Sin #45: Coming Attractions 2010

I’m taking a break from writing about great movies and filmmakers to delve into 2010’s most anticipated movies based on directors, actor’s or even trailers (there are some pretty good ones, surprisingly). So, here we go:

-Clash of the Titans (Letterier): The Original “Clash of the Titans” (1981) boasts some pretty dated special effects but it was simply a lot of fun, this new remake promises to be, at least, technically superior. Will it deliver some of the charm and entertainment value of the original? We can only hope so.

-The Ghost Writer (Polanski): Controversy has surrounded Roman Polanski for most of his life and now that he faces trial and conviction for his rape accusations more than 3 decades ago it’s unfortunate that his personal life has overshadowed his movies. “The Ghost Writer” seems like an interesting political thriller with a terrific cast; the reviews so far have been great.

-Kick-Ass (Vaughn): This ultraviolent movie about kid superheroes features one of the best trailers of the season. Watching the rapport between Nicolas Cage and his on-screen daughter may be worth the price of the ticket alone and, not only that, but it also features McLovin as a superhero. This I got to see.

-Iron Man 2 (Favreau): The first “Iron Man” was a pleasant surprise, a smart superhero movie that cemented Robert Downey Jr. as one of cinemas most charismatic actors. This sequel adds terrific actors to the mix, like Mickey Rourke, Sam Rockwell and Scarlett Johansson. Let’s hope the movie lives up to the original.

-Robin Hood (Scott): Even though it looks like Gladiator-redux, “Robin Hood” at least promises awesome battle sequences from Ridley Scott, who is the master of this kind of thing. This movie is also in charge of opening the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, so we can hope it delivers rousing entertainment.

-Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (Newell): Ok, most of videogame to movie adaptations have really sucked (sometimes to epic levels of awfulness) but this movie at least looks visually interesting and a lot of fun. Director Mike Newell might just succeed in making a worthy adaptation, we’ll have to wait and see.

-Micmacs (Jeunet): Every Jeunet movie (except for “Alien Resurrection”) is a fantastic work of art and “Micmacs” doesn’t seem to disappoint. With quirky characters and a stylized look reminiscent of “Amelie”, this movie promises to be one of the most imaginative works of 2010. Can’t wait to see it.

-Splice (Natali): From the director of the original “Cube” (which is really an original and underrated thriller) comes this new horror movie about a couple of scientist who create a new kind of organism. The reviews have been mixed so far, but at least it looks interesting and features two engaging actors, with Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley.

-Toy Story 3 (Unkrich): After more than a decade since the release of the second film, “Toy Story 3” is one of the most anticipated sequels of the year and surely a guarantee for box office success. The most promising aspect (besides the return of all our favorite characters) is that the screenwriter is the man who wrote “Little Miss Sunshine”, so expect bittersweet delight.

-Predators (Antal): This might not look like a great movie but it features a good cast and promises plenty of predator action. With Robert Rodriguez as producer it might even be fun; it certainly can’t be worse than those horrid “Alien vs. Predator” movies.

-Inception (Nolan): This is my most anticipated movie of the year (it could potentially be one of the very best, too). Although the plot remains a mystery, the cast (which is one of the great ensembles I’ve seen) and with the presence of director Christopher Nolan, it promises a wild ride.

-Scott Pilgrim vs. The World (Wright): The first trailer for this movie is awesome. With a stunning visual style that remains very close to its comic-book source and the talent of director Edgar Wright (of “Shaun of the Dead” and “Hot Fuzz” fame), this might be one of the most exciting movies of 2010.

-The Expendable (Stallone): Yes, this might be one big steaming pile of shit (or surprisingly entertaining like Stallone’s “Rambo IV”) but just look at the cast! It’s like a flashback to the 80s all the way.

-The American (Corbijn): Anton Corbijn is an amazing music video director who debuted in movies with “Control”, the story of Ian Curtis, leader of Joy Division. “The American” teams him with George Clooney. Let’s hope the results are as intriguing as they sound.

-Buried (Cortes): “Buried” has the gimmick of being completely shot inside a coffin and only featuring the performance of Ryan Reynolds (the rest of the cast is only overheard). At Sundance it got rave reviews and it certainly promises to be a tense thriller reminiscent of “Phone Booth” or “Cellular”.

-Machete (Rodriguez): For anyone who has seen the brilliant fake trailer for “Machete” on the “Planet Terror” DVD you can easily figure out what this movie is about (“You don’t fuck with this Mexican”, says it all). Surprisingly enough, “Machete” features a strange cast that ranges from Lindsay Lohan to Robert Deniro. Might be great.

-“Tron Legacy” (Kosinski): Even though the original “Tron” was made more than 30 years ago, this sequel seems destined to update its effects in glorious 3D(…). The teaser trailer is intriguing and the visuals are pretty hallucinatory (not to mention the soundtrack is by Daft Punk). This looks like one trippy ride.

And for those into art cinema here’s a list of potential masterpieces.

http://www.indiewire.com/article/cannes_film_festival_wish_list_2010/