2009: The Year In Preview (Film)

Even the fact that I don't see all the big movies of the year until about April has rolled around, I can say today that 2008 was not in the same league as the stellar 2007 crop of films. There were many bright spots, though, such as The Dark Knight or Slumdog, and I'm surely bound to see at least one more four-star film.

2009 sounds great, to me. Many original stories are going to be brought to the screen and an eclectic group of auteurs look to be bringing films to the screen. Along with the quirk of Wes Anderson and Spike Jonze, legends like Scorsese and Eastwood will also be in the thick of Oscar season, yet again.

So, without further ado, here are my ten most anticipated films of the new year...

10. The Fighter

The Wrestler with a cooler name? Sounds a bit Irish Rocky, about an Irish boxer making the rounds, in hopes of making a name for himself. This will be another harrowing human drama, hopefully, displaying some more brilliant performances. The Wrester-Fighter comparisons will be a plenty.

9. Public Enemies

Depp. Bale. Mann. That's enough of a selling point for me. I will admit, though, that I'm a little apprehensive in thinking that this will definitely be an amazing movie. Something seems amiss. Maybe it's the screenplay that might be the film's downfall? I don't know. One thing that I can see happening is Depp possibly getting his first Oscar. Bound to be a great performance.

8. Julie and Julia

What excited me so much about this film was the screenshots that were released. Streep looks in command of the Julia Child role. I've heard of the source material, though I'm not too sure of the book's structure. It sounds as though Julie (played by Amy Adams) attempts to cook all the recipes from Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" and we jump back and forth into Julia Child's life throughout this.

7. The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus

It unfortunate that this film got complicated due to Ledger's death. Yet seeing him in a new performance, probably a stellar one, is the reason I highly anticipate this film. Beyond that, the plot about a travelling theater company seems rather interesting. Can Gilliam finally make another great film?

6. Taking Woodstock

I honestly know little about the plot, yet what I do know is that Ang Lee is in the director's chair and an incredibly interesting cast is taking the stage. Is this the year Demetri Martin gets an Oscar nom? (that one was for you J.D.) Then, you have the ever-consistent Emile Hirsch along with Imelda Staunton and Paul Dano (Yes, I am a Dano Fano). Knowing Lee's attention to detail and beauty he brings to the screen, this could surely be great cinema.

5. The Human Factor

Clint Eastwood's Big Oscar Bait Film: 2009 Edition. Really, the main reason I'm anticipating it is the reception it will receive. How can this film fail? It's an easy win for Eastwood, will probably win Best Picture and will probably win Morgan Freeman another Oscar. End of story.

4. The Fantastic Mr. Fox

I'm an off-and-on Wes Anderson fan. Was disappointed with Rushmore but The Royal Tennenbaums is in my top 20. This adaptation of the classic Roald Dahl book (not a very good Dahl book, at that) should push the boundaries of Anderson as a filmmaker. I, honestly, cannot wait to see Anderson's aesthetic in animated form. Have been looking forward to this one for well over a year.

3. Up In The Air

Jason Reitman is back again, thank God. Following up Juno will be a tough thing to do, but if the screenplay is there (as it was in Juno), this could be another hit. (By the way, has Reitman been thrown into the Juno Backlash along with his film? Am I allowed to like him?) Clooney stars, alongside Vera Farmiga. Sounds very Punch-Drunk Love-ish, which is certainly a good thing.

2. Where the Wild Things Are

Have you seen the screenshots that have been released? Weird. That said, it's weird in the best way possible. Spike Jonze taking on a beloved children's book? It seems like a match made in heaven. The book is quirky, Jonze is too. The results should, if anything, be engrossingly unique.

1. Inglorious Basterds

Anticipation for this film has been up and down. Those who have read the script say the film will be junk, while others are simply pumped for Tarantino and the really odd (bordering on odd-in-bad-way) cast. The plot seems really crazy, entailing Jewish soldiers who must brutally murder Nazis. I have a feeling the finished product is going to be balls-to-the-walls insane, meaning this will be either Tarantino's worst or finest feature.

Not to be sappy, but really, this is what I love about movies. There are always films to look forward to, bringing you back to your favorite directors or actors. There are always more great films out there to be experienced. Hopefully, 2009 can produce a few masterpieces to get us through the year.