Before I begin, honorable mentions go out to: Cabin In The Woods
Besides the dynamic team of Drew Godard and Joss Whedon working on it, there's been 0 info on it. That is the reason why it isn't on the list. Duplicity
Tony Gilroy is a marvel, and this is a great cast. Can't wait to see it.
26. Extract
Directed and Written by Mike Judge
Release Date: TBA 2009
Starring Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Ben Affleck, Kristen Wiig
Mike Judge has made two of the greatest animated comedy series' ever in Beavis and Butthead and King Of The Hill. He has also made two terrific cult comedies in Office Space and Idiocracy. For his third feature he has gotten together a great cast, and that is really all we need to know. Judge's pristine track record suggests that this will be really funny and brilliant. Let's hope this one is a hit!
25. Big Fan
Directed and Written by Robert D. Siegel
Release Date: World Premiere at Sundance 2009
Starring Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Rappaport
oooh, this is going to be good. Former writer for The Onion, and currently the screenwriter for the amazing The Wrestler, Robert D. Siegel is going low budget for his next movie. This is Patton Oswalt's first non-talking-rat starring role in a film, and this seems like a perfect role for him. With the cast filled with other reliable side players, this will certainly be a good time.
24. Black Dynamite
Directed by Scott Sanders
Written by Scott Sanders, Byron Minns
Release Date: World Premiere at Sundance 2009
Starring Michael Jai White
Just watch the trailer. If this doesn't sell you on it, then we can't be friends.
23. Land of the Lost
Directed by Brad Silberling
Written by Chris Henchy, Dennis McNicholas, and others
Release Date: June 5, 2009
Starring Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel, Jorma Taccone
I'll be honest. The only reason i'm placing this on here is because it's the first movie to team Ferrell and McBride together. Will has been producing Danny's projects for a while, and it's great to finally see them on screen together. It's going to be magic. Plus I love Anna and Jorma as well. Oh, and Adam McKay (Anchorman, Step Brothers, Talladega Nights) is a producer on it, so it should be hilarious.
22. I Love You, Man
Directed and Written by John Hamburg
Release Date: March 20, 2009
Starring Paul Rudd, Jason Segel, Rashida Jones
The cast is very Apatow, but he isn't involved at all. However, John Hamburg who did a lot of work on The State, and wrote a lot on Zoolander ( less said about Along Came Polly the better) is directing and writing. Rudd and Segel should be a great team. 21. Star Trek
Directed by J.J. Abrams
Written by Roberto Orci, Alex Kurtzman
Release Date: May 8, 2009
Starring Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Simon Pegg, Eric Bana, Karl Urban, John Cho, Zoe Saldana, Bruce Greenwood, Winona Ryder, Leonard Nimoy
Abrams doing Star Trek? **** yes! also Simon Pegg as Scotty is worth the price of admission alone.
20. Get Him To The Greek
Directed and Written by Nick Stoller
Release Date: Fall 2009
Starring Russell Brand, Jonah Hill
This will be great. A spinoff to Forgetting Sarah Marshall with Russell Brand's Aldous Snow character back on drugs. It has been described as a dirty version of Almost Famous, and that alone with this cast and director/writer has me psyched.
19. Bruno
Directed by Dan Mazer
Release Date: May 15, 2009
starring Sacha Baron Cohen
The expectations placed on this movie will be ridiculous. If the movie is even just a tiny bit less funny than Borat, people will be hating on this movie. Teaming up with his original Ali G partner in crime Dan Mazer (and also creator of the short lived but entertaining Comedy Central series Dog Bites Man) Sacha is in his Bruno character. That's it, i'm sold. I wish there weren't so many leaks out for this movie to keep it as more of a surprise, but oh well!
I would do more, but doing this list takes a lot of time.
Tomorrow expect Part 1 of the albums and more movies of 09. see you then!
18. The Tree of Life
Directed and Written by Terrence Malick
Starring Brad Pitt, Sean Penn
Malick rarely does movies. Whenever he puts out something new it's an event. I can't wait to see it, especially with this cast.
17. Shutter Island
Directed by Martin Scorsese
Written by Steven Knight
Release Date: October 2, 2009
Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Williams, Emily Mortimer, Jackie Earle Haley, Patrica Clarkson, Max von Sydow
Scorsese movies are also events, and this also has a great cast. Also adapted from a Dennis Lehane book, so !
16. Where The Wild Things Are
Directed by Spike Jonze
Written by Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers
Release Date: October 16, 2009
Starring Max Records, Catherine Keener, Forest Whitaker, James Gandolfini, Catherine O'Hara, Paul Dano
This movie has been getting shafted from WB, and it was supposed to be out by now! Luckily, it seems to actually be coming out next October, and I really can't wait. Spike Jonze is one of my all-time fav directors, and he hasn't disapointed me yet.
15. A Serious Man
Directed and Written by Ethan Coen, Joel Coen
Release Date: Fall 2009
Starring Michael Sthulbarg, Richard Kind, Adam Arkin
I just love this. Coming off of the triumph (both artistically, and financially) of Burn After Reading, they are doing another comedy with 0 stars. Richard Kind is the biggest star in this movie! The lead is primarily a theater actor! I have the script on my hard drive, but I am not going to spoil myself for what should be a terrific film.
14. The Informant
Directed by Steven Soderbergh
Written by Scott Z. Burns
Release Date: September 18, 2009
Starring Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Joel McHale, Patton Oswalt, Melanie Lynskey, Andy Daly, Jimmy Pardo, Paul F. Tompkins, Scott Adsit, Tony Hale
Look at the director and star (Soderbergh, Damon), and then look at the other people in the cast. It's a variety of L.A. area comedians. How great is that? It's based off a true story that you can look up on Wikipedia, and apparently a dark comic tone is needed for the story. Who better then to cast some of the most talented comedians in the supporting cast? Andy Daly!!!! Also the picture above is Matt Damon in the film. Crazy!!! This movie will be amazing
13. Avatar
Directed and Written by James Cameron
Release Date: December 18, 2009
Starring Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez, Zoe Saldana, Giovanni Ribisi
It was supposed to be out this May, but seeing as we have waited 10+ years for Cameron's follow up, I think we can wait a few more months. Everyone who has seen footage from it has dropped terms like "game changer" for its groundbreaking 3D effects. I hope some footage of it comes out ASAP.
12. Paul
Directed by Greg Mottola
Written by Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Release Date: TBA 2009
Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost
Pegg! Frost! Mottola! Edgar Wright producing! You know from those names if you are interested in it or not. You don't need a premise (there is one on the IMDB page linked above, but yeah), you just know that those guys promise quality. They will deliver.
11. Whatever Works
Directed and Written by Woody Allen
Release Date: Spring 2009
Starring Larry David, Evan Rachel Wood
I am stunned how this hasn't been done until now. Larry David in the lead of a Woody Allen movie. It's going to be incredibly good.
The latest Pegg/Frost film is in my own top ten, as is The Informant and Shutter Island. Anything made by the Coens and Malick is pretty must-see, too. I mean, The Tree of Life stars Brad Pitt AND Sean Penn, for crying out loud!
I can't say that I'm as excited about Avatar as others, but most of the other choices are top-notch stuff. And I wonder also why it took so long for Larry David to be the lead in a Woody Allen film.
10. Adventureland
Directed and Written by Greg Mottola
Release Date: March 27, 2009
Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr, Ryan Reynolds, Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig
Greg Mottola has made two films thus far. One has been seen by everyone (Superbad), while the other hasn't (The Daytrippers). Adventureland shares a lot with The Daytrippers in that Mottola also writes this. The movie is based on Greg's teen years working at an Adventureland theme park, and the cast is just terrific. This movie has been in the works for a while, and i'm excited to finally see it.
fun fact: Jesse Eisenberg was one of the original choices (and Jonah Hill's choice) of who to play Seth in Superbad.
09. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Directed by Edgar Wright
Written by Michael Bacall
Release Date: 2009
Starring Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
This is the movie that is keeping Edgar Wright away from directing Pegg/Frost's Paul. To non-fans of the graphic novel, that may bum you out. To fans of it, like yours truly, this is fantastic news. The Scott Pilgrim series of graphic novels are the very best going today. Very funny, great references, great characters, and just so, so much fun. Edgar Wright is the perfect choice to direct it, and Cera should be fun in the title role.
The rest of the cast has yet to be announced, but creator of the series Bryan Lee O'Malley has said the choices are so good. I am dying to hear who will be picked, but as that happens I suggest everyone read the books. You can be one of the cool people when the movie comes out to be like "oh yeah, I have read the books. they are amazing!"
08. Public Enemies
Directed by Michael Mann
Written by Michael Mann, Ronan Bennett, Ann Biderman
Release Date: July 1, 2009
Starring Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Channing Tatum
Michael Mann.
By far one of the greatest directors, he is just a big favorite of mine. All his movies are amazing. His last movie in fact, Miami Vice, is probably the movie I have rented the most times at the video store. I have rented it out around 4 times. The first time I didn't get it. Second time it was better. Third time it was good. Fourth it was spectacular. One of the most underrated movies of the past few years, imo.
oh, yeah, the topic is Public Enemies. Just look at that cast. Depp, and Bale as leads. In a 30's gangster era crime drama. Are you kidding me??!?!?! With Mann at the helm, this movie will probably make me spin around in circles hours after seeing it.
07. Up
Directed by Pete Doctor, Bob Peterson
Written by Bob Peterson, Ronnie del Carmen
Release Date: May 29, 2009
Starring Ed Asner, Christopher Plummer, John Ratzenberger
I'll be honest here. When the announcement of upcoming Pixar movies came out, this was the one that excited me most. Something about the old man concept just really strikes me as something original. I have read a report on the opening scenes in the film, which leads to why his house is flying and all that jazz, and it is, without spoiling, heartbreaking. Just moving stuff. Ed Asner as the old man is perfect casting and the directors are the guys who did Monsters Inc. That is all that needs to be said.
06. The Year One
Directed by Harold Ramis
Written by Harold Ramis, Gene Stupnitsky, and Lee Eisenberg
Release Date: June 19, 2009
Starring Jack Black, Michael Cera, Olivia Wilde, David Cross, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Hank Azaria, Vinnie Jones, Oliver Platt, Paul Scheer, Paul Rudd
At the beginning of the year, this was my #1. It isn't that I have lost interest in it, it's just that other movies have come from under the radar (and some cases, newly announced) that The Year One keeps getting pushed down.
It will be great fun though. Harold Ramis is a comedy hero of mine, and him finally working with Apatow Productions makes me giddy. It's a Biblical Road Movie with a really good cast. Paul Rudd and David Cross as Cain and Abel alone should make you want to buy a ticket already.
05. Inglorious Basterds [sic]
Directed and Written by Quentin Tarantino
Release Date: World Premiere at Cannes 09
Starring Brad Pitt, Mélanie Laurent, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Brühl, Eli Roth, BJ Novak, Samm Levine, Cloris Leachman, Mike Myers, Rod Taylor, Narrated by Samuel L. Jackson
This movie has been in the works for so long that i'm surprised that it's finally happening. Out of nowhere, the script was sent out in July to all studios. Brad Pitt was cast in the lead shortly after. The rest of the cast fell into place after that, and started shooting in October.
Quentin wants to get this out to world premiere at Cannes, which makes me worry a bit
rant:
Obviously, i'm insanely excited for this movie. Quentin has never made a bad movie in my eyes (Jackie Brown is one of the most underrated movies there is), and this looks no different. It's just that I don't see why he is on this insane rush to Cannes. It's been in the works so long, and now all of a sudden he is on this insane burst to finish it? It's silly for a lot of reasons:
-Ennio Morricone has been offered to do some of the score for the film, which is so, so perfect, but Quentin's rushed timeline makes it impossible for him to do. Seeing as this should, sadly, be one of his last scores Quentin should just let him work at his own pace.
-The real tragedy in all of this though is the fact that Adam Sandler isn't in it. The role of "The Bear Jew" was specifically written for Sandler, and it's been that way for years. However, with him filming at this rushed pace, a scheduling conflict came in the way of Sandler from doing it (he's doing my #1 movie instead). Sandler was really excited to do it, and he feels just as bummed as we do for him not being in it. What really harshens the blow is that Eli Roth is now in "The Bear Jew" part. No offense to Mr. Roth, but come the **** on!!!! People who have read the script (I'm one of the maybe 5 people on the internet who hasn't) say that Sandler would have been really perfect for the role. It's just really sad
This accelerated schedule has also kept away brilliant talents like Simon Pegg and David Krumholtz from being in the film as well.
Again, with all that said, it's still a Tarantino movie. It'll be really good, and come on. Pitt in the lead? At least that is one piece of casting he got right!
04. Observe & Report
Directed and Written by Jody Hill
Release Date: April 10, 2009
Starring Seth Rogen, Anna Faris, Ray Liotta, Michael Pena, Jesse Plemons, Patton Oswalt, Aziz Ansari
You may not know who Jody Hill is. Jody Hill is the director of the brilliant The Foot Fist Way starring Danny McBride. He is also the director for Jody/Danny/Ben Best's HBO series East Bound and Down. He has to be the best comedic directing talent to come out in years and years. He just knows how to make me laugh hard.
His first major studio film will not sacrifice his style, and even without Danny McBride in the lead he got an equally as good talent in Seth Rogen. People who have seen this at test screenings have said that this movie is a comedy classic in the making. Doesn't follow a ******** formula, bold, amazing, and best of all, funny as ****.
This might be Rogen's The Cable Guy (in that, a movie that isn't his usual character that alienates people at the box office, but true fans think is a classic and quote for years), but as long as the film is released the way Jody Hill intended then that is fine by me.
03. Watchmen
Directed by Zack Snyder
Written by Daniel Hayter, Alex Tse
Release Date: March 6, 2009
Starring Patrick Wilson, Jackie Earle Haley, Malin Akerman, Billy Crudup, Matthew Goode, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Carla Gugino
What is there to say about Watchmen that hasn't been said a million times better? Nothing.
People know this movie will rule, and mainstream audiences seem be catching on after the trailer was attached to The Dark Knight in the summer. All signs from internet movie journalists point to that Snyder has nailed it, and didn't **** it up which is all we can ask for.
02. This Side Of The Truth
Directed and Written by Ricky Gervais and Matt Robinson
Release Date: March 20, 2009
Starring Ricky Gervais, Jennifer Garner, Rob Lowe, Louis C.K., Jonah Hill, Tina Fey, Jeffrey Tambor, Christopher Guest, John Hodgman, Narrated by Patrick Stewart
Is that not the best comedy cast ever assembled? Pretty much.
I am such a hardcore fan of Ricky Gervais (and Stephen Merchant, who isn't involved with this movie like he is with their TV shows). Like a huge, gushing fan. I think everything he has done is brilliant. Ghost Town was his introduction to American audiences of him as a lead. I haven't seen it yet, but I hear it was a pretty good conventional comedy.
This Side Of The Truth, however, will be so ****in good. The concept is probably the best concept of the year. It is set in a world where no one has ever lied before. Everything is very literal (an example: a hotel is named "A Cheap Hotel for Intercourse with a Near Stranger"). Ricky's character, who is a screenwriter at Lecture Films (movies in this world basically being people sitting in front of a fireplace reading about historical events), so he just writes something that isn't true. The floodgates are now wide open as Ricky's character can use his powers without anyone noticing.
It's a movie that should be something special. Some people who have read the script are saying it's in the running for a Best Original Screenplay nomination for the 2010 Academy Awards. I'm not surprised, and I can hardly contain my excitement.
oh, and Louis C.K., the best stand-up comedian working today bar none, acting in a Gervais movie will be wonderful.
01. Funny People
Directed and Written by Judd Apatow
Release Date: July 31, 2009
Starring Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, Eric Bana, Jonah Hill, Jason Schwartzman, RZA, Aubrey Plaza, Aziz Ansari
People who know me outside of the board know that i'm a hardcore fanboy of anything Judd Apatow touches. I see everything he does. I even saw Drillbit Taylor this year, which don't believe the hype cause it was pretty good.
Anyway, the real magic of Apatow come from his directorial projects and this is only his third following the flawless track record of The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up. It's called Funny People, the cast is stacked like crazy (RZA in a comedy!), and it is great. The crazy thing is I have already read the script for the movie. An early first draft, and people who know Apatow's products know that most dialogue in the script does not end up in the final picture. From my reading of it, it's completely different then anything he has done. It's more dramatic then his other movies, but it's still very funny.
“I’m trying to make a very serious movie that is twice as funny as my other movies." That's a quote Judd Apatow said about how he wants the tone of Funny People to go. With that cast, the funny should certainly be achieved.
This is the movie that Sandler is doing over Inglorious Basterds [sic], and while it stings that he won't be doing Basterds, this movie will be such a showcase for his talent. It'll be cool once again to be a Sandler fan by the time this movie comes out (I personally thought Zohan was funny as **** and his funniest movie since Happy Gilmore, but i'm in the minority there).
Also, sidenote, but Norm MacDonald and other standup comics from the L.A. area (Jarrett Grode from Undeclared!! make cameos and that makes me geek out so much. Norm is so great, and he is one of the few guys who just makes me laugh hard every time he opens his mouth.
Part 1 of albums will be coming up tomorrow for sure. I promise.
And the Russel Brand film sounds amazing!
