Things to Look Forward to in 2009
AJ Star
It’s not that 2008 wasn’t awesome. 2008 gave us Lady GaGa and Britney galore. 2008 meant the end of the WGA writers strike, and it was the greatest year in the history of film for comic book adaptations hitting the big screen. But, let’s face it, we’re all a little giddy about getting to start writing a nine at the end of the date now. Here are some other reasons why I was smiling when I rang in the New Year:
The Premiere of Joss Whedon’s Dollhouse
This premiere of Joss Whedon’s new series (that will mark his return to television since Angel ended in 2004) starring Eliza Dushku has been pushed back three times. First, because Fox was being fickle, then because of the writers strike, and then again one last time because Fox was being fickle. And, I gotta tell ya, I am sick of it. I have been waiting eagerly and, I must say, patiently since the buzz for Dollhouse first spread back in late 2007. Just the thought of having a new Joss Whedon series to love and cherish each week is enough to make my heart melt into an Alex Mack-style puddle of silvery ooze. I need it to be February 13th right now.
Luckily, Fox and Warner Brothers were able to reach a nice settlement before January 20th, securing the March 6 premiere date for Zack Snyder’s film adaptation of Alan Moore’s award-winning graphic novel Watchmen . Fox can pump millions out of WB, I don’t care, as long as we get to watch Watchmen on the date I was promised over a year ago.
Kelly Clarkson’s Fourth Studio Album
Kelly’s been hard at work on her fourth studio album since her My December club tour was canceled. She pulled in OneRepublic and hit-making genius Ryan Tedder as her main producer, and Ryan has been all over the press pumping up the music they’ve made together. And there has not been one mention of the word “country” in any of the quotes I’ve read from him, so everyone can rest easy. The first single titled “My Life Would Suck Without You” hit radio on January 19, and the album, All I Ever Wanted , is already available for preorder on Amazon with a release date set for March 17. I’m excited about this album not only because Kelly Clarkson is awesome (she is, admit it), but because the songwriting growth that she showed on her last album was more than I could have ever fathomed in such a short period between her sophomore record and My December . I am eager to hear what she has in store for us. So eager, I might be preordering something that doesn’t even have a title tonight!
Attending a Stop on the Britney Spears Circus Tour
Aside from Circus being one the greatest pop albums in the history of American pop music, I am excited about the fact that 1. this tour is happening so Britney can show everyone and their mother that she’s still “got it” so now maybe the haters will sit down and shut up and 2. I am actually physically going to attend one of the shows . I have been kicking myself—hard—since I missed the Onyx Hotel Tour, and I feel like this is finally my chance to redeem myself and experience the kick ass Britney that we all know and love.
Christian Bale as grown-up John Connor plus finally getting to see what goes down on Judgment Day? It does NOT get any better than this. Period. It will be like those other three Terminator movies never even happened. That is how awesome it will be. It will have the badassery of Brian Austin Green without him even being there, which is pretty fucking hard to do. I hope that the soundtrack has some amazing rock-your-brains-out tunes on it so that the summer can be full of something more Filter than LEN. If that made sense to anyone, props to you.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Remember the time this movie was supposed to come out on November 21, 2008? I do. And I am still bitter. I worked my ass off to read the entire Harry Potter series (books, they started out as books) before November and then the payoff included absolutely nothing but the overexposure of a cheesy young adult vampire series and the ego-boosting of a dude that has eyebrows as thick as the crust of a Chicago pizza (and who consistently looks more blazed than that Jason kid from American Idol ) and a girl who simply cannot understand the concept of shampoo, like, ever. July 17, 2009 is going to kick November 21, 2008’s ASS!
Golden Era Bands Reforming
If 2007 was the year of sequels and remakes, then 2009 is going to be the year of the band reunion. Just to name a few already announced reunions: Stone Temple Pilots, The Beastie Boys (first album with vocals in five years), Alice in Chains, No Doubt, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Blur, and Cypress Hill. Um, how do we spell awesome? Oh, yes, 2-0-0-9.
Shirley Manson’s First Solo Album (Maybe)
So, just like how the theatrical release of Watchmen is up in the air right now, this is not a given event that will occur in 2009. But I am hopeful that it will. Shirley has been working on solo materials since before Garbage finished promoting Bleed Like Me (gawd that was a good album) and put the final touches on their greatest hits package Absolute Garbage . This has been a project that has been constantly talked about, but the rumors have never come to bear any fruit. With Shirley’s foray into acting with her role as Catherine Weaver on Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles , I’m hoping that her resurge in popularity will get the wheels cranking on getting this solo album released especially because it was “promised” for fourth quarter 2008. Please, please, please. I’m keeping my fingers crossed.
*Images: Pop Crunch and YouTube*
February 2009
Table of Contents
Contributors
Bloggers
Editors' Blog
More from this issue's entertainment section:
The Conspiracy Fiction Genre Grows
"Right alongside Oprah's soul in the display case of the damned, you'll find this guy."
The Norwegian Connection
"If Norwegian wasn't your first-choice language elective, not to worry, these bands bring on da noise in English."
My Secret Love for Dolly Parton
"It was a strange feeling, because as far back as I could remember, Dolly Parton had been little more to me than the butt of a million breast-implant jokes."