Movies for 2008

I know, 2007 isn’t even over and I haven’t seen half the films of this year that I wanted to, but there’s already a HUGE list of films coming out in 2008 that I have to make room for. It’s especially exciting with the number of fanboy projects coming out (i.e., Fanboys, Iron Man, Indiana Jones, etc.). Mark your calendars:

Jan. 18 – J.J. Abrams’ Cloverfield project

As super-secret as Abrams’ Star Trek movie is, this end-of-the-world/war-of-the-worlds/monster film that’s being shot as if taken from footage of handheld camcorders is the biggest hush-hush project in the movie industry. The Cloverfield title is simply a working project title to the movie, which made its trailer debut with only the date "01-18-08" displayed at the end.

Jan. 18 – Fanboys

Five words: Kristen. Bell. Slave. Leia. Gold. Bikini. Add in a story line about five friends who are on a mission to watch Star Wars: Episode I before it's released at George Lucas’ Skywalker Ranch before their friend passes away of cancer, and you’ve got me hooked.

Feb. 17 – Knight Rider (NBC television movie)

Kinda worried about this one, given the debut of the new K.I.T.T. But it was still one of the coolest shows of the 80’s, despite Hoff’s leather Members-Only jacket.

Mar. 21 – 21

Based on the book Bringing Down the House, the true story of six M.I.T. students who took Vegas casions for millions.

Mar. 28 – Wanted

Two words this time: Angelina. Jolie. Based on the comic by Mark S. Millar, it also stars James McAvoy and Morgan Freeman. McAvoy is the son who just found out his father was part of an elite cadre of hitmen, Jolie is his tutor, aptly named The Fox, and Freeman is the leader of the pack. C’mon… guns, action, and the aforementioned Angelina Jolie?

Apr. 4 – Harold & Kumar 2

I don’t think you can properly watch an H&K movie in a public theater.

May 2 – Iron Man

Robert Downey, Jr., Gywenth Paltrow, Terrance Howard, Jeff Bridges, a special appearance by Samuel L. Jackson and directed by fanboy Jon Favreau based on the Marvel comic of the same name. Kick ass, and, oddly enough, just what Danica wants to do on her birthday.

May 9 – Speed Racer

Not totally sold on it based on the trailer, but it could be fun. Go, go…?

May 16 – The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

The first movie started off well, then fell precipitously. The trailer for this one looks better, so there’s hope.

May 22 – Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

Duh.

June 13 – The Incredible Hulk

Edward Norton and Liv Tyler star in the “reimagining” of the Hulk saga, directed by Louis Lettierer (The Transporter). It doesn’t discount Ang Lee’s incredibly slow Hulk of a few years ago, but with Lettierer, it will definitely be about Hulk smash!

June 13 – The Happening

Writer/director M. Night Shyamalan with Mark Walhberg, Zooey Deschanel, and John Leguizamo. He’s been a bit off since Unbreakable, but this is supposedly Shyamalan’s best script since The Sixth Sense.

June 20 – Get Smart

Steve Carrell, Anne Hathaway, and Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in a send-up of the 1960’s comedic spy show is going to be awesome. Also starring Alan Arkin, Terrance Stamp, and Masi “Hiro Nakamura” Oka. A made-for-DVD “sequel” will focus on minor characters and be released ten days after the premiere.

June 27 – Wall-E

Pixar’s latest film, the concept for Wall-E was created even before Toy Story. In fact, it’s the last of the original story concepts that included Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, and Monsters, Inc. The movie is about the last robot on Earth who holds the key to Earth’s future, after all its human inhabitants have fled. Director Andrew Stanton has referred to it as “R2-D2: The Movie.”

June 27 – Valkyrie

Tom Cruise stars in a Bryan Singer (The Usual Suspects, X-Men, Superman Returns) film about a plot to kill Adolf Hitler by some of the highest-ranking men in the German military. Also starring Terrance Stamp, Bill Nighy, Tom Wilkinson, and Kenneth Branagh.

July 11 – Hellboy 2: The Golden Army

The continuing story about the son of the devil who rejects his birthright and teams with a group of paranormal heroes to save the world. It’s a follow-up to the fun and visually stunning Hellboy and is directed by acclaimed Mexican director Guillermo del Toro (Pan’s Labrynith).

July 18 – The Dark Knight

The sequel to 2005’s Batman Begins, and the second-most secret movie of 2008 behind Cloverfield. Recent revealing pictures, plot points, and the highly-anticipated debut of footage in front of IMAX screenings of Will Smith’s I Am Legend make it a super-hot movie. Heath Ledger as the Joker will be awesome, and nobody’s even talking about Aaron Eckhart’s turn as Harvey Dent/Two-Face yet.

Other summer films (dates TBD):

Righteous Kill

Martin Scorsese, Al Pacino, and Robert De Niro all on film together. I’m not usually drawn to any of their movies, but this one could be hot.

The Lovely Bones

Peter Jackson (The Lord of the Rings) adapts Alice Sebold’s best-selling novel with Ryan Gosling, Susan Sarandon, Rachel Weisz, and Stanley Tucci. King Kong was a bust, but the plot of a 14-year-old killed by her neighbor, telling the story from heaven, examining the lives of those around her while trying to get somebody to find her body should be very interesting.

Oct. 3 – Where the Wild Things Are

Director Spike Jonze and a children’s classic!

Nov. 7 – James Bond 22 (possibly titled 007)

Casino Royale was pretty good, even if it did get a little convoluted at the end. Daniel Criag is the best Bond since Sean Connery.

Nov. 7 – The Changeling

Produced by Ron Howard and Brian Grazer, directed by Clint Eastwood, and starring Angelina Jolie and John Malkovich about a woman whose son is abducted, but returned. However, she suspects the child is not hers and then must face the corruption of the LAPD. Based upon actual events of 1920’s Los Angeles.

Nov. 21 – Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince

Only two more Potter movies!

Nov. 26 – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story about a man who was born old and feeble and ages in reverse to become a baby at the end of his life. Brad Pitt stars as the man and Cate Blanchett takes a turn as the 30-year-old he falls in love with. Plus, it’s directed by David Fincher (Fight Club, Se7en, Zodiac).

Dec. 12 – The Day the Earth Stood Still

Remake of the 1951 sci-fi classic about an alien that comes to Earth and warns world leaders that their continuing aggression will lead to annihilation by an alien race watching them. The remake will star Keanu Reeves.

Dec. 25 – J.J. Abrams' Star Trek

Double duh.

Possible 2008 movies (based on when the current writer’s strike ends):

Australia

Director Baz Lurhman (Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge!) and stars Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman in a World War II epic.

The Box

Director Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko) helms a film about a couple who find a small wooden box on their doorstep which brings good fortune at an unforeseen price. Based on the Richard Matheson (I Am Legend) short story, “Button, Button.”

Frost/Nixon

Based on the stage play about the post-Watergate television interviews between talk-show host David Frost and President Richard Nixon. I read a bit about it, and it seems like it’s got a lot of depth to it.

I would say that’s a full calendar. And I didn’t even include some movies that might end up being good, but are too questionable to call right now.