We're like, what, nearly two weeks into the new year but i'm bored as hell and so rather than do a year end list, i'll do a year start list of the top ten films i'm looking forward to this year.
10. Streets of Blood
Cast: Val Kilmer, 50 Cent, Michael Biehn and Sharon Stone
Release: TBA 2009
Why I care and so should you: To be honest, thetre really isn't much information released about this film at all, however, the idea of 50 Cent and Val 'The best Batman' Kilmer working together in a buddy cop movie just sounds too entertaining to pass up. Not to mention Michael Biehn is featured in the film making it their first partnership since the legendary Tombstone and their scenes were electric last time so I hope for similar again. By the way, if you're a member of the disgusting majority who don't know who Michael Biehn is, get educated because that man is criminally underrated.
9. Ninja Assassin
Cast: Rain, Rick Yune, Naomie Harris and Ben Miles
Release: Q1 2009
Why I care and so should you: It's very rare to see a a western movie actually attempt to do kung fu properly. The last film to do this right was The Matrix Revolutions way back in 2003 and while that film was majorly garbage, the final showdown between Smith and Neo is one of the greatest boss fights in cinema history. The reason why i'm bringing this up is the film is being produced and by the Wachowski Brothers and stars Rain who was Taejo Togokhan in the underappreciated future cult classic, Speed Racer, which was written and directed by the Wachowski's too. While little is known so far, I daresay that judging by the title alone, this should be an in your face fight film and if you like your films to be concise, then this should be for you.
8. Game
Cast: Gerard Butler, Milo Ventimiglia, Michael C. Hall and John Leguizamo
Release: September 4th 2009
Why I care and so should you: The first time I saw this film mentioned, the quick synopsis was 'TRON on steroids'. How can you not think that sounds great? Written and directed by Brian Neveldine and Brian Taylor, the brains behind the absolutely amazing Crank, Game stars Gerard Butler as Kable, the highest ranked Slayer in some online game or something. All you really need to know is this film will be Gerry Butler breaking fools for the duration and some of his rivals sound simply fantastic. Take Milo Ventimiglia's character, for example. His name is Rick Rape and he's dressed in a bumblebee striped latex outfit with a silver grill. Sounds crazy, sounds fun, sounds great.
7. G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra
Cast: Channing Tatum, Chris Eccleston, Lee Byung-Hun and Joseph Gordon-Levitt
Release: August 7th 2009
Why I care and so should you: The new big deal with Summer films have been comic book adaptations for a while and as a comic book fan, I must admit, I was getting kind of tired of the non stop adaptations but G.I. Joe is different and that's mainly because I know nothing about the franchise or the characters besides it was a well loved cartoon in the same vein as Transformers was. However, rather than getting a Michael Bay CGI-a-thon, this seems to be shaping up as a loving and well stylised adaptation with an almighty cast. As ensembles go, this one is incredibly ecclectic but also bursting with talent with the legend known as Chris Eccleston, new-age beefcake Channing Tatum, Korean sensation Lee Byung-Hun and Ray Park basically being Darth Maul all over again.
6. Up
Cast: Edward Asner, Christopher Plummer, Jordan Nagal and John Ratzenberger
Release: May 29th 2009 in America and fucking ridiculously, October 16th 2009 for the UK.
Why I care and so should you: Besides Cars, which was simply a cash-in to get out of their original Disney contract, PIXAR films have a special kind of magic that isn't seen in a lot of films. Quite simply, they work on a million levels: As films for kids, films for adults, funny, sad, touching, the list can go on forever. While the first wave of PIXAR features were primarily comedies, the success of Ratatouile paved the way for the groundbreaking WALL-E and now, up looks like it's going to be another bittersweet procudtion. This time with an old man who feels like life has slipped him by going on an adventure in a hot air balloon to a far off place with a stow away boy scout. With the main theme obviously being to enjoy life while you can and to not dwell on sad events of the past, I can see this being one of the most uplifting and heartwarming films of the year.
5. Crank 2: High Voltage
Cast: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Clifton Collins and Dwight Yoakam
Release: April 17th 2009
Why I care and so should you: I shouldn't have to write anything here. If you saw Crank and didn't enjoy it, you are among the worst people the world has ever known and the sequel looks like more of the same only even crazier than ever. In the last film, Statham was poisoned with the Beijing Cocktal, a poison why forced him to keep his heart rate up or he would die. After surviving the events of the first film, including calling out of a helicopter, Chelios lives and his heart still beats. It's so indestructible that it gets stolen and replaced with a battery. As you can imagine, Chev Chelios is super pissed and heads out to get his heart back in the same insane way as he did in the first film, only this time rather than having to keep his heart rate high, he has to keep electrocuting himself to keep his roboheart pumping. How can you say no?
4. Frost/Nixon
Cast: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon and Sam Rockwell
Release: Out now
Why I care and so should you: When Ron Howard is good, he's very, very good and when he's not he's Da Vinci and this is as far away from Da Vinci Code nonsense as you can get. On the surface, this film could easily be a boring and dry documentary style piece demonstrating Sir David Frost's interviews with the disgraced president following the Watergate scandal, however, the style and the pacing are more i line with a sports film than anything with Forst being repeatedly shot down by Nixon before finally cornering him and getting the interview of a life time. Personally, i've never enjoyed anything with Michael Sheen in before. As a key member of the Underworld franchise, which is plausibly the worst franchise since Police Academy, and as Tony Blair in the painfully slow The Queen, he really seems like an omen for films i'll hate but with a great surrounding cast, top notch director and fantastic true story, he may no longer be one of my most hated actors.
3. Watchmen
Cast: Patrick Wilson, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Jackie Earle Haley and Billy Crudup
Release: March 6th 2009/TBA
Why I care and so should you: When I mentioned earlier that I was tired of comic book adaptations, that is true, but something as epic as Watchmen definitely deserves a lot of attention. Particularly when it's directed by Zack Snyder who directed one of the most faithful and downright badass adaptations with 300 back in 2006. With this, he proved that he could not only take the comic book and reproduce it almost shot for shot but do it in an entertaining manner. With the cast made of relative unknowns, it's difficult to get too excited but his 300 cast was full of relative unknowns too and they were not only amazing but helmed by Gerard Butler who is now well on his way to being a star. And, speaking of Mr. Butler, he's going to appear on the DVD in an animated version ot the Tales of the Black Freighter which is to be added into the uncut version, estimated to run 3 hours and 25 minutes long and I don't doubt that it will be well worth the running time.
2. The Wrestler
Cast: Mickey Rourke, Marisa Tomei, Rachel Evan Wood and Ernest 'The Cat' Miller
Release: Jan 16th 2009 (UK) and probably out now in America
Why I care and so should you: I feel stupid listing this as a film i'm looking forward to when many people have already seen it and it's already winning plenty of award, but since this project was announced, I've been mad excited. Mickey Rourke had several killer performances in the late 80's/early 90's but his life was a mess and he ended up taking years out to box, get therapy and get some of the worst plastic surgery the world has ever known but now he's on the comeback. It might be a slow build but his performances in Robert Rodriguez' Once Upon a Time in Mexico and, more notably, Marv in Sin City were just the beginning of Rourke's return and that's what gives The Wrestler so much brevity as it looks like a case of art imitating life and if the critics are to be believed, it does it perfectly. Also, as a jaded wrestling fan, it's nice to see a film take the source material seriously.
1. Avatar
Cast: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez and Stephen Lang
Release: Decembet 18th 2009
Why I care and so should you: It's a James Cameron movie. I honestly can't think of anything else I need to say because James Cameron is the fucking man. He's made some of the most perfect movies ever and this comeback is sure to live up to expectation.
10. Streets of Blood
Val and Fiddy
Release: TBA 2009
Why I care and so should you: To be honest, thetre really isn't much information released about this film at all, however, the idea of 50 Cent and Val 'The best Batman' Kilmer working together in a buddy cop movie just sounds too entertaining to pass up. Not to mention Michael Biehn is featured in the film making it their first partnership since the legendary Tombstone and their scenes were electric last time so I hope for similar again. By the way, if you're a member of the disgusting majority who don't know who Michael Biehn is, get educated because that man is criminally underrated.
9. Ninja Assassin
The titular Ninja Assassin
Release: Q1 2009
Why I care and so should you: It's very rare to see a a western movie actually attempt to do kung fu properly. The last film to do this right was The Matrix Revolutions way back in 2003 and while that film was majorly garbage, the final showdown between Smith and Neo is one of the greatest boss fights in cinema history. The reason why i'm bringing this up is the film is being produced and by the Wachowski Brothers and stars Rain who was Taejo Togokhan in the underappreciated future cult classic, Speed Racer, which was written and directed by the Wachowski's too. While little is known so far, I daresay that judging by the title alone, this should be an in your face fight film and if you like your films to be concise, then this should be for you.
8. Game
Unfortunately, not about Triple H
Release: September 4th 2009
Why I care and so should you: The first time I saw this film mentioned, the quick synopsis was 'TRON on steroids'. How can you not think that sounds great? Written and directed by Brian Neveldine and Brian Taylor, the brains behind the absolutely amazing Crank, Game stars Gerard Butler as Kable, the highest ranked Slayer in some online game or something. All you really need to know is this film will be Gerry Butler breaking fools for the duration and some of his rivals sound simply fantastic. Take Milo Ventimiglia's character, for example. His name is Rick Rape and he's dressed in a bumblebee striped latex outfit with a silver grill. Sounds crazy, sounds fun, sounds great.
7. G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra
And knowing is half the battle!
Release: August 7th 2009
Why I care and so should you: The new big deal with Summer films have been comic book adaptations for a while and as a comic book fan, I must admit, I was getting kind of tired of the non stop adaptations but G.I. Joe is different and that's mainly because I know nothing about the franchise or the characters besides it was a well loved cartoon in the same vein as Transformers was. However, rather than getting a Michael Bay CGI-a-thon, this seems to be shaping up as a loving and well stylised adaptation with an almighty cast. As ensembles go, this one is incredibly ecclectic but also bursting with talent with the legend known as Chris Eccleston, new-age beefcake Channing Tatum, Korean sensation Lee Byung-Hun and Ray Park basically being Darth Maul all over again.
6. Up
Does what it says on the poster
Release: May 29th 2009 in America and fucking ridiculously, October 16th 2009 for the UK.
Why I care and so should you: Besides Cars, which was simply a cash-in to get out of their original Disney contract, PIXAR films have a special kind of magic that isn't seen in a lot of films. Quite simply, they work on a million levels: As films for kids, films for adults, funny, sad, touching, the list can go on forever. While the first wave of PIXAR features were primarily comedies, the success of Ratatouile paved the way for the groundbreaking WALL-E and now, up looks like it's going to be another bittersweet procudtion. This time with an old man who feels like life has slipped him by going on an adventure in a hot air balloon to a far off place with a stow away boy scout. With the main theme obviously being to enjoy life while you can and to not dwell on sad events of the past, I can see this being one of the most uplifting and heartwarming films of the year.
5. Crank 2: High Voltage
Statham's unbreakable heart
Release: April 17th 2009
Why I care and so should you: I shouldn't have to write anything here. If you saw Crank and didn't enjoy it, you are among the worst people the world has ever known and the sequel looks like more of the same only even crazier than ever. In the last film, Statham was poisoned with the Beijing Cocktal, a poison why forced him to keep his heart rate up or he would die. After surviving the events of the first film, including calling out of a helicopter, Chelios lives and his heart still beats. It's so indestructible that it gets stolen and replaced with a battery. As you can imagine, Chev Chelios is super pissed and heads out to get his heart back in the same insane way as he did in the first film, only this time rather than having to keep his heart rate high, he has to keep electrocuting himself to keep his roboheart pumping. How can you say no?
4. Frost/Nixon
Best slash titled film since Face/Off
Release: Out now
Why I care and so should you: When Ron Howard is good, he's very, very good and when he's not he's Da Vinci and this is as far away from Da Vinci Code nonsense as you can get. On the surface, this film could easily be a boring and dry documentary style piece demonstrating Sir David Frost's interviews with the disgraced president following the Watergate scandal, however, the style and the pacing are more i line with a sports film than anything with Forst being repeatedly shot down by Nixon before finally cornering him and getting the interview of a life time. Personally, i've never enjoyed anything with Michael Sheen in before. As a key member of the Underworld franchise, which is plausibly the worst franchise since Police Academy, and as Tony Blair in the painfully slow The Queen, he really seems like an omen for films i'll hate but with a great surrounding cast, top notch director and fantastic true story, he may no longer be one of my most hated actors.
3. Watchmen
Release: March 6th 2009/TBA
Why I care and so should you: When I mentioned earlier that I was tired of comic book adaptations, that is true, but something as epic as Watchmen definitely deserves a lot of attention. Particularly when it's directed by Zack Snyder who directed one of the most faithful and downright badass adaptations with 300 back in 2006. With this, he proved that he could not only take the comic book and reproduce it almost shot for shot but do it in an entertaining manner. With the cast made of relative unknowns, it's difficult to get too excited but his 300 cast was full of relative unknowns too and they were not only amazing but helmed by Gerard Butler who is now well on his way to being a star. And, speaking of Mr. Butler, he's going to appear on the DVD in an animated version ot the Tales of the Black Freighter which is to be added into the uncut version, estimated to run 3 hours and 25 minutes long and I don't doubt that it will be well worth the running time.
2. The Wrestler
Mickey Rourke as Randy Robinson
Release: Jan 16th 2009 (UK) and probably out now in America
Why I care and so should you: I feel stupid listing this as a film i'm looking forward to when many people have already seen it and it's already winning plenty of award, but since this project was announced, I've been mad excited. Mickey Rourke had several killer performances in the late 80's/early 90's but his life was a mess and he ended up taking years out to box, get therapy and get some of the worst plastic surgery the world has ever known but now he's on the comeback. It might be a slow build but his performances in Robert Rodriguez' Once Upon a Time in Mexico and, more notably, Marv in Sin City were just the beginning of Rourke's return and that's what gives The Wrestler so much brevity as it looks like a case of art imitating life and if the critics are to be believed, it does it perfectly. Also, as a jaded wrestling fan, it's nice to see a film take the source material seriously.
1. Avatar
I've already made the Airbender joke elsewhere
Release: Decembet 18th 2009
Why I care and so should you: It's a James Cameron movie. I honestly can't think of anything else I need to say because James Cameron is the fucking man. He's made some of the most perfect movies ever and this comeback is sure to live up to expectation.
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