Further On Up The Road

For a moment or two this morning, I considered posting a reaction to the Golden Globes. However, while they got through handing out this year’s hardware without getting too crazy, I’d rather just leave them be and move on. Before I do, I’d just like to say how happy it makes me to see SLUMDOG MILLIONAIRE out to such a good start this awards season.

While it brings Oscar geeks like me such joy to look back at the year that was and play guessing games about who might win, I’ve started to get more excited by looking at the year ahead and thinking about some of the goodies that await me on screens over the next twelve months.

So while we’ll get back to talking about the wrap-up of 2008 in short order, allow me to talk a minute about what has me all a-tither for 2009…

Top Five Movies Hatter’s Excited About for 2009
#5. SHERLOCK HOLMES… By the looks of that FIGHT CLUB-esque still, this ain’t your grandaddy’s Holmes! Robert Downey Jr. follows his stellar 2008 by starring as the titular inspector, with Jude Law cast as Dr. Watson. The whole she-bang is directed by Guy Ritchie, which suits me just fine given how much I enjoyed his last film ROCKNROLLA. I ask you though – how many clever “elementry” puns are we gonna have to suffer through in the marketing of this film? (November)

#4. BRUNO… Yep, he’s back. Unsatisfied by the sizeable dent he made in pop culture with his Borat character, Sacha Baron Cohen has returned to give another one of his characters, “Bruno”, a whirl on the big screen. Early whispers are that Bruno manages to get himself into even more outlandish situations than Borat did…wait- is that even possible? (May)

#3. THE TERMINATOR: SALVATION… OK, quick show of hands, after RISE OF THE MACHINES who out there ever thought they’d ever be excited about another Terminator movie? But some way, somehow, this franchise might just have pulled itself out of the fire! Of course casting Christian Bale as an adult John Connor can’t hurt right? (May)

#2. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE… I grew up with this book, so knowing that the technicolor imagination of director Spike Jonze is what’s behind this movie brings me nothing but joy. This one has been a long time coming, and word is that the first cut Jonze turned in was considered “too dark” by Warner Brothers. Am I the only one who’d be curious to see that version?? (October)

#1. PUBLIC ENEMIES… The story of John Dillinger…Johnny Depp plays Dillinger, Christian Bale plays the FBI agent hunting him down, and Michael Mann directs the whole thing. Need I say more? Didn’t think so. See ya there! (July)

Did I miss one? Feel free to leave comments with the movies you’re looking most forward to this coming year, along with suggestions for the next top five.