2010 could mark the beginning of decade where movies take advantage of the meteoric rise in advanced special effects that the noughties also heavily relied upon. It seems the big studios will make money (despite the ubiquitous recession) as long as there are super-hero graphic novels to pillage and tween vampire tales to tell. Unfortunately, this also means that the dearth of original ideas will continue to plague cinemas. Most mainstream movies today tend to be adapted from or are sequels of a book, movie, blog and/or a memoir. In fact, one upcoming movie is even about facebook! As many of us plan the year ahead — with resolutions, family, vacations, career, etc — we at WearetheMovies.com have shortlisted, from the 200-odd movies that Hollywood will unload on cinemagoers this year, a few of the more popular titles that we look forward to. The aim is to get you excited about what’s in store. Some of these may be postponed, even cancelled. Others may turn out to be total duds (Transformers 2, anyone), and yet others may surprise everyone, coming out of nowhere and stealing the limelight (like last year’s funny Hangover). The titles are sorted in ascending order of their US release dates.

Daybreakers
Michael Spierig | USA | 2009

In a world inhabited by vampires, who are running out of valuable blood supplies, Ethan Hawke leads a group of his kind to try and save vampires (and humans). What works in building intrigue is the movie’s sleek trailer, the presence of the Ethan Hawke, Willem Dafoe and Sam Neill and an apt rating of R (for Restricted kiddos). Daybreakers may finally give the grown-up boys a vampire movie to talk about after the Blade series. continue reading »»

Avatar
James Cameron | USA | 2009
162 min

December of 2009 is a fantastic time for the release of Avatar, mainly because it has been a horrible year for big-budget mainstream films that everyone can gather around and love. The IMAX Dubai showing I went to had people applaud at the end, and while it is something I have always found a bit silly (it’s okay if the crew is at the showing, but otherwise…), it does show the enthusiasm of the general public. Avatar is a great cinematic experience. continue reading »»

Zombieland
Rubin Fleischer | USA | 2009
88 min

Much can be said about what makes Zombieland such a good movie. To put it quite simply, it’s an ingenious and whimsical revival of a dying genre, made for our post modern generation. It also features the best cameo this side of Tropic Thunder. Most importantly however, it stars a maverick, trigger-happy Woody Harrelson who, if there ever was one, is a natural born zombie-killer. continue reading »»

Where The Wild Things Are
Spike Jonze | USA | 2009
101 min

Where The Wild Things Are is a disappointment. This let down does not come from the fact that it’s based on a beloved children’s book that I’ve never read, but because it’s from the visionary director of quirky indie classics such as Adaptation and Being John Malkovich, two wonderful films filled with wit, energy and a distinguished zaniness. continue reading »»

The Informant
Steven Soderbergh | USA | 2009
108 min

With a misleading narrative, The Informant! serves up a seriocomic, tragic look at one man’s endeavour to bring down the organization he suspected of price fixing. Mark Whitacre, skilfully played with tongue in cheek absurdity by Matt Damon, was a self delusional, self contradicting, wealth obsessed, executive at Archer Daniels Midland, a large agricultural products enterprise that was involved in the international price-fixing of lysine, an important component of the agriculture business. The film is less an exposé on criminal practices at the workplace and more a satire of both the paranoia genre of the 70’s and countless legal thrillers. continue reading »»

Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani
Rajkumar Santoshi | India | 2009
150 min

There is a distinct difference in how Romantic-Comedies are interpreted by filmmakers and audiences in Hollywood and Bollywood. While American movies tend to be Romantic movies with a measure of comedy thrown in, contemporary Bollywood makes them primarily as musical comedies with a love-story theme. While Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani is firmly set in present-day Bollywood mannerism, Rajkumar Santoshi’s inspiration is classical Bollywood. This lends the film a distinct adorable flavor that many modern comedies lack. continue reading »»

Wake Up Sid
Ayan Mukerji | India | 2009
138 min

Wake Up Sid, the latest movie from Karan Johar‘s camp by yet another debutant director, has been strongly marketed as a movie for the present day youth, the slacker generation that refuses to grow up. Unfortunately, the director comes from the same culture as his target audience, and lacks the maturity and wisdom that this movie requires in its telling. This failure turns a fantastic opportunity into a dismal melodrama heavily layered in saccharine, making it a movie that is more a generation’s dream than a wakeup call. continue reading »»

Wanted
Prabhu Deva | India | 2009
155 min

Well before the release of Wanted, the movie’s strong and evenly loud promotions made it abundantly clear what to expect from it — action bent towards exaggeration and characters that are wild caricatures. In this, the movie does not disappoint. For those averse to its lead star, Salman Khan, or “Bollywood Masala” movies, Wanted can be punishing. Fans can rejoice though, as Salman Khan possibly delivers the most heroic performance of his career yet, molded firmly within escapist cinema. continue reading »»