Plot: A satirical take on superhero movies, in which a notorious villain loses his oomph after he accidentally kills his nemesis.
Personal opinion: This is yet another computer animated film (you'll be seeing a few more before this list is over) that makes the list based on a strong concept. I always like alternative takes on the superhero genre, so I was instantly attracted to this film. Helping its cause is a strong voice cast including the likes of Brad Pitt, Will Ferrell, Jonah Hill, and Tina Fey. With it not due out until next November, I haven't seen any footage of it yet, but it's coming from the Dreamworks people who has been consistently improving their computer animated features.
#17 The A-Team (June 11)
Plot: A group of Iraq War veterans looks to clear their name with the U.S. military, who suspect the four men of committing a crime for which they were framed.
Personal opinion: I'm sure everyone is humming the theme song right now as they read this. I was a little too young to watch the original TV show, but I liked the concept and am interested to see how it will translate to the big screen. I was disappointed to hear that Mr. T will not have a cameo in this, but here's hoping that means the producers felt the film was strong enough not to resort to cheap cameos like that. No trailer has been released, so until then this promotional photo of the primary cast (including Bradley Cooper and Liam Neeson) will have to suffice.
#16 Date Night (April 9)
Plot: In New York City, a case of mistaken identity turns a bored married couple's attempt at a glamorous and romantic evening into something more thrilling and dangerous.
Personal opinion: The combination of Steve Carrel and Tina Fey (who play the married couple here) seems like a dream team. However, the first trailer for this film left a lot to be desired. The comedy seemed a bit more broad than I would have hoped. I worry since Tina isn't the writer of this film if the quality will suffer like it did in Baby Mama. Still if anyone two can rise above mediocre material, it's these two. I'd like to think that there will be enough here to make this more tolerable than say Did You Hear About the Morgans.
#15 Unstoppable (November 12)
Plot: A rail company frantically works to prevent an unmanned, half-mile-long freight train carrying combustible liquids and poisonous gas from wiping out a city.
Personal opinion: On paper, this plot sounds pretty lousy and more likely something more fit for a made-for-TV movie. However, when you consider that this is a Tony Scott directed film starring Denzel Washington, suddenly I'm a bit more interested. While their previous collaborations have not yielded Oscar winners, they typically deserve good popcorn fare. Adding to the film's appeal is the fact that Chris Pine is co-starring. After his wonderful turn as Kirk in this year's Star Trek, reboot. I'm very curious to see what he'll do for an encore.
#14 Saint John of Las Vegas (limited January 29, wide February 12)
Plot: An ex-gambler is lured back into the game by a veteran insurance-fraud investigator.
Personal opinion: This is the type of film where if it had come out later in the year, I probably would have ignored it since it's more small and independent. But since it's coming out in a few weeks, I've gotten to see the trailers and find myself charmed by both the cast and the plot. Steve Buscemi is one of those reliable actors that never gets the credit he deserves. It would be nice if this film allowed his star to shine a bit brighter, but I'd imagine it'll likely only be seen by a small audience. Hopefully, my plug will grant it a few more viewers.
#13 Hereafter (December TBA)
Plot: A supernatural thriller centered on three people -- a blue-collar American, a French journalist and a London school boy -- who are touched by death in different ways.
Personal opinion: Again, this is a film that has a late release date, so I'm only working on limited information. What we do know is that it's being directed by Clint Eastwood and Matt Damon is set to star in it. That's enough to sell me right there. After seeing their work in Invictus, I'm sure we can expect another solid effort here. And it should be very interesting to see Clint potentially delve into supernatural territory (supposedly Damon plays a medium who is uneasy about using his talents). Before all is said and done, we could be looking at one of the contenders for next year's Best Picture.
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