Things To Come (in 2009)

As the year winds down, this is usually the time folks create all kinds of lists. Resolutions. Top Ten (or Fourteen or Fifty).

My list for today is a list of things I'm looking forward to seeing in 2009. Thanks for stopping by…and Happy New Year!

John Williams at the Presidential Inauguration
According to John Williams Fan Network, the movie score composer extraordinaire has been commissioned to write a new piece of music to be performed at President-Elect Obama's inauguration. John Williams is known for already classic themes to Superman, Indiana Jones, E.T. - The Extra Terrestrial, the most recent Olympic Games, Harry Potter, and Star Wars. What an honor for the composer and what a treat it should be for us!

Watchmen
This film is supposed to debut in theatres on 03-06-09 (like three of the four cardinal positions on a watch face, get it?). But a recent court ruling favoring Fox's allegation that they still own some rights to the DC Comics graphic novel puts all this in some jeopardy.

A Free Birthday Gift from Disneyland
Beginning tomorrow,Disneyland will offer free entrance to guests on their birthday throughout all of 2009. They just need to register first. And of course, show up on their birthday. Annual passholders who already have admission on their birthday instead receive alternate gifts. I'm choosing the gift card equal a one-day, one-park admission.

Star Trek
How could I not look forward to this film coming out May 8 in IMAX? I've been a Trekkie or Trekker (I answer to both terms, neither are disparaging to me) since the re-runs of the original series, bought the comics books, video tapes and DVDs, and been to my fair share of Star Trek conventions. I've liked what J.J. Abrams has done, especially Alias and M:I:III. And all three trailers for the new voyage look exciting.

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
I'm actually among those who wasn't particularly impressed with the last Harry Potter film. But I'm a fan of the books, including the newest one, so I'll be chunking down my muggle equivalent of sickles and knuts when this film debuts in IMAX on exactly Disneyland's official birthday, July 17.

Toy Story 3D
The Disney/Pixar Toy Story films are likely very high on many Blu-ray player owners' lists of films they want released in the high definition format. And that time will come. But before that happens, Disney and Pixar are re-releasing the first two films to theatres as 3D films leading to the release of the new third film in the series in 2010. The 3D version of Toy Story is the only one scheduled to come out this year, and I and my friends will definitely be wearing our stereoscopic glasses when that happens.

Comic-Con 2009 International
I returned to this annual pilgrimage of comic book and entertainment aficionados in San Diego last year. It was crowded, huge, and crowded. In that order. But it also offered it's usual variety of eye candy and random chance meetings with comic book and film industry celebrities, so I think I gotta check it out again this summer.