TOP TEN Movies to See in 2009 by Herb

*Posted February 15, 2009*

The 2008 Movie season is over, so here are 10 big films to get you pumped for 2009.

10. the LOVELY BONES

This is the first in a long line of films on this list that I really don't know much about except that the director is one of the elite. Peter Jackson helms this story about a murder told through the eyes of the victim (a young girl or somethings). Mark Wahlberg and Rachel Weisz are the leads, which makes me nervous, but Pete Jackson does not make bad films.

9. the WATCHMEN

My first impression way back when this was announced was that it would be really lame and that the Owl superhero was a Batman rip off. But the trailers are pretty cool and the insistence that this is the greatest graphic novel of all time has worn me down. I'm not going to read it, but I'll definitely watch it in theaters. My only gripe is that the directors prefers to be addressed in the ads as "the Visionary Director of 300." Give me a break.

8. YEAR ONE

The merging of Harold Ramis with the Apatow gang is much more appealing than the merging of Adam Sandler and the Apatow gang. The trailer shown during the Super Bowl was very funny, with Jack Black and the bumbling Michael Cera playing cavemen who stumble upon history's biggest events. The preview clip had them bumping into Cain and Abel during a rocky point in their relationship (get the pun?), and I expect more Forrest Gump-type run-ins with history.

7. AVATAR

James Cameron hasn't made a movie in forever, mostly because he's taking forever on this. Nobody has a clue on what the film will be about, and the preview pics on the set show Cameron instead of his actors. We do know there's going to be a lot of 3-D, and that mankind is battling aliens. Cameron is another director that I trust to deliver a mindblowing movie.

6. the ROAD

Hopefully this movie gets released this year (it's been pushed back and has no release date). It's a post-apocalyptic tale based on a book written by the guy who also wrote No Country for Old Men, so we at least know the source material is good. The big reason I want to see this is that Viggo Mortenson is the lead, and his performance in Appaloosa was one of my favorites in 2008. I hope that's enough reason for you to see it as well.

5. ANGELS AND DEMONS

Most people didn't care for the Da Vinci Code, but I loved the book and was more than satisfied with the film. Ron Howard and Tom Hanks collaborations never suck, and this time around, Hanks has ditched his weird mullet in favor of something more suave. I didn't read this book, but I do know that it's about another secret society and some crazy conspiracies in ROME. The trailer was very good, and it also stars Obi-Wan McGregor.

4. UP

This year's Pixar release. They are currently batting 1.000, so enough said.

3. SHUTTER ISLAND

Leo Dicaprio and Mark Ruffalo are U.S. Marshalls on the hunt for an escaped mental patient. Oh, and Martin Scorsese is directing it.

2. INGLOURIOUS BASTARDS

Tarantino loves to hype himself more than his movies, but unlike the loser director Watchmen (Zach Snyder), Tarantino actually deserves to be talked up in his movie trailers. All his movies are fun to watch, and this time we get a bunch of Jewish WWII soldiers killing Nazis. The trailer was just released, and even though Brad Pitt's accent is kind of annoying, his mustache is pretty cool. I really just want to see the Nazi get bashed in the head with a baseball bat.

1. PUBLIC ENEMIES

Bale. Loser Depp. AND MICHAEL MANNNNNNNN!!!! Forget about the stupid Miami Vice movie, Michael Mann will forever get a pass for making Heat (in my top 20). Everyone loves watching gangster movies, and Depp supposedly was crazy invested in the role of John Dillinger. Everyone loves period pieces, and since I just watched Road to Perdition a few days ago, I'm big on 1930s Chicago. Also, people are thinking Best Picture nomination for this movie, so definitely go see it.