Stuff to See in 2010

There are few things more exciting than the prospect of a new year filled with new movies. After combing the internet, I’ve found fifty-eight movies slated to be released in 2010 that I am interested in, at least based on the minimal bits of information that are available for some of them. Of those fifty-eight, I’ve narrowed down a list of ten that I am particularly interested in. These aren’t necessarily the movies that I expect to be the best of the year – in fact, they almost certainly won’t. There really isn’t any way to make a list like this without falling back on either known properties or following people you trust. Almost all of these fall into one of those categories, but the best movies are oftentimes the ones you don’t see coming. Still, no reason to worry about that yet. Instead, just enjoy my list of ten movies to keep an eye on in 2010.

10. A Nightmare on Elm Street
Samuel Bayer

There’s a possibility that this movie won’t actually be any good, despite the brilliant choice of Jackie Earle Haley as Krueger. In fact, it will probably be the worst movie on this list, and maybe the worst of all the runners up, too. That won’t stop me from being there opening night, with bells on. It’s a Freddy Krueger movie. Everything else is irrelevant.

Hey, look, there's a trailer!

---------------------------------------------------------------

9. The Adjustment Bureau
George Nolfi

George Nolfi is an unknown quantity to me, but I like Matt Damon and I like Emily Blunt. I suppose I don’t really know why I’m interested in this movie. I guess it is based on a short story by some old science-fiction writer, but even if I knew who that guy was, surely that couldn't explain it.

---------------------------------------------------------------

8. The Green Hornet
Michel Gondry

I like Seth Rogan, I like superheroes, I like fedoras. . . and yet, this movie held little to no interest to me until they did something really strange and hired Michel Gondry to direct it. I have no idea what he’s going to do with the material, but whatever it is, it’s going to be fascinating.

---------------------------------------------------------------

7. The Expendables
Sylvester Stallone

Stallone. Schwarzenegger. Willis. Lundgren. Statham. Li. That makes a pretty good start to a list of the greatest living action movie stars. It’s also the cast of this movie. Throw in a couple of great old character actors like Mickey Rourke and Eric Roberts and let them all loose with machine guns, rocket launchers, and knives, and you’ve got a movie the likes of which have never been seen before. Or at least, not since the 80’s.

---------------------------------------------------------------

6. Kick-Ass
Matthew Vaughn

This.

---------------------------------------------------------------

5. The Tempest
Julie Taymor

Between her very interesting stage show of The Lion King and her masterwork, Titus, Julie Taymor’s name is enough to get me interested in anything. That interest won’t necessarily maintain itself over time, as demonstrated by the fact that I still haven’t seen Across the Universe, but The Tempest has a lot of other things going for it, including a return to Shakespearean source material and a terrific cast including Chris Cooper, Alan Cumming, Djimon Hounsou, David Straithairn, Alfred Molina, and Helen Fucking Mirren.

---------------------------------------------------------------

4. Iron Man 2
Jon Favreau

Because, well, because of Iron Man 1. And because you don’t pick Mickey Rourke and Sam Rockwell for your villains unless you’re some sort of genius.

Hey, look, there's a trailer!

---------------------------------------------------------------

3. Never Let Me Go
Mark Romanek

From the novel by Kazuo Ishiguro, who wrote the terrific The Remains of the Day, adapted by Alex Garland, who wrote 28 Days Later and Sunshine, directed by Romanek, the man behind One Hour Photo, and featuring Sally Sparrow herself, Carey Mulligan. I haven’t read the book myself, but I just bought a copy so I’ll know in a couple of weeks whether I’m still interested. What I do know is that it is apparently a moody, melancholic science-fiction story that keeps the sci-fi largely tucked away in the background. Sounds good to me.

---------------------------------------------------------------

2. Inception
Christopher Nolan

I don’t really know much of anything about this movie. I don’t really want to know much of anything about this movie. I will probably find out a lot about this movie before it opens, and it will probably be my own fault. I’ll probably still love it.

Hey, look, there's a trailer!

---------------------------------------------------------------

1. Black Swan
Darren Aronofsky

I can tell you why this is my number one pick for 2010 in two words, and I already typed them just under the title up there. This will be Aronofsky’s fifth movie, and the first four represent, in my eyes, a brilliant filmography unmatched by anyone. Pi (9.5). Requiem for a Dream (9). The Fountain (9.5, and I’m contemplating making it a 10). The Wrestler (9.5). No other director has ever come out of the gate swinging quite like that with the possible exception of Rian Johnson, who only has two movies under his belt. Darren Aronofsky is easily the most exciting filmmaker working today, and his name is all you should need. What about the movie? It has something to do with a rivalry between ballerinas. And it might be a horror movie. I dunno.

---------------------------------------------------------------

There you go – ten movies for 2010, which still leaves out all sorts of exciting, interesting projects including Edgar Wright’s Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World, Martin Scorsese’s Shutter Island, Paul, David Fincher’s The Social Network, Red, The Last Word, Madeo, Mr. Nobody, Roman Polanski’s The Ghost Writer, Ben Affleck’s The Town, Terrence Malick’s The Tree of Life, Toy Story 3, and Sophia Coppola’s Somewhere, not to mention a couple of dozen others. It’s going to be a good year.