Sunday, January 18

Movies of 2009, second 6 months

A continuation of the earlier post.   The 2nd half of the year is a bit more interesting...

This has a good cast and I dig '30s gangster stuff but it's directed by Micheal Mann.  Why does the film industry tease me so?

2012 (July 10)
Big ol' end of the world disaster flick by the same people who brought you Independence Day and The Day After Tomorrow.  I would think they were getting bored.  I do appreciate that at the end of the teaser trailer they tell you to google 2012 and not just go to the movie website.  There are info out there to freak people out.  (Freaking out about this is like seeing that your daily planner has no more pages after December.)

Yes, another one.  They don't get that much better or that much worse.  While I read all of the books with joy, watching the films now feels like something I have to do just to complete the set.

G-Force (July 24)
Gerbils has government special agents.  'Nough said.

A movie I will see just because I sort of watched the cartoon.  I am mostly curious about how one balances the goofiness with making it exciting.  I mean, one villain wears a cobra helmet and the other has a head of metal.  Also, C.O.B.R.A. of the Idiotarod took its design inspiration and some of its attitude from Cobra.

Shorts (Aug 7)
I fully appreciate Robert Rodriguez do it yourself ethic and his interesting eye.  And this is a movie about a rock that grants wishes.  If I had a wish he'd direct another horror film.

I know someone in it.  That's pretty much it.

I just like the ridiculousness of the title.  Actually, I enjoyed the first one.  Or at least the concept.  You know, with all of these 3D films that have been coming out, I have yet to see one.  I should do that.  Somehow I am guessing it will not be FD:DT3D.

Since Pulp Fiction I've been waiting for QT (I like calling him "QT) to direct something out of genre.  At the time, I wanted him to do a cyberpunk movie.  (Yeah, this was when cyperpunk was cool.)  I am uber-curious as to what he does with a WWII film.  (Insert joke about guys in a foxhole talking about what Ella Fitzgerald meant by "Ain't Misbehavin'.")

Game (Sept 4)
Seems like there are a lot of sci-fi films coming out now.   Curious.  "In the near-future, mind-control technology has taken society by storm and a multiplayer on-line game called "Slayers" allows humans control other humans in mass-scale. Kable is the on-line champion of the game, and with his every move tracked by millions, his ultimate challenge becomes regaining his identity and launching an attack on the system that has imprisoned him."  Now that I actually see that, it sounds stupid.  I'll still see it.

Pandorum (Sept 4)
"A pair of crew members aboard a spaceship wake up with no knowledge of their mission or their identities."  There as a weird roleplaying game that I bought and never played that was this story.  Except everyone was also crazy and kept popping from one 'reality' to another, each a metaphor for what as really happening on the spaceship.  I've bought my share of games I've never played.

9 (Sept 9)
This is awesome.

Daybreakers (Sept 11)
Vampires.  Do they ever get old?  I think I saw his when it was called 30 Nights.

Great damn book.  If done well this could be an amazing kids The Day After Tomorrow.  But actually good.  And fun cast.  Please, whoever was responsible for the Cat In The Hat movie, stay way from this.

Fame (Sept 25)
Thank you, High School Musical 1-3, for making this remake seeming like a good idea.

The Surrogates (Sept 25)
Another sci-fi flick.  Has the potential of being a Philip K. Dickian yarn.  (I just wanted to write "Dickian" and "yarn.")

Toy Story (Oct 2)
Still Toy Story but... now in 3D!  I want to see this with my friend Matt because I expect him to jump up and down in his seat.  And now he can do it in 3D!

Zombieland (Oct 9)
Zombies.  I love zombies.  And this one is so up front with its title.  Might just be a Shaun of the Dead rip off though.  But it's zombies so who cares?

Directed by Spike Jonez who I love.  This was supposed to come out this year but the studio balked.  Too dark.  Max wasn't likable enough.  It's about giant monsters!  Max is an ass!  That's the point.  Well, it is finally coming out (in 9 months from now).  And look at that shot at the top of this post.  Seriously.

The Box (Nov 6)
"A small wooden box arrives on the doorstep of a troubled married couple, who open it and become instantly wealthy. Little do they realize that opening the box also kills someone they do not know."  I have an irrational fear that every time I realize something unexpected from UPS, this is exactly what will happen.

Wes Anderson's long awaited animated project.  Rohl Dahl story.  I am so curious what this end up like.  (Expect the color yellow.)

The Wolfman (Nov 6)
Werewolf movies are up there with zombie movies for me.  And it should be fun to watch Del Toro go all hairy and angry and stuff.

Robert Downey, Jr. as Holmes... Yes!  Directed by Guy Richie... no.

Planet 51 (Nov 20)
I am waiting for other production houses to figure out what makes Pixar movies good.  Hint: Story.  Another hint: STORY!  (Trailer here.)  This reminds me of that Twilight Zone episode where the old lady in a shack gets attacked by what looks like tiny toy robots.  And she doesn't speak the entire time.  And then at the end she finds a small flying saucer in the backyard and attacks it with her broom.  And then you discover that the ship was from Earth and the old woman was a giant alien!  That was  a good one!  Also, the bit with the pet Alien is cute.

Nine (Nov 25)
Not 9, but Nine.  Here's a case where the non-animated movie is the musical.

Come on, Mr. Jackson.  Show was what you can do.  Heavenly Creatures was a great film so I'm glad he's getting back to something non-fantasy.

Avatar (Dec 18)
James Cameron's massive pet sci-fi project.  I am guessing this will be a case of too much money handed to too large an ego.  Cameron needs someone around him to say "no."  I'll do it.  Cameron, no.  There.  Now pay me $15,000.

I am sure there are films I've missed and new ones that will pop up.
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