Most Anticipated Movies of 2011

As 2010 draws to an end, my mind is swimming with the greatness of the past cinematic year even as I look forward to the magnificent movies that dot the next twelve months, as well.  While January and February's trips to the theater will largely be me playing catch-up (catching late releases like Blue Valentine and Rabbit Hole), by March, I will be immersed in 2011's offerings.  Here are the ten releases I'm most excited to see:

1. The Tree of Life (May 27)

Terrence Malick's latest took half a decade to get made, but it's finally poised to make its debut.  The recently released trailer, enigmatic and beautiful, does little to shed light on the film's plot, but it hints at a scope that is rarely seen in film, comparable to 2001: A Space Odyssey.  Based on the film's varied imagery, it seems that the formation of a child's identity (when grown, Sean Penn takes over the role) will be juxtaposed with the creation of the universe.  This is just guesswork based on the trailer, but if the film delivers on half of the promise shown therein, it will be the best of the year.  (Let's face it: that trailer is better than most complete films.)

2. Water for Elephants (April 22)

I read and loved Sara Gruen's Depression-era circus love triangle novel earlier this year, and the film adaptation looks like it will be appropriate lush and beautiful.  The casting is inspired: Reese Witherspoon will be great as the circus's beautiful starlet, and I love that Christoph Waltz is playing her brash, angry husband, the circus's ringmaster.  The big question mark here is Robert Pattinson; he showed some of his range in Remember Me, so hopefully he'll channel that talent so audiences can believe his forbidden romance with Witherspoon.  It's a bit worrying that the film is being released so early in the year; it seems like it's being dumped in the pre-summer no man's land rather than getting a more awards-baiting slot in the autumn.  Despite the odd date, I'm excited to see this world brought to life.

3. The Skin That I Inhabit (La piel que habito) (November 18)

Pedro Almodovar is a perennial favorite of mine; every film he makes is an exciting vision that is fully a reflection of its creator.  It's easy to tell when a film is una pelicula de Almodovar.  His latest, an adaptation of a novel, follows a plastic surgeon (Antonio Banderas) on the hunt for the men who raped his daughter.  My guess: this will be the most engaging revenge tale since Kill Bill.  It gets a limited release in mid-November.

4. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (May 20)

I hated the third Pirates movie.  The plot was convoluted, the cast was misused, and the action was a bland retread of the previous movies' sea-faring swordplay.  Yet I have faith in this franchise rebirth.  First of all, Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom are gone; with their story all neatly wrapped up, the action can once again rest squarely on Captain Jack's shoulders.  Johnny Depp is never more fun than when he's wearing the good captain's copious eye make-up, so I'm excited to watch him hunt for the Fountain of Youth with Geoffrey Rush, Penelope Cruz, and Ian McShane in tow.  Having a fresh director behind the camera (Chicago's Rob Marshall) might be the key to breathing new life into a stale series.

5. The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo (December 21)

It's tempting to call David Fincher's take on Stieg Larsson's blockbuster book series an unnecessary remake, but with such a strong director at the helm, I'm sure this adaptation will stand on its own apart from the great Swedish films.  Daniel Craig is a great choice for Mikael Blomkvist, and I'm especially intrigued with the prospect of The Social Network scene-stealer Rooney Mara stepping into Lisbeth Salander's boots.  With a strong supporting cast that includes Christopher Plummer and such strong source material, it looks like Fincher has another home run on his hands.

6. The Muppets (November 23)

Formerly known as The Greatest Muppet Movie Ever, I hope that Jason Segel's pet project will live up to its former title.  Segel's passion for Jim Henson's lovable creations makes me hopeful that this new movie will live up to the Muppets' storied history, but such isn't always the case (just look at Peter Jackson's bloated King Kong).  Also worrying: it seems every day brings news of a new celebrity making a cameo, making it seem more like a spot-the-star parade than a proper vehicle for the Muppets.  Still, I'm extremely excited to see Kermit and the gang back on the big screen, and I can't wait to see how it all pans out.

7. Hugo Cabret (December 9)

Martin Scorsese and John Logan are taking on the beloved children's novel about a Parisian orphan caught up in a mystery about his father's whereabouts, and as if the director-screenwriter combo weren't enough, just take a look at the cast: It girl Chloe Moretz, Jude Law, Christopher Lee, Sacha Baron Cohen, and Emily Mortimer, among others.  While Scorsese regular Leonardo Dicaprio is nowhere to be seen, it's doubtful this film will fail to match Scorsese's recent work in quality.  It's also intriguing to see such a masterful director taking on a 3-D project: this won't be a half-assed conversion job, as the film is being shot in 3-D.

8. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II (July 15)

While I wasn't a big fan of Part I, I'm still excited to see the conclusion of the finale of the Harry Potter franchise (got that?).  With much of the book's lengthy exposition - not to mention camping scenes - out of the way, director David Yates now gets to delve into the fun stuff.  There will be action scenes galore, including the epic final battle at Hogwarts, as well as some of the most emotional material in the series.  I'm especially excited to see more of Alan Rickman's Snape, whose presence was sorely missed in this year's installment.

9. Source Code (April 1)

Duncan Jones's beautifully crafted sci-fi mind-twister, Moon, was one of last year's best movies, so it's not hard to be excited for his follow-up.  I posted the trailer a month or so ago, and if you haven't seen it, you should check it out.  It's an out-of-body Groundhog Day thriller in which Jake Gyllenhaal finds himself living the last eight minutes of another man's life time and time again, trying to figure out who is responsible for a terrorist attack.  It looks like heady, exciting stuff.

10. Diary of a Wimpy Kid 2: Rodrick Rules (March 25)

The first adaptation of the popular kids' books was one of 2010's most pleasant surprises.  Zachary Gordon and Robert Capron have fantastic chemistry, and the first film did a great job of translating the books' humor to the big screen.  The first movie drew scenes from multiple entries in the series, so I'm expecting this one will, too, leading to a sort of Greatest Hits Part 2.  I highly recommend renting the first one before the second drops in theaters in late March.

For the record, here are the movies that I was most excited for at the beginning of this year and how I felt about them:

1. Inception - One of my favorite movies of the year.

2. Alice in Wonderland - A huge disappointment; boring and misguided.

3. Iron Man 2 - A worthy sequel to one of the best superhero movies ever made.

4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part I - Good, but not great.  Faithful to a fault.

5. Toy Story 3 - Perhaps the finest conclusion to any film trilogy; every note is perfect.

6. Shutter Island - An exciting and layered thriller.  One of Leo's best performances.

7. Kick-Ass - A hilarious, action-packed adaptation that surpasses the source material.  Chloe Moretz is amazing.

8. Nowhere Boy - A boring look at John Lennon's childhood.  A story that didn't need to be told.

9. Never Let Me Go - A beautifully realized adaptation that is sterile but affecting.

10. Hereafter - A quiet but startling meditation on life and death.