Here’s what my crystal ball predicts for 2010 at the movies:

· A Nicolas Cage overload. He has no fewer than five movies scheduled.

· Comic book heroes coming to life–look for Jonah Hex, The Green Hornet and the return of Iron Man.

· A new catchphrase in the form of “Good call, baby doll,” from the movie Kick Ass. It’s the new “I’m Rick James, bitch!”

· Many jokes about The Last Airbender, the name of the new M. Night Shyamalan fantasy.
· The thrill of Russell Crowe in tights.

Of course, then there’s the movies themselves.

Five hundred or so movies will be released in 2010 but only The Twilight Saga: Eclipse and the penultimate Potter movie, The Deathly Hallows: Part I are guaranteed number ones and then, only if Avatar ever relinquishes its reign of the box office charts.

Other possible box office bonanzas belong to the imaginatively titled Iron Man 2, which sees director Jon Favreau paired with legendary Hollywood bad boys Robert Downey Jr. and Mickey Rourke in a sequel to 2008’s three hundred million dollar hit.

Fellow hell raiser Russell Crowe looks to make a comeback of sorts–OK he never really went away, but when was the last time you paid to see one of his movies?–in Ridley Scott’s Robin Hood. The character has appeared on screen dozens of times–played by everyone from Errol Flynn to Rich Little–but based on the trailer Scott has ramped up the action and the sex appeal–thanks Cate Blanchett!–to breathe some new life into an old story.

Then, from Christopher Nolan comes his first post Dark Knight project, Inception, a film he describes as “a contemporary sci-fi actioner set within the architecture of the mind.” Cool.

Want to see why everyone is all atwitter about Twilight but can’t stomach the crowds? Why not check out The Yellow Handkerchief, a grown-up drama starring Ms. Bella Swan herself, Kristen Stewart. She’s joined by William Hurt and Maria Bello in this dark story about an ex-con who hitches a ride with two teens to see his ex-wife.
Or how about Greenberg, a semi-indie film–small budget, big star–from director Noah Squid and the Whale Baumbach? Starring Ben Stiller in a rare serious role as a happily unemployed New Yorker this one should play like American Beauty for slackers.

Don’t mind subtitles? Check out A Prophet, a French language film about a young Arab man who becomes a mafia kingpin while serving time in a French prison. Be the first one on your block to sing the praises of star Tahar Rahim, a young actor poised on the edge of major stardom.

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