The 25 Most Anticipated of 2009

And, having completed my Top 25 of 2009, what would a New Year be without one...more...list? I did a pretty good job of catching the majority of my 25 Most Anticipated of 2009, which looked like this:

The Wolf Man
Nine
Sherlock Holmes
Watchmen
Public Enemies
Notorious
State of Play
Where the Wild Things Are
Julie & Julia
(500) Days of Summer
Up
A Christmas Carol
The Tempest
Inglourious Basterds
My Bloody Valentine 3D
Funny People
The Informant!
Duplicity
Coraline
Shutter Island
New York, I Love You
The Box
Monsters vs. Aliens
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
X-Men Origins: Wolverine

Hilarious. Of these 25, three were moved to 2010 (The Wolf Man, Shutter Island, The Tempest), while six (Sherlock Holmes, Notorious, My Bloody Valentine, Duplicity, NYILY, Monsters vs. Aliens) are still unseen by me. This is especially sad since I actually have a copy of Notorious. In the end, I only saw 16 of my 25 anticipated films, which was a disappointment after managing to catch 21 of my 25 of 2008. Hopefully, I will do better in this new decade. On the plus side, three of the first ten made it to my year-end Top Ten, while six others made it to the Top 25.

It wasn't easy narrowing this down from an initial list of about 200 titles, but hopefully, these are the movies that won't disappoint.

25. HARRY BROWN

WHEN: 2010
DIRECTOR: Daniel Barber
WRITER: Gary Young (The Tournament, The Last Drop)
STARS: Michael Caine (Jaws: The Revenge, The Dark Knight)
Emily Mortimer (Lars and the Real Girl, Match Point)
SYNOPSIS: When his friend is murdered, Harry Brown takes justice into his own, withered hands
WHY: Michael Caine is my favorite living actor, so it's always exciting to see him in the lead, especially at 76 years old. And we so rarely get to see people of that age busting caps in people's asses, so this is pretty refreshing.
AWARDS ALERT: Michael Caine is a two-time Oscar Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Hannah and Her Sisters, The Cider House Rules)

24. TOY STORY 3

WHEN: June 18, 2010
DIRECTOR: Lee Unkrich (Toy Story 2, Finding Nemo)
WRITER: Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine)
STARS: Tom Hanks (Toy Story, Charlie Wilson's War)
Tim Allen (The Santa Clause, Wild Hogs)
Joan Cusack (Addams Family Values, Friends with Money)
John Ratzenberger (House 2: The Second Story, Up)
Timothy Dalton (Sextette, Hot Fuzz)
SYNOPSIS: The toys end up in a day care when Andy goes to college.
WHY: Well, it's the third chapter in the series that launched Pixar. Toy Story 2 was even better than the original, so hopefully this can continue the trend. It's very cool, too, to see Oscar-winner Arndt as scribe. Timothy Dalton is playing a porcupine named Mr. Pricklepants, too.
AWARDS ALERT: Michael Arndt won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay (Little Miss Sunshine).
Tom Hanks is a two-time Oscar Winner (Philadelphia, Forrest Gump).
Joan Cusack is a two-time Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Working Girl, In & Out).
Ned Beatty is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Network).
Whoopi Goldberg is an Oscar Winner Best Supporting Actress (Ghost).


23. THE EXPENDABLES

WHEN: August 20, 2010
DIRECTOR: Sylvester Stallone (Rocky Balboa, Rambo)
WRITER: Dave Callaham (Doom, Horsemen) and Stallone, from a story by Callaham
STARS: Sylvester Stallone (Cop Land, Stop or My Mom Will Shoot)
Jason Statham (Crank, In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale)
Jet Li (Romeo Must Die, The Forbidden Kingdom)
Dolph Lundgren (Masters of the Universe, Command Performance)
Mickey Rourke (Angel Heart, The Informers)
SYNOPSIS: A team of mercenaries sets out to overthrow a dictator in South America.
WHY: The teaming of Stallone, Lundgren, Rourke, Li, Statham, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Eric Roberts and Stone Cold Steve Austin is a historic one.
AWARDS ALERT: Sylvester Stallone earned nominations from Oscar for Best Actor (Rocky), and for Best Original Screenplay (Rocky).
Eric Roberts is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Runaway Train).
Mickey Rourke was nominated for the Oscar and won the Hollmann Award for Best Actor (The Wrestler).

22. THE GHOST WRITER

WHEN: 2010
DIRECTOR: Roman Polanski (Suspiria, Oliver Twist)
WRITER: Robert Harris (Enigma) and Polanski, from the novel by Harris
STARS: Pierce Brosnan (The Mirror Crack'd, Mamma Mia)
Ewan McGregor (Trainspotting, Big Fish)
Tom Wilkinson (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Batman Begins)
Olivia Williams (Peter Pan, An Education)
Kim Cattrall (Mannequin, Sex and the City)
SYNOPSIS: A former Prime Minister hires a ghost writer to complete his memoirs, involving the man in his sordid life.
WHY: My unhealthy obsession with James Bond leads me to see a large number of movies based solely on the fact that they feature 007 in one of the roles. This is one of them, though the political thriller aspect is enticing.
AWARDS ALERT: Tom Wilkinson is a two-time Oscar Nominee for Best Actor (In the Bedroom) and Best Supporting Actor (Michael Clayton).
Eli Wallach is a Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Holiday).
Timothy Hutton is an Oscar Winner for Best Supporting Actor (Ordinary People).

21. CHLOE

WHEN: March 19, 2010
DIRECTOR: Atom Egoyan (Where the Truth Lies, Adoration)
WRITER: Erin Cressida Wilson (Secretary, Fur: An Imaginary Portrait of Diane Arbus), from the film Nathalie as written and directed by Anne Fontaine
STARS: Julianne Moore (The Big Lebowski, Short Cuts)
Amanda Seyfried (Mean Girls, Mamma Mia!)
Liam Neeson (Love Actually, Taken)
SYNOPSIS: A wife hires a woman to seduce her husband.
WHY: These are three actors I admire, and I hear it's pretty neat. Julianne Moore is a goddess, and Amanda Seyfried isn't so bad herself.
AWARDS ALERT: Julianne Moore is a four-time Oscar Nominee for Best Actress (The End of the Affair, Far From Heaven) and Best Supporting Actress (Boogie Nights, The Hours).
Liam Neeson is an Oscar Nominee for Best Actor for Schindler's List.

20. 13

WHEN: 2010
DIRECTOR: Gela Babluani (13 Tzameti, L'heritage)
WRITER: Babluani, from his 2006 film 13 Tzameti
STARS: Mickey Rourke (9 1/2 Weeks, The Expendables)
Sam Riley (Control, Franklyn)
Natasha Lyonne (Everyone Says I Love You, Party Monster)
Gaby Hoffman (Now & Then, You Can Count On Me)
Ray Winstone (The Departed, Beowulf)
SYNOPSIS: A young man unwittingly finds himself in the midst of a Russian Roulette competition.
WHY: I saw the original my first year of college, and it was incredible. This version has the benefit of the same writer-director and a great ensemble. I liked Riley's work in Control. It's very exciting to see a reunion between Lyonne and Hoffman, who played half-sisers in Everyone Says I Love You, my second favorite film of all time.
AWARDS ALERT: In addition to Mickey Rourke...
Michael Shannon is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Revolutionary Road).

19. CORIOLANUS

WHEN: 2010
DIRECTOR: Ralph Fiennes
WRITER: John Logan (Bats, The Last Samurai), from the play by Wm. Shakespeare
STARS: Ralph Fiennes (Red Dragon, In Bruges)
Gerard Butler (300, The Ugly Truth)
William Hurt (The Village, Mr. Brooks)
Vanessa Redgrave (Murder on the Orient Express, Atonement)
Eddie Marsan (Happy-Go-Lucky, Sherlock Holmes)
SYNOPSIS: From IMDb: “A banished hero of Rome allies with a sworn enemy to take his revenge on the city.”
WHY: I am unfamiliar with this play, so that's refreshing. I enjoy Fiennes as an actor, so it will be interesting to see what he does when he has directing duties as well. And this is Butler's first real chance to show us his Acting Skills. And I really love William Hurt. Fun fact: co-star Jessica Chastain will be playing Vanessa Redgrave's role in the upcoming made-for-TV remake of Murder on the Orient Express. Fun times.
AWARDS ALERT: Ralph Fiennes is a two-time Oscar Nominee for Best Actor (The English Patient) and Best Supporting Actor (Schindler's List) and a Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Duchess).
William Hurt is an Oscar Winner for Best Actor (Kiss of the Spider Woman).
Vanessa Redgrave is an Oscar Winner for Best Supporting Actress (Julia).

18. CLASH OF THE TITANS

WHEN: March 26, 2010
DIRECTOR: Louis Leterrier (Unleashed/Danny the Dog, The Incredible Hulk)
WRITERS: Travis Beacham (Dog Days of Summer), Phil Hay (Crazy/Beautiful, AEon Flux) and Matt Manfredi (Bug, The Tuxedo), from the 1981 film written by Beverley Cross and directed by Desmond Davis
STARS: Sam Worthington (Terminator: Salvation, Avatar)
Ralph Fiennes (Quiz Show, The Prince of Egypt)
Liam Neeson (Rob Roy, Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace)
Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace, St. Trinian's)
Mads Mikkelsen (Casino Royale, After the Wedding)
SYNOPSIS: Perseus, son of Zeus, does cool shit.
WHY: Although I admire the original, it is rather lacking in, how you say, "excitement". Louis Leterrier's previous films are well-regarded action flicks, and the trailer indicates that this version will be thrills, thrills, thrills!
AWARDS ALERT: In addition to Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson...
Pete Postlethwaite is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (In the Name of the Father)

17. IRON MAN 2

WHEN: May 7, 2010
DIRECTOR: Jon Favreau (Elf, Zathura)
WRITER: Justin Theroux (Tropic Thunder), from the Marvel comic
STARS: Robert Downey, Jr. (Home for the Holidays, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang)
Mickey Rourke (Body Heat, Sin City)
Sam Rockwell (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Moon)
Gwyneth Paltrow (The Royal Tenenbaums, Two Lovers)
Don Cheadle (Devil in a Blue Dress, Hotel for Dogs)
SYNOPSIS: Iron Man vs. Whiplash, with ScarJo as Black Widow.
WHY: The first one was awesome. They've assembled a killer cast. ScarJo as Black Widow.
AWARDS ALERT: In addition to Mickey Rourke...
Robert Downey, Jr. is a two-time Oscar Nominee for Best Actor (Chaplin) and Best Supporting Actor (Tropic Thunder).
Gwyneth Paltrow is an Oscar Winner for Best Actress (Shakespeare in Love).
Don Cheadle is an Oscar Nominee for Best Actor (Hotel Rwanda).
Samuel L. Jackson is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Pulp Fiction) and a two-time Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor (Snakes on a Plane, Black Snake Moan)

16. THE SOCIAL NETWORK

WHEN: October 15, 2010
DIRECTOR: David Fincher (Fight Club, Zodiac)
WRITER: Aaron Sorkin (The American President, Charlie Wilson's War), from The Accidental Millionaires by Ben Mezrich
STARS: Jesse Eisenberg (The Squid and the Whale, Zombieland)
Justin Timberlake (Alpha Dog, Southland Tales)
Andrew Garfield (Lions for Lambs, The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus)
Rashida Jones (The Ten, I Love You, Man)
Brenda Song (College Road Trip, "The Suite Life of Zack and Cody")
SYNOPSIS: The inside story of how Facebook came to be.
WHY: It's not just a prescient story that I really want to hear; it's also written by the creator of one of my favorite shows, "The West Wing". I like Eisenberg, I see potential in Timberlake, Jones is a fox and Song is an actress I want to see more of. Fincher is 5-for-5 with me (I never saw The Game).
AWARDS ALERT: David Fincher is an Oscar and Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Director (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button)

15. THE RUNAWAYS

WHEN: March 19, 2010
DIRECTOR/WRITER: Floria Sigismondi
STARS: Kristen Stewart (Panic Room, Twilight)
Dakota Fanning (War of the Worlds, The Secret Life of Bees)
Alia Shawkat (Amreeka, Whip It)
Scout Taylor-Compton (Halloween, Charlie Wilson's War)
Michael Shannon (8 Mile, Before the Devil Knows You're Dead)
SYNOPSIS: From Dark Horizons: "The story of the hugely influential and first successful all-girl hard rock band which began in late 1975 as a novelty act of teenaged girls performing in leather and lace. The girls ended up proving to be serious and influential musicians over the next four years."
WHY: So I can see what the big deal is with Stewart and Fanning. It's not just that, of course: the movie looks genuinely interesting, and I don't think I've even heard a Runaways song. Will this movie get me edumacated?
AWARDS ALERT: Besides Michael Shannon...
Tatum O'Neal is an Oscar Winner for Best Supporting Actress (Paper Moon)

14. INCEPTION

WHEN: July 16, 2010
DIRECTOR/WRITER: Christopher Nolan (Batman Begins, The Prestige)
STARS: Leonardo DiCaprio (Romeo + Juliet, Gangs of New York)
Ken Watanabe (Memoirs of a Geisha, Batman Begins)
Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Angels in the Outfield, GI Joe: The Rise of Cobra)
Marion Cotillard (Big Fish, Public Enemies)
Ellen Page (Hard Candy, Whip It!)
SYNOPSIS: Who knows? Apparently, your mind is the scene of the crime.
WHY: After Memento, Batman Begins, The Prestige and The Dark Knight, I think I can walk blindly into a Nolan movie and expect entertainment.
AWARDS ALERT: In addition to Michael Caine...
Christopher Nolan is an Oscar Nominee for Best Original Screenplay (Memento) and a Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay (The Dark Knight)
Leonardo DiCaprio is a three-time Oscar Nominee for Best Actor (The Aviator, Blood Diamond) and Best Supporting Actor (What's Eating Gilbert Grape?) and a Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Departed)
Ken Watanabe is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Last Samurai)
Marion Cotillard is an Oscar and Hollmann Award Winner for Best Actress (La Vie en Rose)
Ellen Page is an Oscar and Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actress (Juno)
Tom Berenger is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Platoon)

13. VALENTINE'S DAY

WHEN: February 12, 2010
DIRECTOR: Garry Marshall (Pretty Woman, The Princess Diaries)
WRITER: Katherine Fugate (Carolina, The Prince & Me), from a story by Fugate, Abby Kohn (Never Been Kissed, He's Just Not That Into You) and Marc Silverstein (Never Been Kissed, He's Just Not That Into You)
STARS: Taylor Lautner (Sharkboy and Lava Girl in 3D, The Twilight Saga: New Moon)
Bradley Cooper (Wedding Crashers, The Hangover)
Jessica Biel (Ulee's Gold, Easy Virtue)
Jennifer Garner (Daredevil, Juno)
Patrick Dempsey (Can't Buy Me Love, Enchanted)
and many more...
SYNOPSIS: Various couples and singles intersect on the Day of Love in this ensemble rom-com in the vein of Love Actually.
WHY: Now, I like romantic-comedies, but I don't always give them a pass. Indeed, much of the time, rom-coms look pandering and awful (Leap Year). But not only does this look like an enjoyable romp by one of the masters of the genre...it's also an ensemble film. My three all-time favorite movies are Nashville, Everyone Says I Love You and Magnolia. Clearly, I'm a sucker for this sub-genre.
AWARDS ALERT: Anne Hathaway is an Oscar and Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actress (Rachel Getting Married)
Julia Roberts is an Oscar Winner for Best Actress (Erin Brockovich)
Jamie Foxx is an Oscar Winner for Best Actor (Ray)
Queen Latifah is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Chicago)
Shirley MacLaine is an Oscar Winner for Best Actress (Terms of Endearment)

12. MAIN STREET

WHEN: 2010
DIRECTOR: John Doyle
WRITER: Horton Foote (The Trip to Bountiful, Of Mice and Men)
STARS: Colin Firth (Love Actually, Easy Virtue)
Orlando Bloom (Troy, Pirates of the Caribbean)
Patricia Clarkson (Far From Heaven, Dogville)
Ellen Burstyn (Requiem for a Dream, The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood)
Margo Martindale (Million Dollar Baby, Paris, je t'aime)
SYNOPSIS: The arrival of a stranger changes a small town in North Carolina.
WHY: Never mind the vague premise. It's the last screenplay written by the great Horton Foote. Patty Clarkson and Colin Firth are in it. Southerners. I am in.
AWARDS ALERT: Horton Foote is a two-time Oscar Winner for Best Adapted and Original Screenplays (To Kill a Mockingbird, Tender Mercies)
Patricia Clarkson is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Pieces of April)
Ellen Burstyn is an Oscar Winner for Best Actress (Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore)

11. SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD
WHEN: 2010
DIRECTOR: Edgar Wright (Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz)
WRITERS: Wright and Michael Bacall (Manic, Bookies), from the graphic novels by Bryan Lee O'Malley
STARS: Michael Cera (Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, Juno)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Sky High, Grindhouse)
Chris Evans (Not Another Teen Movie, Fantastic Four)
Brandon Routh (Superman Returns, Zack & Miri Make a Porno)
Jason Schwartzman (Rushmore, Fantastic Mr. Fox)
SYNOPSIS: Scott Pilgrim must fight the Five Evil Exes of Ramona Flowers to earn her love.
WHY: With the last volume still to come out, I am in love with the original graphic novel. The awkwardness of courtship, the bond between friends, the sword fights, it's all relatable. Wright's previous films are illegal funny, so his involvement is exciting. And ever since Winstead's casting as the Dream Girl...oh, I'm on board.

10. THE FIGHTER

WHEN: 2010
DIRECTOR: David O. Russell (Three Kings, I Heart Huckabees)
WRITER: Paul Attanasio (The Sum of All Fears, The Good German), Lewis Colick (October Sky, Beyond the Sea), Eric Johnson, Scott Silver (The Mod Squad, 8 Mile) and Paul Tamasy (Air Bud, Walking Across Egypt)
STARS: Mark Wahlberg (Four Brothers, The Lovely Bones)
Christian Bale (American Psycho, The Dark Knight)
Amy Adams (Drop Dead Gorgeous, Julie & Julia)
Melissa Leo (The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, Everybody's Fine)
SYNOPSIS: Boxer Irish Mickey Ward's brother helps propel him to pro status.
WHY: Again, this is more an interest in the people involved than the plot. Not to knock boxing movies, of course, which are pretty cool. I just really love these actors and admire the director. Russell's really lucked out on this one, a movie he became attached to after the disaster that was Nailed.
AWARDS ALERT: Mark Wahlberg is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (The Departed)
Amy Adams is a two-time Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Junebug, Doubt) and a Hollmann Award Winner for Best Supporting Actress (Doubt)
Melissa Leo is an Oscar and Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actress (Frozen River)

9. THE BEAVER

WHEN: 2010
DIRECTOR: Jodie Foster (Little Man Tate, Home for the Holidays)
WRITER: Kyle Killen
STARS: Mel Gibson (Braveheart, What Women Want)
Jodie Foster (Taxi Driver, The Brave One)
Anton Yelchin (Star Trek, Terminator: Salvation)
Jennifer Lawrence (The Burning Plain)
Cherry Jones (Signs, The Village)
SYNOPSIS: A beaver hand puppet gives a depressed family man a new lease on life.
WHY: I actually got a copy of the screenplay -- I loved it. It's darkly funny and surprisingly heartwarming. I hope this means we can like Gibson again, crazy or not. I'm surprised to see Foster directing this, but that just makes me all the more excited.
AWARDS ALERT: Jodie Foster is a two-time Oscar Winner for Best Actress

8. HOWL

WHEN: 2010
DIRECTORS/WRITERS: Rob Epstein (The Times of Harvey Milk, The Celluloid Closet) & Jeffrey Friedman (The Celluloid Closet)
STARS: James Franco (Spider-Man, Pineapple Express)
Mary-Louise Parker (Bullets Over Broadway, "Weeds")
Jon Hamm ("Mad Men", The Day the Earth Stood Still)
Jeff Daniels (Infamous, Away We Go)
David Strathairn (The Firm, Fracture)
SYNOPSIS: Allen Ginsberg's poem "Howl" leads to an obscenity trial.
WHY: Interesting topic, built-in awards talk, Franco finally in a leading role.
AWARDS ALERT: Rob Epstein is a two-time Oscar Winner for Best Documentary (The Times of Harvey Milk, Common Threads: Stories from the Quilt)
David Strathairn is an Oscar Nominee for Best Actor (Good Night and Good Luck)

7. THE KILLER INSIDE ME

WHEN: 2010
DIRECTOR: Michael Winterbottom (Tristram Shandy, A Mighty Heart)
WRITERS: Winterbottom and John Curran, from the novel by Jim Thompson
STARS: Casey Affleck (Drowning Mona, Gone Baby Gone)
Kate Hudson (Dr. T and the Women, Fool's Gold)
Jessica Alba (Never Been Kissed, Fantastic Four)
Bill Pullman (Independence Day, The Grudge)
Ned Beatty (Nashville, Deliverance)
SYNOPSIS: A small-town sheriff may be the perpetrator of a series of grisly murders.
WHY: I've recently gotten into film noir and pulp novels. Casey Affleck a solid actor who I want to see in more movies. This seems like an intriguing role for him, too.
AWARDS ALERT: In addition to Ned Beatty...
Casey Affleck is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actor and a Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Actor (The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford)
Kate Hudson is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Almost Famous)

6. THE KING'S SPEECH

WHEN: 2010
DIRECTOR: Tom Hooper (Red Dust, The Damned United)
WRITER: David Seidler (Quest for Camelot, The King and I)
STARS: Colin Firth (Then She Found Me, Mamma Mia!)
Geoffrey Rush (Quills, Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl)
Helena Bonham Carter (Fight Club, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)
Timothy Spall (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, The Damned United)
Guy Pearce (Memento, The Road)
SYNOPSIS: From IMDb: "A chronicle of King George VI's effort to overcome his nervous stammer with the assistance of speech therapist Lionel Logue."
WHY: I'm a sucker for British period pieces.
AWARDS ALERT: Geoffrey Rush is an Oscar Winner for Best Actor (Shine)
Helena Bonham Carter is an Oscar Nominee for Best Actress (The Wings of the Dove)

5. THE CONSPIRATOR

WHEN: 2010
DIRECTOR: Robert Redford (Legends of the Fall, Lions for Lambs)
WRITER: James D. Solomon, from a story by Solomon and Gregory Bernstein
STARS: Robin Wright Penn (Beowulf, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee)
Evan Rachel Wood (Across the Universe, The Wrestler)
James McAvoy (Wanted, The Last Station)
Justin Long (Dodgeball, Drag Me to Hell)
Kevin Kline (Sophie's Choice, The Big Chill)
SYNOPSIS: Mary Serrault is put on trial for co-conspiring to assassinate Abraham Lincoln.
WHY: Period piece. Legal drama. Historical. Woman at the center.
AWARDS ALERT: In addition to Tom Wilkinson...
Kevin Kline is an Oscar Winner for Best Supporting Actor (A Fish Called Wanda)

4. BLACK SWAN

WHEN: 2010
DIRECTOR: Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, Pi)
WRITERS: Aronofsky and Mark Heyman
STARS: Natalie Portman (Leon, V for Vendetta)
Mila Kunis ("That '70s Show", Forgetting Sarah Marshall)
Winona Ryder (Edward Scissorhands, Star Trek)
Vincent Cassel (Ocean's Twelve, Eastern Promises)
Barbara Hershey (Hannah and Her Sisters, The Last Temptation of Christ)
SYNOPSIS: A psychological thriller between two ballerinas.
WHY: Aronofsky's last movie was 2008's The Wrestler, which I went mad for. I am convinced Winona will return in full force. There is, reportedly, a sapphic sex scene between Portman and Kunis.
AWARDS ALERT: Darren Aronofsky is a Hollmann Award Winner for Best Director (The Wrestler)
Natalie Portman is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Closer)
Winona Ryder is an Oscar Nominee for Best Actress (Little Women) and Supporting Actress (The Age of Innocence)
Barbara Hershey is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (The Portrait of a Lady)

3. SHUTTER ISLAND

WHEN: February 19, 2010
DIRECTOR: Martin Scorsese (Taxi Driver, The Aviator)
WRITER: Laeta Kalogridis (Night Watch, Alexander), from the novel by Dennis Lehane
STARS: Leonardo DiCaprio (Gangs of New York, The Departed)
Mark Ruffalo (You Can Count On Me, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind)
Ben Kingsley (Sexy Beast, Elegy)
Michelle Williams (Synecdoche New York, I'm Not There)
Max Von Sydow (The Seventh Seal, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly)
SYNOPSIS: Federal marshals find strange things afoot at a hospital for the criminally insane.
AWARDS ALERT: In addition to Leonardo DiCaprio and Patricia Clarkson...
Ben Kingsley is an Oscar Winner for Best Actor (Gandhi)
Michelle Williams is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (Brokeback Mountain)
Max Von Sydow is an Oscar Nominee for Best Actor (Pelle the Conqueror)
Jackie Earle Haley is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Little Children)

2. WALL STREET 2: MONEY NEVER SLEEPS

WHEN: April 23, 2010
DIRECTOR: Oliver Stone (Wall Street, Nixon)
WRITERS: Allan Loeb (Things We Lost in the Fire, 21) and Stephen Schiff (Lolita, The Deep End of the Ocean), from a story by Bryan Burrough
STARS: Shia LaBeouf (Transformers, Disturbia)
Michael Douglas (The War of the Roses, The American President)
Carey Mulligan (An Education, Pride & Prejudice)
Josh Brolin (No Country for Old Men, W.)
Charlie Sheen (Wall Street, Men at Work)
SYNOPSIS: Newly paroled Gordon Gekko takes a young trader under his wing.
WHY: Count me as a fan of the original. Douglas returns as Gordon Gekko, surrounded by a cast of sexy awesome.
AWARDS ALERT: Michael Douglas is an Oscar Winner for Best Actor (Wall Street)
Josh Brolin is an Oscar Nominee for Best Supporting Actor (Milk)
Frank Langella is an Oscar Nominee for Best Actor (Frost/Nixon)
Susan Sarandon is an Oscar Winner for Best Actress (Dead Man Walking) and a two-time Hollmann Award Nominee for Best Supporting Actress (In the Valley of Elah, Speed Racer)

1. BURLESQUE

WHEN: November 24, 2010
DIRECTOR: Steve Antin
WRITERS: Antin, Susannah Grant (Erin Brockovich, The Soloist) and Keith Merryman
STARS: Christina Aguilera
Cher (Silkwood, Stuck on You)
Kristen Bell (Couples Retreat, Forgetting Sarah Marshall)
Stanley Tucci (Julie & Julia, The Devil Wears Prada)
Alan Cumming (Reefer Madness: The Musical, Titus)
SYNOPSIS: A small town girl joins a burlesque club in LA, run by Cher.
WHY: Cher. Burlesque. Sequins. Dance. Xtina. Kristen Bell as her rival. Cumming more or less reprising his Tony-Winning Cabaret performance. Cher.
AWARDS ALERT: Cher is an Oscar Winner for Best Actress (Moonstruck)

The Best of 2009, For Sure

And finally, after much delay and suspense, my Top Ten Films of 2009. These are the movies what made me happy that I spend as much time at the movies as I do. It's no coincidence that I experienced all of these in a movie theater -- it is, after all, the way films were meant to be experienced. I've struggled with my Top Three, having changed and rearranged it multiple times. Hell, my ranking of those three could change between now and now-oh-one. But I'm going to commit myself.

My Top Ten Films of 2009:

10. JENNIFER'S BODY

For nailing the insecurity of adolescence. For using horror to explore eating disorders, perceptions of beauty, and teen sexuality. For the subtle looks between Needy (Amanda Seyfried) and Jennifer (Megan Fox). For proving Diablo Cody earned that Oscar. For "Through the Trees", one of the best songs written for a movie ever.

9. EASY VIRTUE

For bringing classic wit to a modern screen. For its gorgeous production values. For making every character real human beings instead of comic caricatures. For revealing Jessica Biel's gifts as an actress. For making "Car Wash" and "Sex Bomb" into 1920s foxtrots.

8. UP IN THE AIR

For knocking the wind out of me with its finale. For making George Clooney vulnerable. For fine supporting turns from Vera Farmiga and Amy Morton. For delighting and upsetting me simultaneously. For a surprisingly great score.

7. THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG

For bringing Disney magic back into my life. For the incredible voice cast. For fantastic songs like "Dig a Little Deeper". For the sheer beauty of 2D animation. For an ending that got me misty-eyed.

6. JULIE & JULIA
(Number Nine on 25 Most Anticipated)

For making something delightful and fun out of an atrocious book (the titular one, not Julia Child's memoir). For the costumes. For Alexandre Desplat's score. For the chemistry between Stanley Tucci and Meryl Streep. For being worth three viewings.

5. BRIGHT STAR

For engaging performances by its ensemble. For the sexless yet sexy passion between Fanny (Abbie Cornish) and John Keats (Ben Whishaw). For Greig Fraser's breathtaking cinematography. For Jane Campion's light yet ever-present touch. For haunting me with its beauty.

4. A SERIOUS MAN

For finding the absurd in the awful. For its use of Jefferson Airplane. For the Rabbi scenes. For an ensemble firing on all cylinders.For "accept the mystery".

3. (500) DAYS OF SUMMER
(Number Ten on 25 Most Anticipated)

For giving me just what I need at the time I saw it. For a realistic portrayal of a modern relationship. For that dance number. For using wardrobe and set dressing to accentuate Zooey Deschanel's eyes. For being a romantic-comedy that didn't condescend to the audience.

2. FANTASTIC MR. FOX

For dancing foxes. For Wes Anderson finding the perfect medium for his style. For that wonderfully offbeat sense of style. For making a kid's movie into a caper comedy for adults. For being a cussing great movie.

1. PUBLIC ENEMIES

For Colleen Atwood's costumes. For Johnny Depp's haunted performance. For turning a mainstream genre into cinematic art. For Elliot Goldenthal's period-perfect score. For that devastating final scene. For playing with the facts to give us a gripping story. For just being the best at what it did.

The Worst of 2009

Before I name my Top Ten, I want to get this out of the way. I love the cinema more than anything. This is something my family and friends have learned to put up with. Every so often, there's one or two or six movies that I can't help but shake my head at. I'm glad to say it was fairly difficult to compile this list. Indeed, some of these things I thought were OK at first, but the more I think about them, the more they irritate me.

Dishonorable mention goes to Julia, which is getting lauds from many of my fellow bloggers for Tilda Swinton's lead performance. Yeah, she's great, but I can't get past the unfocused, dull narrative. Maybe I just hate border thrillers: The Border, Babel, The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada, and now Julia, are all in my Cone of Ugh. That said, at least Julia tries and sometimes succeeds, whereas the rest of these...ho boy.

10. THE PROPOSAL

Every time I think about this movie, I have to talk myself into liking it. A good 75% of this movie isn't funny. The credits sequence feels like an accident. Malin Akerman, Mary Steenburgen and Craig T. Nelson don't have characters, just labels: Ex, Mom, Dad, done, we're good! Aaron Zigman should be banned from composing for five years as penance for the atrocious work here. And not only is it sexist...but it makes Betty White the worst part of a production! Unforgivable!

9. THE INFORMERS

I like Mel Raido and Amber Heard in this. Otherwise, a hilariously over-the-top movie directed by a man that can't tell the difference between satire and serious drama. No one is in the same movie. Surprisingly unsexy despite Amber Heard being naked for the majority of the film. "We're both sleeping with Simon" is gold, though, pure gold. It's like a bad 80s movie...so maybe it's actually a genius film that fooled me? Definitely good for a laugh, especially Winona Ryder.

8. FRIDAY THE 13TH

The ending makes no sense. At all. Logic is sacrificed for a GOTCHA ending and a setup for a sequel. It's no coincidence that the only people in the movie who never have sex, the only people seen smoking pot in every scene, the yuk-yuk comic relief...also happen to be the only minorities in the cast; add racism to the list of offenses. But it is so shockingly awful, it's genius. Yeah, I bought it to watch over and over again. I mean, come on: "You're tits are stupendous. So juicy. Perfect nipple placement." That's platinum, pure platinum.

7. AWAY WE GO

Smug. Moments of greatness are rendered obsolete by its mean streak. I didn't think Maggie Gyllenhaal's character was horrid; perhaps that's why they added some unnecessarily offensive lines, just in case I wasn't totally with the authors. Like The Proposal, it takes one of my favorite actresses, in this case Allison Janney, and manages to make her the most cringe-inducing aspect of the film. Sam Mendes needs to take a break, do some theatre, stop looking at the world with such a smirk.

6. BRUNO

Also smug. You can actually see Sacha Baron Cohen trying to come up with new ways to offend people each time he fails to irritate someone. You can't push people for a reaction then call them homophobic. It's like poking a tiger with a stick and being surprised when he bites. Schmuckery.

5. STREET FIGHTER: THE LEGEND OF CHUN-LI

It's not even a Street Fighter movie. Terrible acting, non-existent sound design, and they actually miss their punches. By a foot. Badly written, poorly acted, and the director should be drawn and quartered. It's hilariously bad. It's impossibly bad.

4. X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE

See, I always thought Wolverine was a mysterious bad-ass. Turns out, he's just a pussy with amnesia. Who drinks to remember. Shame on you, Hugh Jackman. Shame.

3. TERMINATOR: SALVATION

A lifeless action piece. It had potential, and perhaps in the hands of another director, it would have been great. Alas, we get too much Christian Bale, a result of the inability to say "no" to the most famous person in a room. And it left us wondering, "What about Sam Worthington?"

2. EVERYBODY'S FINE

A dark movie that tries to be light and schmaltzy. If ever there was a misreading of a screenplay, it was here...yet the director wrote it! De Niro sleepwalks, Beckinsale is boring. The dialogue is stilted. The "heartfelt" moments are laughable. I can only say "What the fuck" so many times in a two-hour period.

1. ADAM

But apparently, the number of times I can say "Fuck you" in that same amount of time is limitless. A cloying piece of cockamamie that does nothing but miss the mark. It's like a competition to see who can most insult my intelligence. Rose Byrne wins, but the person in charge of continuity comes in second. How do you call a character "Bethany" throughout an entire film, then call her "Elizabeth" at the end? Who...wha...what the fuck? Fuck you, Adam!

Happier things to come. Stay tuned.

The Best of 2009, Part One

At midnight, 2009 is officially over. Six documentaries, several sets, a film festival, 72 new films, three Supporting Actress Sundays, 189 posts. And, of course, we must make do with these traditional year-end lists.

Of the seventy-two 2009 releases I had the pleasure (and sometimes displeasure) of seeing, I have managed to actually find 26 titles that, if I used a grading scale, would deserve a B- or more. Some of my peers believe this has to do with me being, for lack of a better term, "an easy lay". I say, if you can't find that many films in a given year to be excited about, don't rain on my parade. Fuckhead.

But why discuss something so sad? Presenting, mes amis, items 25 - 11 of my Top Ten. Some of these may be at variance with the Top Ten on the sidebar, but I always said it was subject to change. You never know how you'll feel when the time comes.

25. HANNAH MONTANA: THE MOVIE and WHIP IT!

This was, interestingly enough, a tough call. Both are female-driven films with a teenage protagonist. Both are surprisingly affecting. While Hannah Montana is the fourth feature from Peter Chelsom, Whip It! is the directorial debut of the lovely Drew Barrymore. Both manage to get career-best work from their leads. Great soundtracks, too.

24. IT'S COMPLICATED

Utterly charming. I'm so sorry I haven't reviewed it yet, but consider this to be it: despite a rocky start and repetitive dialogue, the movie is a delight to be with. Meryl Streep and Steve Martin are adorable; John Krasinski and Alec Baldwin are funny, too. The costumes by Sonia Grande are beautiful. Fun and laugh-out-loud hilarious.

23. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS
(Number Fourteen on 25 Most Anticipated)

An epic-sized rewriting of history. The ensemble here is a game one, diving fearlessly into Tarantino's pulp dialogue. Christoph Waltz will probably win an Oscar for his surprisingly charming portrayal of The Jew Hunter. Diane Kruger, thank God, managed to get a deserved SAG Nomination. And that finale is a knock-out.

22. PRECIOUS: BASED ON THE NOVEL 'PUSH' BY SAPPHIRE

Despite Lee Daniels' best efforts to make it all about him, I can't get Gabourey Sidibe's lead performance out of my head. The movie, bittersweet ending and all, is hopeful. And despite the depressing surroundings, it manages to be a funny one, too. I'm glad the rest of the world caught up with me in their adoration of Mo'Nique. I knew she had it in her.

21. ZOMBIELAND

It's a zombie flick, a road movie, and a family film all in one. I haven't seen The Messenger, but I do wish Woody Harrelson was getting Oscar buzz for this movie. His Tallahassee is a memorable one. Despite how meta it is, the cameo is hilarious. Just when you thought nothing could match Shaun of the Dead...

20. STAR TREK

A talented (and very attractive) cast. A ludicrously awesome story. A rousing score. And flares, flares, flares. It's pure popcorn, and it revels in it. Have I ever waited for a non-Batman sequel this eagerly?

19. THE HANGOVER

I don't think I have ever laughed as heartily in a movie theater. Ever.

18. WATCHMEN
(Number Four on 25 Most Anticipated)

Zack Snyder was courageous in his vision, almost slavishly faithful to the source, yet willing to "mend" some elements here and there. Even if it's mostly a collection of montages, at least they are beautiful ones: the opening credits, the origin of Dr. Manhattan, the sex scene. Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Jackie Earle Haley are so cool.

17. THE INFORMANT!
(Number Seventeen on 25 Most Anticipated)

Matt Damon is excellent. Steven Soderbergh's choices are odd and genius. A true-life thriller becomes a wacky comedy, a 90s setting is given a 70s vibe. Add Marvin Hamlisch's score and you've got a funny yet thoughtful look at one of the strangest cases of corporate greed to make it to press. Also, Scott Effing Bakula.

16. BREAKING UPWARDS

Though only released in New York City, I got to see this at the Tallahassee Film Festival. A couple, played by co-writer Zoe Lister-Jones and co-writer/director Daryl Wein, strategize their own break-up, based on the real-life relationship between the filmmakers. Andrea Martin and Julie White play their mothers; some of the best supporting actressing this year.

15. AN EDUCATION

A career-making performance from Carey Mulligan centers a solid, relatable film. Great performances from the whole cast, though Rosamund Pike and Cara Seymour are true stand-outs. Lovely costumes, too. Mulligan could be the new Hepburn.

14. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
(Number Four on 25 Most Anticipated)

The more I think on this, the more I love it. I love watching a movie and seeing myself in it. Anyone who remembers their childhood is sure to relate to this movie. It's magical in its ability to bring to life those feelings of freedom and insecurity. Great voicework by James Gandolfini, Chris Cooper and Catherine O'Hara.

13. NINE
(Number Two on 25 Most Anticipated)

Such a flawed movie. Yet I am in love with it. So. Much. Oh, Sophia Loren, please say you're back for good.

12. MOON

Sam Rockwell carried an entire film by himself. Not only did he play multiple roles...he played multiple aspects of one man. And brilliantly at that. Clint Mansell's simple score is haunting. It's unbelievable what Duncan Jones does with his budget. Dig it.

11. IN THE LOOP

I don't think I have ever as heartily in the comfort of my own home. Ever. Fuckity-bye-bye, then.

Check out the Top Ten later on. And remember, I've still a long way to go before I see all the 2009 releases: New York, I Love You, Sherlock Holmes, Notorious, Duplicity, Monsters vs. Aliens, My Bloody Valentine, A Single Man, etc.

In a Very Unusual Way, I'm So in Love With Nine

It's very difficult to concentrate on writing about Nine when I have the music from it playing incessantly in my head...and on my iTunes. So, first thing out of the gate, at least be reassured that the music is a pleasure to listen to. Thank goodness, too. The first thing one would want in a musical, of course, are numbers that attract the audience, and Nine does deliver on this front. With one or two exceptions, each number is a pleasure to experience, from the Overture to the Finale -- both of which gave me goosebumps and had me a wee wet-eyed.

True, "Folies Bergeres" is surprisingly lacking in life, a pity since it is my favorite from the show AND it's Judi Dench's big number. God knows she tries to deliver, but cutting out the dance break was a bizarre choice, and even the mid-song banter is noncommittal.

True also, the original song "Take It All", though sexy and ending with a punch to the gut, is a little too Chicago for me. The music, the costumes, the production design: I saw it all back in 2002.

But as for the rest, good job. Yes, even "Cinema Italiano" works, as I hoped it would, in context. A shallow song from a shallow character, so it's fine. Indeed, it reminds me of those cheesy pop tunes from the 60s, and I have a great number of those on my iTunes as well. If there is room for Herb Alpert's "Casino Royale Theme", there is room for "Cinema Italiano". And as for the rest of Kate Hudson's performance: Almost Famous was a fluke.

Nicole Kidman does fine with "Unusual Way", though it's always been one my least favorite songs from the show. It matters little, the lady's in and out within minutes. Marion Cotillard takes my second favorite number, "My Husband Makes Movies", and does not fail to impress. Her Luisa is just as wise, broken, and loving as Anouk Aimee's. That lead campaign is a joke, though -- as vital as Luisa is to the storyline, especially in this version, she is still a supporting part. Penelope Cruz is, naturally, sexy and funny, and also surprisingly vulnerable as the mistress. "Call from the Vatican" is a hot number as it is, but Cruz just sizzles. Bring the vapors. Daniel Day-Lewis does well with both his numbers, but his Guido is not as fun-loving as Marcello Mastroianni's. That's not bad, just a different, more emotional take on the character. His voice is just fine, his accent flawless.

I complained to some friends that recent movie musicals lack the huge dance numbers of old. The greatest musical, Funny Face, has one full dance number, plus several songs that stop to allow Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire to do their thing. Nine finally gives me what I want, in Fergie's tambourine dance for "Be Italian". A wonderful performance. Fergie rocks her scenes as Saraghina anyway, though. She does not speak, she just looks trashily sultry, sings, dances. It's not a challenging role at all, but just try looking away from her! The woman commands every scene she's in!

Sophia Loren's "Guarda la Luna" is magical, the song that I've been listening to all day, the song that I hummed to my niece to keep her from crying (it worked a little). It's probably the smoothest transition into a number, too, working as the lullaby it is, and as another layer to Guido's female problems. I didn't even miss the number it replaced, the titular tune "Nine", though audiences not already familiar with the story may.

This, then, is one of the main problems of the film. I know what's going on because I've seen 8 1/2 and I have the Broadway Revival CD of Nine. But will an uninitiated audience get what's going on? They introduce all these women in the Overture without telling you who they are. They just sort of stand there, Guido interacts with them a little, la-di-dah. Hell, after seeing a Nicole Kidman kiss, a Marion Cotillard tenderness, and a Penelope Cruz embrace, it's hard not to think "Oh, God, did he fuck her too?!" when Judi Dench shows up. The bedroom eyes don't help. It's not until much, much later that these women are introduced, and even then, much of who and why they are is unclear.

The film smacks of a strange restraint. It never fully embraces either of its source productions, though it tries to include elements of both. The screenwriters, Anthony Minghella and Michael Tolkin, have never written a musical before, and the awkward transitions between scene and song reveal this unfamiliarity. Director Rob Marshall tries to capture some Fellini-esque moments in flashbacks, but there is reluctance in his execution of it. Those quick cuts, courtesy Claire Simpson and Wyatt Smith, certainly don't help.

Neither does that odd choice of framing the musical numbers as fantasy sequences. Marshall's separation of fantasy and reality in this regard don't mesh with the non-musical mix of fantasy and reality, such as Guido's dead Mamma appearing in his car, or the absent Claudia in his room as he forges her autograph for a fan. If only he would just embrace the genre, the movie would work so much better than it already does -- for rest assured, kiddies, despite all of its problems, the movie works. The transitions are rocky and the direction misguided, but it somehow gets to me. The reality and fantasy sequences are flawed in their mingling, yet separately they are almost beautiful.

Much of this can be attributed to the actors and the technical experts. Dion Beebe's cinematography is gorgeous, the clear front-runner for the Oscar, getting with the material far better than the director, writers or editors or. Colleen Atwood's costumes are still dazzling, and she seems especially inspired by Ms. Cruz and Ms. Loren. The art team does a great job of dressing up a sound stage and a hotel. And the original score by Andrea Guerra deserves a release of its own, paying tribute to Ennio Morricone and Maury Yeston simultaneously, effortlessly.

Dammit, I liked the movie. I would buy it. And as I said, I love listening to the album. Just don't expect Rob Marshall to get any credit, because he is probably the weakest link in this.