Happy New Year! Last year was pretty good for cinema, but here's hoping this one will be even better! There is a number of great-looking films coming up. Now, these are based on a number of clever marketing. I do realize a year from now a lot of these films won't be on my list of best films of the year. Most of the greatest movies seem to come from out of nowhere. All of these are in a way big films for their studios and thus they have flooded us with material from them already. Then again, these films come from such legendary filmmakers, or based on such great premises that I can't help looking forward to seeing them. Here's my personal top 10. And you know, as 2011 will be a rockin' year, this list actually goes to eleven.
10. (tie) Conan the Barbarian & Judge Dredd
Director (Conan): Marcus Nispel
Director (Dredd): Pete Travis
This is Conan. He's a Barbarian.Now, I REALLY need some badassiness into my life and two of the baddest motherfuckers in all of fiction are coming to the silver screen next year. Crom and Drokk, I have actually nothing to prove that these films shan't be terrible. Yet the makers of both films promise to deliver R-rated fun and claim to understand the fake swear-word churning violent characters. And I do enjoy both Conan the Destroyer and Sylvester Stallone's Judge Dredd film, even though both are pretty awful, so I might be easy to please. But I'd really like them both to be ridiculously awesome.
This is Judge Dredd. He is the Law. 9. Thor
Director: Kenneth Branagh
As a Merry Marvelite, I am obliged to have one superhero film on every list, every year. Much as I hope Matthew Vaughan's X-Men: The First Class delivers, the smart money's on Kenneth Branagh's Shakespearean demigod-epic. At least that has been in production for more than a year, see. Thor actually is one of the most awesome Marvel heroes that has yet appeared on screen so let's hope seeing a blonde muscle man shouting "Have at Thee" while crunching someone's face with a huge hammer while lightning bolts light up the evening sky will be good entertainment.
8. Drive Angry 3D
Director: Patrick Lussier
Still no sign of anything that is guaranteed to not be shite. That being sad, if the idea of Nicolas Cage being very angry while driving a car doesn't bring butterflies to your stomach, well, I guess you just don't like Nic Cage. Personally, I love him, especially when he's playing a flat-out lunatic. And seems his vigilante character here is right on the money.
7. The Source Code
Director: Duncan Jones
Moon was probably the best debut feature film I've seen since Donnie Darko. I sincerely hope Duncan Jones won't be a one-trick pony such as Richard Kelly. Jones's new film is an action thriller which features terrorism and switching bodies. Sounds cool, and it seems quite psychological as opposed to Face/Off -style ridiculousness. I'm fine either way.
6. The Fighter
Director: David O. Russel
I've long held the opinion that David O. Russel is a good director, but he never gets a chance to prove himself and make his masterpiece. Partially that's probably because he has a reputation of being a difficult director to work with. But that just mean that when it comes to a subject like boxing, he might whip out something stellar from his cast. Mark Wahlberg seems to have a role of a lifetime. I hope that this will turn up to be more than just a Rocky re-hash.
5. Hobo with a Shotgun
Director: Jason Eisener
Okay, this is just for pure stupid fun. If you don't get it by watching the trailer, I can't help you. Starring Rutger Hauer as the Hobo!
4. A Dangerous Method
Director: David Cronenberg
Whenever Cronenberg makes a new film, you better believe it goes to my top 10 most waited for list. Here he reunites with Viggo Mortensen (woo!) to tell the story of the wild days of Psychonanlysis and the friendship between Freud and Jung. Also starring Michael Fassbender, Vincent Cassel and Keira Knightley. I doubt this can go wrong, even if it has a Police Squadesque title. Cronenberg, if anyone, will know his psychology, so this one will be intriguing.
3. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn
Director: Steven Spielberg
Being European, I've grown up with a love for Tintin comics. They have a very delicate balance of thrills, adventures, slapstick and occasional political commentary. But if there is a trio that I think will get it just right is Steven Spielberg directing, Peter Jackson producing and Edgar Wright screenwriting. Wright nailed comic-to-screen adaptaion probably better than anyone already with Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. The already-released screenshots look a bit weird, but definately like Hergé's drawings. Let's hope the film does justice to his creation both visually than story-wise. Oh, and please let Captain Haddock still be a insult-spurning drunkard.2. The Tree of Life
Director: Terence Malick
The biggest thing in arthouse cinema in 2011 is of course Terence Malick's new film finally arriving (hopefully). The trailer still doesn't quite give about what it's all about, but seems like it's a poetic description of our brief lives. The relationship with nature seems to play an important part, as always. Some sources say that there will be dinosaurs in the film, which would be awesome.
1. True Grit
Directors: Joel & Ethan Coen
You might've gotten a hint here and there from this blog that I really anxiously want to see this film. The Coen brothers are some of my favorite filmmakers ever, and the book is just about perfect for them to do a western. It is filled with black humour, pondering about the nature of human beings, memorable characters and of course, grittiness. I haven't seen the Hollywood original, but I just know what parts they would polish off the book. Not so with the Coens. I remain pretty adamant that they deliver. There aren't enough good westerns made these days otherwise, so bless 'em for at least trying.
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