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2005
MOST
ANTICIPATED

I'm going to start this off by naming some films that are ineligible for this list, due to the fact that I have already seen them - Weerasethakul's Tropical Malady, Hou Hsiao-hsien's Cafe Lumiere and Bergman's Saraband will all be released theatrically in the US during 2005, but I had the great opportunity to see all three of them at last year's New York Film Festival, so because of that, I'm going to leave them off the list (sidenote: Saraband will most likely make my 2005 year-end Top Ten List - easily)

There are also a few other films that I am leaving off the list, due to my not actually believing they will be released in the US in 2005 (or ever in one case) - First off, Kiarostami's Five, which may make a quick appearence at MoMa or the Anthology Archives if we're lucky - and then there are a pair of films debuting at this year's Cannes Film Festival in May: Colour Me Kubrick, starring John Malkovich and being loosely(?) based on Kubrick's making of Eyes Wide Shut in 1998 and then there is Hungarian Auteur Bela Tarr's The Man From London, which, being a Tarr film, means it may never get released in the US unless there is another Tarr retrospective in NYC (but this will be his most accessible film, partly in English and starring Tilda Swinton - so you never know, but if at all it'll be 2006)...

There is also one other film, Wong Kar-wai's long-anticipated 2046, that I am leaving off the list, since I have already seen it (via a region 3 DVD release) - I will of course see it on the big screen when it is released (rumour has it that will be in May or June), because there is absolutely no alternative to seeing Cinema in the Cinema (even on a 72" plasma screen - which, if anyone out there would like to buy me as a present, I would gladly and humbly accept) - otherwise, this would be number one on my list...

Then there is Star Wars III: Revenge of The Sith - Okay, let's face facts - it's going to suck - but being a lover of the first "real" Trilogy, I must see this final installment - no matter how bad it may end up being - but hey, there are Wookies in this one, so it can't be all bad, can it!?

There are also a few "trainwreck releses" I will want to see (don't ever forget I have a massochistic side): The Dukes of Hazzard, Elektra, The Fantastic Four and Bewitched (although I may actually like that one secretly) - as well as the requisite "Oscar" Films that I'll force myself into seeing: Cinderella Man, Elizabethtown, Jarhead and Class Action.


Well well well, that brings us to:
THE THIRTY ONE (or thirty-two) MOST ANTICIPATED FILMS OF 2005


31 (and 32). Rent & The Producers (Nov 11 & Dec 21)

Okay, so it's two films - but two Musicals, coming out just six weeks apart - will they go like Chicago or will they go like Phantom of the Opera?? - Could be one and the other.

30. Shopgirl (Oct 21)

Adapted from Steve Martin's novel, so it should be hilarious (believe me, the man is a genius - didjya know he was a Philosophy Major in college?) - plus Claire Danes is always stunning and enjoyable (even if the film isn't - aka: Stage Beauty).

29. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (May 6)

The teaser trailer is great fun and if the films are done with the same tongue-in-cheek humour of the books, then it should be a fun farsical trip of a film, but will still probably fall flat - like the book(s).

28. Batman Begins (Jun 17)

After dropping down to a ghastly skin-n-bones 117 pounds for last year's The Machinist, Christian Bale has buffed up to play the Caped Crusader - this version looks like it will be a much darker, broodier "Dark Knight" version of Batman.

27. Aeon Flux (tba)

A ground-breaking animated series from MTV's Liquid Television of the early nineties is brought to life (aka: live-action) here - Okay, the main reason for this being here is because of how a raven-haired / skintight black-outfitted Charlize Theron looks in the stills I've seen.

26. Walk the Line (Nov 18)

Hopefully it will be a better film than this past year's highly overrated Ray (w/ the exception of kudos to Mr. Foxx's bruvara performance), but it should have the same qualities (great music from legendary performers) and a possibly grand performance from Jaoquin Phoenix - but Reese Witherspoon as June Carter Cash???

25. Memoirs of A Geisha (Dec ??)

Zhang Ziyi, Maggie Cheung, Gong Li - at the very least, this best-seller adaptation will look beautiful, but will probably fall flat in its pseudo-romantic Hollywood way.

24. George A. Romero's Land of the Dead (Oct 21)

I can't help it, I love Zombie Movies, and this one is from the original purveyor of the genre - also, watch for cameos from Edgar Wright and Simon Pegg (Director and Star of Shaun of the Dead), as the Living Dead.

23. Brokeback Mountain (Oct 7)

Heath Ledger and Jake Gyllenhaal as cowboy lovers - how can ya beat that scenario - because, of course, as everyone knows, all cowboys are gay.

22. 5x2 (Jun 2)

Flamboyant French Filmmaker Francois Ozon is back in what should be either a kinetic kitschy explosion (re: 8 Women) or a marvelous melodramatic moodpiece (re: Under the Sand).

21. Kings & Queen (May ??)

Desplechin's Esther Kahn was one of my favourite films of a few years ago AND his follow-up stars Catherine Deneuve.

20. A Scanner Darkly (Sep 16)

It does star Keanu Reeves, but it is a Richard Linklater film (via Waking Life style), so things look up.

ed. note: release date for this film has been pushed back until 2006.

19. Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (July 15)

Hopefully (and it looks like it from the trailer) this is the Burton of Edward Scissorhands and not the Burton of Big Fish - plus Depp looks delicious in the role that may have been originally invented for him to play some day (no offense to Gene Wilder, who was great in the original).

18. Tim Burton's Corpse Bride (Sep 23)

Burton again - this time completely animated (and with Depp's voice of course) - should be in the same vein as Nightmare Before Christmas.

17. All the King's Men (Dec ??)

Sean Penn, Kate Winslet, Patricia Clarkson, Jude Law, James Gandolfini, Anthony Hopkins - how could you go wrong??? (plus it's executive produced by James Carville). Sure, it may be obvious Oscar-bait, but what the fuck!

16. The Fountain (tba)

Darren Aronofsky and Ellen Burstyn team up again (the first time was in the crazily creepy-handed acid-trip film, Requiem for a Dream).

15. Howl's Moving Castle (Jun 10)

I'm not a big animation fan (although I do place two animated films on this list), but I loved Miyazaki's Spirited Away and this follow-up looks as if it is just as good - at least visually.

14. Brothers Grimm (Nov 23)

Terry Gilliam meets the creepy Fairy Tale Brothers of legend & lore - let's hope this goes better than his ill-fated attempt at making Don Quixote.

13. 3-Iron (Apr 29)

From Ki-duk Kim, one of the most provocativly sublime Auteurs around today, this Korean film, which got a lot of praise on the festival circuit last year, will finally make it to theatres this Spring.

12. Eros (Apr 8)

Although I am normally wary of Omnibus Films, Antonioni, Soderbergh, Wong Kar-wai - A tryptich from three of the best Auteurs in the world (at least two and a half of the best - sorry Steven) - I think it's just great to see Antonioni at work again, even if it is as just one third of a film.

11. Kung Fu Hustle (Mar 18)

Retro chop-socky is a blast in the hands of Quentin Tarantino, but here comes the real thing - and I've heard so many great things about it so far.

10. Melinda and Melinda (Mar 18)

The old boy ain't what he used to be, but Woody Allen has that old magic somewhere inside him, so hopefully he'll let it out again. C'mon Woody, we're begging you - let out your inner Fellini again. Your inner Bergman. Your inner Chaplin.

9. Nobody Knows (Feb 4)

Horakazu Kore-eda's account of four children left to fend for themselves in modern Tokyo - it has been getting rave reviews on the festival circuit (plus a Best Actor Award at Cannes last year).

8. Sin City (Apr 1)

Frank Miller's classicly macabre comic comes to the big screen with a virtual comic/real-life/animation/whatever style AND the talents of Bruce Willis, Benicio Del Toro and Clive Owen (as well as the "talents" of Jessica Alba, pole dancing in fringes).

7. Palindromes (Apr 13)

Todd Solondz' films (Happiness, Storytelling) are always good for some much-heralded controversy and censorship - this should be no different - and it's the story of a young wayward girl, played by no less than seven performers (both male and female).

6. Clean (Sep ??)

After debuting at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival, I have waited patiently (sort of) for Assayas' latest to finally hit American soil/movie screens, and I missed seeing it's one showing in NY (Film Comment Presents series in early February '05), but it is coming to theatres in September (finally dammit!).

5. King Kong (Dec 14)

Peter Jackson's follow-up to his megasuperfab Lord of the Rings trilogy, starring Adrian Brody, Naomi Watts, Jack Black and a big fucking ape (are those last two interchangeable?).

4. Old Boy (Mar 25)

Chan-wook Park (along w/ Hong Sang-soo) is the hot "new" Auteur on the block right now, so as a Cinephile, it's my duty (and my pleasure, hopefully) to see this film.

3. Oliver Twist (Sep 30)

Roman Polanski does Charles Dickens - 'nuf said.

2. The New World (Nov 9)

Terrence Malick, returning after just 7 years (a short span for this filmmaker) with a possibly breathtaking epic about John Smith and Pocahontis - Normally I would think twice about putting a big Hollywooder at number two (especially one so potentially schmarmy), but Malick hasn't dissapointed yet (Badlands, Days of Heaven and The Thin Red Line are his three films in a thirty year ouvre).

1. Manderlay (???)

Okay, we may not see this follow-up to von Triers Dogville until 2006, but I'm being hopeful anyway - von Trier may be the most original filmmaker working today and his work should not be missed, even if Nicole is being replaced by Opie's little girl (although she was nearly the only enjoyable thing in last year's The Village).

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