The Most Anticipated Movies Still to Come in 2009: Part Two

[Paul Martin]

Ninja Assassin – released 27 November

There are several ways a movie can generate excitement ahead of its release. For example, it might be based on an intellectual property that has a strong and loyal following. Or it might be the latest work from an acclaimed director or exciting acting talent. Or it might represent a startling new technical innovation in movie-making. Or alternatively it might have platoons of ninjas in it, lobbing mountains of shuriken at one another, and generally busting out some choice fighting moves. As the does-what-it-says-on-the-tin title indicates, Ninja Assassin very much falls into this exclusive latter category. Directed by V For Vendetta’s James McTeigue and produced by Joel Silver and the Wachowski Brothers, Ninja Assassin sees South Korean pop star Rain hooking up with Pirates of the Caribbean actress Naomie Harris to take on the ninja hordes. Here comes the Big Boss, let’s get it on!

The Lovely Bones – released 11 December

Peter Jackson returns to the directorial fray for the first time since 2005’s King Kong with his adaptation of Alice Seabold’s bestseller The Lovely Bones. A big name cast – Susan Sarandon, Rachel Weisz, Stanley Tucci and Mark Wahlberg – have been assembled in the service of the story of teenager Susie Salmon (Saiorse Ronan), who is murdered by a neighbour and subsequently watches over her family as they try to come to terms with her death. Set in 1970s Pennsylvania, the movie features lavish fantasy sequences, depicting Susie’s experiences of the afterlife as she lurks in close spiritual proximity to her loved ones. With a December release date, the movie looks set to angle for some Oscar nominations, but audiences will be surely more interested in whether Jackson is able to keep the sentimentality in check.     

Avatar – released 18 December

It’s almost certainly the most expensive film of all time, and James Cameron’s first feature offering since Titanic is also one of the most-hyped productions in recent memory. Flagged as a benchmark release, trumpeted as a leap forward in 3D cinema technology, billed as a space opera that’s more frighteningly realistic than looking in the mirror after a night on the ale, Avatar is the tale of paraplegic former soldier Sully (Sam Worthington), who journeys to the alien world of Pandora and is granted use of a fresh, genetically-engineered body – the Avatar of the title. Sully is soon drawn into the war between the human interlopers and Pandora’s native inhabitants, with this conflict presenting the opportunity for Cameron to lay on some lavish action sequences. Details are still fairly scarce, but all should become far clearer after Avatar Day on 21 August, when the trailer will finally be released and fans can check out preview footage at special IMAX screenings.

Sherlock Holmes – 25 December

From Avatar’s futuristic scenario and high-tech production we now lurch back down to Earth and into the company of the hoariest old stager of them all - Sherlock Holmes, master detective of old London town. Sherlock Holmes sees director Guy Richie attempting to rescue the cultural icon from the clichés, and reinvest him and loyal sidekick Watson (played by Robert Downey Jr and Jude Law respectively) with some of the toughness and street smarts credited to the pair by creator Arthur Conan Doyle (although Downey Jr has recently confirmed that the literary Holmes’ cocaine habit will not be making a comeback). There is no Moriarty on villain duties - the nefarious threat instead comes from Mark Strong’s vampiric Lord Blackwood, while the increasingly ubiquitous Rachel McAdams appears as Irene Adler – the woman from Doyle’s story A Scandal in Bohemia. 

The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus – release date TBC

We all know the story behind The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus by now. Heath Ledger passing away before filming could be completed, only for Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell to step in and allow director Terry Gilliam to complete the movie (the dimension-hopping plot creating narrative window for the physical amendment of Ledger’s confidence trickster character Tony). The lively trailer suggests Dr. Parnassus could be a possible companion piece to Gilliam’s earlier fantastical romps, Time Bandits and The Adventures of Baron Munchausen, and the casting of Tom Waits as the Devil appears a mighty fine fit. UK audiences will be able to see The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus from 16 October, but an American release date is still to be confirmed.     

[dnwilliams]

it's amazing how much this list still reads like a list of summer movies!