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20 Most Anticipated Movies Still to Come In 2009

COMMENTS

Six months to go and there's no looking back...

Brad Brevet
By:
Published: Thursday, July 9th 2009 at 2:33 AM
Broken Embraces (November 6)

Photo: Sony Classics

There isn't a whole lot that is needed to be said about this one other than the fact we have Pedro Almodovar and Penelope Cruz together once again. Nuff said? Nuff said.

Get a look at pictures and additional information from this film here.

9 (September 9)

Photo: Focus Features

This film looks great, now it is up to the story to match the visuals and if it does we could have a bona fide hit on our hands as Focus has really stepped up their game this year and made themselves a legitimate animated studio. While I wasn't as huge a backer of Coraline as others were, there is no denying the effect that film had on many and I fully expect 9 to duplicate that enthusiasm if not surpass it.

Get a look at pictures and additional information from this film here.

Sherlock Holmes (December 25)

Photo: Warner Bros.

I like Guy Ritchie's films and Robert Downey Jr. is a must-not-miss. Throw Jude Law in the mix and title your film Sherlock Holmes and nothing more need be said. I haven't watched the trailer for this one yet and hope to avoid seeing any footage before the December release, but something tells me my trip to Comic Con in a couple weeks is going to spoil that dream as the cast is expected to be on hand to promote the film. Oh, and Rachel McAdams is in this one too… we like her.

Get a look at pictures and additional information from this film here.

Funny People (July 31)

Photo: Universal Pictures

Here is a film I have unfortunately seen the trailer for too many times, and I have seen multiple versions as just the other night the latest R-rated trailer played before my Bruno screening. The trailers for this film look legitimately funny and rumors have this one pegged as a potential Oscar contender (I am guessing in the acting categories and perhaps writing), but I hope I haven't seen all the good parts as each trailer I have seen has brought something different. Why studios feel the need to oversell their films nowadays is lost on me, but I guess the short attention span of this world we live in necessitates such tactics.

Get a look at pictures and additional information from this film here.

Antichrist (October 23)

Photo: IFC Films

I am not so much anticipating Lars von Trier's Antichrist as much as I feel an absolute NEED to see it. Controversy attracts my attention and the thought of seeing some butchered and edited cut scares the hell out of me as this one generated so much buzz out of Cannes about how it couldn't get released without an NC-17 and blah, blah, blah. The film is set to hit limited theaters on October 23 and then apparently hit On Demand after that, but I want to see it now… just as I have heard L.A. folks have already had the chance.

Get a look at pictures and additional information from this film here.

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Showing 61 Comments

  1. ash

    Nope…. its still Avatar for me…

  2. jeremy wein

    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

  3. 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?

  4. Malick

    Hmmm….. Where the Wild Things Are!

  5. Brad Brevet (Post Author)

    @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.

  6. Nick

    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

  7. Paddytom

    The new trailer for District 9 looks awesome.

  8. Patricia

    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.

  9. ninja girl

    닭치고 ninja assassin!!!

  10. Chad

    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.

  11. Carson Dyle

    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.

  12. Ross

    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.

  13. Garrett

    @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.

  14. Rae Kasey

    You missed my top two: An Education and Precious. The buzz around those two films has been deafening!

  15. Michael

    BRUNO
    Inglorious Basterds
    Harry Potter
    Funny People
    Probably the only other movies im gonna see this summer.

  16. wrongturn687

    :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 !

  17. GregM

    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.

  18. Helgi

    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.

  19. Sebastian

    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?

  20. Vince

    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).

  21. Gophers Attack!

    It's a crime you don't have Where the Wild Things Are on the list, Brad. ;)

  22. Ty

    1) Final Destination 4
    2) Bruno
    3) The Box
    4) Harry Potter 6

  23. PhineusQButterfat

    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….

  24. Zack Solomon

    How about Biutiful and Boat that rocked. Tree of life is coming out in 2010

  25. ddurden33

    1 avatar
    2 the lovely bones
    3 ninja assasin
    4 shutter island
    5 green zone

  26. Brad Brevet (Post Author)

    @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.

  27. brain

    what about taking woodstock

  28. Keane101

    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)

  29. Keane101

    Oh wait, did you see (500) Days of Summer at SIFF? The June 8th screening? I was there, man! Marc Webb was very nice.

  30. BR

    Where is District 9? Peter Jackson should have 2 films on this list!!

  31. BR

    what about The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus? Johnny Depp + Heath Ledger's last film. It looks like a very interesting film

  32. Gophers Attack!

    @Brad Brevet: Well then, I think you are going to be surprised. It honestly had one of the greatest teaser trailers I've seen.

  33. Scott

    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

  34. JON

    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

  35. Mony

    The Lovely Bones
    District 9
    An Education

    That's all I can think of at the moment.

  36. Colin

    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

  37. JM

    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.

  38. jewjiblet09

    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

  39. Allan

    Invictus!

  40. cocina

    how bout busty asian beauties 9?

  41. jj

    That is one wack list!

  42. The Jackal

    @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.

  43. BR

    @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.

  44. BR

    @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.

  45. The Jackal

    @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.

  46. joker47

    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

  47. BR

    @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!

  48. Shaz

    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.

  49. jewjiblet09

    @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

  50. jewjiblet09

    I gonna swap Daybreakers and Splice around due to increased fondness in the first

  51. jewjiblet09

    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.

  52. blkgrl

    Yuck, i only want to see New Moon

  53. mr. magic

    Extract.

  54. @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.

  55. 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

  56. picto

    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 !!

  57. @blkgrl: I'm asuming you are interested in Astronomy. With all that full moon, half moon and quarter moon business you're on about

  58. @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.

  59. JOE KERR*

    Where the wild things are and The Immaginarium of Dr. Parnassus definitely.

  60. Jezza

    Is anyone looking forward to Robert Zemeckis' A Christmas Carol?

  61. Jezza

    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.

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