So its a new year of Film and we’ve put together a calendar of must-see films scheduled for release this year. It looks like its gonna be the year for big Blockbusters sequels to prevail – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Twilight Eclipse for the teens, Toy Story and Shrek 3 for the Kids, Sex and the City 2 for the ladies and Iron Man 2 for the guys.
January
The films held back for the Oscar season all start to filter our now – harrowing drama Precious is an upsetting but brilliant film about an abused teenager (see our Precious Review) whilst another drama, the French A Prophet has already got much acclaim and topped critics best film of the year lists for those who saw it already at last year’s festivals – it focuses on one mans struggle to survive in prison – see our Preview here. Also Oscar favourite Up in the Air starring George Clooney is a lovely comedy to watch out for.
February
The Oscar window is still open as Clint Eastwood’s Invictus is finally out here, with Morgan Freeman and Matt Damon playing South African president and rugby hero struggling to unite their country. Scorsese’s latest Dicaprio project is also out – Shutter Island is set in the 1950s and follows the escape of a mental patient hiding on the island. Elsewhere Harry Potter director Chris Columbus provides another fantasy teen story film with Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief, as young hero Percy discovers he is a Greek god descendant and must use his powers to fight the gods battles. Also watch out for Michael Moore’s latest docu on the state of the financial world in Capitalism: A Love Story (2009) and Tom Fords Brit drama A Single Man is also out. Meanwhile Peter Jackson finally releases The Lovely Bones – (Preview here) narrated from the perspective of a young murdered girl.
March
Tim Burtons Alice in Wonderland retelling uses live action and animation with a great voice a cast including Johnny Depp and Michael Sheen and already looks fantastic. Another Greek god epic is also released this month – Clash of the Titans is an action packed ride from The Incredible Hulk Director Louis Leterrier but what I’m most excited about is that the soundtrack has been done by the wonderful UK band Muse. Meanwhile Matt Damon collaborates again with Bourne director Paul Greengrass in Iraq war thriller Green Zone.
April
Oliver Stone returns with his first ever sequel – Wall Street 2: Money Never Sleeps is about the 2008 stock market crash and retains Michael Douglas from the original film. In Another sequel Iron Man 2 carries on 2009s love of comic book adaptations as Robert Downey Junior again picks up in the role in what is scheduled to be the second in the trilogy. Meanwhile Kick-Ass (2010) is another comic book adaptation that features Nic Cage as a superhero with no powers, coming from Layer Cake director Matthew Vaughn.
May
When the trailer for Disneys Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time first appeared it got heavily slated but this adaptation of the video game is sure to draw a massive crowd and may not be as flimsy as the trailer suggests. Elsewhere Ridley Scott returns to directing with Robin Hood, played by Russell Crowe this promises to be a great adaptation of the legendary outlaw. For the ladies the long awaited Sex and the City 2 ‘carries’ on the girliness 2 years after the first shopping and romance filled film.
June
Not many films have yet announced release dates for June as the blockbusters tend to hang on until July – a Karate Kid remake is the only thing worth keeping an eye for – this remake stars Will Smith’s son but could be awful.
July
Summer blockbusters are released and there are quite a few – the long awaited Toy story 3 finally gets a UK release and we get to see all our favourite characters back in 3D this time around. Shrek also gets a fourth outing in Shrek Forever After whilst for older kids the finally film in the Twilight Saga: Eclipse (which will be split into two films a la Harry Potter) will be released to throngs of screaming teens. On an even less serious note The A Team gets it release so don’t go to the cinema in July hoping for a riveting story line! Hairspray 2 is also preliminarily scheduled for a release this month, as is Little Fockers -another Meet the Parents sequel.
August
Again its a bit early for many films but Christopher Nolans complex sci-fi thriller starring Leo Decaprio should be released, with a plot so mysterious guesses abound the internet about what it’s really about. Also Sly Stallones The Expendables is out, following a group of mercenaries trying to overthrow a South American dictator. Meanwhile Angelina Jolie is a spy–turned-fugitive in thriller Salt also scheduled for an August release.
September
Another very quite month for releases with nothing to look out for so far at all.
October
With the usually Halloween horrors we see the annual addition to the Saw franchise with Saw VII (Meanwhile please don’t go and see Let Me In, the Let the Right one in Hollywood remake – I beg you to go see the original, please). The Facebook film The Social Network is also out and with director David Fincher on board it could be great, but unfortunately he has bizarrely chosen to cast Justin Timberlake in it so don’t hold your breath.
November
Its finally here – Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Well, part one will be anyway. Its the gangs seventh and finally year at wizardry school Hogwarts – see the teaser trailer here. No one else dares announce a release date for Novermber yet as they don’t want to compete so thats all for the moment.
December
Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is released a little later than Harry Potter as not to compete as C.S. Lewis; story continues on with tis third film, but being distributed by 20th Century Fox rather than Dinsey this time. Meanwhile Gulliver’s Travels is also looking to get a December release. Starring Jack Black alongside Emily Blunt and Jason Segal this looks to be a huge hit. Another big Christmas film will be the sci fi sequel Tron: Legacy with Michael Sheen and Jeff Bridges.
So basically more remakes and sequels, with some new adaptations thrown in the mix. Have I missed out any films your waiting for this year? Let me know and I’ll try and find out when its released!
