The Most Anticipated Movies of 2011: The countdown continues

Check out 50-46 | 45-41 | 40-36 | 35-31 | 30-26 | 25-21 | 20-16  | 15-11 | 10-6 | 5-1


Suspense! Monsters! Lesbian roommates! And a Lincoln towncar! Seriously, 2011 is looking hot. So here's the next five movies that are making my list of the 50 MOST ANTICIPATED MOVIES OF 2011. Yes, it has to be in all caps, otherwise, who'd know that it wasn't important?

45. Limitless

Starring: Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Abbie Cornish

Director: Neil Burger

Release Date: March 18

Based on the debut novel The Dark Fields by Alan Glynn, Limitless follows Eddie, a copywrighter (such a sexy occupation!) and a drug addict who stumbles upon a pill that makes him smarter and also faster, more intuitive, and more charismatic. Of course people are out to kill him and he needs to figure out where the drug came from in order to survive. The plot sounds fantastic and the book is actually quite hard to find - I can only seem to find used copies and the library doesn't even carry it! Bradley Cooper is quickly becoming one of my favorite actors and Neil Burger, who directed The Illusionist, seems well-suited for this movie. So it's got all sorts of potential and just might be a surprise hit in the spring.

 

44. The Thing (2011)

Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Eric Christian Olsen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Joel Edgerton

Director: Matthijs van Heijningen Jr.

Release Date: October 14

I have actually never seen the cult classic original - which I promise to do before this one comes out - but this movie is a prequel to the original. So you really don't have to see the old one to enjoy the new one. Smart move, because it seems that there's been way too many re-boots and re-imaginings of 80s horror films that have choked up the screen lately (the largely forgettable Friday the 13th, Nightmare on Elm Street, Piranha, The Last House on the Left). And although it didn't overwhelm at the box office, Predators was, what I consider, one of the most underrated movies of the year. And I feel like this movie is in the same vein, plus the cast looks great. The only thing that keeps this movie from breaking the top 40 is first-time director Heijningen Jr. This might be a great thing for the movie or a curse. Who knows? But October is unusually shaping up to be a great month - it's already got three movies on my list that could be potential winners.

43. The Roommate (2011)

Starring: Minka Kelly, Leighton Meester

Director: Christian E. Christansen

Release Date: February 4

I dig these kinds of movies. And I feel like there hasn't been a good one lately - Obsessed from last year was particularly awful and even before that there really wasn't anything that stands out. I was not prepared to put this on my list, but then I saw the trailer (in front of Morning Glory, no less!) and it has me quite excited. Leighton Meester, who was originally going to play Minka Kelly's role, looks perfectly creepy and of course, there's hints at testing-the-waters lesbianism in the movie, too. Who passes that up? Although I'm worried that the director is just someone made up by the studio and that really, robot overlords were directing this one. Seriously, Christian E. Christiansen? You can't get much more made up unless his name was Christian Jesus Christiansen. And if the movie is as creepy as the trailer (and possible R rating!?!) I think I will have nightmares after this one.

42. Unknown

Starring: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

Release Date: February 18

Yes, this does look like a movie that takes place in a bizarro universe of Neeson's last thriller, Taken. And instead of his daughter being kidnapped, his whole life has been hijacked. And although I think Taken was a good movie, I don't think I'd ever watch it again. That's how I feel about this movie - I'm sure it's going to be a fun ride while I watch it, but as for lasting appeal? Not so sure. The trouble with these movies is that their foundations are based on mystery and once the cat's out of the bag, then it's hard to go back and enjoy it again. Unless the characters are well written and there's some great cinematography (think Vertigo), this one may end up being just okay. But I'm still looking forward to it because Neeson has done nothing but good movies lately.

41. The Lincoln Lawyer
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Marisa Tomei, Ryan Phillipe
Director: Brad Furman
Release Date: March 18
I've tried to diversify my list as much as possible - because sometimes these lists get drowned out by big time franchise action movies. Don't worry! This isn't a pity vote for this movie! It only feels like this shouldn't be on my list, but the trailer sold me on the movie. I'm not a huge fan of McConaughey and I feel like this may be a return to better movies for him. Remeber Surfer, Dude? No? Well, let's just say that watching an 85 minute movie of McConaughey playing the bongos naked would pass as a better movie. Surprisingly, I think he fits perfectly in the role of a hotshot lawyer and the plot sounds great. Hell, I might even need to read the book it's based on. And if this gets an R-rating, I'm pretty sure we'll see Marisa Tomei's boobs, which seems like a contractual obligation for her nowadays.

Check out 50-46 | 45-41 | 40-36 | 35-31 | 30-26 | 25-21 | 20-16  | 15-11 | 10-6 | 5-1