Mark looks forward to 2009
Many critics have labelled 2008 a disappointing year in film, although there have still been gems if one was prepared to look hard enough, and several major releases proved to be unexpectedly good - The Dark Knight the most obvious.
After doing so in 2008, we here at hoopla.nu have again decided to look forward to the best (and worst) to come in 2009, and we will appreciate your comments below.
 January
As usual for this time of year, many of the awards candidates are being released in the US and here, and January and February 2009 will be no different. The Wrestler and Doubt will be first to arrive on 15th January, followed by The Class (Entre les murs) and Revolutionary Road on 22nd January, while the 29th will bring both Gran Torino and Milk. Most of these films are must-sees if you plan on watching the Academy Awards telecast!
Of course, it isn't just Oscar chances in January, with the release of children's films Bolt (1st Jan), Igor and The Tale of Despereaux (both 8th Jan). Tom Cruise returns to the multiplex in Valkyrie from 22nd January.
 February
Things might quieten down a little in February, with the release of some leftover films from 2008 and only a couple of major new films to look out for.
Rachel Getting Married (12th Feb) and The Reader (19th Feb) are the main candidates, although Transporter 3 (5th Feb) and the long-awaited Zack and Miri Make a Porno (19th Feb) will also start their runs. The International will see Clive Owen teamed with Naomi Watts under the direction of Tom Tykwer, also from 19th February.
 March
Another quiet March - just like in 2008 - although the big news is the release of Watchmen on the 5th. This is likely to be an early blockbuster contender, ticking off all the fanboy requirements that should ensure a big box office take.
Heist comedy The Brothers Bloom and romcom Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist will both open on 12th March, while the Renee Zellweger romantic comedy New in Town will arrive on the 19th. The Uninvited will provide thrills for horror fans from 19th March.
The first major foreign language film festival of the year - the 2009 Alliance Française French Film Festival - runs throughout March around the country.
 April
The calm before the US Summer Blockbuster storm, April brings only a few films of interest. On the 2nd, audiences may enjoy the voices of Seth Rogen, Reese Witherspoon and others in the animated film Monsters vs. Aliens. Romcom The Ugly Truth, starring Gerard Butler and Katherine Heigl, will open on the 9th, while hoopla.nu favourite Rachel McAdams returns to our screens with an all-star cast in State of Play on the 23rd.
The last major release of the month sees Aussie Hugh Jackman - fresh from hosting the Oscars - reprise his appallingly coiffed superhero in X-Men Origins: Wolverine on the 30th.
The 2009 Audi Festival of German Films will visit most capital cities in the latter half of April.
 May
Blockbuster season gets into full swing in May, with a major release every Thursday. First to arrive is Star Trek on the 7th, long after its originally scheduled release date of 25th December 2008!
Dan Brown's heroic Professor of Religious Symbology Robert Langdon (aka Tom Hanks) returns in Angels & Demons on the 14th, and Night at the Museum 2: Battle of the Smithsonian opens on the 21st.
The Spanish Film Festival kicks off in early May.
 June
Early June sees Australian film The Loved Ones released on the 1st, featuring the reteaming of 48 Shades duo Richard Wilson and Robin McLeavy. Sure to swamp that film, however, is Terminator Salvation (4th June) - can Christian Bale jump start the franchise after the disappointment of T3, just like he did in Batman Begins?
An Eddie Murphy vehicle, Imagine That arrives on the 11th, and is followed by yet another blockbuster sequel, with Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen opening on the 25th.
The Melbourne International Animation Festival will see out the month, while the Sydney Film Festival also runs through June.
 July
Documentary The Seventh Python (2nd Jul) opens the month, before the release of Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, 2012 and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince in subsequent weeks.
The Melbourne International Film Festival will screen for several weeks in July and August, and - just like in 2008 - hoopla.nu will be there throughout, hopefully able to point to the best and worst on offer.
August - December
The remainder of the year's releases may not yet be set in stone, and there seems little benefit in listing the provisional dates already available. That said, if this year is anything to go by then Australian filmgoers can look forward to some wonderful times at the cinema in the second half of 2009. The lead up to Christmas is also sure to see next year's awards contenders lining up for release slots, perhaps causing similar headaches for viewers who don't want to miss anything!
There are several regular film festivals to look forward to, with the Israeli and Italian Film Festivals in September/October, and the Russian Resurrection Film Festival in October/November. There are also frequent mini-festivals held at ACMI, along with their ongoing Australian Perspectives, Seniors' cinema and kids' flicks series. Melbourne Cinémathèque screens weekly, while Melbourne Filmoteca shows monthly.
2008 saw ACMI and the Australian Film Critics Association (AFCA - both Stuart and Mark are members) join forces for second monthly Q&A sessions in the Saturday afternoon Australian Perspectives slot. These screenings have been very successful, and have showcased a broad range of Australian film - from underground classic Yakkety Yak to The Naked Bunyip, Jindabyne and more. These screenings will continue in 2009, and we look forward to great film and discussion every two months!
Here's to a great 2009!
So, what do you think? Will 2009 live up to expectations? Can anything be worse than 2008? What is the film (or films) that you're just dying to get your first glimpse of? Let us know in the comments below!
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