My Ten Most Anticipated Films of 2009 - Page 4

2. Where the Wild Things Are
Release Date: October 16

Spike Jonze's long-delayed adaptation of Maurice Sendak's classic children's book Where the Wild Things Are is finally scheduled to bow this fall, and I couldn't be more excited. Though there were reports of a disastrous screening in which the children in the audience were scared to tears, and that the whole thing might be reshot, Warner Bros. has assured us that Jonze's vision will remain intact. And that's a damn good thing, because the test footage looks as if it could've been lifted from the page; Jonze seems like the only man for the job, perfectly capturing the essence of Sendak's world. Though it's a live-action film, all of the monsters are actors in giant suits, and the stellar voice cast includes Catherine O'Hara, Forest Whitaker, Catherine Keener, James Gandolfini, and Paul Dano. Oh, and as much as I like Michelle Williams, the fact that she was replaced with Six Feet Under's beautiful Lauren Ambrose just has me dying to see this even more.

1. Inglourious Basterds
Release Date: August 21

As far as I'm concerned, news of any Quentin Tarantino film is cause to celebrate. And I don't just mean a quiet little dance of joy, I'm talking full-on celebration: running down the streets, jumping on tables, swinging from the ceiling fan, any crazy wild thing you can think of. Grindhouse may have been a box-office flop, but it was a thrilling cinematic experience, and Tarantino's half of the double feature, Death Proof, was as exhilarating as anything I've ever seen. So contrary to what you may have heard, the guy's still got it. Inglourious Basterds is particularly exciting because this is a film that Tarantino has been talking about for years. He's been working on getting it made for at least a decade, before Kill Bill came along and took up his time (back then, he even spelled the title correctly). It's a big World War II picture starring Brad Pitt, and it'll be interesting to see Tarantino transport his visual and verbal trademarks to the German battlefields. It's also going to be a blast to see Pitt — who, after indelible turns in everything from Se7en to Burn After Reading, is one of the most versatile actors alive — team up with the greatest director of his generation. Pitt may have had a bit part in the Tarantino-scripted True Romance, but at long last, he's finally in the hands of the man himself. The rest of the cast is an odd bunch, to say the least: it ranges from Maggie Cheung to Mike Myers, with Samuel L. Jackson serving as narrator. Tarantino's always had a keen eye for casting, though, and I've no reason to doubt his choices here. After all of that, it's like icing on the cake to discover that the legendary Ennio Morricone is doing the score. If all goes according to plan, Inglourious Basterds should be pretty legendary itself.

Article Author: Arlo J. Wiley

Arlo J. Wiley is an aspiring filmmaker who has a deep love of movies, music, television, and most other artforms. He is also totally obsessed with Joss Whedon and the Beatles. You kind of need to know that.

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