12 The Adjustment Bureau (March 4)
Plot: On the brink of winning a seat in the U.S. Senate, ambitious politician David Norris (Damon) meets beautiful contemporary ballet dancer Elise Sellas (Emily Blunt)--a woman like none he's ever known. But just as he realizes he's falling for her, mysterious men conspire to keep the two apart. David learns he is up against the agents of Fate itself--the men of The Adjustment Bureau--who will do everything in their considerable power to prevent David and Elise from being together. In the face of overwhelming odds, he must either let her go and accept a predetermined path...or risk everything to defy Fate and be with her.
Personal opinion: I was all gung ho about this movie when it was supposed to come out last July. I was excited when it was supposed to come out in September. Now that it comes out in March, my spirits have been dampened slighly because movies that get pushed back almost never turn out well. However, I really like the cast here. And Philip K. Dick stories almost always are fascinating, so I'm still anxious to check this one out.
11 The Muppets (November 23)
Plot: On vacation in Los Angeles, Walter, the world's biggest Muppet fan, and his friends Gary (Jason Segel) and Mary (Amy Adams) from Smalltown, USA, discover the nefarious plan of oilman Tex Richman (Chris Cooper) to raze the Muppet Theater and drill for the oil recently discovered beneath the Muppets' former stomping grounds. To stage The Greatest Muppet Telethon Ever and raise the $10 million needed to save the theater, Walter, Mary and Gary help Kermit reunite the Muppets, who have all gone their separate ways: Fozzie now performs with a Reno casino tribute band called the Moopets, Miss Piggy is a plus-size fashion editor at Vogue Paris, Animal is in a Santa Barbara clinic for anger management, and Gonzo is a high-powered plumbing magnate.
Personal opinion: Maybe it's pure nostalgia, but I'm excited to see the Muppets back on screen. What makes this most appealing is the fact that this latest entry isn't intended purely for children. We've already seen Jason Segel's foray into puppetering with Forgetting Sarah Marshall, so you know he's passionate about this project. The plot sounds fun (I couldn't help but laugh when I read what the various Muppets were doing these days) and it also sounds perfect for this type of Movie. I predict big business for it come next Thanksgiving.
10 Captain America: The First Avenger (July 22)
Plot: "Captain America: The First Avenger" will focus on the early days of the Marvel Universe when Steve Rogers volunteers to participate in an experimental program that turns him into the Super Soldier known as Captain America.
Personal opinion: This is the lynch pin in the future of the Avengers franchise. Despite how successful the Iron Man films are, if this one doesn't fly, it's going to be difficult for Marvel to move forward with their films. I really want to see this origin story, even if I'm not convinced that Chris Evans was the right guy to play Cap. This would be higher up (or lower) if a trailer had been released. Until then, #10 on my list will have to do.
9 Mission: Impossible Ghost Protocol (December 16)
Plot: J.J. Abrams will be producing the fourth "Mission: Impossible" film. Josh Applebaum & Andre Nemec will write the script based on a story Abrams wrote with them.
Personal opinion: It's disappointing to see that J.J. Abrams isn't directing this himself since I enjoying M:I3 so much, but I feel he's left the franchise in good hands by having Brad Bird (The Incredibles) take over the helm. As I've stated already with some of the other films on my list, it's a bit dicey to expect quality with the fourth film in a franchise, but I like a lot of the new blood that they have infused into this film. Actors like Jeremy Renner, Simon Pegg, and Josh Holloway will not only add to this film, they make it possible for this franchise to continue on past this one.
8 Cars 2 (June 24)
Plot: Star racecar Lightning McQueen (voice of Owen Wilson) and the incomparable tow truck Mater (voice of Larry the Cable Guy) take their friendship to exciting new places in "Cars 2" when they head overseas to compete in the first-ever World Grand Prix to determine the world's fastest car. But the road to the championship is filled with plenty of potholes, detours and hilarious surprises when Mater gets caught up in an intriguing adventure of his own: international espionage. Torn between assisting Lightning McQueen in the high-profile race and towing the line in a top-secret spy mission, Mater’s action-packed journey leads him on an explosive chase through the streets of Japan and Europe, trailed by his friends and watched by the whole world. Adding to the fast-paced fun is a colorful new all-car cast that includes secret agents, menacing villains and international racing competitors.
Personal opinion: The first Cars was not one of my favorite Pixar films, and I know I'm not alone in that assessment. So it was quite a surprise to see that they would choose to make a sequel to it, especially since they typically don't do sequels. This ends up still ranking high for two reasons; first, Pixar has built up enough goodwill that I trust their judgment and believe that they will still do produce a great film, and secondly, the plot for this one seems much more interesting focusing on spy stuff instead of merely catering to the NASCAR crowd. If there's any sure thing on my list, this is probably it.
7 Contagion (October 21)
Plot: "Contagion" follows the rapid progress of a lethal airborne virus that kills within days. As the fast-moving epidemic grows, the worldwide medical community races to find a cure and control the panic that spreads faster than the virus itself. At the same time, ordinary people struggle to survive in a society coming apart.
Personal opinion: This looks like it's going to be a heckuva film. You have a cool storyline, an established director (Soderbergh), and an amazing cast (Matt Damon, Marion Coittard, Laurence Fishburne, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow, Kate Winslet). This seems like a can't miss. However, with knowing very little about this beyond what I have posted in the plot description above, I'm hesitant to put it higher. I just hope that these early indications are representative of the greatness of the actual film.
OK, there's only 6 left. What remains? Well, you'll just have to find out tomorrow (although I'm sure you can guess what some of them are).
No comments:
Post a Comment