Jason KingThe Big Films of 2009
January 3rd 2009 09:43
Category: No Category
With the end of 2008 and a Dark Knight slaughter of the film market share (deservedly so) - it is now time to start anticipating what big films are due out for our entertainment and wallet share in the coming year.
The following are my most anticipated films of 2009 and also the ones I think will attack the box office with vigour. I have attached posters and trailers where possible, some of the trailers may only be teasers.
ANGELS AND DEMONS
Ron Howard and Tom Hanks are back with Ewan McGregor this time in Dan Browne’s other great novel. I hated the Da Vinci Code movie but the trailer for this one looks darker and much more enjoyable.
X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
We’ve got high hopes for this one. The choice of Gavin (Tsotsi) Hood to direct seems inspired, and it’ll be great to have an X-men film without them somehow trying to shoehorn Halle Berry in. This is the Hugh Jackman-focussed tale that we’ve been looking forward to since the first X-men film hit big, and it could be one of 2009’s biggest. The Magneto movie will then follow.
STAR TREK XI
Or whatever the title turns out to be. Perhaps the most eagerly awaited reboot on the planet, JJ Abrams’ new Star Trek has been shunted back to next summer, which can only heighten the anticipation surrounding it. It’s been a long time since a really, really good Trek film and the footage I have seen of this so far totally blows my mind and get's me aroused in a masculaine sci-fi way
TERMINATOR SALVATION
The risk. A Terminator film with no Arnie. A Terminator film where they’ve allowed McG to play with the cameras, seemingly without watching, well, his earlier films. On the plus side, Christian Bale is good casting, but playing for a PG-13 rating in the States is very bad news indeed. This could be bad but it has Bale in it and we love him at the moment and the trailer looks good.
TRANSFORMERS 2
Bring it on - I loved the first one and more of the same I can live with. Shia ROCKS. That said, letting Michael Bay play with his computer graphics sure does guarantee bangs for your buck.
PRINCE OF PERSIA
Mike Newell is helming the big screen version of the videogame of the same name. It’s got potential, too, and if done properly could be an Indiana Jones of sorts, and certainly better than the ropey Tomb Raider films. And starring Jake Gyllenhaal with a budget of a small country I am excited.
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
According to the synopsis, "Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead." I don’t think anything more needs to be said about Harry. If you don’t know who or what he is then you are either from another planet or have just woken from a coma.
AVATAR
Outside of Star Trek, this is the one to chalk on your calendar now. James Cameron hasn’t directed a major film since Titanic over a decade ago, and the signs are that Avatar could mark another technological shift with regards what we get from a big screen experience. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s guaranteed to be fascinating. James Cameron is GOD as far as I am concerned and any giant sci-fi production that sees a war or worlds with aliens and Sigourney in it must be out of this world. Also the first feature shot entirely in DIG 3D – expect to be blown away. Has Cameron ever disappointed? Rhetorical!
WATCHMEN
A ragtag group of flawed superheroes must stop the arrival of a Cold War-style doomsday. Based on the comic-book series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons – the biggest graphic novel of all time that has been attempted to be made for years and years.
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
Director Quentin Tarantino. In Nazi-occupied France, a cinema owner, an actress and a group of resistance fighters hatch a plan to take down the Third Reich. The title comes from a 1978 Italian movie. The oddball cast includes Brad Pitt, Mike Myers and Eli Roth, director of the horror flick "Hostel."
SHUTTER ISLAND
Director Martin Scorsese. Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo are U.S. marshals investigating the disappearance of an heiress from an island-based madhouse. Based on Dennis Lehane's novel. The book will blow your mind – expect some Orphanage like scares.
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Director Spike Jonze. Jonze and novelist Dave Eggers wrote the screenplay adaptation of the Maurice Sendak children's classic. This is going to be totally amazing.
This isn't actually a trailer but some leaked footage.
The following are my most anticipated films of 2009 and also the ones I think will attack the box office with vigour. I have attached posters and trailers where possible, some of the trailers may only be teasers.
ANGELS AND DEMONS
Ron Howard and Tom Hanks are back with Ewan McGregor this time in Dan Browne’s other great novel. I hated the Da Vinci Code movie but the trailer for this one looks darker and much more enjoyable.
X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE
We’ve got high hopes for this one. The choice of Gavin (Tsotsi) Hood to direct seems inspired, and it’ll be great to have an X-men film without them somehow trying to shoehorn Halle Berry in. This is the Hugh Jackman-focussed tale that we’ve been looking forward to since the first X-men film hit big, and it could be one of 2009’s biggest. The Magneto movie will then follow.
STAR TREK XI
Or whatever the title turns out to be. Perhaps the most eagerly awaited reboot on the planet, JJ Abrams’ new Star Trek has been shunted back to next summer, which can only heighten the anticipation surrounding it. It’s been a long time since a really, really good Trek film and the footage I have seen of this so far totally blows my mind and get's me aroused in a masculaine sci-fi way
TERMINATOR SALVATION
The risk. A Terminator film with no Arnie. A Terminator film where they’ve allowed McG to play with the cameras, seemingly without watching, well, his earlier films. On the plus side, Christian Bale is good casting, but playing for a PG-13 rating in the States is very bad news indeed. This could be bad but it has Bale in it and we love him at the moment and the trailer looks good.
TRANSFORMERS 2
Bring it on - I loved the first one and more of the same I can live with. Shia ROCKS. That said, letting Michael Bay play with his computer graphics sure does guarantee bangs for your buck.
PRINCE OF PERSIA
Mike Newell is helming the big screen version of the videogame of the same name. It’s got potential, too, and if done properly could be an Indiana Jones of sorts, and certainly better than the ropey Tomb Raider films. And starring Jake Gyllenhaal with a budget of a small country I am excited.
HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE
According to the synopsis, "Love is in the air, but tragedy lies ahead." I don’t think anything more needs to be said about Harry. If you don’t know who or what he is then you are either from another planet or have just woken from a coma.
AVATAR
Outside of Star Trek, this is the one to chalk on your calendar now. James Cameron hasn’t directed a major film since Titanic over a decade ago, and the signs are that Avatar could mark another technological shift with regards what we get from a big screen experience. Whether it’s good or bad, it’s guaranteed to be fascinating. James Cameron is GOD as far as I am concerned and any giant sci-fi production that sees a war or worlds with aliens and Sigourney in it must be out of this world. Also the first feature shot entirely in DIG 3D – expect to be blown away. Has Cameron ever disappointed? Rhetorical!
WATCHMEN
A ragtag group of flawed superheroes must stop the arrival of a Cold War-style doomsday. Based on the comic-book series by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons – the biggest graphic novel of all time that has been attempted to be made for years and years.
INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
Director Quentin Tarantino. In Nazi-occupied France, a cinema owner, an actress and a group of resistance fighters hatch a plan to take down the Third Reich. The title comes from a 1978 Italian movie. The oddball cast includes Brad Pitt, Mike Myers and Eli Roth, director of the horror flick "Hostel."
SHUTTER ISLAND
Director Martin Scorsese. Leonardo DiCaprio and Mark Ruffalo are U.S. marshals investigating the disappearance of an heiress from an island-based madhouse. Based on Dennis Lehane's novel. The book will blow your mind – expect some Orphanage like scares.
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Director Spike Jonze. Jonze and novelist Dave Eggers wrote the screenplay adaptation of the Maurice Sendak children's classic. This is going to be totally amazing.
This isn't actually a trailer but some leaked footage.
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Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
These are the big films for the year -ie Blockbusters - there will be plenty of art house for you to enjoy.
Comment by Tracy
Movies and Life
Byee
Comment by Movie Mall
Movie Catcher
The Invisible Sky
Looking forward to the year ahead ...
Plenty to blog about.
Though I wonder if Wild Things will ever actually make it on to the big screen, and if so, in what form ... it's really had some problems.
I loved the book when I was a kid and will watch with great interest.
Comment by Damo
Watchmen looks like fun.
So does Terminator.
and X-Men
I am not so sure the world needs another Illuminati conspiracy film. But who knows?
Comment by Linh
Celluloid Fun
Very exciting list of blockbuster movies - but they all seem typical of every year's blockbuster films.
Sci-fi, fantasy, comic book inspired, best-selling- novel- based film, or a sequel to a huge hit.
The films I'm most interested in seeing are Watchmen, Inglourious Basterds (cool spelling!), Wolverine, Prince of Persia and Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince.
Cheers!
Comment by Michelle Sweeney
Competition Queen
Comment by Jason King
Sydney Table
Salty Popcorn
Total Randomness
Damo - I must get a hold of the original book - it seems everyone has read it except me. The Watchmen footage I have seen looks great - Zac Snyder fought all the way to stay true to the graphic novel. Fingers crossed on T4 and XMen.
Linh - agreed, but if you look back over the years most of the blockbusters read the same. Remember these are only the blockbusters I put up - there are thousands of close to original stories coming out including some more amazing films from Pixar, romantic comedies and tear jerking dramas - 09 looks like a great year of film to me. And bring on 2010 so we can see The Hobbit!
Michelle - Shutter Island is one the most amazing stories I have read - it is quite scary and with Leo and Scorsese I am hoping it will stay true and be just as brilliant. Basterds looks cool. Angels and Demons is very similar to Da Vinci Code from what I have heard but it's mostly set in Vatican City.
Avatar is the one I am most exited about!
Thanks for comments ladies and gents - have a great day!
Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
Where the Wild Things Are footage looks curiously dodgy.
Inglorious Basterds will be interesting to say the least. Curious about the misspelling.
Avatar will be awesome on IMAX.
Comment by Jason King
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Comment by Bryn
Horrorphile
cheers will do!
Comment by Wilson Pon
Health 2 Know
Adventure Toes
boxing sound
Business Rope
Fun Places 2 Travel
By the way, some of my friends said that Inglorious Basterds is pretty good as well (Hopefully, this is not another overrated film!)
Comment by Kevin 5
Review Mania: To Watch or Not To Watch
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Comment by Jason King
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Thanks for dropping in!