It's almost impossible for me to narrow down the year's film slate to five films since there are literally hundreds of films being released, but I tried to narrow it down to five that people will surely be talking about around the water cooler once they finally hit theaters. These aren't necessarily the biggest or best films 2010 has to offer, but, in my opinion, they may turn out to be five of the most entertaining flicks to hit screens between now and next December 31.
What's It About: Based on the graphic novel, Kick-Ass is a hard-R costumed heroes flick about a geeky teenager who one day decides he wants to become a superhero…except he has no real powers. When he accidentally inspires a whole slew of copycats, our hero – who names himself Kick-Ass – will come face to face with the maniac duo of Big Daddy and Hit Girl – two very real (and very dangerous) adversaries.
Why You Should See It: Kick-Ass is unique in that it was made outside the studio system and it comes packed with a whole ton of controversy. I mean, what other film coming out this year will boast Nicolas Cage cursing at and shooting a young 10-year-old girl…on purpose…with her permission? Yeah, that's just a small taste of how crazy ridiculous this film will be.
Release Date: April 16th, 2010
What's It About: Robert Downey Jr. returns to play Tony Stark (aka Iron Man), but this time he'll have to square off against a loose cannon named Whiplash (who uses electrical whips to cause serious damage), as well as a host of other folks who may or may not be playing for the good guys – like Black Widow (Scarlett Johnasson) and Justin Hammer (Sam Rockwell)
Why You Should See It: C'mon, the first film rocked! Plus, with the boring origin story out of the way, now we'll get an Iron Man film that's all about kicking major ass.
Release Date: May 7th, 2010
What's It About: The simple description is that it's about a geeky teen in an indie rock band who begins crushing on a girl, but then must defeat her seven evil ex-boyfriends before he can win her heart.
Why You Should See It: If there was ever a film created for the video game generation, this is it. Based on the series of quirky graphic novels, it'll be interesting to see how Universal markets this film because it's sure to serve up a whole lot of freaktastic special effects while doling out a story that's familiar in some ways, completely original in others, and then ridiculously off the wall all the way through. Just do us a favor and put it on your calendar. Trust me, this will definitely be an experience you won't want to miss.
Release Date: August 2010/TBD
What's It About: Well, no one really knows what the film is about…yet we're told it takes place "within the architecture of the mind" and based on the trailers it seems like it will revolve around a person (or group of people) who has the ability to gain access to a person's mind and either steal information or plant fake information…or both.
Why You Should See It: It's directed by Christopher Nolan, whose last film was The Dark Knight, and it stars a solid cast that includes Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt, among others.
Plus, it looks like a unique sci-fi film, and after films like Moon and District 9 took 2009 by storm, we now know audiences are hungry for interesting films that entertain masses, sure, but also make you think.
Release Date: July 16th, 2010
What's It About: It's a drama that revolves around the founders of Facebook, and the intricate relationships that were formed and subsequently tarnished during the inception of the world's most popular social-networking site.
Why You Should See It: Because you spend enough time on Facebook, you may as well learn how the whole thing came together. Plus Justin Timberlake plays a big role, as does Jesse Eisenberg. Not only that, but David Fincher (Fight Club, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button) directed the movie, which means the thing will most likely look fantastic.
Release Date: October 15th, 2010.
