The Gateway's top 10 most anticipated movies of 2009
Ryan Wilch
Issue date: 1/13/09 Section: Arts & Leisure
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With that being said, here is my prediction for the top 10 biggest movies in the New Year:
'Angels & Demons'
Release Date: May 15
The sequel to 2006's "The Da Vinci Code" has Tom Hanks returning to the role of Harvard theologian Robert Langdon. This time, Langdon has discovered that the "Illuminati," an ancient secret society, has resurfaced and plans on wrecking havoc on the Vatican. This is an interesting film choice for Hanks. Although "The Da Vinci Code" was profitable at the box office, it wasn't well received by film critics.
'G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra'
Release Date: Aug. 7
It's pretty amazing that it took this long to bring G.I. Joe to the big screen. After all, Hollywood has already made "He-Man," "Speed Racer" and "The Flintstones" into films. Let's hope "G.I. Joe" is not another attempt to cash in on nostalgia. If the studios take the same route as the "Transformers" movie did, then fans should be happy. Plans for a trilogy are in the works too, so we will be watching the Cobra Commander's evil plans being thwarted for some time to come.
'Star Trek'
Release Date: May 8
The new film in the science fiction series tells the story of the original crew of the Star Trek Enterprise. Director J.J. Abrams ("Cloverfield") attempts to recreate the costumes and cast of the TV series while modernizing them for 2009. Some fans will be critical of casting actors into roles traditionally held by veterans William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. However, if the movie doesn't veer to far away from the original series, then the complaints should be minimal.
'Where the Wild Things Are'
Release Date: Oct. 19
Widely known as a children's book, any adaptation of "Where the Wild Things Are" will require a director who has a distinct visual style in order to keep the movie interesting. Fortunately for moviegoers, director Spike Jonze ("Being John Malkovich") certainly falls into that category. Maurice Sendak's classic is only 10 sentences long, so it will take all of Jonze's ability to make Max's daydream of monsters come alive for any age group.
'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'
Release Date: June 26
The sequel to the 2007 blockbuster, "Transformers," retains most of its original cast. Although destroyed by Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) in the first film, Megatron, the evil leader of the Decepticons, is revived and sets out to get revenge on the human race. Witwicky joins forces with Optimus Prime and his Autobots in stopping Megatron. Fans of the first film will undoubtedly flock to the theater for a second helping of the action.
'Terminator Salvation'
Release Date: May 22
After three films, Judgment Day is upon us and the war between man and machine has begun. This time around, John Connor, played by Christian Bale ("The Dark Knight"), finds himself in the year 2018 battling the robot armies of the super computer Skynet. And will Arnold Schwarzenegger be baahhkk? California's governor hasn't confirmed or denied that rumor about making cameo appearance.
'X-men Origins: Wolverine'
Release Date: May 1
Comic book fans rejoice. Hugh Jackman returns as the adamantine-clawed mutant known as Wolverine. This film, as the title suggests, tells the story of how Wolverine made the decision to become an unbreakable killing machine and avenge the death of his true love.
'Inglourious Basterds'
Release Date: Aug. 21
After years of speculation, writer and director Quentin Tarantino delivers on his promise of directing a war film. "Inglourious Basterds" comes to life with an all-star cast that includes Brad Pitt, Mike Myers and Samuel L. Jackson. The movie tells the story of a group of American soldiers sent to create havoc on the Nazis during World War II. While this film may not be an accurate portrayal of Germany in 1942, Tarantino's passion for his craft ensures that the audience will see something violently unique.
'Watchmen'
Release Date: March 6
One of the most widely read graphic novels of all time finally makes to the big screen. DC comics hopes that "Watchmen," a story about superheroes being hunted down and exterminated, will as successful as last summer's "The Dark Knight." Those goals might not be unfounded, however. Two generations of comic book fans have been waiting for this movie, thus guaranteeing that the film will do well at the box office.
'Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince'
Release Date: July 17
Fans of the Harry Potter film series were upset last August when Warner Bros. pushed the release date of the sixth installment back to July. Petitions were signed and boycotts were called for. Will any of that impact how well this film does at the box office? It's highly doubtful. This time upon returning to Hogwarts, Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) finds a book that once belonged to the Half-Blood Prince. As Harry tries to uncover the prince's identity, the teenage wizard and his friends begin to reveal more of Lord Voldemort's evil past. Harry and friends will thrive on film and in the box offices yet again.
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