Well the new year is here and it's time to start getting excited for what 2011 will have in store for us movie-wise. As always, we have to endure the winter dumping ground and the summer sequel parade for the serious fall films. This spring already has some intriguing films for us. Here's hoping that this is better than the last.
Honorable Mentions (Some are just curiosities at best)
THE GREEN HORNET (Jan. 14), BARNEY'S VERSION (Jan. 14), THE COMPANY MEN (Jan. 21), THE RITE (Jan. 28), THE MECHANIC (Jan. 28), SANCTUM (Feb. 4), FRANKIE & ALICE (Feb. 4), THE EAGLE (Feb. 11), GNOMEO AND JULIET (Feb. 11), I AM NUMBER FOUR (Feb. 18), OF GODS AND MEN (Feb. 25), APOLLO 18 (March 4), BATTLE: LOS ANGELES (March 11), MARS NEEDS MOMS (March 11), RED RIDING HOOD (March 11), LIMITLESS (March 18), THE LINCOLN LAWYER (March 18), HOP (Apr. 1), INSIDIOUS (Apr. 1) and ARTHUR (Apr. 8).
Most Anticipated Winter/Spring Films
15) DIARY OF A WIMPY KID 2: RODRICK RULES (March 25)
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Last spring, the original screen adaptation of the best-selling illustrated book series just missed my anticipated list. After seeing it, I certainly don't want to miss the sequel. While the trailer is heavily loaded to all the scatological humor found in the books, Jeff Kinney's follow-up book was just as good as the original, so lets hope the same can be said of the follow-up film.
14) SCREAM 4 (Apr. 15)
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It's hard to believe that it's been over a decade since the last film in this series hit theaters. Now maybe that's because I'm trying to forget it. For the latest installment, the franchise's creators, director Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson, are back to bring the story into the new age of horror. As a passing the torch story where the surviving original cast members hand the reins over to younger stars, I have a feeling there could be some good surprises left in the scary series. At least I hope so.
13) MEEK'S CUTOFF (Apr. 8)
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Director Kelly Reichardt made the well-received indie flicks, OLD JOY and WENDY AND LUCY, and now moves into the world of Westerns with her WENDY AND LUCY star Michelle Williams. Cast also includes Paul Dano, Bruce Greenwood, Shirley Henderson and Will Patton. The true-life story follows settlers who get trapped in the Oregon desert in 1845. Stephen Meek (Greenwood) was a wagon train guide who offered emigrants an alternative route to avoid the Blue Mountains, which turned deadly. The story could make for a tense drama.
12) YOUR HIGHNESS (Apr. 8)
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I don't know what to think of this one. It could be hilarious or total crap. But I have faith in David Gordon Green, who seems to be transitioning from quiet, soulful indie pieces to broad comedies. His PINEAPPLE EXPRESS might just be the best any stoner comedy could hope for. For this medieval laugher, he gets EXPRESS standouts James Franco and Danny McBride to play princes. Franco is the valiant one who sets out to save his betrothed, played by Zooey Deschanel, from the clutches of the evil wizard Leezar (Justin Theroux). McBride plays Franco's loser brother who is forced to help. On their adventure they pick up gorgeous archer Isabel, played by Natalie Portman. This cast alone makes me want to see it.
11) SOURCE CODE (Apr. 1)
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Duncan Jones, the director of MOON, brings us this sci-fi thriller where a soldier is sent into the body of a man on a train that is set to explode into order to figure out who is behind the attack. The film stars Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga and Jeffrey Wright. Gyllenhaal plays the soldier who only has eight minutes each time he jumps back in time. Of course, he begins to fall for the passenger, played by Monaghan. I'm hoping this is more than the yearly dose of sci-fi that has a premise and nothing else. Director and cast make me confident it might be something more.
10) PAUL (March 18)
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Simon Pegg and Nick Frost not only star in this comedy, they wrote it too. They play comic book geeks who meet an alien at Area 51. Seth Rogen voices the alien named Paul. Cast also includes Kristen Wiig, Jane Lynch, Sigourney Weaver, Jason Bateman, Blythe Danner, Bill Hader, Jeffrey Tambor, David Koechner and John Carrol Lynch. It's hard to see that cast and not think funny. Even better is that it's directed by Greg Mottola, who made the hilarious SUPERBAD and ADVENTURELAND.
9) THE WAY BACK (Jan. 21)
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While this had a qualifying run in 2010, it really won't be seen until 2011. It's the latest from great director Peter Weir. Story follows a group of soldiers escaping a Siberian gulag in 1940. Stars include Colin Farrell, Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Saoirse Ronan and Mark Strong. Farrell, Harris and Ronan are all getting Oscar-buzz for this one. This is Weir's first film since 2003's MASTER AND COMMANDER and it's long overdue for the filmmaker who made PICNIC AT HANGING ROCK, THE YEAR OF LIVING DANGEROUSLY, WITNESS, DEAD POETS SOCIETY, FEARLESS and THE TRUMAN SHOW.
8) UNCLE BOONMEE WHO CAN RECALL HIS PAST LIVES (March 2)
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This Thai comedy/fantasy won the Cannes Film Festival last year. Uncle Boonmee tells his family about his past lives on his deathbed. Some of his visitors include the ghost of this dead wife and this lost son returning in a non-human form like Big Foot. There's also sex with a catfish in there as well. Sounds bizarre. Cannes winners are always interesting and artistic.
7) JANE EYRE (March 11)
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Yep, it's another version of the Charlotte Bronte classic. But this one is directed by Cary Fukunaga, who made the amazing immigrant tale SIN NOMBRE. It also has an impressive cast, which includes Mia Wasikowska, Michael Fassbender, Jamie Bell, Imogen Poots, Judi Dench, Sally Hawkins and Simon McBurney. Past adaptations have always played up the romance; this one seems more focused on the psychological drama of the tale. Watch the trailer; there is nothing Masterpiece Theater stuffy about this one.
6) RIO (Apr. 15)
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The latest from ICE AGE creators, Blue Sky Studios finds a domesticated blue macaw paired with a wild female blue macaw in order to have the species. They ended up back in their native habitat of Rio de Janeiro. Voice cast includes Anne Hathaway, Jesse Eisenberg, Leslie Mann, Jamie Foxx, Jemaine Clement, George Lopez and Will I.Am. This is Blue Sky's first completely original story since ICE AGE. The word on this one is really good. Let's see how they do Scrat-less.
5) HANNA (Apr. 8)
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Ronan returns once again on the countdown. From ATONEMENT director Joe Wright comes this thriller starring his Oscar-nominated discovery. Think THE PROFESSIONAL crossed with KICK-ASS and THE WILD CHILD. Check out this cast Cate Blanchett, Eric Bana and Olivia Williams. Ronan, one of the most talented teen working today, plays a young girl raised by her ex-CIA father (Bana) to be a killing machine. When she is captured by the government, she escapes and goes to live with a normal family. The trailer looks awesome.
4) RANGO (March 4)
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Johnny Depp plays a chameleon who dreams of being a real life swashbuckler. He gets a chance to play the part when he wonders into a Western town. Now that's the premise of the most off-the-wall animated feature of 2011. Making it even more unique is that it's directed by PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN helmer Gore Verbinski. Depp is joined by Timothy Olyphant, Bill Nighy, Abigail Breslin, Isla Fisher, Ned Beatty, Alfred Molina, Ray Winstone, Harry Dean Stanton and Stephen Root. Oh yeah and it was animated by the iconic visual effects company Industrial Light & Magic.
3) THE ADJUSTMENT BUREAU (March 4)
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This is the first feature from the writer of OCEAN'S TWELVE and THE BOURNE ULTIMATUM, George Nolfi. He adapted the screenplay from Philip K. Dick's short story ADJUSTMENT TEAM. Matt Damon plays a politician who has an affair with a ballerina, played by Emily Blunt. But a secret government organization plots to break them apart in order to keep the world operating on fate's plan. Co-stars include Terence Stamp, John Slattery, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Anthony Mackie. This one was on my fall anticipated list until it was moved at the last minute to spring. Dick has inspired some great films and not so great films. Lets hope this is one of the former.
2) WATER FOR ELEPHANTS (Apr. 22)
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I must admit that I am a circus fanatic. So a screen adaptation of Sara Gruen's bestselling novel set in a traveling circus is good enough to have me excited. It's directed by Francis Lawrence, whose I AM LEGEND I very much admired. His cast includes Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon, Oscar-winner Christoph Waltz, Oscar-nominee Hal Holbrook, James Frain and Paul Schneider. The only reason this isn't #1 is because the lead is Robert "Team Edward" Pattinson. Does he have the acting chops to do anything other than smolder and glitter in the sun? I hope so for the success of this film.
1) SUCKER PUNCH (March 25)
Trailer
Zack Snyder, who brought us the remarkable entertainments 300 and WATCHMEN, is bringing us his first completely original vision. And it looks amazing. The premise is this — a young girl is institutionalized by her pervy wanker stepfather who has lined her up for a lobotomy in order to cover up his crimes. In the asylum, Babydoll uses a fantasy realm as a way to escape. The hot young female cast includes Emily Browning, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Vanessa Hudgens and Jamie Chung. Supporting them are Carla Gugino, Jon Hamm and Scott Glenn. The trailer shows off samurais, dragons, giant robots, trench warfare — it's like a geek Id splattered on the screen. I'm really hoping this is the badass flick of the year.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
Creator of Rick's Flicks Picks
