20 movies to geek out to this year

Every geek needs his movies. It’s for extending our inherent geek repertoire, for dazedly watching our favourite Saturday morning cartoons come to life on the silver screen (and then being hyper-critical about the smaller details), for filling those awkward moments of silence in certain social circles and for making buying gifts for geeks simpler. Yes, the world of the cinema is every geek’s playground and in 2011, there’s a whole new roller-coaster a-comin’…

A geek without his indelible source of budding movie quotes, memorable phrases, theme songs and re-enactment of pivotal climatic battle scenes is like a Jedi with no lightsaber or a Trekkie with no green-skinned alien sexual tendencies or a Browncoat with no clue of the ‘verse or a mutant with no real powers or a Hobbit with no dirty feet or Iron Man without engine lube or…

Well, you get the idea.

Essentially every geek needs his movies. It’s for extending our inherent geek repertoire, for dazedly watching our favourite Saturday morning cartoons come to life on the silver screen (and then being hyper-critical about the smaller details), for filling those awkward moments of silence in certain social circles and for making buying gifts for geeks simpler. Yes, the world of the cinema is every geek’s playground and in 2011, there’s a whole new roller-coaster a-comin’…

1. The Green Hornet
When: January
Who: Seth Rogen, Jay Chou, Cameron Diaz, Christoph Waltz
What: Reckless playboy Britt Reid inherits his late media-mogul father’s empire and strikes up a friendship with the inventive Kato and together they form a vigilante crime fighting duo. Britt assumes an alter-ego, the Green Hornet, and along with martial arts expert Kato and their indestructible car, The Black Beauty, the group take on L.A’s gritty underworld and the ruthless crime boss Benjamin Chudnofsky
Why: Admittedly I was unsure about how this would pan out, given that 2008’s disaster The Spirit, was of a somewhat similar genre. I was even more skeptical about Seth Rogen being cast in the lead, citing that Rogen’s comedy seemed out of place for the Green Hornet. But then I saw the trailer (below) and realised that the comic-pulpy humor hit the right notes. Besides, that Black Beauty is one mean-looking car.

2. Sanctum
When: February
Who: Rhys Wakefield, Allison Cratchley and Christopher Baker
What: An underwater cave diving team experiences a life-threatening crisis during an expedition to the unexplored and least accessible cave system in the world.
Why: It’s a spelunking underwater survival disaster movie. Produced by James Cameron and filmed in 3D. Need I say more? Check out the amazing trailer below.

3. Sucker Punch
When: March
Who: Emily Browning, Vanessa Hudgens and Abbie Cornish
What: A young girl is institutionalised by her wicked stepfather. Retreating to an alternative reality to escape the pain of her lobotomy, she envisions a plan which will help her escape from the
facility: With help from four other girls, she needs to steal five objects before being caught.
Why: Zac Snyder‘s (of 300 and Watchmen fame) latest project had everyone abuzz at Comic Con last year with its ‘Alice in Wonderland with machine guns’ storyline. As with Snyder’s previous films, we can expect this one to be a visual, imaginative piece of creativity. The trailer looks absolutely gorgeous and with a really wicked soundtrack, this is one geek movie you wouldn’t want to miss.

4. World Invasion: Battle LA
When: March
Who: Aaron Eckhart, Michelle Rodriguez and Bridget Moynahan
What: A Marine platoon faces off against an alien invasion in Los Angeles.
Why: Okay, so the plot is about as original as a bowl of frosted flakes to sugar-craving two-year old. Alien spacecrafts fly around, land, they blow things up and a bunch of trigger-happy soldiers save the world. It’s all been done before right? So what makes Battle LA different? Well, for one, the trailer seems more amped out that your normal fare (think Modern Warfare meets Aliens).
Secondly, it’s directed by Jonathan Liebesman, another Comic-Con crowd pleaser.

5. Rango
When: March
Who: Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Timothy Olyphant
What: The story of a chameleon with an identity crisis.
Why: It’s pretty cool that Pirates of the Carribean director Gore Verbinksi is directing Johnny Depp’s first motion capture performance. It’s also cool that the trailer has little or nothing to do with the movie at all. Lastly, that chameleon may just be Johnny Depp’s most eccentric persona yet. See it for yourself:

6. Source Code
When: April
Who: Jake Gyllenhaal, Michelle Monaghan, Vera Farmiga
What: An experimental government program sends soldier Colter Stevens (Gyllenhaal) back in time, where he wakes up in the body of a commuter who witnesses a train bombing. Presented with just 8 minutes to figure out who is responsible, his mission is further complicated by his feelings for a fellow passenger (Monaghan).
Why: Could it be that Moon’s Duncan Jones is the next best suspense-action-drama-twist director since Shyamalan?
The plot, while not wholly original (the script was in development in
2008 with Universal studios), is at least imaginative and we can with Jones helming we can expect riveting action along with a few surprising twists and turns.

7. Kung Fu Panda 2
When: May
Who: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan
What: Po (voice of Black) and the Furious Five venture to China to battle a villain and uncover the secrets of Po’s mysterious origins.
Why: Is there really any reason to justify why you need to see the kung-fu fighting Panda again? Arguably the most anticipated animated sequel this year (sorry Pixar – Cars 2 just doesn’t cut it), will Kung Fu Panda fill the Shrek-void and possibly go on to become a trilogy? I certainly hope so!

8. Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides
When: May
Who: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane
What: After crossing paths with a woman from his past (Cruz), Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) is swept aboard the Queen Anne’s Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard (McShane), on an unexpected mission to find the elusive fountain of youth.
Why: Captain Jack Sparrow is back on deck in the fourth instalment of the popular Disney franchise and this time the sappy Orlando Bloom – Keira Knightly seasickness have been made to walk the plank in favour of the awesome Ian McShane as the feared pirate Blackbeard and Penélope Cruz as his daughter. The plot centres around the quest to find the legendary fountain of youth and you can expect to see the usual band of misfits and scallywags onboard (including Geoffrey Rush who returns as Barbossa) and plenty of swarthy seadogs and thieving pirates. So ye be a fool not to want to see it…savvy?

9. Thor
When: May
Who: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman
What: The warrior Thor (Hemsworth) is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard by his father Odin (Hopkins) for his arrogance and sent to Earth to live among humans. Falling in love with scientist Jane Foster (Portman) teaches Thor much-needed lessons, and his new-found strength comes into play as a villain from his homeland sends dark forces toward Earth.
Why: Kenneth Branagh, with his lieu of Shakespearean credentials, may be able to capture the Norse mythology and the tragic downfall of the God of Thunder, Thor, but will he be able to satisfy the masses who are eagerly anticipating an all out action fest which can hopefully triumph the standard of last year’s mega hit Iron Man 2?
With The First Avenger: Captain America due for release later this year, the stage is set for Marvel’s biggest comic-book to cinema adaptation ever: The Avengers and while Tony Stark’s definitely got the public green light, we’re hoping Thor and Cap will fill their positions with equal brevity. From the trailer below, it’s clear that Marvel studios have their gamplan going in terms of linking all the movies into a centralized plot. Here’s to hoping that Branagh can get Thor to say ‘Have at thee’ like he really means it.

10. The Hangover 2
When: May
Who: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong
What: Plot unknown (for some or other reason)
Why: The currently sober but soon-to-be inebriated gang are heading to Thailand and while it’s rumoured that the plot revolves around dentist Stu sleeping with a Thai ladyboy, the actual plot is being kept all hush. The success of the first movie was well deserved, working as both an originally funny comedy and a fun unpredictable mystery. Expect to see the same catastrophic turn of events along with some startlingly funny moments and unlikely coincidences.

11. Green Lantern
When: June
Who: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively and Peter Sarsgaard
What: A test pilot is granted a mystical green ring that bestows him with otherworldly powers, as well as membership into an intergalactic squadron tasked with keeping peace within the universe.
Why: Superman may be DC comics golden child but the Green Lantern is definitely the Cosmic ambassador of comic books and while I’m a tad sceptical about Ryan Reynolds in the Hal Jordan role, the trailer and storyline seem to arc fairly well. For those familiar with the comic book series, expect to see the entire Green Lantern Corps along with Sinestro and Parallax. For those few who have little knowledge of the universe, well, there’s Ryan Reynolds in a very tight green suit.

12. Super 8
When: June
Who: Elle Fanning, Amanda Michalka and Kyle Chandler
What: Next Summer, It Arrives.
Why: Err, right. So super-geek director J.J. Abrams (Lost, Star Trek and Fringe) is keeping mum about his new project. We know it involves Area 51, we know it’s a creature movie and we know it’s not a Cloverfield sequel/ prequel. There are a few hints around the plot about a group of kids in 1979 playing around making movies with their Super 8 cameras and accidentally capture something… sinister, on film. The movie seems to pay homage to the Spielberg 70’s/ 80’s science fiction films and, sans plot details and story outlines, has me rather excited.

13. X-Men: First Class
When: June 2011
Who: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Kevin Bacon and Jennifer Lawrence
What: Before Charles Xavier and Erik Lensherr took the names Professor X and Magneto, they were two young men discovering their powers for the first time. Before they were archenemies, they were closest of friends, working together, with other Mutants (some familiar, some new); to stop the greatest threat the world has ever known. In the process, a rift between them opened, which began the eternal war between Magneto’s Brotherhood and Xavier’s X-MEN
Why: Could this be the X-movie to make up for 2006’s dismal Last Stand? With director Matthew Vaughn (Kick Ass) helming and with a superior cast, plot details pertaining to the early mythology of the X-Men and loads of familiar mutants, First Class looks set to be the prequel of the year. Expect to see some sinister new villains, white queen Emma Frost, Cyclops’ brother Havok and even Nightcrawler’s dad (?!)

14. Cowboys And Aliens
When: July
Who: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde
What: In Silver City, Arizona, Apache Indians and Western settlers must lay their differences aside when an alien spaceship crash lands in their city.
Why: Think Unforgiven meets Alien but with a cast of superstar actors and directed by Jon Favreau (Iron Man/ Iron Man 2). The trailer looks pretty slick with Craig sporting what appears to be Tony Stark’s power balance bracelet…or maybe one of those Ben 10 gizmos that my nephew keeps sporting.

15. The First Avenger: Captain America
When: July
Who: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Samuel L. Jackson
What: After being deemed unfit for military service during WWII, Steve Rogers (Evans) volunteers for a top secret research project that turns him into Captain America, the Sentinel of Liberty
— a superhero dedicated to defending America’s ideals. His first
mission: to combat the Nazi propaganda effort headed by Johann Schmidt (Weaving), also known as the Red Skull.
Why: With Avenger’s director Joss Whedon co-writing and director Joe Johnston promising a faithful starting point that will lead in new directions, it seems that the WWII-themed Captain America may actually end up being the surprise entertainer from Marvel studios this year. Casting Hugo Weaving as the Red Skull is one smart move and I’m eagerly looking forward to Weaving’s take on the menacing Nazi villain. I’m also eager to see how the whole Steve Rogers super soldier story arcs out and whether there will be any cameos from other major Marvel heroes and villains.

16. Transformers: The Dark Of The Moon (Transformers 3)
When: July
Who: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Tyrese Gibson
What: The Autobots learn of a Cybertronian spacecraft hidden on the Moon, and race against the Decepticons to reach it and learn its secrets, which could turn the tide in the Transformers’
final battle.
Why: The story plays off against the backdrop of the U.S.S.R – U.S.A. space race with the trailer’s Apollo 11 moon mission taken on a whole new meaning. It’s the last instalment in the Transformers trilogy and director Michael Bay has assured us that the final builds up to a huge crescendo, without the ‘dorky’ humour and poor plot that was Revenge of the Fallen. Oh and Megan Fox has been replaced by the super sexy Rosie Huntington-Whiteley.
Besides, I have it on good authority that Megan Fox is so last year.

17. Harry Potter And The Deathly Hallows: Part 2
When: July 2011
Who: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint
What: The end begins as Harry, Ron, and Hermione go back to Hogwarts to find and destroy Voldemort’s final horcruxes, but when Voldemort finds out about their mission, the biggest battle begins and life as they know it will never be the same again.
Why: Probably the most anticipated movie of 2011, the second part of final instalment in the Harry Potter franchise is set to be as spectacular as the first. Wannabe wizards and eager muggles will be lining up early for their cinema tickets and to bid farewell to the last decade’s most famous and heroic young wizard.

18. The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret Of The Unicorn
When: December
Who: Jamie Bell, Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Daniel Craig, Andy Serkis
What: Tintin and his friends discover directions to a sunken ship commanded by Capt. Haddock’s ancestor and go off on a treasure hunt.
Why: With Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson directing and producing and bringing Herge’s beloved comic book creations to life using the same 3D performance capture technology which made James Cameron’s Avatar a success, we can expect nothing but brilliance for the big screen adaptation of everyone’s favourite finger-quiffed reporter, played by Jamie Bell. With some of the photo stills and images now released, the 3D versions of Herge’s illustrations look fantastic and it seems the somewhat forgotten Tintin stories may be making an approved comeback.

19. Hugo Cabret
When: December
Who: Chloe Moretz, Jude Law and Sacha Baron Cohen
What: Set in 1930s Paris, an orphan who lives in the walls of a train station is wrapped up in a mystery involving his late father and an automaton.
Why: Martin Scorsese’s latest films centers around children and is his first release in ten years which doesn’t feature Leonardo DiCaprio. The official story of The Invention of Hugo Cabret is as follows: “Orphan, Clock Keeper, And Thief, 12 year old Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks with an eccentric girl and the owner of a small toy booth in the train station, Hugo’s undercover lives, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message all come together…”

20. Sherlock Holmes 2
When: December
Who: Robert Downey Jr, Jude Law, Noomi Rapace, Jared Harris
What: Sherlock Holmes and his sidekick Dr. Watson join forces to outwit and bring down their fiercest adversary, Professor Moriarty
Why: 2009’s Sherlock Holmes was a surprise success by Snatch director Guy Ritchie, a movie that was outside his usual comfort zone but managed to retain his sensibilities and be a fast paced, humorous adventure. While plot details are sketchy, we can at least be assured of an impressive cast which includes Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Stephen Fry (who will play Holmes’
smarter-but-lazier older brother) and Jared Harris (who impressed on TV’s Fringe and Mad Men) as Moriarty.