Top 15 Most Anticipated Movies of 2009
Couldn't stop at just ten and didn't want to go to twenty
 | Sherlock Holmes |
Like Shutter Island, the cast of Sherlock Holmes is what intrigues me the most as Robert Downey Jr., Jude Law and Mark Strong star for Guy Ritchie in this adaptation of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original tale which is said to have also drawn inspiration from the comic book
For more on this film click here.
 | Up |
Pixar has a way of turning an idea that seems silly or mundane into one hell of a feature. They did it with a rat and then with a robot with a very limited vocabulary. Now they are doing it with an old man as he floats his home to a far off land using helium balloons and brings a little boy scout along for the ride. I wasn't convinced I was interested in this film until this clip hit the Internet. Now, I am certainly looking forward to May 29.
For more on this film click here.
 | The Hurt Locker |
From what I understand, this is supposed to be the war movie to see as Kathryn Bigelow's The Hurt Locker received rave reviews out of the Toronto Film Festival and was promptly snatched up by Summit Entertainment. Many thought the studio may have done it in an effort for a late Oscar push, but word is we should expect it this coming summer. Jeff Wells at Hollywood-Elsewhere said watching it is "like having your heart operated on by a construction worker wielding a power pneumatic nail-driver." Yeah, that sold me because, strangely enough, I require all my surgeons to use power tools in my operations. Just a personal preference.
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 | Agora |
This one doesn't even have a distributor yet, but there are rumblings of a mid-December release as Rachel Weisz stars as the legendary astronomer Hypatia (Weisz), trapped in the legendary Library of Alexandria, and tells the story of her fight to save the old world's wisdom from the religious riots sweeping the streets of Alexandria.
Weisz is only part of the intrigue, however, as the film is co-written and directed by Alejandro Amenbar (The Others and The Sea Inside). It's his first theatrical feature since the Oscar-winning The Sea Inside in 2004. Five years is a long time to wait.
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 | Whatever Works |
Come on, Woody Allen, Larry David and Evan Rachel Wood… Need I say more? I hope not, because that's all you are getting.
For more on this film click here.
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Thanks for a number of movies I hadn't heard of yet, my to-watch list is getting a bit big.
See, Nine would interest me if it weren't for the fact the utterly detestable Stacey 'Fergie' Ferguson was in it. She just drives me right up the wall – the best Black Eyed Peas songs are the ones she barely contributes to (or doesn't – their work pre-Elephunk was much better than their work after) and I cheered when she bit the dust in Planet Terror. There's just so much I don't like about here. Otherwise, it looks amazing. But yeah, Fergie.
As for the rest of the list, impressive. Particularly looking forward to The Road, Public Enemies, Up, The Hurt Locker, 9, Shutter Island and The Lovely Bones. I take it you made the comments about your skepticism re: Jackson handling The Lovely Bones having seen the marvellous Heavenly Creatures? I don't imagine you would be saying those things about him without being fully educated in his back catalogue.
Oh, and I've said this before – keep an eye out for The Escapist. I'm no PR agent for the film, I just think it's exceptional and that it'll fly totally under your radar if you aren't alerted to it. :)
@Adam: Nine is one of those movies isn't it?
The good – Marion Cotillard (OK, so I haven't seen La Vie En Rose but I loved the Taxi films!), Sophia Loren, Penelope Cruz, Dame Judy Dench.
The bad – Nicole "box office poison" Kidman, Kate "anodyne rom-com" Hudson, Fergie(?!!!).
I heartily agree with the number one choice, though – anything that teams up Johnny Depp and Christian Bale with Michael Mann can't go far wrong. That said, I would pay to see those 2 actors watching paint dry….
@kassiopeia: You forgot Daniel Day-Lewis in the good. XD And Marion Cotillard is excellent in A Very Long Engagement. Let it also be noted that I like Nicole Kidman, and I believe Kate Hudson has shown aptitude with serious material (Almost Famous, I believe). It's just…the Fergie thing baffles the mind.
Nice list and also the 1's i'm lookin forward
Che, Funny People, The Taking Of Pelham 123 – Tony Scott, Denzel Washington, The International – Tom Tykwer, The Tree Of Life – Sean Penn, Brad Pitt, Time Traveler's Wife – Eric Bana, Akira – leo dicaprio, The Soloist, Angels And Demons, Ice Age 3, The Imaginarium Of Doctor Parnassus, Defiance, Terminator Salvation, Year One, This Side Of The Truth,Triage, Crazy Heart, Crossing Over Anything with the apatow crew in it
Arrested Development movie if they ever make it :(
6 movies in that list that i will see.
@Adam: I suppose I took DD-L as a given! I do like a lot of Nicole Kidman's past performances, but in The Golden Compass she just appeared so bizarrely "frozen" (I think you know what I'm driving at here!) that I fear that in a more intimate/emotion-driven film she's going to struggle. There's no politer way to say it, sorry!
@Ishan: Agreed on Angels & Demons and Terminator Salvation. Both have the advantage of lowered expectations after their ropy predecessors, but both could be fabulous in their own right too.
I couldn't agree with you more as fa as The Road is concerned. I hope we hear a release date for it soon.
I am also looking forward to Wolverine and Terminator Salvation.
My number 1 movie will be Watchmen! I'm dying to see that film! That's my all-time dream coming truee! I really want to see all those movies, but 9 looks not-that-cool, it just don't attract me. I want to see Nine (only problem – Fergie). Also Public Enemies and I'm really hoping to see Avatar, The Lovely Bones and for number 2 I'll put Shutter Island because I'm a fan of martin scorcese and still more of Leonardo DiCaprio.
See, I didn't like the book The Lovely Bones. It just fell kind of flat for me. I'm much more looking forward to The Time Traveler's Wife, which is one of my favorite books of all time. And of course, I'll be there opening night for Watchmen as long as Fox will let me. Mumble grumble…
actuallly, Billy Crudup is playing John Dillinger and Johnny Depp along with Bale and the dude from the dance films play the main gangsters. You forgot the two films with the most potential this year. First, Clint Eastwood is making a film called THE HUMAN FACTOR, from the novel about Nelson Mandela, and Morgan Freeman is playing Nelson Mandela. Matt Damon also has a role in that. The other film that you forgot is Alejandro-Gonzalez Inarritu's next film with Javier Bardem called BIUTIFUL. Inarritu is done with his trio of time perception related films and is going to branch, and this must be a great film because Bardem passed up the chance to play Pablo Escobar for it.
Oh and anytime Terrence Malick picks up a camera I get excited, and when he does the results are usually great, so TREE OF LIFE could be a great film, plus i hear it's kind of combination sci-fi and terry malick western and with a Penn and Pitt, the ptential for that film could be as high as the sky.
@Zack:
I didn't "forget" any of the movies you mention. All three are in the database:
Tree of Life: http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/movie/tree_of_life
Biutiful: http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/movie/biutiful
Untitled Clint Eastwood Movie: http://www.ropeofsilicon.com/movie/untitled-clint-eastwood-project
this list is very interesting, but i'm not convinced that watchman deserves the second place, the rest i think is correct.
FROM BRAD: Nah, just asked myself and my list is correct.
Wolverine is missing and so is transformers: Revenge of the fallen………. What's up with that??
FROM BRAD: Those two are not two of my 15 most anticipated.
My top 5
1. Ashecliffe (Scorsese's new movie isn't called Shutter Island, it's "Ashecliffe")
2. Public Enemies
3. Inglourious Basterds
4. Whatever Works
5. Up
FROM BRAD: It is called Shutter Island, here is the latest on it from USA Today
Nobody's mentioned "Black Dynamite"??? I think it looks like a lot of fun. "Inglourious Basterds" sounds awsum.
"Watchmen" can't be beat, anticipation-wise.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean that u didn't know about them. I just meant that they are very interesting projects and the ones I'm looking most foaward too.
hey, what's the scoop on Al Pacino playing Salvador Dali? that sounds very interesting.
@Adam: Not to worry about the presence of Fergie. My understanding is, her role is very small. Marshall must like her, because the song she does isn't in the original Broadway show, nor is her character. Anyway, the rest of the cast is stellar, and something I'm greatly looking forward to.
@Zack: I know, no worries. I also wonder if that Malick film will actually make a 2009 release. I agree though, once more information is released it will definitely climb on my radar. As for the Pacin/Dali flick… you know as much as I do.
What about Judd Apatow's Funny People? It's something he is actually directing than just producing and/or writing. I mean it's a big comedy director teaming with one of the biggest comedy actors, despite the latter's recent dip in quality compared to his past films. I'm finding it quite surprising it's not on a lot of anticipated 2009 movies lists.
I'm eagerly awaiting all of the films on this list. Being a long-time fan of Wolverine (not a fanatic, just a casual admirer) I guess I should mention X-Men Origins; however, after seeing the first trailer I have serious doubts – it could turn into a monumental cheese fest (ala "Electra"). Also, while I'm a big fan of Transformers, I'm not falling all over myself to see the next film – hope it rocks though (although, I hope on the second go-round they leave some of the slapstick humor behind).
However, my list has to include "Star Trek" and "Harry Potter & the Half-BLood Prince.
For me it's "Where the Wild Things Are" I can't wait ffor that movie.
Else I'm looking forward to "9", "The Informant", "Nine", "Cirque du Freak","The Fantastic Mr. Fox", "The Butterfly Tattoo" and "Shutter Island".
@Weitz: Cirque du Freak and Fantastic Mr. Fox were on the tail end of the list I was working on… I wonder though, what is the infatuation with Where the Wild Things Are? Is it Spike Jonze and that's it?
Solid list. Personally I'm really pumped for The Limits of Control and Antichrist more than anything.
I saw a fantastic trailer for Cherry Blossoms before Waltz With Bashir so thats also popped up to my most anticipated.
Also pretty pumped for that Michael Shannon flick debuting at Sundance
"Reservoir Dogs with Nazis", Inglorious Basterds FTW! Finally, it seems as though Tarantino has gone back to making movies for guys instead of making movies with "hot female protagonists". And anything that involves Michael Mann has my attention.
Nine and Agora are the two that I am really excited about. I love Nicole Kidman and Rachel Weisz! The cast on Nine is great, apart from Fergie (as everyone has mentioned)
Public Enemies and The Road look interesting. I am sick of Graphic Novel films (I did love The Dark Knight though), Brad Pitt is the most annoying actor, Tarantino films are always way over-rated, and Scorsese and DiCaprio again, boring.
Here is my top 15 (for now)
1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
As a Harry Potter geek this film is definitly my number one. And with the delay I am even more anxious to see how this film has turned out.
2. Public Enemies
Johnny Depp is my favorite actor. Ever since I saw Edward Scissorhands years ago I await anxiously his releases. Add the fact that it is directed by Michael Mann and Christian Bale is in it it just can't get better.
3. Shutter Island
I love Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio is also one of my favorite actors. The guy hasn't made a bad film since The Man in the Iron Mask in 1998. That is a decade of good to great films and amazing acting.
4. Inglorious Bastards
Even if Tarantino has lost some of his touch (I enjoyed Kill Bill, didn't like Death Proof a lot) and his originality (Kill Bill and Death Proof were after all Tarantino making films based on his old favorite styles) this film looks like it will be good ol' Tarantino back in shape.
5. Watchmen
I'm not a big comic book fan but Watchmen was fantastic. Hopefully Snyder will deliver because the trailer looks like he has nailed it.
6. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
What's a summer without big action flicks. Hugh Jackman back as Wolverine without Brett Ratner. Add a talented director as Gavin Hood and good supporting actors as Danny Huston and Liev Schrieber and this looks like a cool summer flick.
7. Green Zone
Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass. Don't need more to see a film.
8. Sherlock Holmes
I am not a big fan of Guy Ritchie (Lock Stock… and Snatch were entertaining, Revolver sucked ass and Swept Away I have never even bothered to see) but I love Robert Downey Jr., and his take on the master detective can be pretty cool.
9. Up
Ratatouille and Wall-E both looked uninteresting when I first found out about them. And I was wrong. Can Pixar do no wrong? Up looks like a great film and for the first time since The Incredibles I am looking forward to a animation film.
10. The Brothers Bloom
I loved Rian Johnson's directorial debut Brick. It is one of my favorite films and I am a big fan of Mark Ruffalo and Adrien Brody. It will be interesting to see if Johnson can impress again but unfortunatly I have my doubts as the film looks quite predictable.
11. The Road
I have never read any of Cormac McCarthy's books but I liked No Country for Old Men and The Road's story is intriguing and Viggo Mortenson is a good actor. But what sells me this film is director John Hillcoat. The Proposition is one of the best western ever made and I think he is a perfecet director to handle such a dark stoty,
12. Bruno
If Sacha Baron Coen can make this film as funny and at times quite a good social commentary as Borat was it will be a good time.
13. Terminator: Salvation
The War has finally begun and Christian Bale is in it. If only McG don't fuck it up it can be a good film.
14. Killshot
If Joseph Gordon-Levitt is in a movie I have to see it. The fact that it is based on a Elmore Leonard novel and is featuring Mickey Rourke also are also positive factors. Now this film actually gets released this year it would be good cause it has been delayed for over two years I believe.
15. Wolf Man
I don't have very high expectations for this film but it is with Benicio Del Toro and anything he is in is also a must-see for me.
This list will probably be changed when more films get their release dates but as for now this is my Top 15 most anticipated movies of 2009.
totally dug this list, I'm *really* high and hungover at the moment so just excuse these few comments:
- Jackson and Wahlberg are dwarfing those girls in that pic and I can't stop noticing it.
- love that Dale Dye-esque mug on Pitt's face in that pic of 'Basterds'.
- Again, great ranking of flicks in that list Mr. Brevet. On #1: Just read a corny-ass article via IMDB that introduced that movie to me and I'm nost definitely anticipating it at the moment.
Great news for Marion Cotillard here; PUBLIC ENEMIES first and NINE third. This is the woman beloved in France for a decade, but not very well-known here, until she hit the Awards Season route in LA, charmed everyone in sight, then won the British, French, and American Academy Awards (plus 26 others, many from critics' groups). Many cognoscenti say it's not just winning the Oscar for Best Actress but the films immediately following the win which cement (or not) one's international career future. (For the other side of the coin, think Berry, Kidman, Paltrow, et al.) This is not the only Most Anticipated 2009 Films list on which both PUBLIC ENEMIES and NINE are included. Looks like when Cotillard comes onstage in LA to present the Best Actor Oscar this year, EVERYONE who know who she is. Much deserved; this actress can do ANYTHING.
Cool list. I have never heard of like Whatever Works or Agora
The ones I want to see that are not on the list
The Wolf Man
Tree of Life
Taking Woodstock
All Good Things- I love Ryan Gosling
Leaves of Grass
The Princess and the Frog
Movies that I'm not sure about that are on your list.
The Lovely Bones- I really didn't like the book
Up- I don't really like Pixar films aside from the Incredibles, haven't seen Wall-E yet
Watchmen- Never read the Graphic Novel and that Last Trailer (The one where they talk) kind of turned down my anticipation.
Avatar- Not really interested
personally i cannot wait for lovely bones and basterds! going to be a great year. probably wont see every movie on the list but who knows…
I'd strike "Whatever Works" and "Shutter Island" from my personal list, because I just don't appreciate Woody Allen or Martin Scorcese… at all (actually, I'm saving my final judgment on Martin for after I've watched "Last Temptation of the Christ," which, after the raging bull that is "Raging Bull" and the entertaining-but-not-classic "Goodfellas," is the only Scorcese film that I'm still interested in watching).
And I'd add Terrence Malick's "The Tree of Life," which is currently in post-production. That and Amenabar's "Agora" have had just about zero buzz throughout their entire pre-production and filming, yet in the best way possible. I feel they'll both surprise audiences in great ways come late 2009. They might not be box office hits (if they were, "Agora" would probably be bigger), but I think the critics and the cinephile crowds will be pleased.
And I have great faith in "Lovely Bones"–it being pushed back to December 2009 as opposed to March 2009 is a very good thing. See what happened with "Valkyrie"? It was originally going to be a summer release, but it was pushed back to September.. then to February 2009… then settled on Christmas 2008 and is doing quite nicely, thank you very much. "Valkyrie" won't be big come Oscar time, but it might get a technical nom or two, and it'll make back all its money–definitely on DVD if not in theaters. "Lovely Bones" may be the same in terms of Oscars, though it may surprise us. But in terms of box office power I think it'll be very strong indeed. It's a bestselling book directed by Peter Jackson. I'll be surprised if the opening weekend isn't at least $30 million.
am i the only one anticapating "the soloist"!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!?!?!?!?!
You hit the nail on the head with Shutter Island. I originally read it because Im a Dennis Lehane fan and even though it was a great book, the ending made it seem pretty unfilmable. Unless its with the Rolling Stones, Im willing to see anything Scorcese puts out
@Mark: It's funny you say that because I feel the same way… I have Shine a Light on Blu-ray and have still not watched it because I am not a Stones fan. Just watched Boxcar Bertha though, not a bad little flick…
@mikey: with the recent resurrection of Robert Downey Jr.'s career (what with the success of Iron Man & Tropic Thunder – although for me, it began with 2005's "Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang"), I am also extremely excited and optimistic about "The Soloist."
However, I must admit, I've been completely disappointed in Jaime Foxx's performances after his phenomenal performance in "Ray." Here's hoping that his acting only adds to the success of this film.
I am so excited for Nine to come out. That is my number 1. Nicole Kidman has not been in a musical since Moulin Rouge, and that is my favorite movie of all time. Even though she is only in about a 4th of the movie, it seems as though musicals are her forte and I do not think Nine will disappoint.
I completely agree about Shutter Island. I mean, the cast seems perfect, but I sure don't know how it can be done.
I love your list, although Inglourious Basterds is number one for me, followed by Shutter Island, Public Enemies, The Road, & Nine. I'm not a hater, but I predict that the Watchmen will be a huge dissappointment to fans, critics, and even boxoffice to some extent. I mean, I'll see it, but I think the success and the brilliance of the Dark Knight and Iron Man will hurt it.
Sadly, I live in Small Town, America and haven't seen some of my most anticipated from 2008 yet (The Wrestler, Frost/Nixon, Slumdog Millionaire)!
BRAD: Since others are adding forgotten titles to the list: How about Terry Gilliam's THE IMAGINARIUM of DR. PARNASSUS? Even if the dollar-spending throngs don't show up, film buffs should be chomping at the bit.
@Dt Shindler: It certainly will be an interesting film to look forward to depending on when and how it is released. Good mention.
Tree of life!!!
Broken Embraces!!! (Almodovoar w/Penelope Cruz)
Also curious about Nine, Agora, Lovely Bones andThe imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus…
Anyone know if "Alice adventures in Wonderland" (Burton) is supposed to be a 2009 realease?? In that case, that will be my Nr. 1!!!
Sick list this year should be awesome. Im most psyched for Public enemies obviously but the Road should also be awesome. I really want to see how Billy Crudup does in Public Enemies and Watchmen, i loved him in Almost Famous and even Without Limits. But he seems to have fallen off since then.
Hey Brad any word on Blood Meridian? First i heard Ridley then imdb says Todd Field but it never gets any updates.
heeeeey,
what about
I, Lucifer, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus and Suburbicon ?!
possibly even Nottingham..
Just admit you overlooked those :)
Am I the only one looking forward to:
1) The Limits of Control (Jim Jarmusch)
2) The Brothers Bloom (Rian Johnson)
3) Fantastic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson)
4) Funny People (Judd Apatow)
???
Stephen Frear's Cheri
Mammoth
Peter Jackson's The Lovely Bones
Rob Marshall's Nine
Woody Allen's Whatever Works
It would be a waste if The Road went straight to dvd. Nick Cave made the music for it and the film is directed by John Hillcoat who made The Proposition, it also stars two Oscar nominees and one winner. Guy Pearce and Molly Parker also star. With talents like that it would spoil all chances of glory this might have had.
Amen about Public Enemies. What about Ledger's last The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnasuss by Terry Gilliam and The Tree of Life by Terrence Malick?
Hey BRAD: After seeing how many people repeat suggestions (obviously not having read what came before — that would be too much trouble), I once again bow to your saint-like patience when dealing with internet dwellers.
And to stay on topic, I have to admit that I'm also looking forward to more "under the radar" flicks like "The Perfect Getaway" (I loved Twohy's work on things like "The Fugitive" and thoroughly enjoyed flicks like "The Grand Tour," "The Arrival" and "Below"). And despite all of the bad-mouthing coming from film mavens after seeing only the trailer, I'm still looking forward to "Star Trek": even though he's had some misses, I still have enjoyed over two-thirds of the output of JJ Abrahams. Sometimes it's fun to go to the movies and watch what I like to think of as a "no brainer" ("Big Trouble in Little China" qualifies).
u should have added the film angels and demons too ur list. That film is gonna rock, i think its cming out march 2009. Its the from the book which has the same name written by dan brown.
@Brad Brevet: I'm guessing you didn't read the book as a child. I would say that Spike Jones is a part of it, but for those who've grown up with WTWTA, it's a book that consumes you as a child. It's scary and you don't forget it. It's a book that meets children at their level and doesn't pander to them. I'm obviously quite passionite about it and very excited for the film, because Spike Jonze is handling the film the same way Maurice Sendak wrote the book.
Great interview here (it's long): http://www.aintitcool.com/node/39145
for god's sake where is TRANSFORMERS: REVENGE OF THE FALLEN?
No mention of Julie & Julia?
i can't wait for 9 it's original and it looks cool
@justin casey: Justin — which one are you talking about — the comic book "9" or the musical "Nine"? I think Rob Marshall had better start calling his "Nine – The Musical" or people looking for both films will be disappointed.
just shutter isalan
scorsese and dicaprio togather is amazing…
wht about New Moon???? Whr does it come in to the list…at the top, I think…#1 off course…