Despite what critics and fanboys have recently spouted, 2009 was a pretty damn good time for American mainstream film. When The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, Up, Public Enemies, The Messenger, A Serious Man, and Fantastic Mr. Fox are released in the same year, it screams worthiness to me. But if you haven’t seen these films (or hell, even heard of some of them), have no fear because 2010 has plenty of hope on the horizon, especially if you’re into Action films, Sci-Fi, and Horror. It’s never too early to start looking ahead, prognosticating, pontificating, and proliferating about the most anticipated films of the next calender year, and I’m here to guide you down the right cinematic path. I mean, come on it’s January already. We’re late to the party.

1. Inception (Dir. Christopher Nolan) – You may have heard of this guy, the director of The Dark Knight, Batman Begins, and the still masterful Memento. So Inception, Nolan’s follow-up to box office beast Knight, comes with crushingly high expectations and an incredibly elusive trailer, visuals popping with unhinged action and potential, and narrative mystery to spare. No one knows what this sucker is about, making it THE fascinating prospect of the year. (Releases 7/16)

2. True Grit (Dirs. Joel and Ethan Coen) – The Coen Brothers are possibly the most consistently great directors working today. Throw in the fact they are making a Western with Jeff Bridges and Matt Damon based on Charles Portis’ source material, not John Wayne’s cheesy film revision, and you have something special. (Releases 12/25)

3. Shutter Island (Dir. Martin Scorsese) – Much to my chagrin, this film was pushed back from an Oct. 2009 release date, leaving many to wonder if the Scorsese’s throwback yarn was a disaster waiting to happen. But Shutter Island has been getting nothing but positive press, and the cast, the look, and the tone reveal Scorsese at his most purely cinematic. Look for those vibrant red hues of blood and fire to fill the desolate blue landscapes. (Releases 2/19)

4. Green Zone (Dir. Paul Greengrass)  - Many have already labeled this “Jason Bourne in Iraq”, since Green Zone shares the same director and star as the hit action series. But I’ve got a feeling director Paul Greengrass is going for something far more damning and layered with this political thriller set in the depths of Baghdad. Once again, the trailer speaks many truths and lies, making it another weighty genre film to relish with anticipation. (Releases 3/12)

5. Toy Story 3 (Dir. Lee Unkrich) – A new Pixar wunderkind gets a shot at a directing solo with this third part of the legendary series. I have my doubts, but also don’t question the genius of a filmmaking crew responsible for some of the most entertaining, joyous, and thought-provoking children’s films of the last half-century. With the exception of Cars and the middle act of Ratatouille, these folks are batting a thousand. (Releases 6/18)

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Honorable Mention: Tree of Life (Dir. Terrence Malick) – The new film by my favorite director of all-time would undoubtedly be #1 on this list if it had a more secure release date, but Malick is notoriously picky in the post-production process and your guess is as good as mine. This could be on my 2011 list.

Ten More to Watch: Iron Man 2 (5/7/10), Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World ( TBD 2010), Hereafter (December 2010), The Social Network (10/1/10), The Ward (TBD 2010), The Expendables (8/13/2010), The Killer Inside of Me (TBD 2010), The Fighter (TBD 2010), The Black Swan (TBD 2010), and Kick-Ass (4/16/10).

Remember these titles as the year unfolds, and I’ll keep you updated on any release changes. I’ll have an Oscar Prediction post after the nominations are announced the first week of Feb, so stay tuned…

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