Ok, so 2009 hasn’t been the greatest year for film. It started out with a bang and a lot of promise, but has not lived up to the expectations. There have been a few gems : Star Trek, Coraline, The Hangover, Drag Me To Hell, Pixar’s Up and to a lesser extent I Love You, Man. However, the list of stinkers is longer than you can imagine, with such shining examples as : Paul Blart Mall Cop, X-Men Origins : Wolverine, Fast & The Furious, Bride Wars, Land Of The Lost and I could go on and on.

So, my fingers and toes are crossed that the remainder of the year will wash the bad taste out of my mouth.  Here then, is a list of the movies scheduled for the rest of 2009 that I believe will offer the most entertainment for your hard earned bucks.  Some may currently in limited release, but wide release is what you’re looking at here.

The Hurt Locker : Wide Release Unknown

Public Enemies : July 1st

Miyazaki’s Ponyo : August 14th

Inglourious Basterds : August 21st

The Boat That Rocked : August 28th

Mike Judge’s Extract : September 4th

Shane Acker’s 9 : September 9th

Zombieland : October 9th

Where The Wild Things Are : October 16th

Avatar : December 18th

So little is still known about this film, but James Cameron seems to know what he’s doing. He has promised something earth shattering, something unique. Nothing is guaranteed, but at the very least, you will be entertained.

Sherlock Holmes : December 25th

I am not a “trekkie” by any means and if you ask, I prefer the ‘Wars’ to the ‘Treks’, Jar Jar and all. However, the feature length Star Trek films have always been interesting, sometimes even very enjoyable. I tried, as hard as I might, to lose myself in the series, but something about the embarrassing uniforms and generally wooden acting cause the remote to magically change channels.

A bigger budget has always allowed the big screen adaptations to showcase their strengths, those in my eyes being sci-fi immersion and the villains. The latest iteration, helmed by the ever improving JJ Abrams, was by far my most anticipated film of the year. No expense was spared and it’s immediately apparent, from the slick camera shots to the seamless CG. Surprisingly, the cast was relatively low-key, especially for such a huge blockbuster, which I always like.

With Chris Pine’s real first feature role, he pulled off Kirk with aplomb, making the character his own, while still maintaining some of Shatner’s earlier charm and physique. Harold & Kumar’s John Cho and Simon Pegg were my only real two concerns, only because I feared they would not mesh with the rest of the cast. Those worries were soon put to rest, however Pegg’s Scotty was only in the film for what seemed like the last 15 minutes. I’m sure he’ll be back in the inevitable sequels.

Eric Bana continues to provide solid roles, delivering exactly what’s expected. His role as Nero was not what I would career-defining, but it was very convincing as the time traveling Romulan. Every time I looked at Nero’s right hand man, Ayel (played by Clifton Collins Jr.) however, all I could see was his role from Crank 2 and I’ll admit it took me out of the movie every once in a while because his role in Crank 2 was so over the top.

As far as prequels go, I wish more time was spent in the early years of other characters, defining who they were growing up and why they’ve chosen what they have.  Movies such as Spiderman and Batman Begins really help define the characters (albeit they are individuals), where Star Trek spends 10-15 minutes on character development then throws you into the fray.

SYNOPSIS : I loved nearly every minute of Star Trek, but I think I will be looking forward to the sequels even more.  Developing the crew of the Enterprise will be something everyone will want to see, and I can’t wait.

Now, before this list starts, let me stress this list isn’t just my personal selection. It is simply a list of movies I believe everyone should see (please keep in mind it’s only movies announced for release in 2009, some may get pushed back).

10. The Boat That Rocked

In the UK recently, I saw a commercial for this film. I was immediately drawn to it simply for the cast, but after reading up on it a bit more, the plot drew me in. If you’re a music fan, or a fan of British comedy, you will love this one. Be sure to catch it when and where you can, I predict this one to not receive a wide release.

9. 9

Ever since laying eyes on the trailer, with the surprisingly good Coheed & Cambria track thrashing during the entire sequence, I’ve been anticipating this one.  Anything with Tim Burton’s name attached to it (yeah yeah… Planet Of The Apes, shush) has been captivating, if not encapsulating.  Hopefully this one has the character and personality to match the visuals.

8. Extract

All I think I need to say is ‘Mike Judge’.  Office Space and Idiocracy, two of (arguably) the funniest movies ever made.  Watch the trailer and be the…. judge.  Wow, sorry.  But seriously, Mila Kunis is easy on the eyes and Jason Bateman, J.K.Simmons and a straggly-haired Ben Affleck look to be coming together to make something that I guarantee a lot of people will overlook.

7. Where The Wild Things Are

I really can’t say much since I’ve never read the books, but half way through the trailer I was hooked, then Spike Jonze’s name splashed across the screen and it became etched on this list.  While I can guarantee it will perform at the box office, movie fans in general should give this one a shot, the visuals and personality will be no doubt be top notch.

6. Terminator : Salvation

There’s something about robots that makes me all warm inside.  Whether they’re helping others or tearing them apart, they fill a void in my life.  Christian Bale, spazzout and all, is one of the best actors on the planet and is incredibly dedicated to his craft.  He can hopefully save this film from Charlie’s Angels director, McG.  I’m betting he will.

5. Transformers 2 : Revenge Of The Fallen

I have a soft spot for popcorn action flicks, as do millions upon millions of others.  I have an even bigger soft spot for Transformers, since the toys filled my childhood with hours of escape from reality.  I try to ignore the fact that Michael Bay has anything to do with this franchise, however his eye for action shots really is phenomenal.  It’s just when his actors open their mouths that his films suffer.  Try to go into this with an open mind, and you will be blown out of your seat.

4. Brüno

Being one of the only fans of Ali G Indahouse and one of the millions of fans of Borat, along with the Ali G TV series, it was not a big surprise when a Bruno feature film was announced.  This will no doubt be the final assault on North American audiences from the trio of Sacha Baron Cohen’s characters.  I, for one, can’t wait to see how he exploits the american public next.

3. Inglourious Basterds

Tarantino’s latest and 7th major feature (if you count Kill Bill as 2 films) looks pretty interesting.  A slightly crazier take on WWII, it will no doubt have Quentin’s unique touch.  Brad Pitt’s star power will hopefully suck in more viewers, however maybe Quentin’s bizarre American Idol obsession will steal the spotlight.

2. Avatar

James Cameron’s baby for what seems like the last millennium will apparently come to life this year.  However, with a December release date, you never know what could happen.  There is so little known about this project, yet so much hype surrounding it, that even if it is a flop, it will be one that everyone must watch.

1. Star Trek

My apologies for putting this at #1.  I can’t help myself, I’m a doe-eyed Abrams fanatic and honestly believe this will be one hell of a film.  I’ve watched the trailers and commercials more times that I’m comfortable stating, so my faith in everything that is Hollywood will be completely shattered if this turns out to be a stinker.  Simon Pegg is Scotty for god sakes!

What do you think?  Any glaring omissions? Post your comments and let everyone know.