The 25 Most Anticipated Films of 2011 (All in one shot.)

First the five most truly anticipated, the ones that need little or no justification in ascending order of excitement:

5. Tree of Life


4. The Adventures of Tin Tin: The Secret of the Unicorn


3. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo


2. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows


1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2



Group two look interesting for one reason or another. They may bomb or be terrible, but NonModern will give them a chance and hope. In order of release:

The Rite

(Supernatural themes, theological ones too? Looks like it is about the nature of faith anyway.)

The Adjustment Bureau

(Philip K. Dick material, so philosophical and seemingly deep, we hope!)

Limitless

(This looks like the sort of sci-fi that comes with a message. The promotional material is great.)

Source Code

(Once again, philosophical sci-fi—I hope. If it ends up that Gyllenhaal is dead the whole time though…)

Super 8

(Not much going for this other than J.J. but that may be enough.)

Cowboys & Aliens

(This looks fun, plus it deserves kudos for NOT going 3D.)

Mr. Popper’s Penguins

(I loved the book, but dread the potential butchery.)

Fright Night

(Again, I loved the original and liked Tennant as the Doctor. I am wondering why they are making a remake though.)

Contagion

(This material has potential, and the director can be great at times.)

Mission Impossible—Ghost Protocol

(A 4th entry is only worth a look because of Brad Bird.)

This third group is more like long shots, in order of release:

Season of the Witch

(Anticipated in 2010, has been pushed back to this year and that is never good…)

The Way Back

(Peter Weir is a favorite director, but I don’t always like his story choices.)

Unknown

(The sort of action that can be good and a Berlin setting to boot. However, I think I see the solution to the mystery in the trailer and that is never good!)

Rango

(Depp, Verbinsky, and good looking visuals.)

Jane Eyre

(The director was good with Sin Nombre, and the material is solid.)

Red Riding Hood

(I’m a sucker for this sort of story, but it better not go the Twilight route.)

Scream 4

(I like the trilogy, or at least the first one, and I like Craven.)

Priest

(Once again, I thought this one had potential last year, but the push back—and Legion—make this a long shot.)

Winnie the Pooh

(For the sake of the art form and the source material, I hope this one succeeds.)

Now
No Promotional Material Available
(Not much info about this one yet, but it looks interesting.)

There are other titles with potential, of course. Anonymous, any super hero film, Sucker Punch, Immortals, Real Steel, Rise of the Apes, etc. etc. But you have to draw the line somewhere.