A Preview Of 2008

It seems I've fallen prey to a pretty irritating cold. Under regular circumstances, I would tough it out to see a movie anyway. But when I narrowed this weekend's choices to Over Her Dead Body or Strange Wilderness, I easily decided that the smarter thing to do would be to stay home and rest. That said, in order to not leave you guys completely empty, I've decided to take a look forward to the most anticipated films of 2008:

SEMI-PRO (Feb. 29)

There are many film gurus who frown upon Will Ferrell films--I am not one of them. Perhaps it's growing up watching him on Saturday Night Live, but for my money, everything he's in is hilarious. In Semi-Pro, Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, and Andre Benjamin from Outkast, are 70's ABA basketball players who hope their NBA dreams can come true. Count me in.


HORTON HEARS A WHO! (March 14)

I'm one of the very few that enjoyed the live-action version of How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and it seems close to no one enjoyed Mike Myers as the unnaturally perverse Cat in the Hat. It seems they've realized that when moving Dr. Seuss to the screen this time, it would probably more appropriate to use animation. With voices by Jim Carrey, Steve Carrell, and Jamie Presley, this dares to be the animated film of the year.

FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL (April 18)

The Apatow crew joins up again for another raucous comedy adventure. This involves Peter (Jason Segal) who goes to Hawaii to help get over his TV star girlfriend Sarah (Kristen Bell), only to find out she is staying in the same resort with her new European boyfriend. Jonah Hill, Paul Rudd, and Bill Hader make their much expected cameos as friends and enemies in what is sure to be a hilarious film.

BABY MAMA (April 18)

It seems that the world is finally coming around to the genius that is Tina Fey. In this, she plays Kate, a woman dedicated to having children, only to find out that she's barren. She calls upon the help of the incredibly irresponsible Angie (Amy Poehler) to be inseminated with her child. Sigourney Weaver, Greg Kinnear, and Romany Malco all co-star.

HAROLD & KUMAR ESCAPE FROM GUANTANAMO BAY (April 25)

Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle was a surprisingly hilarious comedy focused mainly on how two minority men (one Korean, one Middle-Eastern) deal with the zany task of going to a fast food restaurant. This film, which seems to have literally the same idea in different circumstances, stands to be even better than the first.

WALL-E (June 27)

Another guaranteed Pixar hit, Wall-E tells the story of a very sensitive robot who attracts the attention of alien lifeforms, and finds out what he was really meant for. The preview alone proves that kids will now fall in love robots the way they fell in love with rats with last year's Ratatouille. With the director of Finding Nemo at the helm, Wall-E seems destined to be one of the year's biggest hits.

WANTED (June 27)

Wanted, the most anticipated action film of the summer, involves Wesley (James McAvoy), an average nobody who becomes part of a gang of justice-seeking assassins that include Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, and Terrence Stamp. Stands to be McAvoy's true breakthrough into American films and path to stardom, but also is also tempting in that it brings Jolie back into spy-mode, a mode we enjoyed her as in Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

THE DARK KNIGHT (July 18)

The sequel to Christopher Nolan's interesting take on Batman, this one seems to be even darker than the original. Many will pay attention to the posthumous performance by Heath Ledger as The Joker, which based on previews seems creepily demonic, but the film as a whole may prove to be the best in the franchise. With Christian Bale coming back as Bruce Wayne, this is sure to be a major blockbuster.

BLINDNESS (Aug. 8)

Remember Fernando Meirelles? He was only the director of one the greatest films of the decade, City of God. In this one, he adapts the best-selling novel by Jose Saramago, in which an entire city is struck with a puzzling case of blindness and all hell breaks loose. With a cast that includes Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, Gael Garcia Bernal, and Danny Glover, this is easily the film I'm most excited to see in 2008.

THE PINEAPPLE EXPRESS (Aug. 8)

I know what you're thinking, and I'm pondering it, too. With all the films being made by the Judd Apatow crew (five in three years) it seems natural that at least one of the next two will disappoint. I'm willing to take that chance, as this film is already being nicknamed: "Superbad, The College Years". Add the hilarious Seth Rogen, and how could this film possibly disappoint?

BODY OF LIES (Oct. 10)

Sure, I've been consistently disappointed by all of Ridley Scott's work (save Blade Runner) but this film, based on the best-selling novel by David Ignatius packs a killer cast, including co-leading roles filled by Leonardo Dicaprio and Russell Crowe. Dealing with issues such as the war in Iraq, this film may rustle some feathers, but not as much as it will probably astound.


THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON (Nov. 26)

David Fincher's take on the tale originally written by F. Scott Fitzgerald, stars Brad Pitt as Benjamin Button who has a strange affliction in which he begins to age backward. Written by Forrest Gump's Eric Roth and co-starring Cate Blanchett and Tilda Swinton, this film holds the spot of the most creative ensemble to work together in 2008. Sure to be interesting.

REVOLUTIONARY ROAD (Dec. 19)

It is an intriguing fact on it's own that this is the first film since Titanic to co-star Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio, but what makes it more exciting is that we won't have to deal with James Cameron's over-indulgent use of CGI effects. Instead, the film is put in the hands of American Beauty director (and Winslet hubby) Sam Mendes. It's no secret that this film's late release is to build Oscar buzz, but who can blame it?

BURN AFTER READING (TBA)

No Country For Old Men is still getting numerous accolades, and less than a year later, the Coen Bros. will release a film starring the two biggest actors in the business: Brad Pitt and George Clooney. The story of two bumbling gym workers who discover confidential CIA tapes, the Coens seem to be going back to their roots of black comedy. Co-starring John Malkovich, Frances McDormand, and Tilda Swinton, this is one film to definitely watch in 2008.

It's hard to imagine a situation where 2008 is as good of a movie year as 2007, which may have been the best year since I've been following films regularly. We can only hope that it delivers the same effect. That said, I'm highly anticipating seeing all of these films, and I hope you will too.