Eisentower30's 20 Most Anticipated Films of 2010
From most to "least most," here are the films I most look forward to in 2010.
Inception (July 16)
Yea, nothing can be more exciting than a Christopher Nolan movie. Especially when we know it's his baby. He's got to pull an even bigger rabbit out of the same hat this time after Dark Knight. But it's not about the financial returns and if people label it a disappointment because it doesn't make $1 billion, then I will be disappointed. BUT, given the hype and potential for awesomeness, it will make bank. This film will be the first time Leonardo DiCaprio and Chris Nolan collaborate, so that should be interesting. Also, Marion Cotillard is amazing.
Black Swan (TBD)
The release date has not been publicized, but based on this films progress, it'll likely be a Winter release. I read the script, even though it has some seriously spoilerific material. I've never wanted to read the next word so much in my life. It's one of the most brilliantly crafted and intensely interesting stories I've read. It will definitely give Darren Aronofsky to showcase his abilities as a director, and continue to give him opportunities to explore the depths of his actors. Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis star in this thriller about ballerinas and rivalry. On the surface it may not sound like much, but trust me, it is.
Shutter Island (Feb. 19)
Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio? I'm in. From the looks of the trailer, it seems the plot is nearly identical to the Halle Berry flop thriller Gothika. But put real stars and one of the most prestigious director of all time in the mix and you've got potential gold. The concern of mine is that the production company kept pushing back the release date and landed on my birthday. That's a bad thing because January-February tend to be the place for movies to die. Hard to imagine a flop with the big names involved, but I will remain optimistic based on trailers. I hope he scares me out of my shoes.
Iron Man 2 (May 7)
Of course this will be awesome. Hilarious and action-packed. Robert Downey Jr. returns with Jon Favreau helming the campaign again. Mickey Rourke is coming in as the Russian baddie and that just has brilliance written all over it. He looks completely badass in the trailers. Not much has been shown of Scarlett Johannson's character in the trailers, but that's a sure-thing of beautiful violence. Gwenyth Paltrow returns and it's always a pleasure to see her. This will likely be just non-stop action, but I do hope the interesting plot of the first can hold strong. The new trend in Hollywood is for the sequels to end up better than the originals.
The Wolfman (Feb. 12)
If I wasn't already interested in the story, the actors hired did the trick. Benicio Del Toro headlines the escapade here. But add in Hugo Weaving as a villain, Emily Blunt as the romantic interest, and Anthony Hopkins as the teacher-type. The plot doesn't seem too complex, or too different from Jack Nicholson's awesome original. I am still interested, as the trailers are showing a dark and haunting tale. As it should.
Kick-Ass (April 16)
Check out the trailers for this film and you know what you are getting. A homemade ass-kicking, foul-mouthed movie about teenage superheroes with no powers. Sounds amazing, really, even on paper. But the trailers have sparked plenty of interest from me considering the excessive violence, crude language from younglings, and a surprisingly intriguing character played by Nic Cage. I'm in for this one.
The Fighter (TBD)
Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg star in a film where it's not the trailer (which does not exist), or the plot that has made me intrigued, but rather the on-set photos. Once again, Christian Bale defies logic and slims himself to disgusting shape (a la The Machinist and Rescue Dawn). Seems to be his trademark for post-Batman performances now. He looks frightening. Amy Adams will balance the cast nicely.
Robin Hood (May 14)
As if the 109 previous portrayals of Robin Hood weren't enough, it would appear Ridley Scott may be gearing up for a trilogy of sorts on the arrow-slinging thief. And go figure, he is teaming up with Russell Crowe again. A beefy Crowe at that. I am concerned that this storyline may have gone stale after Kevin Costner gave us a stellar film in the 90s. But with Mark Strong and Cate Blanchett co-starring, anything is possible. Kevin Durand will make a nice Little John I think. I'll give Ridley Scott the credit as one of the more reliable filmmakers of today and live with my anticipation.
Alice in Wonderland (March 5)
Now, I consider Tim Burton's last film based on a book to have been an epic failure. He nearly destroyed everything I loved about the 1971 Willy Wonka. But I've always loved Tim Burton's work, and he deserves another chance. Again, he'll be sticking to the original story, which the original movie did not do entirely. So, all the ingredients are leaning towards another colossal joke. But damn do those trailers look cool. I'm thinking this is another movie to check out in 3D. Especially since I don't do drugs. I pray this is an entertaining and trippy film, and not ridiculously stupid like his Chocolate Factory.
The Expendables (August 13)
An action film that recognizes itself as an homage to the old days of action. Sylvester Stallone, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, Steve "Stone Cold" Austin, David Zayas, Danny Trejo, the late Brittany Murphy, and Arnold Schwarzenegger returns. IT DOESN'T GET ANY MORE BADASS THAN THAT!!!!!
Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps (April 23)
The original Wall Street was really a fantastic movie. To see Michael Douglas returning gives me assurance that the script is solid. Oliver Stone will direct again and the unreliable Charlie Sheen returns as well. More interesting is the addition of Shia LaBeouf, an actor I greatly respect. On the other side, Carey Mulligan shows up as Gordon Gekko's daughter. So there's your plot right there. It will be a roller-coaster ride of emotions and modern-day money issues. We know Oliver Stone likes to make his opinions known, so my concern lay in the possibility of this turning into a documentary or a liberal propaganda item.
Your Highness (October 1)
"A fantasy movie about an arrogant, lazy prince and his more heroic brother who must complete a quest in order to save their father's kingdom." Now, throw into that Danny McBride as the lead and I'm sold. Oh, James Franco is in it, too? Awesome. Hold on! Zooey Deschanel and Natalie Portman as well! Holy shit, this is going to be awesome! And considering this is coming from the twisted comedic mind of Danny McBride's own hand, I am pleased.
Machete (April 16)
Danny Trejo in the spin-off of a trailer made for the Grindhouse Double Feature. Eli Roth came up with this idea and enough people loved it that it is now a movie. We will finally get to see Danny Trejo murder a hell of a lot of people. Awesome.
The Green Hornet (December 22)
It's hard to see this as a Michel Gondry project, but I do love that man's work. And with Seth Rogen as the headliner and thruster of this project, I definitely think it is in good hands. I will admit I know nothing of The Green Hornet, but my interest is already there. I'll research more in December. This will give us a great opportunity to see Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) again. I am a little concerned about Cameron Diaz as she seems to be the main female in this picture and I hope she isn't playing the love interest. To see her as a bad guy/woman would be fantastic.
Due Date (November 5)
Todd Phillips directing Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. Need I say more!?
The Losers (April 9)
I know nothing of the graphic novel on which this film is based. I've always enjoyed Peter Berg's writing. MY big concern? The director's other credits are I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer and Stomp The Yard. The cast is also top heavy with Zoe Saldana (Avatar) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen). After that it becomes a small-time cast. That could be very good or very bad. The buzz is that the graphic novel is awesome, but who knows about this movie.
Tron Legacy (December 7)
Based solely on the trailer, I am interested. It looks cool and stars Jeff Bridges in a role that nearly defined his career. Olivia Wilde is gorgeous, but can she help carry a film as the female lead? This will be director Joseph Kosinski's first film under that title. He doesn't have a single piece of work on his IMDb page as a director. Seriously.
Jonah Hex (June 18)
For some reason, Megan Fox is the headliner of a cast filled with stars. Josh Brolin leads the likes of John Malkovich, Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds), Michael Shannon, and Will Arnett (really?). I don't know what to make of this movie. The plot is insane: "In the Wild West, a scarred bounty hunter tracks a voodoo practitioner bent on liberating the South by raising an army of the undead." I'm ready to love this film, but not ready to stake anything on it.
Salt (July 23)
The first half of the trailer almost made it look bad, but then it kicked into gear. The plot confuses me a bit, but I'm always down for a sexy Angelina Jolie character. Looks a bit too much like Bourne Identity, though, and that scares me. I sure hope there is some originality in the story and it isn't just another Wanted for Jolie. She needs to start finding some meaty roles.
The A-Team (June 11)
Not in the least interested in this movie at all because of the original TV series. But I do want to see Sharlto Copley (District 9) as his career blossoms. I've always enjoyed watching Bradley Cooper act, and Liam Neeson is a bona fide badass. But Rampage Jackson? Really? Screw that. Jessica Biel is a pretty face with no ability, but Patrick Wilson always pulls through. This could be an epic failure, or an amazing joy-ride. We'll see.
Secretariat (October 8)
Fantastic story. Full of passion, dedication, victory, and heartbreak. It's the story of the owner of the horse, which may or may not be a good thing. I'm not sure if this is vying for some Oscar recognition, but that would be something for Diane Lane's dead career. This movie has almost no star power, so will rely on the public's knowledge of Secretariat most likely. That's enough for me.
Inception (July 16)
Yea, nothing can be more exciting than a Christopher Nolan movie. Especially when we know it's his baby. He's got to pull an even bigger rabbit out of the same hat this time after Dark Knight. But it's not about the financial returns and if people label it a disappointment because it doesn't make $1 billion, then I will be disappointed. BUT, given the hype and potential for awesomeness, it will make bank. This film will be the first time Leonardo DiCaprio and Chris Nolan collaborate, so that should be interesting. Also, Marion Cotillard is amazing.
Black Swan (TBD)
The release date has not been publicized, but based on this films progress, it'll likely be a Winter release. I read the script, even though it has some seriously spoilerific material. I've never wanted to read the next word so much in my life. It's one of the most brilliantly crafted and intensely interesting stories I've read. It will definitely give Darren Aronofsky to showcase his abilities as a director, and continue to give him opportunities to explore the depths of his actors. Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis star in this thriller about ballerinas and rivalry. On the surface it may not sound like much, but trust me, it is.
Shutter Island (Feb. 19)
Martin Scorsese and Leonardo DiCaprio? I'm in. From the looks of the trailer, it seems the plot is nearly identical to the Halle Berry flop thriller Gothika. But put real stars and one of the most prestigious director of all time in the mix and you've got potential gold. The concern of mine is that the production company kept pushing back the release date and landed on my birthday. That's a bad thing because January-February tend to be the place for movies to die. Hard to imagine a flop with the big names involved, but I will remain optimistic based on trailers. I hope he scares me out of my shoes.
Iron Man 2 (May 7)
Of course this will be awesome. Hilarious and action-packed. Robert Downey Jr. returns with Jon Favreau helming the campaign again. Mickey Rourke is coming in as the Russian baddie and that just has brilliance written all over it. He looks completely badass in the trailers. Not much has been shown of Scarlett Johannson's character in the trailers, but that's a sure-thing of beautiful violence. Gwenyth Paltrow returns and it's always a pleasure to see her. This will likely be just non-stop action, but I do hope the interesting plot of the first can hold strong. The new trend in Hollywood is for the sequels to end up better than the originals.
The Wolfman (Feb. 12)
If I wasn't already interested in the story, the actors hired did the trick. Benicio Del Toro headlines the escapade here. But add in Hugo Weaving as a villain, Emily Blunt as the romantic interest, and Anthony Hopkins as the teacher-type. The plot doesn't seem too complex, or too different from Jack Nicholson's awesome original. I am still interested, as the trailers are showing a dark and haunting tale. As it should.
Kick-Ass (April 16)
Check out the trailers for this film and you know what you are getting. A homemade ass-kicking, foul-mouthed movie about teenage superheroes with no powers. Sounds amazing, really, even on paper. But the trailers have sparked plenty of interest from me considering the excessive violence, crude language from younglings, and a surprisingly intriguing character played by Nic Cage. I'm in for this one.
The Fighter (TBD)
Christian Bale and Mark Wahlberg star in a film where it's not the trailer (which does not exist), or the plot that has made me intrigued, but rather the on-set photos. Once again, Christian Bale defies logic and slims himself to disgusting shape (a la The Machinist and Rescue Dawn). Seems to be his trademark for post-Batman performances now. He looks frightening. Amy Adams will balance the cast nicely.
Robin Hood (May 14)
As if the 109 previous portrayals of Robin Hood weren't enough, it would appear Ridley Scott may be gearing up for a trilogy of sorts on the arrow-slinging thief. And go figure, he is teaming up with Russell Crowe again. A beefy Crowe at that. I am concerned that this storyline may have gone stale after Kevin Costner gave us a stellar film in the 90s. But with Mark Strong and Cate Blanchett co-starring, anything is possible. Kevin Durand will make a nice Little John I think. I'll give Ridley Scott the credit as one of the more reliable filmmakers of today and live with my anticipation.
Alice in Wonderland (March 5)
Now, I consider Tim Burton's last film based on a book to have been an epic failure. He nearly destroyed everything I loved about the 1971 Willy Wonka. But I've always loved Tim Burton's work, and he deserves another chance. Again, he'll be sticking to the original story, which the original movie did not do entirely. So, all the ingredients are leaning towards another colossal joke. But damn do those trailers look cool. I'm thinking this is another movie to check out in 3D. Especially since I don't do drugs. I pray this is an entertaining and trippy film, and not ridiculously stupid like his Chocolate Factory.
The Expendables (August 13)
An action film that recognizes itself as an homage to the old days of action. Sylvester Stallone, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Eric Roberts, Randy Couture, Steve "Stone Cold" Austin, David Zayas, Danny Trejo, the late Brittany Murphy, and Arnold Schwarzenegger returns. IT DOESN'T GET ANY MORE BADASS THAN THAT!!!!!
Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps (April 23)
The original Wall Street was really a fantastic movie. To see Michael Douglas returning gives me assurance that the script is solid. Oliver Stone will direct again and the unreliable Charlie Sheen returns as well. More interesting is the addition of Shia LaBeouf, an actor I greatly respect. On the other side, Carey Mulligan shows up as Gordon Gekko's daughter. So there's your plot right there. It will be a roller-coaster ride of emotions and modern-day money issues. We know Oliver Stone likes to make his opinions known, so my concern lay in the possibility of this turning into a documentary or a liberal propaganda item.
Your Highness (October 1)
"A fantasy movie about an arrogant, lazy prince and his more heroic brother who must complete a quest in order to save their father's kingdom." Now, throw into that Danny McBride as the lead and I'm sold. Oh, James Franco is in it, too? Awesome. Hold on! Zooey Deschanel and Natalie Portman as well! Holy shit, this is going to be awesome! And considering this is coming from the twisted comedic mind of Danny McBride's own hand, I am pleased.
Machete (April 16)
Danny Trejo in the spin-off of a trailer made for the Grindhouse Double Feature. Eli Roth came up with this idea and enough people loved it that it is now a movie. We will finally get to see Danny Trejo murder a hell of a lot of people. Awesome.
The Green Hornet (December 22)
It's hard to see this as a Michel Gondry project, but I do love that man's work. And with Seth Rogen as the headliner and thruster of this project, I definitely think it is in good hands. I will admit I know nothing of The Green Hornet, but my interest is already there. I'll research more in December. This will give us a great opportunity to see Christoph Waltz (Inglourious Basterds) again. I am a little concerned about Cameron Diaz as she seems to be the main female in this picture and I hope she isn't playing the love interest. To see her as a bad guy/woman would be fantastic.
Due Date (November 5)
Todd Phillips directing Robert Downey Jr. and Zach Galifianakis. Need I say more!?
The Losers (April 9)
I know nothing of the graphic novel on which this film is based. I've always enjoyed Peter Berg's writing. MY big concern? The director's other credits are I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer and Stomp The Yard. The cast is also top heavy with Zoe Saldana (Avatar) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (Watchmen). After that it becomes a small-time cast. That could be very good or very bad. The buzz is that the graphic novel is awesome, but who knows about this movie.
Tron Legacy (December 7)
Based solely on the trailer, I am interested. It looks cool and stars Jeff Bridges in a role that nearly defined his career. Olivia Wilde is gorgeous, but can she help carry a film as the female lead? This will be director Joseph Kosinski's first film under that title. He doesn't have a single piece of work on his IMDb page as a director. Seriously.
Jonah Hex (June 18)
For some reason, Megan Fox is the headliner of a cast filled with stars. Josh Brolin leads the likes of John Malkovich, Michael Fassbender (Inglourious Basterds), Michael Shannon, and Will Arnett (really?). I don't know what to make of this movie. The plot is insane: "In the Wild West, a scarred bounty hunter tracks a voodoo practitioner bent on liberating the South by raising an army of the undead." I'm ready to love this film, but not ready to stake anything on it.
Salt (July 23)
The first half of the trailer almost made it look bad, but then it kicked into gear. The plot confuses me a bit, but I'm always down for a sexy Angelina Jolie character. Looks a bit too much like Bourne Identity, though, and that scares me. I sure hope there is some originality in the story and it isn't just another Wanted for Jolie. She needs to start finding some meaty roles.
The A-Team (June 11)
Not in the least interested in this movie at all because of the original TV series. But I do want to see Sharlto Copley (District 9) as his career blossoms. I've always enjoyed watching Bradley Cooper act, and Liam Neeson is a bona fide badass. But Rampage Jackson? Really? Screw that. Jessica Biel is a pretty face with no ability, but Patrick Wilson always pulls through. This could be an epic failure, or an amazing joy-ride. We'll see.
Secretariat (October 8)
Fantastic story. Full of passion, dedication, victory, and heartbreak. It's the story of the owner of the horse, which may or may not be a good thing. I'm not sure if this is vying for some Oscar recognition, but that would be something for Diane Lane's dead career. This movie has almost no star power, so will rely on the public's knowledge of Secretariat most likely. That's enough for me.
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