Film: Winter 2009 Preview

Well, with Winter pretty much here I thought I’d get a couple of preview articles in showcasing stuff I’m looking forward to that is coming up soon.

Films up first with games to follow next week…

ZOMBIELAND

Starring: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin

UK Release Date: 9th October

Man this looks great! I seem to have been reading/watching/playing quite a bit of Zombie stuff recently which is all good and Zombieland looks to continue the trend.

It tells the story of a world overrun with Zombies and with very few survivors. Zombieland focuses on four of these survivors who have to work together to keep themselves alive.

FANTASTIC MR. FOX

Starring: George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Jason Scwartzman, Bill Murray, Michael Gambon

UK Release Date: 23rd October

Ok, ok, I’ve never read the book but the Roald Dahl novels I have read were mainly great and the trailer looks amazing.

The cast is brilliant and this story of Mr. Fox and his friends fight against the farmer neighbours who want Fox out of the way.

Directed by the excellent Wes Anderson this is a film I look forward to checking out.

EXTRACT

Starring: Jason Bateman, Mila Kunis, Kristen Wiig, Ben Affleck

UK Release Date: TBC

I had heard nothing about this film until I caught the trailer a few months back and I think it looks really interesting.

Jason Bateman plays Joel Reynold – owner of an extract factory – who appears to have it all but is so desperate for love he is willing to trick his wife into cheating on him just so he can cheat on her…

Confusing? Yes but it’s the mundane day to day of the factory that looks to shine through so I’m keeping my fingers crossed for this one.

SHERLOCK HOLMES

Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Rachel McAdams

UK Release Date: 26th December

Guy Ritchie’s ‘reimagining’ of the legendary Sherlock Holmes might usually be something that would rile me and the fact that I don’t really rate Jude Law should’ve seen this thrown aside long ago.

But the trailer below is funny and actually does make me want to see the film. Of course it’s nothing like Holmes is supposed to be, however maybe that is the charm of it.

Hoping this will be surprisingly good and if Downey Jr is on form it could happen.

ARMOURED

Starring: Colombus Short, Matt Dillon, Laurence Fishburne, Jean Reno, Milo Ventimiglia

UK Release Date: 10th January 2010

The story of an armoured truck guard who is persuaded to take part in a $42m robbery on their own cargo.

Sounds like a tense thriller with some action loaded in for good measure. I do like a heist film! 🙂

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE

Starring: Catherine Keener, Max Records, Mark Ruffalo, Lauren Ambrose, James Gandolfini

UK Release Date: 11th December

Spike Jonze’s latest film looks visually stunning.

The film tells the story of a boy called Max who is sent to his room for misbehaving. While there his imagination runs wild, transporting him into a fantasy world.

Definitely one to check out when it’s released.

NINJA ASSASSIN

Starring: Rain, Naomie Harris, Sung Kang, Rick Yune.

UK Release Date: 27th November

What isn’t there to be excited about with a film called Ninja Assassin? The story of a ninja who turns his back on the clan that raised him and the fall out stemming from that.

Hopefully might be the assassin film I was hoping Bangkok Dangerous might’ve been.

So there you have it, anything I’ve missed? Or films you’re looking forward to that I should know about?