Thursday, December 31, 2009

Films of 2010

There are a few films that I'm really looking forward to next year so I thought I'd share them. A few are good old fashions blockbusters and are going to make money no matter how good the film ends up being and I'm just excited about the spectacle. But a couple are looking like they're going to be just plain awesome. Here they are in no particular order.


There's a little part of me that's going to miss the stop motion creatures when I go to see this. And there's something about Sam Wortington pisses me off but still, this looks like fun.

Matt Damon and Paul Greengrass are together again. This one is written by Brain Helgeland and based on the book Imperial Life in the Emerald City by Rajiv Chandrasekaran. The only thing that could work against this one is that it's about America's involvement in Iraq. Although, the Hurt Locker might have broken that winless streak. Trailers are here.


I'm equal parts excited and terrified by this. I'm excited because it's Ridley Scott directing Russel Crowe as Robin Hood and Cate Blanchet as Maid Marion. I'm terrified for the exact same reasons, except for Cate Blanchet, she's awesome in everything. Watch the trailer here.


Iron Man was so much fun and the trailer for this one looks pretty great. Don Cheadle replacing Terrance Howard is a fantastic thing. I love the crossover with all the other Marvel heroes - apparently Sam Jackson has a 10 picture deal as Nick Fury. I just hope they get someone like Jon Favreau to direct the other ones too. Trailers are here.



Christopher Nolan directing. Leonardo Dicaprio, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Ken Watanabe, Michael Caine, Marion Cotillard, Ellen Page, Cillian Murphy and more acting. But forget all them and just watch the trailer.


Alright, I know this sounds like a porno but it's written by the same duo who wrote Sexy Beast and the cast is pretty freakin great. Plus John Hurt's character is called "Old Man Peanut." Watch the trailer here.


Edward can fuck off. Trailers are here.


Spencer Susser's zombie short I Love Sarah Jane was pretty great, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt is a damn fine actor. The premise sounds interesting and it just got into Sundance. All signs point to yes. There's more info on this film over at Twitch.


The Green Hornet
I'm not too familiar with this comic but Michel Gondry is directing and the villain is played by Christoph Waltz. Seth Rogen as our hero worries me a little though as it probably means that Britt Reid, the Green Hornet's alter ego, will be a pot smoker.


There are a few films that I'm excited about but also a little unsure.


I always wanted to be Murdock when we played The A Team but that part went to my brother, which, when I think about it now was better casting. Not that he was or is "howling mad", he just looked the part more than I did. I ended up playing Hannibal, which wasn't bad cause I was the leader. It's the actors playing Murdock and Hannibal that have me excited about this one, Sharlto Copley and Liam Neeson, nice. Bradley Cooper as Faceman isn't bad either but I don't really know Quinton Jackson.



It looks like they're doing this one right. The design looks great and is similar to the original. The original cast is back and then some. Theirs still something that worries me about it. Maybe it's just that I actually liked the arcade game more than I liked the original film. Theirs a small trailer here.

Black Swan
A film about rival ballerinas...no, wait stay with me, it's written and directed by Darren Aronofsky and Vincent Cassel is in it. See, could be good.

The Social Network
The idea of a film about the beginnings of Facebook sounds terrible to me. If I could, I'd click "dislike" on this. However, its written by Aaron Sorkin and directed by David Fincher so now I don't know what to think.
The cast is awesome but I fear that Oliver Stone might get a bit too preachy.

Predators
I loved Predator. I' pretty sure I would still know a fair amount of the lines if I saw it today, not that it was heavy on dialogue. Predator 2 not so much and Alien Vs Predator I didn't watch. I wouldn't really be that excited about this but Robert Rodriguez has a writing credit on it and it's got a pretty decent cast with Adrian Brody, Lawrence Fishburne and Topher Grace. This could work.

Monday, December 28, 2009

Films Oh Nine

Here's my list of the best films of 2009. Some of these should probably be on the best of the decade list as I think it was a pretty great year.

Fantstic Mr. Fox (Wes Anderson)
500 Days of Summer (Marc Webb)
District 9 (Neil Blomkamp)
The Hurt Locker (Kathryn Bigelow)
Where the Wild Things Are (Spike Jonze)
Up (Pete Docter & Bob Peterson )
Inglorious Basterds (Quintin Tarantino)

Films I haven't seen but would probably have made the list had I gotten out to see them.

Up in the Air (Jason Reitman)
The Road (John Hillcoat)
Bright Star (Jane Campion)
A Serious Man (Coen Brothers)



Wednesday, December 23, 2009

The Decade's Best

Here are my 10 best films of the past decade, I tried to spread out the years and vary in genres and I'm sure as soon as I post this I'll remember a film that should have been included so I'm giving myself permission to post revisions.

Memento (Christopher Nolan, 2000)
Amélie (Jean-Pierre Jeunet, 2001)
Lord of the Rings - Trilogy (Peter Jackson, 2001/02/03)
28 Days Later (Danny Boyle, 2002)
City of God (Fernando Meirelles, 2002)
The Station Agent (Thomas McCarthy, 2003)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (Michel Gondry, 2004)
Caché (Michael Haneke, 2005)
Children of Men (Alfonso Cuarón, 2006)
No Country for Old Men (Coen Brothers, 2007)

Since I'm indecisive and couldn't really narrow it down with out at least mentioning my other favourites here's a (long) list of my Honourable Mentions

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (Coen Brothers, 2000)
Y tu mamá también (Alfonso Cuarón, 2001)
Royal Tennebaums (Wes Anderson, 2001)
The Bourne Trilogy (Doug Liman 2002, Paul Greengrass 2004/07)
Lost in Translation (Sofia Coppola, 2003)
Before Sunset (Richard Linklater, 2004)
The Motorcycle Diaries (Walter Salles, 2004)
Me and You and Everyone We Know (Mirand July, 2005)
The Lives of Others (Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, 2006)
The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford (Andrew Dominik, 2007)
There Will Be Blood (Paul Thomas Anderson, 2007)
Michael Clayton (Tony Gilroy, 2007)
Let the Right One In (Tomas Alfredson, 2008)
The Visitor (Thomas McCarthy, 2008)
Hunger (Steve McQueen, 2008)

I didn't pick any from this year as I thought I should give those films a little bit more time to see how they age, so to speak, but I will be making a best of 2009 list shortly.