18 Wanderlust (October 7)
Plot: Wanderlust centers on a couple who, after losing all of their money, take refuge at a commune.
Personal opinion: Clearly by that description above, it would be really tough to make any assessment of this film right now. However, we also know it's being directed by David Wain (Role Models) and stars Paul Rudd and Jennifer Aniston. That is enough comedy pedigree right there to give me confidence that this will be a funny movie. And while this isn't a wholly original plot, it seems more unique than most movies being released next year.
17 Moneyball (September 23)
Plot: Based on Michael Lewis' nonfiction bestseller "Moneyball: The Art of Winning an Unfair Game," the book's subject is Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane, who assembled a contending baseball club on a shoestring budget by employing a sophisticated computer-based analysis to draft players.
Personal opinion: This seems like it could be next year's The Social Network. I don't have the same kind of confidence that this will be great, but the subject matter does interest me all the same. Just like The Social Network, I'm not sure how this premise will translate into a feature film, but I'll certainly want to find out whether or not they can do it.
16 X-Men: First Class (June 3)
Plot:
"X-Men: First Class," following the classic Marvel mythology, charts the epic beginning of the X-Men saga. Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new), to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto's Brotherhood and Professor X's X-Men.
Personal opinion: Normally, I'd be very excited about another X-Men film, but this one concerns me. Prequels are always a tricky thing. The Wolverine one worked well enough because the character doesn't age. But in this case, they are asking the audience to accept younger (and frankly not as skilled) actors to portray characters that we've already accepted in a different form. You also run the risk of ruining continuity with a film like this. Still, these are beloved characters and I will want to see what aspects of their origin story they choose to focus on in this new film.
15 Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (May 20)
Plot: Johnny Depp returns to his iconic role of Captain Jack Sparrow in an action-packed adventure. Crossing paths with the enigmatic Angelica (Penelope Cruz), he's not sure if it's love—or if she's a ruthless con artist who's using him to find the fabled Fountain of Youth. When she forces him aboard the "Queen Anne's Revenge," the ship of the legendary pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane), Jack finds himself on an unexpected adventure in which he doesn't know whom to fear more: Blackbeard or Angelica, with whom he shares a mysterious past. The international cast includes franchise vets Geoffrey Rush as the vengeful Captain Hector Barbossa and Kevin R. McNally as Captain Jack's longtime comrade Joshamee Gibbs, plus Sam Claflin as a stalwart missionary and Astrid Berges-Frisbey as a mysterious mermaid.
Personal opinion: There were several criticisms of the last two sequels, many of which were valid, so my faith in yet another film for this franchise isn't great. Then again, Johnny Depp is so good in this role, I can't say that I'm displeased to see more adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow. I also think that the absence of Orlando Bloom and Kiera Knightly might be a good thing here. It may make for a more focused film and open up some new storytelling. While I didn't fall in love with it, the first trailer for this latest entry seems entertaining enough to give me hope.
14 Kung Fu Panda 2 (May 27)
Plot: Po is now living his dream as The Dragon Warrior, protecting the Valley of Peace alongside his friends and fellow kung fu masters, The Furious Five - Tigress, Crane, Mantis, Viper and Monkey. But Po's new life of awesomeness is threatened by the emergence of a formidable villain, who plans to use a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy kung fu. It is up to Po and The Furious Five to journey across China to face this threat and vanquish it. But how can Po stop a weapon that can stop kung fu? He must look to his past and uncover the secrets of his mysterious origins; only then will he be able to unlock the strength he needs to succeed.
Personal opinion: The first film was one of the most pleasant surprises of 2008. The story, voice work, and animation was on par with anything that Pixar has done. Because of that, I'm certainly looking forward to this return effort. However, because this is Dreamworks and not Pixar, I don't have the same kind of faith in this. The original Shrek was great, but they failed to recapture that magic with the sequels. I hope that I am wrong here and that this turns out to be another entertaining entry.
13 Green Lantern (June 17)
Plot: In a universe as vast as it is mysterious, a small but powerful force has existed for centuries. Protectors of peace and justice, they are called the Green Lantern Corps. A brotherhood of warriors sworn to keep intergalactic order, each Green Lantern wears a ring that grants him superpowers. But when a new enemy called Parallax threatens to destroy the balance of power in the Universe, their fate and the fate of Earth lie in the hands of their newest recruit, the first human ever selected: Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds). Hal is a gifted and cocky test pilot, but the Green Lanterns have little respect for humans, who have never harnessed the infinite powers of the ring before. But Hal is clearly the missing piece to the puzzle, and along with his determination and willpower, he has one thing no member of the Corps has ever had: humanity. With the encouragement of fellow pilot and childhood sweetheart Carol Ferris (Blake Lively), if Hal can quickly master his new powers and find the courage to overcome his fears, he may prove to be not only the key to defeating Parallax...he will become the greatest Green Lantern of all.
Personal Opinion: Marvel has certainly expanded their cadre of characters onto the big screen, so I am all for DC to do the same. My biggest concern, which was somewhat confirmed in the film's first trailer, is that I'm not that crazy about Ryan Reynolds as an actor and the smarmy way he plays every single character. I do like the Green Lantern character, even though I really don't know that much about his origins or background. I felt similar about Iron Man before that film came out, so I'm hopeful that this film will turn out as good as that one did.
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