10 in ‘10
10 Films to Look Out For in 2010
While some obvious hits are brewing for the year 2010, including Toy Story 3, Iron Man 2, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Shrek Forever After, Prince of Persia, and Clash of the Titans, among many others, there are always surprise (or not so surprising) hits every year. 2009 featured hits like The Hangover, Paranormal Activity, The Blind Side, and many other films that just seemed to come out of nowhere and become big breakout hits. I think 2010 has the potential to have just as many, if not more, breakout hits than 2009. Here are ten films releasing in 2010 that everyone should be on the lookout for; this list is in no particular order:
1 Alice in Wonderland
-Director Tim Burton, Helena Bonham Carter, Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, and more are featured in an all-star cast reimagining of the classic Lewis Carroll fantasy. With an odd March release, this film should be a big draw and do extremely well during its release
2 Shutter Island
-Delayed from a late 2009 release due to economic situations, the adaptation of the popular novel is directed by Martin Scorsese and stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Mark Ruffalo, and Emily Mortimer, among many others. Scorsese and DiCaprio teamed up for the 2006 Oscar Best Picture winner, “The Departed,” and if this trailer is any inclination, this film should follow Scorsese’s style and could become a breakout hit.
3 Salt
-Though a lot of action films and thrillers are released yearly, and while most perform below expectations at the box office, this film, starring the ever-popular Angelina Jolie, seems to be one of the action thrillers to look out for. It 2009, ‘Taken’ became a huge hit in January, but with a summer release in late July, Salt could even outperform early 2009 releases.
4 Kick-Ass
-Based on a comic book series, everytime I have seen the trailer at the movie theater, the reception has been pretty positive; combining comedy, action, and adventure in a film seems to work…most of the time. In the case of ‘Kick-Ass,’ I expect it to work.
5 Tron Legacy
-A sequel to the cult classic Disney film ‘Tron’ from the ’80s, early trailer reception has been positive, and the visuals look absolutely incredible, and though most seem to think ‘Tron’ is outdated, I think ‘Tron Legacy’ is now becoming the talk of December.
6 Due Date
-From the director of ‘The Hangover,’ and starring Zach Galifianakis from that same film, comes a comedy about two men, Robert Downey, Jr. and Zach Galifianakis, “on a cross country road trip so the father can arrive in time to see his child’s birth.” If last year’s breakout comedy ‘The Hangover’ is a sign, this film should do extremely well.
7 Hot Tub Time Machine
-While I was completely underwhelmed by this film’s trailer, most of the others in the theater laughed, and I think this film should do extremely well. Well, it’s actually a coin toss. It could be a ‘The Hangover’ smash, or it could be a ‘Year One’ bomb. I’m going for the former.
8 Despicable Me
-An underdog in comedy this year with the releases of ‘Toy Story 3’ and ‘Shrek Forever After,’ Steve Carell’s new comedy seems to be a hidden gem in all of the summer blockbusters. Featuring an all-star cast and what looks to be great animation, the underdog in animated comedy this year is ‘Despicable Me.’
9 The Last Song
-This film is an adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ latest novel, who also wrote “The Notebook,” “A Walk to Remember,” and “Nights in Rodanthe.” Although some may not like Miley Cyrus as the star, her name alone should draw a crowd, as well as promotional material with the words “From the author of ‘The Notebook’…” or something of that sort.
10 Inception
-Leonardo DiCaprio stars in a buzzed about action thriller that has been playing outstanding trailers to good reception and is directed by Christopher Nolan, who most recently directed the box office hit, ‘The Dark Knight.’ Enough said.
There are numerous other films to look out for in 2010, from the Clash of the Titans remake to the possible Oscarworthy film, Green Zone. With that said, 2010 seems to be a great year for film, almost, if not just, as good as 2009. Go see movies in 2010 and have a blast!
-Spencer
