2010 Movies Guide

The new movies of 2010. It doesn’t sound like a real year does it? 2010. More like something that appears on a title card at the beginning of a movie. It sounds like the future. It sounds like you need a crazy, wild-eyed old man and a flux capacitor to get there, but you don’t, all you need is patience.
Unfortunately, we at Movie Moron are impatient as all get out. Screw patience. We’re already looking ahead to 2010 and its silver screen offerings, and we’d like you to join us. We’ll be your crazy, wild-eyed old man. Below is a list of our 20 most anticipated movies, 2010. Pay attention, Marty…


20. Cop Out
Starring: Bruce Willis, Tracy Morgan, Seann William Scott, Adam Brody, Jason Lee
Director: Kevin Smith
Release Date: 26th February 2010

Cop Out is the first movie from Kevin Smith that he hasn’t written himself. It’ll be interesting to see how he takes on someone else’s material while no doubt retaining his distinctive voice. The concept appears to be a straightforward buddy comedy about a couple of cops but Smith should be able to elevate the familiar ground he has to cover. Maybe elevate isn’t the right word, more like bring it down to his level. Whatever he does, we can’t wait to see it and that’s why Cop Out makes the list.
19. Looper
Starring: N/A
Director: Rian Johnson
Release Date: TBC 2010 Update: Pushed to 2011

This movie is a bit of an enigma. Still in the very early stages of development, little is known about the project plot-wise, and there are no stars attached. In fact, it’s the only film on the list with no actors on board, so the fact that it even makes the list says a lot. It says we love Brick, we really like The Brothers Bloom, and we are super-stoked to see Rian Johnson tackle an ultraviolent time-travel movie. Rian Johnson builds worlds, he takes ordinary surroundings and injects them with the uncanny, and he does this in high school movies and con-men movies. What is he going to do with a sci-fi movie, a genre where such mish-mashing and world-building is de rigueur?
18. The Last Airbender
Starring: Noah Ringer, Dev Patel, Jackson Rathbone, Nicola Peltz
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Release Date: 2nd July 2010

Possibly the most divisive movie on the list. Shyamalan is loved by some and loathed by others, but there’s no denying that The Happening was an all-time low, resulting in some declaring The Last Airbender a flop before hearing a single line of dialogue. But it’s not just the Shyamalan apologists that are praying for this movie to be good, it’s fans of the source material. Avatar: The Last Airbender was one of Nick’s most popular shows, a well animated, action-packed, humorous and intelligent piece of television with a mythos to rival Star Wars and an appeal well beyond its target demographic.
Many still struggle to cast aside fury at the thought of the racist controversial casting, but with teaser trailers and teaser images cropping up, anticipation is building.

17. The Book of Eli
Starring: Denzel Washington, Gary Oldman, Mila Kunis
Directors: Albert & Allen Hughes
Release Date: 15th January 2010

You didn’t know you wanted a post-apocalyptic showdown between Denzel Washington and Gary Oldman, but the guys that made Menace II Society did, so they went ahead and made The Book of Eli for you. It’s about, naturally, the titular book, a tome that may be the key to man’s salvation. Denzel defends the book, Oldman does the opposite. Comic Book artist Chris Weston did design work for the film, and says on his blog that ‘you’ll get to see Denzel Washington kick serious arse in this film… ‘Man on Fire’ is a mere taster compared to the righteous vengeance he rains down on the scum in this film’. We recommend ‘rains down on the scum’ become a phrase that you use regularly, not only because you’ll sound epic, but to familiarise yourself with the concept so as to prevent yourself from becoming overwhelmed when you witness Mr Washington in all his arse-kicking glory.
16. Paul
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen
Director: Greg Mottola
Release Date: TBC 2010 Update: Pushed to 18th March 2011
Brit Comic Book Geeks travelling across the US with an alien in tow. Meh. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost? Not so meh. The talented duo reunite for another comic caper, this time without director Edgar Wright, who just found out there’s a whole guild of other screen actors out there. It’ll be nice to see Pegg back with Frost after cavorting around in space and sucking up to Megan Fox – and now they’ve added Seth Rogen to the crew! Or he’s added them to his, we’re not sure. Rogen will be voicing the alien known as Paul, and he has a pretty weird voice anyway, right? So that should work nicely. Knowing Frost and Pegg this will be a crowd pleaser and a nerd-pleaser at the same time, and there aren’t many films out there that manage to do both. Plus, it’s another offering from the director of Superbad.

15. The Cabin in the Woods
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Jesse Williams, Amy Acker
Director: Drew Goddard
Release Date: TBC 2010 Update: Pushed to 2011
Whedonites are legion. So having Joss Whedon onboard to co-write this script is a good thing in terms of drumming up hype. And this film promises a new take on a played out horror movie trope – the cabin in the woods. Coming from Drew Goddard, one of the men behind Cloverfield, and starring Chris Hemsworth, the man who will be Thor.
14. Piranha 3D
Starring: Elisabeth Shue, Jerry O’Connell, Richard Dreyfuss, Ving Rhames
Director: Alexandre Aja
Release Date: 20th August 2010
Richard Dreyfuss reckons it’s safe to go back in the water – you think he’d know better. You know the deal: Remake. 3D. Sex, violence, comedy. Prehistoric piranhas tear to shreds every living thing in their path, mostly hot, young dumb actors, a couple of porn stars, and a couple of old intelligent actors for good measure. This isn’t high-brow, this is pure popcorn entertainment (although judging by the set pics, most of that popcorn will be regurgitated before you leave the theatre). Carnage!
13. The A-Team
Starring: Liam Neeson, Bradley Cooper
Director: Joe Carnahan
Release Date: 11th June 2010

Smoking Aces was insane. And while it wasn’t spectacularly successful, it is proof that director Joe Carnahan may be able to breathe some life into The A-Team. As , Well-known television characters in a high-octane cinematic adaptation can be a very good thing, as evidenced by the Star Trek reboot. Liam Neeson will be taking on the role of Hannibal, and although it’s been argued that his on screen persona differs considerably from that of previous Hannibal, George Peppard, Taken proved he can do action, and how many other actors have trained Obi-Wan Kenobi and Batman? Man of the moment Bradley Cooper will play Face, a role originated by Dirk Benedict (the lesser of two Starbucks). Fighter-for-a-living Quinton Jackson has the impossible job of replacing Mr.T.

12. The Green Hornet
Starring: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz
Director: Michel Gondry
Release Date: TBC 2010 Update: Pushed to 14th January 2011
This is superhero Seth Rogen. The last time we saw Rogen kicking ass and taking names he wasn’t wearing a mask, he was high, and he was riding shotgun with James ‘Harry Osborn’ Franco. Now he’s the one with the sidekick, and if what has been said up until now is true, The Green Hornet may be more lighthearted than some superhero fare, but it won’t be an out-and-out comedy.
A big part of whether or not this movie works hinges on us believing that the slob from Knocked Up is a crime-fighter, and Seth Rogen’s so damn likeable we’ll probably all cross our fingers and hope he can do it. Not to mention Michel Gondry’s directing the whole affair and his zany indie sensibilities should be a sight to behold when thrown over the superhero framework.
11. Alice In Wonderland
Starring: Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Anne Hathaway
Director: Tim Burton
Release Date: 5th March 2010

As per usual, the visuals of the latest Tim Burton project, Alice In Wonderland, look stunning. Newcomer Mia Wasikowskia plays Alice in the loose adaptation of Carroll’s treasured novel, alongside Burton mainstays Johnny Depp as the Mad Hatter and Helena Bonham Carter as the Red Queen. The only troubling aspect of this is the ‘loose’ part of the loose adaptation; unlike the previous adaptations Burton has made (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Big Fish, etc.) this film will take more liberties with the source material. It features a considerably older Alice returning to Wonderland. That sounds a bit like Hook. But we’re confident it won’t be met with the same lukewarm reception, and that Burton thrills us with a wild and wacky world as he has in the past.

10. A Nightmare On Elm Street
Starring: Jackie Earle Haley
Director: Samuel Bayer
Release Date: 16th April 2010

Freddy Krueger, the dream-dwelling killer first brought to cinema screens in 1984, is back. But this time actor Robert Englund is going to be watching it in the cinema with the rest of us. Exec-producer Michael Bay is hitting the Batman Begins/Star Trek reboot button in an effort to restart the horror franchise as he did with Texas Chainsaw Massacre. There’s only one reason this has ranked so highly on our list – the casting of Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy. He was terrific as Rorschach in Watchmen. But can he deliver? Knife-fingers are crossed.
9. Clash Of The Titans
Starring: Sam Worthington, Gemma Arterton, Liam Neeson, Ralph Fiennes
Director: Louis Letterier
Release Date: 2nd April 2010
The highest remake on the list, Clash of the Titans takes the most fondly remembered sword and sandal classic to showcase Ray Harryhausen’s stop-motion creatures and re-imagines it for the CGI generation. Director Louis Letterier should be somewhat familiar with intense action and CG smackdowns thanks to his prior work on The Incredible Hulk and The Transporter franchises. Up and coming actors Sam Worthington (Terminator: Salvation, Avatar) and Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace, Prince of Persia) take on the roles of Perseus and Io, whilst veterans Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes take on the roles of Zeus and Hades. It will be interesting to see how the Olympian elements of the story are handled, as the gods have been notably absent from most recent sword and sandal flicks like Troy.
8. Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood
Starring: Russell Crowe, Cate Blanchett
Director: Ridley Scott
Release Date: 14th May 2010
Ridley Scott is a living legend. The mastermind behind Alien, Blade Runner and Gladiator returns to roughly the period of time in which his criminally underrated Crusades movie Kingdom of Heaven took place and reunites with frequent collaborator Russell Crowe. So he should be in his comfort zone and ready to deliver a memorable take on the oft filmed Robin Hood legend, presumably without incongruous accents, talking foxes or men in tights.

7. Arrested Development
Starring: Michael Cera, Jason Bateman, David Cross, Will Arnett, Portia de Rossi
Director: Mitchell Hurwitz
Release Date: TBC 2010 Update: Pushed to 2011
The best TV shows get cancelled. Frequently. Sometimes the fanbase is so vocal about the injustice that the property is given a new lease of life – Family Guy, Futurama and Joss Whedon’s Firefly were all brought back from the dead. And currently slated for a 2010 release is the critically acclaimed comedy Arrested Development. This movie has been rumoured for a very long time, but clearly, what with it being so high on the list, hope has not been lost, anticipation has not been lessened. Stuff White People Like explains the Arrested Development phenom thusly:

Even though most white people prefer to say that they don’t watch television, one thing they agree on is that Arrested Development was the best show on TV. They love it so much! The love it for a number of reasons. Firstly, since the show was cancelled before it jumped the shark, it’s effectively like a rocker that dies at 27. Also, the show got terrible ratings, meaning that it wasn’t ‘mainstream,’ which makes white people love it unilaterally. Other examples of shows like this are Twin Peaks and The Ben Stiller Show. They also love it because there are a few references to white popular culture, and if there is one thing that white people love, it’s cultural references that they understand (see Garden State, The Onion, and Juno for examples). If you are ever a white person’s house, and you see an orange box in their DVD collection, you should say “oh, you have Arrested Development, I love that show!” To which you will be offered a glass of wine, and perhaps an invitation to 80s night. Also of note: the hip hop group Arrested Development is also loved by white people.

We’ve seen Arrested Development alumni go on to make their mark in cinema, but they are allegedly all locked to return to their TV characters, and we couldn’t be more excited by the prospect. Hopefully it’ll be a success.
6. The Expendables
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jet Li, Jason Statham, Dolph Lundgren, Steve Austin, Mickey Rourke
Director: Sylvester Stallone
Release Date: 13th August 2010
Sly Stallone wants to go out in a blaze of gory. Sorry, typo, blaze of glory. Actually, they’re both right. The Expendables could well be the throwback action movie that dreams are made of. With a cast list that reads like someone just reading names off of their action movie DVD collection, fans of the genre are getting spoilt rotten.

5. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World
Starring: Michael Cera, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Kieran Culkin
Director: Edgar Wright
Release Date: 13th August 2010

One of the greatest indie comic books in recent history, Scott Pilgrim, is an epic love story, a teen comedy and a bizarre action piece set in Canada. Influenced by video games, music, manga and real life it really is like nothing else. If you haven’t read it yet, you’re missing out.
Edgar Wright’s film adaptation stars Michael Cera as Scott Pilgrim, lead singer of crappy, unsigned band Sex Bob-Omb (that’s a Super Mario reference, n00bs), and Mary Elizabeth Winstead as Ramona Flowers, the girl of Scott’s dreams. Literally. He dreams about her, and then she shows up. In pursuit of her he has to fight her seven evil ex-boyfriends, evade his jilted ex ‘Knives’ Chau, and put up with Wallace Wells (Kieran Culkin), the gay roommate that he sleeps with (but not in a gay way). Made of win.
4. Tron Legacy
Starring: Garrett Hedlund, Jeff Bridges, Olivia Wilde
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Release Date: 17th December 2010

Tron was ahead of its time. Now is that time. While the first film amazed with its vision and FX, it still managed to bore with its pace, but on the basis of this concept trailer, the sequel has managed to get the balance just right. The plot sees Flynn’s son enter Tron to find out what happened to his father (Jeff Bridges) all those years ago. Looks spectacular.
3. Toy Story 3
Starring: Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Ned Beatty, Michael Keaton
Director: Lee Unkrich
Release Date: 18th June 2010

Pixar: the most dependable movie studio around. Coming off of Wall-E and Up, they’re returning to their roots, the movie that made their name, Toy Story. Ordinarily, threequels are something to dread, and unnecessary sequels to animated movies often feel every bit as superfluous as they actually are (yes, you, Shrek). But Pixar can (virtually) do no wrong at this point, and the first two Toy Story movies are such bona fide modern classics that you can’t help but be excited about the further misadventures of Woody and Buzz.
2. Iron Man 2
Starring: Robert Downey Jr, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Mickey Rourke
Director: Jon Favreau
Release Date: 7th May 2010

“I am Iron Man.” How could you not be desperate to see a sequel after Robert Downey Jr delivered that line at a press conference in the final scene of Iron Man? In the superhero sequel tradition, this installment promises to be bigger, and has heightened fanboy expectations. Scarlett Johansson is Natasha – Tony Stark’s replacement red-head assistant now that Paltrow’s Pepper Potts has been promoted – she’s also secretly superspy Black Widow. Rourke plays angry Russian ‘Whiplash’, Iron Man’s nemesis along with Sam Rockwell’s Justin Hammer. Terrence Howard is probably (like the rest of us) still in shock after getting Cheadled, and Olga Kurylenko can’t believe she didn’t get Johansson’s part. She refuses to take the costume off, it’s kind of embarrassing…


1. Inception
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard, Tom Hardy
Director: Christopher Nolan
Release Date: 16th July 2010

Nothing else could have been number one, not after 2008, not after The Dark Knight. It. Was. Awesome. Due in no small part to the genius of Christopher Nolan, a director with an enviable track record, who now turns his attentions to the sci-fi genre with Inception, a movie shrouded in Cloverfield-levels of mystery. We know Ken Watanabe is blackmailing Leonardo DiCaprio, who’s married to Marion Cotillard and works with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Ellen Page, but that’s it. Oh, and, it’s set within ‘the architecture of the mind’, which could mean anything at this point. Inception is our number one most anticipated on the basis of the acting talent involved, and the phenomenal director.
— UPDATE : DECEMBER 2010 Those were our 20 most anticipated movies at the start of the year. Now we’re at the end of 2010 we can see that some were disappointments (Robin Hood, Iron Man 2), some turned out to be plain terrible (Cop Out, Nightmare On Elm Street, Last Airbender), and others were exactly what we hoped for (Inception, Toy Story 3, Scott Pilgrim).
Here are the top 10 movies according to critics this year (via Rotten Tomatoes):
1. Toy Story 3
2. How to Train Your Dragon
3. Restrepo
4. Exit Through The Gift Shop
5. The Social Network
6. True Grit
7. The Town
8. The Kids Are All Right
9. Winter’s Bone
10. The King’s Speech
And the top 10 according to the public (user voted on IMDB):
1. Inception – 9.0 / 10
2. Black Swan – 8.9
3. Toy Story 3 – 8.7
4. The Social Network – 8.2
5. How To Train Your Dragon – 8.2
6. Tangled – 8.1
7. Kick-Ass – 8.0
8. Shutter Island – 8.0
9. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I – 7.9
10. Scott Pilgrim vs. The World – 7.9