I left one movie off my previous post from 2007, which was my Part One list of Twelve Movies From The Last Five Years That I Wanted To Like But Didn’t.  Remaining are the movies from 2008 and 2009 that made (or didn’t make, if you look at it that way) the cut.

2007 continued

American Gangster

Common = Gangster in RIdley Scott's American Gangster.

This movie was built up to be pretty big in the minds of those that love a gangster film.  You have Denzel, Russell Crowe, Ridley Scott directing, a Jay-Z-laden soundtrack, and comparisons to the classic film Scarface, then…ehhh.  The movie was just okay. It wasn’t along the same lines of the Pacino/DePalma classic, it didn’t really move me, nothing about it was very memorable, even though it was a solid film.  It was just another movie and that was disappointing. I still haven’t seen it since.

2008 – Be Kind, Rewind & Blindness

Be Kind, Rewind

Be Kind featured Mos Def and Jack Black, an odd and intriguing pairing, mixed with the directing talents of Michel Gondry, and the result was one of the weakest movies of the year.  Mos was almost impossible to watch (to listen to him), the lo-fi film recreation storyline should have been a lot more fun, and it really amounted to a schlocky, underwhelming piece, that made me further question the talents of those involved, and have highly soured me on Gondry as a director. He has to earn back the good will that he built with Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, and I don’t know that he is up to the task.

Blindness

This turned out to be the biggest rip-off ending in a film that I have seen in years.  With Fernando Meirelles helming one of my favorite films of the past decade and a high-ranking personal favorite of all-time in the amazing City of God, this was an opportunity to see him take the next huge step as a director and reap the rewards that fans of City of God wanted for him. (Fernando, feel free to mix in a Lil’ Dice cameo).  Instead, he didn’t take advantage.  The movie kept your attention (though not easily) for the duration and then yanked the rug out from beneath your feet in a horrendous ending.  I don’t know that I will ever forgive him.  BTW, Fernando, call me – because in truth I don’t remember the ending, I just know I absolutely hated it.

2009 – Bronson, Watchmen, The Hangover & Public Enemies

Bronson

Tom Hardy was Bronson, pre-Inception.

Nicolas Winding Refn’s film built up as A Clockwork Orange type of film, but was nothing more than a weird, sordid tale about a guy, told in an odd, and rather uninspiring way.  I was very high for the film before I saw it only to be incredibly let down. It was actually hard to make it through. I know it was based on a true story, but it didn’t redeem it at all for me. I hoped for a lot more.

Watchmen

This was a film that had a great trailer. Normally I wouldn’t have had much interest in a film like this, but it was built up to be perhaps one of the biggest movies ever, and landed with a rather resounding thud.  This wasn’t a horrible work, but if you counter it with a movie like The Dark Knight which more than matched the hype, it only exaggerated the difference of what this film might have been.  I think Zack Snyder may be able to become an interesting director, but he also might be the next Michael Bay. At this point, the meter is swinging in the “Bay” direction. Not good.

The Hangover

I don’t like comedies. Rarely, do they ever live up to my expectations, which are, I don’t know, how do I say this, to….laugh during the movie.  Is that too much to ask?  Absolutely. I chuckled two to three times during the film.  That does not a good movie make, nor is it worthy of being the biggest comedy of all-time.  This movie exemplifies how different the tastes of mainstream America and mine are.  I envy you, mainstream audiences.  To derive enjoyment from such average work must be nice. I wish I was as easily entertained, but alas, I am not. I’d rather be hung over, than watch The Hangover.  It was not believable, nor very fun.

Public Enemies

I have to include this movie on the list, because we did a dedication week to Michael Mann here on The Film Nest, and I (essentially) had breakfast with the man a few months ago. I was hoping for another movie along the lines of his previous actioners such as Heat and Collateral.  This did not match that.  I don’t think that this is a bad movie by any means, it just wasn’t great, and I thought it had the potential to be that.

Casting Johnny Depp (a feminine man in a masculine role) was the starting point of this heading down the wrong path.  The action was ordinary and you didn’t care enough about the characters to engage in the story.  It was a movie you simply watched but didn’t interact with. For that, it makes the disappointing list.  And Michael, next time we are at breakfast, easy with the staring at me brother, I’m just trying to eat and mind my own business.  Don’t use me for your script inspiration – unless of course, you really, really needed it.

I hope all movies I see are entertaining, but the odds are stacked wildly against me.  In the next five years, if I lower my expectations, perhaps there won’t be a need to compile such a list. I’m counting on you Hollywood, to bail me out.  If not, my pen (or keyboard in this case) is ready. Good luck.

I used to be a fan of the political hip-hop group Public Enemy, so when I first received word that there was a film titled Public Enemies, my initial reaction was one of befuddlement: Chuck D and Flavor Flav turned to acting?  But alas, that skepticism was met with greater delight when I learned that Michael Mann would be helming the picture and he would have some great actors in Johnny Depp and Christian Bale to help bring his story to life.  Mann has long been one of my favorite Directors, leading such enjoyable films as Heat and Collateral, among several others.  He is a veteran of the crime/action genre, so who better to bring the story of notorious gangster John Dillinger to the big screen?

"He's got a gat and ain't scared to use it."

To tell a bit about what the film will be based on, “PE” is set in the depression-era of the 1930′s (how apropos that America has been in a depression of sorts over the past year or two as well), Dillinger (Depp) and his crew have been doing what they do best, robbing from the rich (banks) and giving to the poor (kind of, depending on how the tale goes), in a manner that might make Robin Ghetto (that’s “Hood” to you) proud.  Dillinger was lauded by the public, since they hated the banks for the depression, and known for busting out of jails with greater ease than Jebediah from Out of Sight.  Bale (yeah, The Dark Knight and the just released Terminator: Salvation star), will play real-life federal agent Melvin Purvis who was the man obsessed with capturing the elusive Dillinger.  A cast that includes Billy Crudup (Almost Famous, Watchmen), Channing Tatum, and Oscar-winner Marion Cotillard bring heat to the film in a way few summer blockbusters can claim.  This will be a game of cat and mouse with Dillinger trying to stay a step ahead of Purvis the entire way.

"Why so serious?"

Some intrigue remains as to how well this film will do in the box office given a.) the current state of our economy and the types of films people are paying money to see (typically escapist) and b.) whether or not Bale will receive any public backlash from his outburst on the set of T4, which I wouldn’t think is likely to affect this film, but you never know.  On the flip side, Depp is among the most singularly popular actors working today, so odds of it blowing up (that’s slang for “doing well”) are in its favor.

"Oh, that's why!"

Early stills and the trailers look fabulous, so count me among those who are revved up for this one as it’s been a summer of slow starts in terms of quality films thus far for me.  This will only be Mann’s 8^th film in the last two decades, so expect quality to win out over quantity almost every time.  I always anticipate Mann’s movies (though his Miami Vice disappointed) and I am sure with the great attention to detail that both he and the lead actors are known for, we should be in for one hell of a fun ride.  This will be looting your box office funds come July 1st.

Here is our list of the Top 20 Most Anticipated Films of 2009 (in convenient alphabetical order!)

Angels & Demons – I’m hoping Ron Howard and Co. will atone for their sins from The Da Vinci Code. The book was sweet. (Machinegunrap)

Avatar - James Cameron finally directs another fictional film. (Machinegunrap)

Bruno – Would have easily made the list but I am just afraid of a letdown with the heights that Borat reached. (The Rake)

Funny People – Apatow’s directorial follow-up to Knocked Up is sure to be funny. Even the title promises it. (Machinegunrap)

The Human Factor – Clint Eastwood makes great movies. This is sure to be his next. (Machinegunrap)

Inglourious Basterds – Tarantino is back with Pitt in a main role.  Not happy about the subject matter (WW II) but it is a passion project of his, so I am hoping it turns out. (The Rake)

The Lovely Bones – Peter Jackson directing a murdered young girl as she watches her family from heaven. (Machinegunrap)

Public Enemies – Michael Mann, Christian Bale and Johnny Depp.  Any Mann film makes this sort of list consistently for me.  Watch Collateral again if you need a refresher. (The Rake)

The Road – Because I read the book and thought the production stills (see below) I have seen have nailed what I envisioned when I was reading it.  Disappointed that it had to be pushed back to this year. (The Rake)

Sherlock Holmes – Ritchie is back with 08′s RocknRolla and the stills for this look good.  Another RDJ starrer and add in the answer to Chris Rock’s Oscar-question (Who is Jude Law?). (The Rake)

Shutter Island – Scorsese. DiCaprio. Lehane. Memorize it. Be there. (Machinegunrap)

The Soloist – This one being delayed sucks, but RDJ and Jamey Focks (I mean, Jamie Foxx) based on a true story.  This one could be moving. (The Rake)

State of Play – Russell Crowe and Affleck (acting again) is enough to get some intrigue.  We’ll see if it pans out.  The trailer is here. (The Rake)

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen – The Transformers themselves were the best part of the first film. There are more of them this time. (Machinegunrap)

Up – At the moment, Pixar magic only comes around once a year. Cherish it. (Machinegunrap)

Watchmen – I know nothing of the graphic novel but this has a great trailer and Patrick Wilson, so it’s enough to get me excited. (The Rake)

Whatever Works – Woody Allen teams up with Larry David, if there’s a better pairing imaginable, I don’t want to hear it. (Machinegunrap)

Where The Wild Things Are – Years ago, this book was a childhood favorite.  Maurice Sendak rules and Spike Jonze directs. (The Rake)

The Wolfman – The photo still of Benicio Del Toro as the Wolf Man is just fresh.  Only question is, did he need any make up?  Love you, Benicio. (The Rake)

X-Men Origins: Wolverine – Mr. Jackman is  growing on me and the trailer is simply dope.  Normally this wouldn’t rate that high for me, but I am anticipating it based on what I have seen. (The Rake)

Some others we have a definite interest in as well:

Taking of Pelham 123 – Denzel in a remake of the 1974 classic heist film.

Killshot – Elmore Leonard adaptation (one of my favorite authors) and because Out of Sight was so good.

The Maiden Heist – Morgan Freeman, Chris Walken, and William H. Macy.  A cast to drool over.

Push – Dakota Fanning and Chris Evans in a quasi-Superhero movie.  It looks and sounds good.

Game – Mainly for Gerard Butler.  His RocknRolla performance won me over.

Duplicity – Clive Owen and Julia Roberts re-team after their hot pairing in Closer.

Green Zone – Paul Greengrass directs CIA agents searching for WMD’s. It’s gotta be tight.