Movies in 2010!

2010 is very nearly upon us, and it looks good. First we have the Awards season contenders, and a series of fun, but hopefully not too dumb studio fare to follow as the rest of the year goes on...

January
8
Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll
Ian Dury biopic. Andy Serkis is the lead Blockhead.

The Road
Post-apoc drama with Viggo Mortenson doing his thing. Possible awards contender.

Micmacs
The new Jeunet, fresh from starring at the LFF.

15
Up In The Air
Clooney's LFF hit!

The Book Of Eli
More post-apoc drama, this time with Denzel Washington. Directed by the Hughes Brothers.

22
Brothers
Award-worthy perfs from Tobey Maguire, Jake Gyllenhaal and Natalie Portman in this Jim Sheridan-directed post-Afghan drama. Maguire is presumed dead, so his brother gets involved with the widowed Portman, only for Maguire to return…

A Prophet
LFF Best Film winner. Prison drama. Nuff said.

The Boys Are Back
Awards-worthy perf by Clive Owen is at the centre of this drama as a fresh widower comes to terms with bringing up his son without the boy’s mother.

29
The Lovely Bones
Not well-received adaptation by Peter Jackson.

The Edge of Darkness
Martin Campbell remakes his 80s BBC classic, with Mel Gibson taking the lead, and Ray Winstone as Darius Jedburgh. Bizarrely still set in UK…

February
5
Solomon Kane
Adaptation of the Robert E Howard character.

Invictus
Morgan Freeman is Nelson Mandela. Clint Eastwood directs. Oscar awaits?

12
Ponyo
The new Miyzaki.

The Wolfman
Benecio del Toro is etc.

Valentine’s Day
I’m not suggesting this is worth seeing, but the cast is worth noting for its looks: for the boys – Jessicas Biel and Alba, Julia Roberts, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Garner; for the girls – Taylor Lautner, Bradley Cooper, Ashton Kutcher, Jaime Foxx, and Topher Grace. WTF??? How much eye candy can you squeeze into 1 film?

19
Shutter Island
The new Scorsese.

March
5
Alice In Wonderland
Tim Burton. Johnny Depp. 3D. Nuff said.

12
Green Zone
The new Paul Greengrass is a war drama with Matt Damon.

26
The Clash of the Titans
The first of Liam Neeson’s iconic roles this year as Zeus. But Sam Worthington who lifted Terminator 4 higher than it deserved is Perseus. Big, very dumb fun!

April
2
Psycho
Re-release to mark the 50th anniversary.

9
Lebanon
The tank movie from the LFF. Recommended by me.

The Losers
Ahead of Iron Man is an adaptation of Andy Diggle’s comic about a CIA black ops team trying to find out who betrayed them. Good cast.

Also this month:
Kick-Ass
Matthew Vaughn directs Mark Millar’s ace, super violent comic. Quite possibly the super hero movie to end all super hero movies.

May
1st or 2nd weekend
Iron Man II
I simply can't wait!

14
Robin Hood
Ridley Scott directs Russell Crowe. La Blanchett is Marian.

28
Prince Of Persia
Jake Gyllenhaal is the buffed up prince and Gemma Arterton the somewhat under-dressed heroine in what might be the next Pirates.

July
23
Toy Story 3D
COME. ON.

30
The A-Team
Liam Neeson’s second iconic role: this time, he’s Hannibal, who loves it when a plan comes together.

August
13
Inception
The new Chris Nolan.

20
Salt
Phillip Noyce directs Angelina in this CIA thriller.

September
1
American: The Bill Hicks Story
This great documentary about the American comedian who might have saved the world is very highly recommended.
Premiered at the LFF.

Release date to be confirmed...
Air Doll
LFF starrer.

Balibo
LFF starrer about East Timor and the Australian journalists who died there in the 70s.

Centurion
Roman Britain epic directed by Neil Marshall.

The Conspirator
Robert Redford directs the story of Anna Surratt, played by Evan Rachel Wood; Surratt was part of the Lincoln assassination trial.

The Disappearace of Alice Creed
Cracking British thriller that debuted at the LFF. See it!

The Double Hour
Brilliant thriller/romance/horror/whodunit from the LFF.

The Eagle of the Ninth
After State Of Play and The Last King of Scotland, Kevin Macdonald directs this Roman epic.

Leaves Of Grass
Tim Blake Nelson directs Ed Norton playing identical twins. Black comedy.

Women In Trouble
A US indie that looks very Almodovar-esque as the poster (right) suggests...