My Most Anticipated Films of 2005

I alluded a while back (in my item on the Ring 2 trailer here) that I might do a post like this. And I always keep my promises. At least, blogged promises. Not real life ones.

So, in no particular order (because I haven't seen them yet...ranking them would be nonsensical...), here are my most anticipated movies set for release this year.

War of the Worlds

The last time Cruise and Spielberg teamed up for a realistic science-fiction film, it was Minority Report, a movie I adore but which didn't really seem to resonate with the public at large. But what do they know? This time, they're working with the largest budget in film history (to this point) and a classic novel as source material. I haven't read the HG Wells book, but just from the teaser that's already floating around there, it feels like there's potential here for some really classic Spielberg sci-fi goodness. I'm talking Close Encounters here, people.

Oliver Twist

Roman Polanski is directing an adaptation of Oliver Twist with Ben Kingsley as Fagin. I mean, come on, that's cool. Of the three Dickins novels I have read, this was my favorite. My least favorite, if you cared, was Great Expectations, the popularity of which I have never managed to deduce. Okay, so, this kid helps out a criminal, and then you spend 500 pages trying to convince me that it's someone else who's helping him out, and then in the end, it turns out it's the criminal. And there's a batty old lady who hates men. That's it? That's all you got for me?

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Oh hells yeah. These are terrific books, and the idea of getting to see them on the big screen, finally realized as they deserve to be, with new material thought up by creator Douglas Adams, is really exciting. I wish Terry Gilliam were directing, rather than Hammer & Tongs, whose only work familar to Americans are the opening credits to "Da Ali G Show," but what do I know? Maybe they're brilliant guys. It's possible. Everyone seems to have a lot of faith in them. And "Da Ali G Show" credits are pretty cool.

Sin City

Droooooool. Have you seen the trailer for this? It's incredible. The entire movie is done in this comic-book style extreme black and white, with flashes of color. It's co-directed by Robert Rodriguez and the creator of the comic book, Frank Miller. It stars Bruce Willis, Mickey Rourke, Michael Madsen, Benicio del Toro AND Clive Owen. And it's going to be blissfully, awesomely R-rated. An action movie that will actually include real action? Can it be?

King Kong

Peter Jackson directs Naomi Watts, Jack Black and Adrien Brody in a remake of King Kong, with special effects by the same WETA team responsible for Lord of the Rings. Jackson has said that his Kong will be period (that is, will take place in a 1930's setting), and seeing him realize an old-timey Manhattan along with massive ape destruction on Dinosaur Island sounds almost too good to be true.

I'm Not There: Suppositions on a Film Concerning Dylan

As you may have guessed if you're a regular reader, I'm a big fan of Bob Dylan. This is the new Todd Haynes film that will depict a selection of brief scenes from Dylan's life, each with a different actor portraying the singer/troubadour/walking connundrum. Who knows if it will be good, but it sounds really interesting, and the inclusion of classic Dylan songs can't hurt.

Tim Burton's Corpse Bride

This stop motion animated film will actually be Burton's first as a director (he produced Nightmare Before Christmas, which was directed by Henry Selick). It's comically gothic horror, as a man winds up married to a zombie. This sounds extremely, extremely promising. And if that wasn't enough Burton goodness for one year...

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

There's also his new, non-musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic creepy children's story. Oh man, this sounds great, and what a trailer! So trippy and psychedelic. Can this one really be as messed up and dark as the advertising promises? And speaking of projects with Johnny Depp involved in them...

The Rum Diary

reunites Benicio del Toro, Depp and Hunter S. Thompson for this adaptation of the author's autobiographical novel about Puerto Rico in the late 1950's. Del Toro, who played Dr. Gonzo in Terry Gilliam's brilliant Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas will be directing here, not appearing, but Depp will play Paul Kemp, essentially a reprise of his role as Raoul Duke in Fear and Loathing. This may be my #1 overall most aniticipated movie of next year. Or possibly...

A Scanner Darkly

I really really dug Waking Life, and this film will find Richard Linklater working again in the animation field. This project, however, is considerably more ambitious than the freewheeling metaphysical gabfest of Life. It's an adaptation of a Phillip K. Dick story about junkies in a future where drugs cause multiple personality disorder. That is weird.

So, there you have it. Bear in mind, these are only the films coming up which I'm aware that I want to see. Every year, there are literally dozens of movies that sneak up and surprise me. Often times, these are my favorite movies of the year, or at least they are among my favorites. Last year at this time, I had no idea that Sideways and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind would be in my Top 5 movies of the year. Hell, I was still looking forward to Troy, and I hadn't even heard of Sideways. I'm certain 2005 will be no different.

You'll notice as well that there is a certain film not appearing on this list that would certainly dwarf all others on the horizon for most movie geeks. I'm speaking, of course, about Bewitched. No, seriously, I mean Episode III: Revenge of the Whatever, You Get Where This Is Going. I didn't include it because the other two prequels are not really my speed, and I don't expect this one to be any different. If I thought there was going to be an excellent new Star Wars movie this year, one that deserved inclusion in the same category with the three original films, I would be entirely excited to see it. As it is, I will break down and pay my money and go to the theater, but I'm not expecting to love what I see, as I am with Scanner Darkly or King Kong.