Every year starts with promises aplenty. I’ve compiled a list of 30 films I’m currently looking forward to checking out in 2009. Most are true ‘09 releases, some just haven’t reached the US yet, and some might not reach these shores ’til 2010 even though they’ll debut elsewhere. Some will deliver the goods and some will disappoint, while there are undoubtedly a few not on my radar or without firm or even vague release dates that will come out and rock. Then there are probably a couple I’ve just plain forgotten about. Foresight is a tricky thing, but here I go anyhow.
Here is the second batch of ten films that I’ve picked out to highlight going into 2009.
Metropolis
Metropolis
Director: Fritz Lang
Clearly this is not a new film, but we should be getting a brand new look at it in 2009. If you missed the news, the majority of the presumed-gone missing footage from Metropolis has been found in some prints that had been locked away in Argentina for 80 years. Shortly after this amazing news broke, Kino announced that they’d be re-releasing the Fritz Long classic on DVD and Blu-ray and would be including the rediscovered footage, which reportedly amounts to approximately 85% of the remaining lost scenes. This year will give us the most complete version of the film since the 1920s. Provided Kino, or someone else, does indeed get a new edition out, that’ll be one of the most exciting releases of the year, including all the new films. To my knowledge no specific details have been announced regarding the upcoming release. Check out this previous post for more information on the discovery.
Moon
Moon
Director: Duncan Jones
Sam Rockwell portrays a Helium 3 miner working in solitude on the moon. Shortly before his three year tenure is up, strange things begin to happen, including a work accident and a replacement who shares some disturbing similarities to the protagonist. Kevin Spacey voices a robot. Duncan Jones started out in the advertising industry and has a short film called Whistle to his name. I’m unaware of whether I’ve seen any of his ads, but Whistle sounds pretty interesting. Anyway, his feature sounds like an intelligent little piece of hard sci-fi, so it’s instantly of interest. Moon is scheduled to play Sundance later this month, and hopefully gets picked up for distribution later in the year.
Kim Hye-Ja in Mother
Mother
Director: Bong Joon-ho
Bong comes off The Host by returning to smaller scale feature about a mother fighting to free her son after he’s pegged by police for a murder because he lacks an alibi. It kinda sounds like a perspective reversal from Bong’s Memories of Murder, where the cops pull in suspects often without great evidence in an attempt to close a serial murder case. I’m a big fan of both of the aforementioned films from Bong, making me excited for anything he does, big or small. I’m unaware of any estimated show dates for this one in either Korea or the United States.
Rain in Ninja Assassin
Ninja Assassin
Director: James McTeigue
The Wachowski brothers are back to produce a second film directed by James McTeigue (V for Vendetta). Rain (*insert Colbert yelling and shaking his fist here*) stars as a well, ninja assassin who turns his back on the clan that trained him after witnessing them execute a friend. He later becomes involved in a Europol investigation into the clan. Naomie Harris, Ben Miles and Rick Yune co-star. McTeigue says he is “blending anime and parts of horror and film noir all into the same film” which sounds interesting to me. Ninja Assassin is currently without a release date.
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea
Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea
Director: Hayao Miyazaki
Disney will be releasing the latest from Studio Ghibli sometime soon. Evidence points to a spring or summer release. Miyazaki’s most recent film is completely hand-drawn and tells the tale of a baby mermaid who befriends a five year old human boy. I hear Disney does subtitled screenings at the El Capitan theater in Hollywood, so I’m counting on checking this out there. For those that don’t mind dubs, the English cast includes Matt Damon, Tina Fey, Cate Blanchett, Liam Neeson, Lilly Tomlin, Bettie White, Frankie Jonas, Noah Cyrus and Cloris Leachman. YouTube’s got a Japanese trailer for the film.
The Princess and the Frog
The Princess and the Frog
Directors: Ron Clements, John Musker
This marks Disney’s first traditionally animated feature since Home on the Range featuring the writing and direction of the duo behind Aladdin and The Little Mermaid. It’s also grabbing attention for having a black heroine. The plot is kinda under wraps but takes place in New Orleans during the 1920s. It’s also a musical, featuring songs written by Randy Newman. Vocal performances are provided by Anika Noni Rose, Bruno Campos, Keith David, John Goodman and Oprah Winfrey, among others. The teaser trailer can be found at the official site. The Princess and the Frog will be released next Christmas day.
Johnny Depp in Public Enemies
Public Enemies
Director: Michael Mann
Christian Bale and Johnny Depp portray FBI agent Melvin Purvis and bank robber John Dillinger, respectively, as they face off during the storied midwest crime wave of the 1930s. Mann has always excelled with crime films from Heat and Collateral, and some might say Miami Vice as well (I might be inclined to agree), making this one a potentially awesome film. The supporting cast includes Marion Cotillard, Channing Tatum, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Dorff, Billy Crudup, Leelee Sobieski and Emilie de Ravin. Public Enemies is scheduled for release on July 1st.
Viggo Mortensen in The Road
The Road
Director: John Hillcoat
I have not yet read the Cormac McCarthy novel this one is based on, but given its acclaim, the concept and the cast and crew, this is highly anticipated. Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee are a father and son traversing a post-apocalyptic landscape as they struggle to survive. Charlize Theron, Guy Pearce, Robert Duvall, Garret Dillahunt, Molly Parker and Michael K. Williams (Omar from The Wire!) co-star. The Road does not currently have a release date after being delayed out of 2008, reportedly because post-production has taken longer than expected.
Shutter Island
Shutter Island
Director: Martin Scorsese
Scorsese adapts a Dennis Lehane (Mystic River, Gone Baby Gone) novel that tracks a U.S. Marshal as he hunts for a female murder who has escaped a hospital for the criminally insane and is hiding in the film’s titular location during a hurricane. I strongly disliked the first aforementioned adaptation, but the second was solid enough. I have no idea what, if anything, that says about the novelist or this movie, but I do know that right now the thing getting me excited is pretty much just Scorsese and the cast which includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, Ben Kingsley, Emily Mortimer, Michelle Williams, Max von Sydow, Jackie Earle Haley, Elias Koteas, Patricia Clarkson, Ted Levine and John Carroll Lynch. That cast is ridiculously awesome. Shutter Island debuts October 2nd.
Sleep Dealer
Sleep Dealer
Director: Alex Rivera
Alex Rivera’s directorial debut is a sort of dystopian science fiction film exploring globalization in a near future where people across the globe connect to work via a futuristic Internet. I can’t really sum up what this one is about, but GreenCine Daily has a roundup of articles dealing with the film from last year’s Sundance. Sleep Dealer arrives on March 20th courtesy of Maya Entertainment.
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