Top 20 Films to See January-April 2010
Every year I make 3 lists dividing up the film season which represent the films I am most interested in seeing in January-April, May-August and September-December. This is my personal list of the films that look the most exciting, not a list of the films everyone should be looking forward to. They are based on their US release date since that is where I live. The rest of the films after the top 20 are listed after the main list. I realize that not all of these films look amazing but everyone has certain guilty pleasure films that interest them. Most of those are listed at the bottom although a couple are in the actual list. I also made this list before I saw anything so the films I have now seen are italicized. Hopefully anyone who reads this might find something interesting that they want to see. Onto the list!!
19. Alice in Wonderland (Burton)
While the casting of Mia Wasikowska and various others excited and intrigued me, the stills, trailers and TV spots left me annoyed and unimpressed. Still though, being a former Burton fanatic and current appreciator of many of his films still I did want to see what this would be like. Unfortunately it sucked beyond belief.
18. The City of Your Final Destination (Ivory)
James Ivory is always a good place to start not to mention the period setting and the fantastic cast featuring Anthony Hopkins, Laura Linney, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Hiroyuki Sanada and Alexandra Maria Lara.
17. I Love You Philip Morris (Ficarra, Requa)
Honestly the trailer for this left me unimpressed but I am intrigued enough by its odd and undiscernable tone to give it a shot. I am also desperate for a film with Jim Carrey to be good again.
16. The Girl on the Train (Techine)
The plot sounds very interesting and I will see anything with Catherine Deneuve.
15. The Art of the Steal (Argott)
I am a sucker for documentaries and this one which is apparently unabashedly one-sided has me aching to see it.
14. Terribly Happy (Genz)
A Danish film inspired by/retelling of Blood Simple? Sign me up.
13. Vincere (Bellocchio)
Greatly looking forward to this ever since I heard about it. I forgot it was coming out and unfortunately will most likely have to wait for a DVD release since interesting things never come around these parts.
13. After.life (Wojtowicz-Vosloo)
This could either be really decent or, far more likely, terrible. I'll take a decent film or a really fun terrible guilty pleasure film as long as Christina Ricci is in it. Excited for this either way.
12. Chloe (Egoyan)
Dissapointingly, this is not supposed to be very good. However, I absolutely love Atom Egoyan even if I find him to be inconsistent, I am always eager to see anything he puts out. The fact that I still follow him after Where the Truth Lies should be proof enough of my commitment to him. This looks like my kind of film, the kind that regardless of its quality, I will enjoy.
11. The Runaways (Sigismondi)
Does this really need explanation? I am dying to see this and its place at number 11 should indicate how jam packed this list is.
10. Tales from the Script (Hanson)
I am taking a screenwriting course right now and am also reading a book about how specific screenplays went from idea to screen and the involvement level of the studio. So right now this could be added to the fascination I have with the range of experiences that screenwriters have in the studio system or independent realm.
9. The Ghost Writer (Polanski)
The trailer for this was pretty good but it's the reviews, the director and the presence of Olivia Williams places this high on the list.
8. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Oplev)
I have been meaning to read this book for years and the film's release gives me ample motivation to finally pick up the book.
7. Waking Sleeping Beauty (Hahn)
Being a documentary, this gets my immediate interest but its mostly about the fact that it depicts the rise of the studio to make the films that I not only grew up with but to this day remain some of my favorites ever. I know all of the songs from these Disney films by heart and Belle was someone that I idolized and connected with so much as a child. So to see these animators create these films and save their studio is something I cannot wait to see.
6. Bluebeard (Breillat)
I have only seen extremist filmmaker Breillat's Fat Girl and outside of how disturbed I was by it I fell in love with it. I plan on seeing her other films at some point as her ideas interest me greatly. Retellings Breillat = extreme interest.
5. Fish Tank (Arnold)
I am a sucker for coming of age films and Arnold's brilliant tale did not dissapoint. In fact, it was an overwhelmingly impressive kick off to the year. It evokes a combination of French New Wave camera shots with its long takes of Mia walking and the British kitchen sink dramas of the 60's. Beautiful, brilliant and disturbing film.
4. Shutter Island (Scorsese)
Something I was looking forward to for a very long time. Not one of his best efforts though but I like it more than many others did. It was uneven in that as a character study it was remarkably successful but as a suspense film it was forced and meandering. Still though, definitely stuff to admire here and its successes are a lot more impressive than one can tell on the surface of a first viewing.
3. Mother (Bong)
While I have not seen either The Host or Memories of Murder which I plan to very soon, the trailer for this was very impressive leaving me desperate to see it. Fortunately I have attained it and hope to watch it soon whenever I can organize a time with my fellow friend who is interested in seeing it. So excited for this.
2. The Red Riding Trilogy (Jarrold, Marsh, Tucker)
Words cannot describe how long and how badly and I have been wanting to see this film which aired as a miniseries in the UK and has been released as one giant trilogy in selected US theaters. Thankfully since it was released here this year, it counts for this year which is very exciting. They have it available on demand for charter but its 6 dollars per film which adds up to 18 dollars which adds up to 18 dollars I don't have to spend. Ugh. If I can get ahold of it though which I believe I can than I will be ecstatic for weeks.
1. Greenberg (Baumbach)
My review of this should indicate just how obsessed with this film I am. It also was my number 1 from the moment I began making this list as Noah Baumbach is in my Top 5 currently working directors. I've already written 3,000 words on it so I'll stop now.
The rest:
The Crazies
Ajami
Hot Tub Time Machine
The Wolfman
Date Night
The Good, the Bad and the Weird
Nightmare on Elm Street
Clash of the Titans
My Name is Khan
Daybreakers
How to Train Your Dragon
Frozen
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Youth in Revolt
19. Alice in Wonderland (Burton)
While the casting of Mia Wasikowska and various others excited and intrigued me, the stills, trailers and TV spots left me annoyed and unimpressed. Still though, being a former Burton fanatic and current appreciator of many of his films still I did want to see what this would be like. Unfortunately it sucked beyond belief.
18. The City of Your Final Destination (Ivory)
James Ivory is always a good place to start not to mention the period setting and the fantastic cast featuring Anthony Hopkins, Laura Linney, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Hiroyuki Sanada and Alexandra Maria Lara.
17. I Love You Philip Morris (Ficarra, Requa)
Honestly the trailer for this left me unimpressed but I am intrigued enough by its odd and undiscernable tone to give it a shot. I am also desperate for a film with Jim Carrey to be good again.
16. The Girl on the Train (Techine)
The plot sounds very interesting and I will see anything with Catherine Deneuve.
15. The Art of the Steal (Argott)
I am a sucker for documentaries and this one which is apparently unabashedly one-sided has me aching to see it.
14. Terribly Happy (Genz)
A Danish film inspired by/retelling of Blood Simple? Sign me up.
13. Vincere (Bellocchio)
Greatly looking forward to this ever since I heard about it. I forgot it was coming out and unfortunately will most likely have to wait for a DVD release since interesting things never come around these parts.
13. After.life (Wojtowicz-Vosloo)
This could either be really decent or, far more likely, terrible. I'll take a decent film or a really fun terrible guilty pleasure film as long as Christina Ricci is in it. Excited for this either way.
12. Chloe (Egoyan)
Dissapointingly, this is not supposed to be very good. However, I absolutely love Atom Egoyan even if I find him to be inconsistent, I am always eager to see anything he puts out. The fact that I still follow him after Where the Truth Lies should be proof enough of my commitment to him. This looks like my kind of film, the kind that regardless of its quality, I will enjoy.
11. The Runaways (Sigismondi)
Does this really need explanation? I am dying to see this and its place at number 11 should indicate how jam packed this list is.
10. Tales from the Script (Hanson)
I am taking a screenwriting course right now and am also reading a book about how specific screenplays went from idea to screen and the involvement level of the studio. So right now this could be added to the fascination I have with the range of experiences that screenwriters have in the studio system or independent realm.
9. The Ghost Writer (Polanski)
The trailer for this was pretty good but it's the reviews, the director and the presence of Olivia Williams places this high on the list.
8. Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Oplev)
I have been meaning to read this book for years and the film's release gives me ample motivation to finally pick up the book.
7. Waking Sleeping Beauty (Hahn)
Being a documentary, this gets my immediate interest but its mostly about the fact that it depicts the rise of the studio to make the films that I not only grew up with but to this day remain some of my favorites ever. I know all of the songs from these Disney films by heart and Belle was someone that I idolized and connected with so much as a child. So to see these animators create these films and save their studio is something I cannot wait to see.
6. Bluebeard (Breillat)
I have only seen extremist filmmaker Breillat's Fat Girl and outside of how disturbed I was by it I fell in love with it. I plan on seeing her other films at some point as her ideas interest me greatly. Retellings Breillat = extreme interest.
5. Fish Tank (Arnold)
I am a sucker for coming of age films and Arnold's brilliant tale did not dissapoint. In fact, it was an overwhelmingly impressive kick off to the year. It evokes a combination of French New Wave camera shots with its long takes of Mia walking and the British kitchen sink dramas of the 60's. Beautiful, brilliant and disturbing film.
4. Shutter Island (Scorsese)
Something I was looking forward to for a very long time. Not one of his best efforts though but I like it more than many others did. It was uneven in that as a character study it was remarkably successful but as a suspense film it was forced and meandering. Still though, definitely stuff to admire here and its successes are a lot more impressive than one can tell on the surface of a first viewing.
3. Mother (Bong)
While I have not seen either The Host or Memories of Murder which I plan to very soon, the trailer for this was very impressive leaving me desperate to see it. Fortunately I have attained it and hope to watch it soon whenever I can organize a time with my fellow friend who is interested in seeing it. So excited for this.
2. The Red Riding Trilogy (Jarrold, Marsh, Tucker)
Words cannot describe how long and how badly and I have been wanting to see this film which aired as a miniseries in the UK and has been released as one giant trilogy in selected US theaters. Thankfully since it was released here this year, it counts for this year which is very exciting. They have it available on demand for charter but its 6 dollars per film which adds up to 18 dollars which adds up to 18 dollars I don't have to spend. Ugh. If I can get ahold of it though which I believe I can than I will be ecstatic for weeks.
1. Greenberg (Baumbach)
My review of this should indicate just how obsessed with this film I am. It also was my number 1 from the moment I began making this list as Noah Baumbach is in my Top 5 currently working directors. I've already written 3,000 words on it so I'll stop now.
The rest:
The Crazies
Ajami
Hot Tub Time Machine
The Wolfman
Date Night
The Good, the Bad and the Weird
Nightmare on Elm Street
Clash of the Titans
My Name is Khan
Daybreakers
How to Train Your Dragon
Frozen
Diary of a Wimpy Kid
Youth in Revolt
Film & TV on DVD
Though I would not have a Ben Stiller diversion at #1 even if its Directed by the great Noah!
That Red Riding Hood Trilogy looks fantastic, very curious.
Thoughts from a Cinephile
Thoughts from a TV Watcher
I as well, am curious about the Red Riding Trilogy. I need to figure out how to see it!!!