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Every weekday of December (except for December 25, that is), Phillyist will be counting down to 2009 with our highlights from the past year and our predictions for the next. If you have a list you'd like to submit, let us know!
10. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs
Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs was one of my favorite books as a kid. It takes a simple but fantastic premise (what if it started raining food?) and plays with it in wonderful ways, with many beautiful illustrations. Now the book is getting adapted into an animated movie, with voice acting provided by James Caan, Bruce Campbell, Andy Samberg, Tracy Morgan, and even Mr. T! The only thing I'm worried about is how they're going to pad such a simple story into something big enough and complex enough to fill up a full-length movie, but hopefully they won't screw it up.
9. The Wolf Man
Director Joe Johnston and a pretty impressive cast that includes Anthony Hopkins, Benicio Del Toro, Hugo Weaving, and Emily Blunt are getting together to remake Universal's classic 1941 film, which starred Lon Chaney Jr. as a man cursed to transform into a werewolf. The original Wolf Man is actually one of the lesser of the Universal monster movies, thanks in part to the fact that Lon Chaney's Larry Talbot is weak, whiny, and weird. Del Toro is frankly a far more accomplished actor, and he's backed up by plenty of other great talent here, so I'm expecting a remake that's actually better than the original for once.
8. X-Men Origins: Wolverine
Wolverine is almost certainly the most popular character in the X-Men franchise, so it's not at all surprising that he would get his own spin-off movie. It's still exciting, though, especially considering that Hugh Jackman is reprising his role as everybody's favorite beast-like Canadian mutant. The IMDB cast list promises appearances by plenty of other mutants and humans whose names are familiar to comic book geeks, and the story will apparently delve into Wolverine's secret past. Should be fun!
7. Where the Wild Things Are
Another great children's book being turned into a movie is Maurice Sendak's classic work Where the Wild Things Are, which is being adapted into a live-action film by visionary director Spike Jonze. This one was getting some bad buzz earlier this year, but it sounds like Jonze and the studio have settled their disagreements, and now I just have a really good feeling about the movie. Forest Whitaker, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara, Catherine Keener, Paul Dano, and Tom Noonan all either appear in the film, or provide their voices. With these talented folks involved, and Jonze calling the shots, I think we're going to end up with a really beautiful, surreal, unique film that might just be a modern classic.
6. The Fantastic Mr. Fox
Wes Anderson is an amazing and unique talent, and his next movie would probably have ended up on this list no matter what it was about, but the fact that it's an animated adaptation of a Roald Dahl novel with George Clooney, Cate Blanchett, Bill Murray, Jason Schwartzman, and Anjelica Huston in the cast makes it totally irresistible.
5. Nottingham
Director Ridley Scott takes on the legend of Robin Hood, recasting it as a love triangle among Robin, Maid Marian, and the Sherriff of Nottingham. The really interesting bit is that both Robin and the Sherriff are being played by the same man: Russell Crowe. Sienna Miller will take on the role of Marian. I've always been a fan of the Robin Hood story, some of Ridley Scott's films are my favorites of all time, and I'm really fascinated by the gimmick they're using with Crowe playing two roles, so I definitely want to check this one out.
4. Sherlock Holmes
Another legendary fictional character getting the movie treatment next year is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's brilliant detective. The man in the director's chair this time is Guy Ritchie, whose work has been uneven, but whose good stuff is really good. The mighty Robert Downey Jr. will take on the role of Holmes, with Rachel McAdams as his love interest (Irene Adler), and Jude Law as the erstwhile Dr. Watson. I love that cast, and it's been too long since I've seen a good Sherlock Holmes film, so I'm primed and ready for this one.
3. Public Enemies
The title of this film is so bland and boring, and so similar to the titles of so many other films, I always assume it's some movie I don't want to see. But then I realize it's that movie about crime in 1930s America, directed by Michael Mann, starring Johnny Depp as John Dillinger, Christian Bale, Billy Crudup as J. Edgar Hoover, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Dorff, Lili Taylor, Channing Tatum, and Leelee Sobieski. And that movie sounds awesome!
2. Terminator Salvation
I'm not all that pleased that McG of Charlie's Angels infamy is directing this movie, but there hasn't been a Terminator movie yet that I haven't loved (yes, even 3), and that's not to mention the fantastic TV series that has been keeping my love of killing machines from the future alive since the last film came out. Plus, Salvation stars the incredibly talented Christian Bale as John Connor, with Helena Bonham Carter and Michael Ironside backing him up. I have high hopes.
1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
This one made last year's list, because it was going to come out in 2008... until the lame studio execs decided they needed a tentpole release for summer of 2009. Bastards! Anyway, when it finally does hit screens, I'll be there front and center, because... well, because I'm a Harry Potter fan, and therefore have no choice. But even if I did have a choice I'd be looking forward to this one. It's an exciting fantasy adventure with magic, action, and comedy, and it's the latest entry in a pretty impressive series of films, each of which has been better than the last, thanks in part to the fact that its cast of actors has been growing up and getting more talented as the series has progressed. And fans of the books know this film should be particularly dark and dramatic.
Image via Internet Movie Poster Awards Gallery
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Wow, people really have no original ideas for movies anymore, do they?
10: Adapatation
9: Remake
8: Spin-off/part of a series
7: Adaptation
6: Adaptation
5: Classic characters
4: Classic characters
3: (Okay, I'll give you this one, as long as it's not a truly historical film.)
2: Part of a series
1: Adaptation/part of a series
We live in a postmodern age, my friend. And hey, clearly the unoriginal ideas are working! On me, at least.
You are an idiot for falling into the trap of unoriginal derivative movies. Only a fool would waste money seeing this uninspired tripe and only a tool would look forward to any of this garbage.
It's funny how in the act of calling someone else an idiot, a fool, and a tool, one can reveal himself to be all three.
Jim, you stole my thoughts with what you've written in comment #4. Ditto.
Also, I agree about the title Public Enemies. One of the more important rules in screenwriting/movie making is having a title/logline/poster that tells the story of the movie, and that generic title does nothing to hint at how cool the details of the movie actually sound.
Angela - Thanks. :)
They should really retitle the film simply Dillinger! Then the poster can read: "Johnny Depp is... Dillinger!" Bam!
That is so awesomely 1960s, Jim. Love it.
Jill - Thanks!
P.S. Depp would have to appear on the poster, too, of course, probably pointing a tommy gun straight out at the viewer.
Naturally.
Jim, I too loved your rebuttal to Joe Carter, and I also thoroughly enjoyed your 2009 film forecast. I will say this though: Am I the only one who thinks that Wes Anderson is the most overrated director in modern cinema? To my estimation, he has made one decent film (The Royal Tenenbaums) and the rest are simply assumed to be cool because they feature Bowie, The Kinks, and ironic usage of Cat Stevens ditties. One man's opinion, I guess.
Thanks, bheezy.
Although I can see how you'd feel that way about Wes Anderson, I personally thought Rushmore and The Life Aquatic were nearly as excellent as The Royal Tenenbaums. His style is so unique and quirky and deliberately weird that it can be slightly irritating at times, but overall I love it.
Trust me, I have always felt somehow deficient for not liking the movies, but at some point I had to come to grips with the fact that I thought The Life Aquatic blew...and I am now OK with it.
I am ashamed to admit that until about a year and a half ago, I had not seen any of Wes Anderson's movies. Angela properly intorduced me to his movies with Bottle Rocket. I am a fan and have to say that The Darjeeling Limited was my favorite. And I was a big fan of Life Aquatic.