2008 may have started with a whimper, but it did end with a bang, as a number of films proved to be just as good as the hype that preceded them (Benjamin Button, I’m looking in your direction).  Now that another year has come and gone, it is time to take a look at what’s coming down the pipeline. 

In any case, by the looks of it, 2009 is shaping up to be a year for the ages.  While there are still countless other films that aren’t on the radar just yet, here is a list of some films that I am waiting impatiently for.  And for those that question why certain tent pole or event films are missing, this list is intended to bring attention to pictures that may be overshadowed by those aforementioned big budget films. 

5. Watchmen

Every geek is anticipating this one, there’s no question about it.  Zack Snyder’s adaptation of Alan Moore’s seminal graphic novel will do only one of two things; turn out to be a great success, or fail miserably.  I’m hoping for the former. 

I am by no means a diehard fan of the novel, but I did enjoy the time I invested in entering Moore’s world.  It is one of the strongest and most profound pieces of literature out there, but it isn’t without its fair share of faults (as subtle as they may seem).  In any case, what has been shown looks beautiful and it’s good to see that Snyder hasn’t veered away from what made Watchmen so interesting in the first place.  Now, let’s see how the dialogue (taken straight from the graphic novel) translates to the big screen. 

4. The Wolf Man

The fact that this film has been delayed innumerable times has made me a tad bit worried, but it’s something that I’m willing to look past given the talent in front of and behind the camera.  Benicio Del Toro, Anthony Hopkins, Emily Blunt and Hugo Weaving in a remake of a genre classic written by Andrew Kevin Walker of Seven fame?  Based on what I’ve seen and read thus far, it’s going to take a lot to knock this film off my top five. 

Even though The Wolf Man was to be directed by Mark Romanek, replacement director Joe Johnston is by no means a step down.  He’s proven his worth in genre films and I think he understands the historic character enough to treat it with the utmost care and respect it deserves.  Based on the Comic-Con footage screened last summer, the film will undoubtedly look beautiful.  Let’s just hope that the script floating around on-line is an earlier draft, since it isn’t as strong as many were expecting. 

While the wait will be torturous, moving The Wolf Man from an April to November release will prove to be a smart decision on the part of Universal, as it is a film best released during a time in which leaves turn crisp and an ungodly chill fills the air. 

3. Where The Wild Things Are

A troubled project if there ever was one, Maurice Sendak’s classic children’s story is one that we are all familiar with, even if you never read it.  It’s one of those stories that just latches on to the child inside and triggers memories of a time in which life wasn’t so complicated.

Spike Jonze is a director whom I truly feel will be regarded as a genius (even more than he is now) in another twenty years.  With two magnificent feature films and some of the greatest music videos ever conceived under his belt, Jonze has proven himself to be one of the most unique voices in Hollywood.  That said, having such a strong creative mind work alongside the Hollywood mainstream will most certainly result in creative clashes.  And Jonze’s adaptation of Where The Wild Things Are has encountered its fair share of problems. 

Reports of horrible test screenings, children crying and running scared from the appearance of the Wild Things, studio heads wanting to go the CGI route, while creative preferred to create a world filled with practical effects, leapfrogging release dates… the list goes on and on.  Even with all of the negative press, and after having read the script by Jonze and Dave Eggers, I absolutely cannot wait to see how Where The Wild Things Are turns out.  Jonze hasn’t steered me wrong yet, so I don’t think his adaptation of this classic story will taint his perfect record.  Besides, it’s about time we see a children’s film that talks to the audience, instead of talking down to them.

2. 9

Produced by Tim Burton and Wanted director Timur Bekmambetov and based on an Oscar winning animated short film, I predict that 9 will catch moviegoers off guard.  The CG-created story takes place in a parallel post-apocalyptic world in which a small group of rag doll-like creatures struggle to survive in their hostile and horrifying environment, all the while looking for the leader who will save their species from extinction. 

I almost forgot about this film until I saw the teaser trailer a number of weeks ago, which truly builds it as something that needs to be seen on the big screen.  And if the intriguing story isn’t enough, check out the voice talents on display: Elijah Wood, Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Christopher Plummer, Crispin Glover and Martin Landau. 

Director Shane Acker also wrote and directed the award winning short that was the basis for this feature, so having him return makes me even more excited in regards to what he has in store for us.  I have a feeling this one is going to be big.  Let’s hope audiences are ready for it.

1. Public Enemies/Thirst

I just couldn’t choose between these pictures, so I decided to make the top spot a draw.

Michael Mann returns after the lackluster Miami Vice with Public Enemies, the story of Depression era gangster John Dillinger and the many attempts on the part of the FBI to take him down.  To be honest, all that I needed to hear was “Michael Mann” and “Gangster” to be sold on the project, but then I noticed the cast: Johnny Depp (as Dillinger), Christian Bale, Billy Crudup, Channing Tatum, Leelee Sobieski, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Dorff and Marion Cotillard… if that isn’t epic, I don’t know what is.  Needless to say, I’ll be there opening day.

On the other end of the spectrum, we have Park Chan-wook’s Thirst.  Park is most notorious in North America for having made the modern classic Oldboy.  With Thirst, Park is entering vampire territory with a story about a priest who, after a failed medical experiment, turns into a vampire. 

Starring South Korea’s leading man Song Kang-ho, Thirst is a mysterious project, probably because no matter how much you think you know, you never really know what you’re in for when it comes to a Park Chan-wook film.  He’s proven himself to be quite a versatile storyteller and his first venture into vampire lore should be a memorable one.