13 of the most exciting films on 2010’s roster

As a consumer, it’s always a pleasure to look down the road to a year filled with exciting films. 2010, no doubt, will be one of those years that holds a little something for everyone. Already, there are countless lists of film agendas lined up for various critics and festival-goers. This is my list.

• Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part I

Ah, Harry Potter. Who doesn’t love this intense, visually epic series? While some (cough, Order of the Phoenix, cough) have been less than satisfying for fans of the books (myself being one of them), others have been extraordinary (Prisoner of Azkaban for one). With The Deathly Hallows, there is a lot to look forward to. This is one of the lengthier books in the series (thus the two-part film split), and it’s also one of the more comprehensive. There were a lot of loose ends left throughout the books prior, and Deathly Hallows had to tie them together. Yet, J.K. Rowling (in her magical - for lack of a better word - fashion) did not fail us and introduced an entirely new plotline for the story to follow: the saga of the deathly hallows. With horacruxes still undiscovered and undestroyed and hallows to obtain, Harry Potter (Daniel Radcliffe) and, vicariously, the film get a whole new set of locations to peruse through as he and Hermoine Granger (Emma Watson) venture into and away from the great unknown. The first film will probably be a trial of great anticipation, but it’ll certainly be one to see this year.

• Alice in Wonderland

Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, and Tim Burton team up for yet another trio-led adventure into a colorful experience. Alice in Wonderland is one of those stories that seems perfectly suited for Burton’s flavor of pizzazz, and the buzz on his take on Lewis Carroll’s story has been going for months. While the film is produced by Walt Disney, it’ll be quite distinct from Disney’s 1951 cartoon version. The best part? It’ll be in IMAX 3-D! For those of us who sat in awe at the beautiful imagery of Avatar in 2009, Alice in Wonderland is probably the next up to bat for 3-D awesomeness in 2010. The film’s release is rather rapidly approaching, so the promos, trailers, and stills seen so far only confirm those suspicions.

• Legion

Paul Bettany, angels, and the fight to save humanity. Enough said.

• Daybreakers

With the Twilight series’ success, it’s rather easy to discount the onslaught of vampire genre films, shows, and otherwise. But Daybreakers is rightfully set apart from any accusations of bandwagon-hopping. Instead, the film falls more in line with the Blade and Queen of the Damned-style of vamps, pitting the entire human race against the existence of vampires. Watching the trailers for this film, the immediate reaction that comes to mind is quite simply “this looks cool.”

• Shrek Forever After

While the plot remains a bit foggy (despite the full trailer having already been released), when it comes to the Shrek series, things are always pretty entertaining. This installment promises to be the final film stance for Shrek and his brood, and it’ll re-revolutionize itself by hitting 3-D theaters. Shrek the Third did bring a bit of finality to the story, but apparently there’s still more to be seen with these characters. I’m excited to see what they’re able to pull out of the story. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Shrek-y with a baby carriage … oh wait, that already happened. Leaves a bit of mystery as to what’s next, doesn’t it?

• The Twilight Saga: Eclipse

Oh, if you’re reading this page, you probably already know I’m a Twilight fan. If not, hi, I write the Twilight Examiner column, and yes, I’m a Twilight junkie. So when I think 2010 in terms of films, The Twilight Saga: Eclipse is one of the first things that pops into my head. Eclipse is the third installment of the Twilight saga, and it’s my favorite book in the series. It’s lined up to be the most action-oriented film of the three so far, and I’m looking forward to how director David Slade is going to bring this story to life.

• Toy Story 3

Toy Story joins the 2010 roster for, I’d imagine, the same reasons that Shrek 4 has: the improvement of cinematic possibility. Toy Story, like the Shrek series, was revolutionary for its day, but unlike Shrek, there’s always been room for a Toy Story 3. Andy, the human boy who owned all the toys, couldn’t own them forever. Creative difference, research proves, stunted this project from being put together earlier on. In any case, the Toy Story films are always good for a smile.

• Shutter Island

This is precarious one for me. It’ll either kill or be killed. From the previews, it’s definitely a film worth checking out. Leonardo DiCaprio portrays a U.S. Marshall looking into the seemingly impossible disappearance of a serial murderer from her isolated cell on an island prison for the criminally insane. Things go wrong, though, for DiCaprio’s character, and he becomes a prisoner of sorts himself in his journeys. I can safely say that I’ve seen every movie that Leonardo DiCaprio has ever been in, so that’s one bit of motivation. Plus, he’s teaming up with Martin Scorsese again, and after The Departed, The Aviator, and Gangs of New York, I’m sold on this combination (and, chances are, the Academy will be as well).

• The Runaways

Two years ago, Kristen Stewart crossed the stage - literally - as Tracy Tatro in Into The Wild and instantly became the focal point of her scenes in the film. She was literally “kinda magic.” So to see her amped for a role makes me want to see her play it out. In The Runaways, Kristen Stewart takes on the part of Joan Jett, and her Twilight series (and Cutlass) co-star Dakota Fanning portrays Cherie Currie. The two play out the behind-the-scenes world of the real girlband that changed it all, “The Runaways.” A definite must-see in 2010 in my book.

• Remember Me

A Twilight star and a Lost star? Is it my birthday? Oh wait, that’s just Remember Me, which stars Robert Pattinson and Emilie de Ravin. This film ranks highly on my must-see list for 2010 as well (and not just because of the castlist). It looks to be a very experiential look into the post-tragedy life of your everyday American young man. New romance blossoms out of gut-panging loss for these two, so the film looks to involve a whole range of human emotion. Should be interesting at least.

• Clash of the Titans

If you were like me, you’ve seen the original version of Clash of the Titans at least a dozen times and probably have the epic puzzle memorized even still. With the 2010 version, they’ve brought together the newest too-hot-to-trot (thanks to Terminator Salvation and Avatar) male actor Sam Worthington with some of the old greats - Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes particularly - to re-make the film. The original was ahead of its time and made do with what special effects were possible back in the newborn 1980’s, but now, with seemingly endless possibilities in filmmaking, the 2010 version should prove to be quite extraordinary in that regard.

• Sex & The City 2

Ladies, ladies, ladies, how fabulous can things be for these four? Sex & The City was one of those shows that really let the men have it . . . or perhaps more appropriately at times did not. It was difficult to imagine, when the first movie was announced, the short 30 minute episodes (which often stood alone in plotline but for the most part involved progression) transpiring into a full film. It was equally as impossible to resist. After seeing it though, there’s no lingering doubt that the adventures of Carrie Bradshaw & Co. can make for a fun film, and it’s great to see that the real-life girls recognize that as well and are bringing us long-time fans part two.

• A Nightmare on Elm Street

The original A Nightmare on Elm Street was scary. Just scary. A relentless (and brutal) assassin attacking you during your unavoidable sleep? I’ll say it again: scary. When it comes to re-makes, though, it’s hit or miss. The new Texas Chainsaw movies were spectacular, but Friday the 13^th was a laugh at best. If A Nightmare On Elm Street even halfway lives up to its original, though, the film’s in good shape. One way or the other, it’s a film I’ll definitely be checking out this spring.