Top 10 Most Anticipated...Films

Before the hiatus, I thought I'd do a quick round-up of the TV shows, books, films and video games that I'm most excited about for the remainder of this year, especially seeing as many of them are coming not too long after the blog returns. Writing up a list of films after what I have felt has been quite an underwhelming summer for movie sequels (all good, but not great, some truly atrocious, and some just average, so far of course) is interesting, as it allows me to look forward and hopefully spot some of the potential Oscar-winners coming up. Truly, I believe the second half of the year is better for actually groundbreaking films than the first half, so trust me when I say that the majority of flicks on this list are ones you do not want to miss! That I've missed out The Three Musketeeers, Paranormal Activity 3, Pirahna 3DD, Alvin & The Chipmunks 3, Happy Feet Two (much as I hold out very low hopes for those two), Puss In Boots and The Adventures of Tintin just goes to show that 2011 in film is not done yet by a long shot, but anyway here's my top picks...
#10: COWBOYS & ALIENS- I'm going on the acting talent on offer here rather than the dull trailers we've had so far- Harrison Ford, Daniel Craig and Olivia Wilde on camera together all but guarantees for me that no matter the quality of the plot I'll still have fun watching Cowboys & Aliens. (August 17th)
#9: MISSION IMPOSSIBLE: GHOST PROTOCOL- Again, it's having Tom Cruise, Simon Pegg, and many other big names on board for this project that makes me see past the again lukewarm first preview. With some good balancing of comedy and action, there may be light at the end of the tunnel for this one. (December 21st)
#8: JOHNNY ENGLISH REBORN- There's every chance that this sequel to the great 2003 spy comedy Johnny English could flop, and I'm totally prepared for that to happen. That said, I did love the original, and Rowan Atkinson never ceases to put a smile on my face. Either a nice surprise comedy, or a total disaster- wait and see...(October 28th)
#7: THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO- This only comes low down the list as I haven't read the book yet (I will do soon!), but if it turns out that all the hype for Stiegg Larrson's intriguing trilogy of novels was warranted, this can and will come higher up the list. (December 21st)
#6: IN TIME- The first trailer for this sci-fi thriller where time replaces cash had me instantly hooked, with really good acting on show from Justin Timberlake, Olivia Wilde, Amanda Seyfried and Alex Pettyfer, so I'm eager to see how it all turns out. (November 2nd)
#5: THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART ONE- Many boys will wonder why this is so high up on a teenage guy's list. Much as I hate to admit it, I think that the Twilight Saga films are actually pretty good, and the trailer for this did entice me to go and see it. I understand most guys will only see out of loyalty to their girlfriends, but you may actually be surprised how the introduction of action and horror elements make this a great beginning of the end. (November 18th)
#4: SUPER 8- You'll get my verdict on this one tomorrow afternoon, but sufficed to say the extensive marketing campaign for Steven Spielberg's homage of sorts to 80s sci-fi has got me very excited to see how it turns out, and reviews so far seem to be very positive. I have almost no idea of what to actually expect, yet I think that helps to enter the film with an open mind and with any luck to be amazed. (August 5th)
#3: WAR HORSE- To put it bluntly, the West End show of War Horse is one of the best productions I've seen put on in London, or anywhere for that matter, ever, so predictably I'm thrilled to see an adaptation for the big screen, especially with the likes of Emily Watson and Benedict Cumberbatch on board to really add to the emotive and empathetic drama. (December 28th)
#2: RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES- Once again, one which caught my attention simply from the moment I watched the first trailer, despite having no interest or knowledge in/of it before doing so. Rise looks to boast stunning CGI, a really subjective and personal narrative, and above all an uncanny realism to it, that could make it one of the best films of the Summer. (August 11th)
#1: SHERLOCK HOLMES: A GAME OF SHADOWS- The original Sherlock Holmes was such a great, easy-watching comedy/drama movie in 2009, and Robert Downey Jr flourished in his detective role. Can he and the team pull off another winner here? I sincerely hope so, and as you can see my excitement for it knows no bounds! (December 16th)