Nictopia - The Movies I Am Most Interested in for 2009

Thursday, April 2, 2009: 1:44AM

The Movies I Am Most Interested in for 2009

We are a mere 1/4 of the way through 2009 which means we haven’t hit the two main movie release times of the year, Summer and Christmas. After learning that there will be a Sherlock Holmes movie locked in for this year I decided to compose a list of movies that I am most interested in seeing. Seeing as how my memory is not the best, there are probably many more that I am forgetting about. Regardless, it seems like this year may shape up very well.

Sherlock Holmes
This iteration of Sherlock Holmes will be directed by Guy Ritchie (Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) which already generates some interest for me. It will star Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes, I don’t really know how I feel about that. I am not questioning his acting, I am just afraid of what he will turn Sherlock into. Dr. Watson will be played by Jude Law, which is fantastic. I think Jude Law is a good actor and I can certainly picture him playing a character who (almost) matches wits with a legend like Sherlock Holmes. I am also interested in seeing how Downey Jr. and Law react on screen, I can picture a promising dichotomy between the two.

One thing that has me fearful for the movie is Ritchie is going to be directing Sherlock Holmes as wisecracking, saucy, and a womanizer. Now, it has been awhile since the last time I’ve ran into a Sherlock Holmes story, but I remember him being a bit cluster-minded and was only interested in those who he felt matched his intellect, even when it came to his women. But if that is the direction Ritchie wants to take Holmes that that is his prerogative, I’ll still see the movie. Besides, Downey Jr. would be a great match if Holmes is indulgent. I am already humoring myself thinking about Jude Law outwitting a drunk Robert Downey Jr.

Where the Wild Things Are
All I know is every time I watch the trailer for this movie I can’t help but smile. The music is probably one of the best songs they could have picked and is by The Arcade Fire. The entire movie seems like childhood nostalgia, between being based on the book, the monsters that are reminiscent of muppets, and even the concept of a child imagining a world of his own is something I am sure everyone can relate to. I am really hoping to go into this movie and remember what it was like to be that young and carefree again (even though I am only 22). I wish I can say more about this movie, but I feel I have said everything that needed to be said.

GI Joe
Judging from the cast this movie can be very campy, it can be awesome, or it can outright suck, so it basically tells us nothing. It seems to be casted very well, with the exception of Marlon Wayans. Everyone else I am more than satisfied with, most of the cast members are not celebrities, but still have held notable roles (Dennis Quaid, Ray Park, Rachel Nichols). But when it comes to Wayans, I am not so sure anymore, it might try to be funny, and GI Joe wasn’t meant to be funny. Sure, a couple of jokes here and there would be fine, but now I am just scared of it trying too hard to meet its own expectations, whatever they are.

One cool aspect is they are setting the movie a few years into the future as to not disenfranchise an international audience that is weary of America’s actions abroad. Also, it they will be more of an operative team than special forces. Again, this movie could go either way, still doesn’t mean I am not interested in checking it out.

The Wolfman
It is a remake of a 1950s film with the same title and it stars Benicio Del Toro - sold! I find Del Toro to be a magnificent actor, whom I want to see every movie he is in. Also, I have a strange affinity to movies with werewolves in them, might have something to do with being told, in high school, that I reminded people of a werewolf. Maybe it is in my blood, maybe you should watch out during the next full moon, maybe I should get back to the movie. Del Toro plays a man who returns home after the mysterious death of his brother and discovers the town is full of strange disappearances. Like any logical man he sets off to find his brother’s killer. Plot seems to fall kind of flat, it is based off a 1950s movie, but again, my interest lies in werewolves and Benicio Del Toro.

Inglorious Basterds
Did you like Freaks and Geeks? Of course you did, well Sam Levine (Neal) is in this movie. How about The Office? Well, actor/producer B.J. Novak (Ryan) is also in this movie. Samuel L. Jackson will narrate the movie under Quentin Tarrantino’s direction. It will be about a group of Jewish-American soldiers who are dropped into Nazi occupied France to slaughter and scalp “the German.” Why scalp? Well, to quote Brad Pitt’s character, “I want my scalps.” He is a man who knows what he wants and he wants German scalps. Do you see all of the names I dropped? Did you notice it is a Quentin Tarrantino film about a group of soldiers slaughtering Nazi’s. How can this movie not be good?

Star Trek
I really liked Star Trek growing up, and even though I wasn’t a Trekkie I still really respect it. Also, I am a huge fan of Lost and I really enjoyed Cloverfeild and since JJ Abrams is also working on this movie I feel like it can’t be horrible. I have confidence in Abrams, though I have never seen Fringe, and he seems like someone who knows what he is doing. I will certainly check this movie out when it comes out.

Caroline
I feel like there isn’t much I can say about this. The main reason I want to see it is because it is an adaptation of a Neil Gaiman book who is certainly up there as one of my favorite comic book writers. Henry Selick (directed/produced Nightmare Before Christmas and James and the Giant Peach) adapted it and will direct and produce it. Is it going to have Hot Topic written all over it? Definitely! That doesn’t mean I am not interested in seeing it, I owe it to Gaiman, he is a great writer.

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