar
4. District 9
5. Where The Wild Things Are
6. Shutter Island
7. 9
8. Pandourum
9. Jennifer's Body
10. The Wolfman
11. The Road
12. Inglorious Basterd's
13. Zombieland
14. A Christmas Carol
15. The Lovely Bones
16. The Box
17. 2012
18. Ninja Assasin
19. The Fantastic Mr. Fox
20. Brothers
Peace Out !
I'm pretty sure when the Weinstein site lists The Road as October 16, they mean October 2016.
Here's how it all plays out. Inglourious Basterds flops. One week later, H2 flops. Then all the promo money for Road gets pumped into Nine's, now limited, November release with the possibility of going wide around Christmas to try and get some Oscar buzz. Leaving The Road a fate of being 'leaked' online before the straight to DVD/Blu release.
Alvin and the Chipmunks, surely! C´mon, these lists are endless, no beginning and no end. Not quite futile though as the box office lists, which are shameful PR stunts. Ticket prices gradually go up and fewer tickets sold than 20 years ago, still the newest silly blockbuster climbs to the top.
Well… I have been waiting Avatar since God created the world so….
Top 20:
1. Avatar
2. Nine
3. Shutter Island
4. Where the Wild Things Are
5. Amelia
6. Broken Embraces
7. District 9
8. The Road
9. Coco Avant Chanel.
10. Sherlock Holmes
11. The Princess and the Frog
12. The Wolfman
13. The Invention of Lying
14. Inglorious Basterds
15. 2012
16. The Informant
17. Ninja Assasin
18. The Boat That Rocked
19. (500) Days of Summer
20. Did you hear about the Morgans?
Ha HA! Brad! I see what your doing, putting the film "9" on your list at number 9; coincidentally the film comes out on September 9th, or 9-9-09. You funny guy.
Um, I won't get into the whole "Avatar" debate again, but I'm really, really looking forward to "Where the Wild Things Are" and "The Fantastic Mr. Fox", not only for the nostalgia factor, but also because of how the directors are actually taking the source materials seriously instead of say, shoehorning in a bunch of famous actors and making a cheap CGI film with a ton of pop culture references to please the audience (*cough* Alvin and the Chipmunks *cough*- though I enjoyed the first film, not gonna lie).
It's a crime you don't have Where the Wild Things Are on the list, Brad. ;)
1) Final Destination 4
2) Bruno
3) The Box
4) Harry Potter 6
This isn't nearly as pretentious as it sounds, but I have read the original Doyle-penned Sherlock Holmes stories and they have become my favorite literary works. I've reread them again and again. I don't see how Guy Richie and the cast can accurately portray Sherlock, et al. The slick modern style and the look-nothing-like-Sherlock's-description Downey have me a little nervous as a Sherlock purist.
Just saying.
You may begin trolling me in 3….2….
How about Biutiful and Boat that rocked. Tree of life is coming out in 2010
1 avatar
2 the lovely bones
3 ninja assasin
4 shutter island
5 green zone
@Zack Solomon: Boat that Rocked is definitely one to look out for, but I have heard too many mixed things about. However, the fact Universal handed it to Focus and is recutting it is both intriguing and concerning. Putting it at Focus implies possible awards consideration, and recutting it implies they listened to UK critics and are hoping to improve the pacing. But it also brings up concern it may not be salvageable. Oh, and I am just going to have to play "wait and see" on Biutiful, Gonzalez can really mine some dark territories sometimes and he occasionally loses me along the way.
@PhineusQButterfat: I don't expect you will get "trolled" around these parts, we are rather open-minded.
@Gophers Attack!: Again, just not that interested in it and don't see the reason for excitement at this time. Then again, I have avoided watching the trailer and stayed away from the hype hoping it will impress me.
@Ty: I am anticipating Harry Potter 6 as well, but seeing how I am going to see it on Monday I felt it was a little too close to the release date to include it. More discussion on Potter next week though. Stay tuned.
@Vince: Damn, in all seriousness, I didn't even intend that. :)
@wrongturn687: I see you are a bit of a horror fan, and I am actually ashamed I didn't represent the genre a little more on this list. My fault, thanks for picking up the slack.
@Chad: I am not excited in the slightest to see The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus… it feels like the loss of Ledger is just too much to save that one. I am interested in seeing it, but there is little by way of excitement.
@Ross: (500) Days of Summer is pretty good, not great, but good. I have an interview with the director I'll be posting soon.
what about taking woodstock
1. Where the Wild Things Are
2. Bright Star
3. An Education
4. Taking Woodstock
5. The Informant!
HM: The White Ribbon, Tetro (Still need to see)
Oh wait, did you see (500) Days of Summer at SIFF? The June 8th screening? I was there, man! Marc Webb was very nice.
Where is District 9? Peter Jackson should have 2 films on this list!!
what about The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus? Johnny Depp + Heath Ledger's last film. It looks like a very interesting film
@Brad Brevet: Well then, I think you are going to be surprised. It honestly had one of the greatest teaser trailers I've seen.
1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2. Nine
3. The Road
4. The Lovely Bones
5. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
6. A Serious Man
7. Inglourious Basterds
8. Where the Wild Things Are
9. Shutter Island
10. The Men Who Stare at Goats (2010?)
11. Avatar
12. (500) Days of Summer
13. The Informant!
14. Brooklyn's Finest
15. Invictus
16. The Invention of Lying
17. Up in the Air (2010?)
18. Tree of Life (2010?)
19. World's Greatest Dad
20. It Might Get Loud
1. Sherlock Holmes
2. 2012
3. G.I. Joe
4. Couples Retreat
5. Funny People
6. Gamer
7. New Moon
8. A Christmas Carol
9. The Wolfman
10. Final Destination 4
The Lovely Bones
District 9
An Education
That's all I can think of at the moment.
1. Avatar
2. The Road
3. A Christmas Carol
4. The Informant!
5. Invictus
6. Green Zone
7. The Lovely Bones
8. Nine
9. Where the Wild Things Are
10. Inglourious Basterds
Haha, Brad, I knew you were going to say "Nine" even when I was on the first page. I'm immensely looking forward to it as well, despite the fact that I thought "8 1/2" was actually a pretty bad film. From what I can see of the trailer, it looks like it may correct everything that was wrong with "8 1/2"–that is to say, the horrid editing (what is it with Italian films and bad editing? I love Pasolini, but even his films don't have very cohesive editing, with the exception of the paradigm-shifting "Salo"), and the lack of strong imagery, the lack of truly immersive characters. I kept thinking while watching "8 1/2": "You know, this will be so much better as 'Nine,' when it has song & dance numbers and nice images to leaven all this hollow pretentiousness. Having an A-list cast will also help."
I'm most looking forward to "Antichrist," "The Lovely Bones," and "Avatar." There are others, but I need to get to bed (work at 7:30… groan!), so I don't have time to list them.
I like most of the movies listed, especially Wolfman. i havn't even heard of Nine but that looks good. To everyone one who says FD4… No way! I had enuff after 3, it just looks even stupider than the rest. I'm gonna hold out 4 "Wild Things", "Avatar", and "The Road" tho. And I forgot Bruno and funny people. anyway there's a whole bunch of films I want to watch.
My top 20:
1. Shutter Island/Avatar (sorry, i can't decide)
2. Nine
3. 2012
4. District 9
5. Sherlock Holmes
6. The Road
7. The Wolfman
8. Funny People
9. Splice (Adrien Brody in a horror movie just looks like it'll be good)
10. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus
11. Ponyo
12. The Perfect Getaway
13. 9
14. Extract
15. Gamer
16. Pandorum
17. Surrogates
18. Couples Retreat
19. Daybreakers (I know it's in 2010, but it looks good)
20. Zombieland
Invictus!
how bout busty asian beauties 9?
That is one wack list!
@Brad: Lord of the Rings is done. Star Wars is finished. Harry Potter is on its 6th Installmant, so its not exactly the most "must-see" event of 2009.
Aliens, Terminator 2, Titanic – these films defined my generation. The director of the biggest movie OF ALL TIME hasn't made a feature film (that little underwater documentary he did doesn't count) in 12 years. 12 YEARS!! – over a decade.
How can Avatar not be you #1 most anticipated film of 2009? I would go so far as to say, since Star Wars wrapped in 2005, it has to be the most anticipated film of the last 4 years.
@The Jackal: are we considering "The Hobbit" part of the LOTR franchise or separate? Dec. 17, 2003 was the hardest day of my life. Walking out of that midnight premiere of Return of the King, knowing that it was partly over, but i myself consider The Hobbit part of the franchise.
@The Jackal: I also do need to mention that i know you are talking about 2009 movies, I was just wondering your intake on the LOTR franchise.
@Br: I do consider "The Hobbit" part of the Lord of the Rings franchise. I was referring to the fact that since The Lord of the Rings "Trilogy" ended in 2003 and Star Wars ended in 2005 and given the fact that Harry Potter VI is only a stepping stone to the final showdown in 2011, Avatar has become the must see-event of the latter half of this decade.
I cannot think of a bigger or more anticipated film than James Cameron's Avatar. It's gonna be huge. It's not gonna surpass Titanic (or even The Dark Knight for that matter); however, it's gonna make at least $300+ million in the U.S. and could easily surpass $900+ million worldwide.
Now, all that having been said. I will agree, The Hobbit has now risen to the top of my Must-See future films list – but it doesn't come out until 2011. I'm a huge fan of Lord of the Rings – it was a masterpiece. As a fan of Guillermo Del Toro (specifically his work on Pan's Labyrinth) I'm eagerly awaiting his collaborative vision of The Hobbit with Peter Jackson – they seem like two like-minded fellows.
I gotta go with Extract and Inglorious Basterds for my most anticipated. Avatar, Armored (Which got pushed to December 4th), Lovely Bones, The Road, Nine, The Informant!, Green Zone, Zombieland, Sherlock Holmes, Jennifer's Body, 9, Where the Wild Things Are, The Princess and the Frog, Invictus, Brothers, and Ponyo round out my list
@The Jackal: I agree with you completely about Avatar. It almost pains me to think that it could surpass TDK, but I cannot argue against an amazing film. 2011 will surely be my most aniticipated year now!
Absolutely love this list, Brad. Very happy to see The Informant among the top five. I saw the trailer and am greatly looking forward to it. Sherlock Holmes' trailer, though, for some reason, evokes memories of Wild Wild West. I hope for the cast it's good. I watched Ponyo in Japan and think it's just OK. But, as usual, has some astonishing visuals (and it was in Japanese so I can't say much). Nine, The Road, Avatar are my other top anticipated.
@The Jackal: I totally agree with that. i think The Hobbit is gonna be good with both Guillermo Del Toro and Peter Jackson on the project. i also thnk there's gonna be The Hobbit 2, check out IMDB for info. ever since T2 and Titanic, i've been waiting 4 James Cameron's next big movie
I gonna swap Daybreakers and Splice around due to increased fondness in the first
I was looking at The Princess and the Frog and looked at 2D! I'm gonna be a smartass and say that their are 3 dimensions in here: X, Y, and Motion/Time. I bet everyone here has heard that and are already over it. But obviously I still need to grow up since I'm about to graduate from high school.
Yuck, i only want to see New Moon
Extract.
@PhineusQButterfat:
I totally agree. Ritchie doing Holmes? Not a good fit. Ritchie isn't wry or subtle enough for this material and I wasn't surprised to see in the trailer that he packed in fistfights and a lot of other nonsense.
brain is right taking woodstock looks like a great movie this has nothing to do with it but i think demetri martin is hilarious and teh fact that he's doing a movie about one of the greatest music festivals of all time is really cool he looks great in it
You must all be on crack….. 9 looks like the biggest waste of film stock since showgirls, I mean really.. i just dont get this contempoary sycophantic mass adoration of the musical… i dont care how well shot it may be or how many days Mr Day lewis spent with his singing coach to nail every note…. stick to the straight acting you are usually pretty good at it Dan… This movie could'nt be more pretentious if it tried… btw Chicago sucked too as did Moulin Rouge and dont even get me started with Mamma Mia… Avatar is the only considderation for the number one spot, i mean the guy only makes a film every 10 years and tries to push the envelope of filmmaking with every project….he is the natural successor to Kubrik's mantle…. and you expect us to get excited about a few A listers regressing back to thier first year of musical theatre studies on a perfoming arts degree !!!…..PLEASE do us all a favour and go start a Eurovision Appreciation Site and leave the world of movies to those of use who have some taste !!
@blkgrl: I'm asuming you are interested in Astronomy. With all that full moon, half moon and quarter moon business you're on about
@jeremy wein: James Cameron is always gonna have a hard time topping Titanic. I mean how would you follow up the biggest grossing film of all time?
Rob Marshall doesn't have that kind of pressure. On the other hand musical is a tough genre to sell because many don't feel they're able to sit through 6 or 7 music videos sewn into a feature film. Some exeptions include Mamma Mia and Disney's The Lion King. Those 2 have family appeal which Chicago lacks a lot of.
Where the wild things are and The Immaginarium of Dr. Parnassus definitely.
Is anyone looking forward to Robert Zemeckis' A Christmas Carol?
ST TRINIANS 2: THE LEGEND OF FRITTON'S GOLD! Comes out in UK 18th December 2009 agains Avatar.
Let's hope the naughty schoolgirls batter the crap out of those stupid 6 foot smurfs.