Over the last couple of weeks we’ve highlighted the Best and worst of 2007. Now it’s time to look ahead to 2008. There are many great films on their way this year, and since a lot of you guys have been asking which ones we’re looking forward to the most, and since I generally do one of these lists every year, I figured I’d put this one together.
NOW PLEASE REMEMBER… this list doesn’t necessarily reflect what I think will be the BEST movies of 2008… simply the ones I’m most excited about seeing and looking forward to the most (for example, I knew Transformers wasn’t going to be the BEST movie of 2007… but it was still the one I was most excited about).
So with that out of the way, here are TMB’s most anticipated movies of 2008:
#1 – Indiana Jones and The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
After 20 some odd years of broken promises, flip flops, on again off again schedules, writer changes and worlds of delays, the new Indiana Jones movie is actually upon us. Make no mistake about it my friends… THIS is the movie of 2008. The online community may be buzzing the loudest for Batman… but the rest of the world will be fixing their eyes on the man with the whip. If the early reviews and trailers are even remotely good… I can’t even imagine how much this thing will make. Easily my most anticipated film of 2008. Oh dear lord George, please don’t screw this up!!!!
#2 – The Dark Knight
Those with a religious world view tell us that we are born with a God shaped hole in our hearts. If that is true, then I would say that we are also born with a bat symbol shape burned into our souls! The Batman movies had completely lost their way, until Christopher Nolan came along and delivered unto us BATMAN BEGINS!!! There is honestly no reason to suspect anything other than pure brilliance from The Dark Knight. There are some questions about some specifics… but overall you know this film will deliver.
#3 – The Incredible Hulk
I truly believe that The incredible Hulk will be this summer’s big surprise. Even though I appreciated the Ang Lee Hulk film for what it was, there is no denying what the fans were yearning for… a “Hulk smash puny humans” movie, and Marvel, in all their wisdom, listened. They started by getting an action oriented director in Louis Leterrier (Unleashed, Transporter 1 and 2), brought on an amazing cast and brought in a heavy weight beast (Abomination) that can stand toe to toe with Hulk for some all out smash-em-up action. This is the Hulk film fans want, and I believe it will deliver.
#4 – Pathology
Take the visionary writers and directors from Crank, add an amazing premiese: “a team of young Pathology doctors who decide to play god and play a game by killing people in such a way that their peers can’t figure out how they died”, and then top it off with one of the hottest new stars around (Milo Ventimiglia from Heroes) and you’ve got a winning combination. Sadly, as of right now we have no idea when Pathology is coming out. It was SUPPOSED to be released in November… then it was pushed to February… now there is no date. I don’t know if the fault lies with MGM or with Lakeshore, but the ball has been dropped on Pathology and someone has botched this up. It absolutely SHOULD have been released as close to the launch of season 2 of Heroes as possible to capitalize on Milo’s popularity… but they thought otherwise. Now, I have no idea when we’ll see this film.
#5 – Hellboy 2
The first Hellboy movie caught me completely off guard. I was expecting something of far less quality, but the big red monkey blew me away. The film was imaginative, funny, had solid characters with terrific villains and good action to boot. A demon from hell fighting evil with a rosary on his belt left a lot of people uncertain about the film… and thus it never made the sort of box office returns it deserved… which left a sequel in doubt for a long time. Thankfully Del Toro never gave up on it, and now Hellboy 2 is on its way.
#6 – Bond 22
I still remember all the ruckus some people raised about Daniel Craig being cast as he new James Bond. They complained that he had blonde hair. They complained his ears were too big. One particular group of twits even tried to organize a boycott of Casino Royale unless Craig was removed as Bond. Thankfully, the producers ignored the morons, and Casino Royale became not only the highest grossing Bond film of all time, but I propose we have the greatest James Bond of all time. Daniel Craig OWNED that role. He took it, bent it over, and humped it into submission. Daniel Craig IS James Bond. Finally, a James Bond who looks like he could KICK my ass instead of pat it. Bond 22 will rule.
#7 – Iron Man
I couldn’t have cared less about the news there was going to be an Iron Man movie. To me, Iron Man is a poor man’s Batman. Oh look… a hero who is just a mortal man, who also happens to be a wealthy owner of a massive industry and uses his money to build stuff that helps him fight crime… gee whiz… where have I seen that before? But as the pieces of the Iron Man puzzle started to come together, it was looking better and better. Fantastic cast, ILM doing the visual effects… and a trailer to die for! Suddenly this film has made a believer out of me. I couldn’t care less before… now I can hardly wait to see this sucker!
#8 – Wall-E
I’ve said it a thousand times, but it’s worth repeating. Pixar is not only the best animated film company in the business today… they are the best film company PERIOD. What other studio can you name that has put out 8 feature films… and all 8 of them were complete successes on every level? None. They even managed to make a movie about a talking rat who cooks into one of the best films of the year. Wall-E will be no different… because it’s Pixar… and that’s all I need to know. But Pixar aside, Wall-E looks beautiful. An adorable looking character, some magnificent looking visuals… this is going to rule.
#9 – Wolverine (I stand corrected on this one. It’s a 2009 release. That’s what happens when you post at 3am)
I still remember how many people in the fan community cried bloody murder when this no name actor, Hugh Jackman, was cast as the old Wolverine. Now, it’s almost impossible to imagine anyone else on the planet playing the part. Wolverine now has his own spin-off flick on it’s way. After X-Men 3 (I still liked it, even though it was the weakest of the 3, and I can see why other didn’t like it) received a lukewarm to negative response from the fans, I wasn’t quite sure a Wolverine film would be in the cards. Thankfully it is. Now we’ll just have to see if they can make much needed improvements over X3. I’m not 100% sure they will… but that doesn’t stop my excitement to see it.
#10 – Be Kind Rewind
I’m one of the those growing number of guys who is just getting sick and tired of Jack Black’s schtick. Having said that, the idea behind Be Kind Rewind is VERY cleaver, and the trailer looks just amazing. The film looks like it will be quite simple, and therein lies the genius of it (I’m totally guessing here). Video store guy who re-make all their movies themselves… on VHS tapes. Too much!
#11 – Star Trek 11
I am a die hard Sci-Fi fan, and as such I get pumped about seeing anything put out by Star Trek… even if I don’t think it’s going to be any good. This new JJ Abrams vision seems to be shaping up ok… but I’ve got to admit I’m not thrilled with the casting (Other than Zachary Quinto as Spock) and the whole time travel / alternate timelines / parallel universes thing has been done to death. Still, it’s Star Trek so I’ll be there with bells on.
#12 – Jumper
Anakin and Mace are back together again! A young man who learns he has the power to teleport, and an ancient society dedicated to killing anyone with that power is a recipe for pure delicious (but as we know, all recipes can be ruined). Very pumped to see this.
#13 – Wanted
I knew next to nothing about this film before the trailer came out. After the seeing the trailer I can’t get enough info about it. Angelina Jolie has never looked sexier, the premise sounds a bit Star Wars-ish, but fun as hell, and the action sequences look like they’re going to be off the chart. Can’t wait.
#14 – The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe was fantastic… so obviously I’m anxious to see the next chapter
#15 – Doomsday
From Neil Marshall, who gave us the best horror movie in the last 15 years (The Descent) is back with a post-apocolyptic saga. What part of that doesn’t drip with potential????
#16 – Rambo
On the surface I still think this movie is a bad idea… but I thought the exact same thing about the most recent Rocky movie… and that movie was amazing. If nothing else, we’re sure to see John J Rambo blowing a lot of crap up
#17 – Get Smart
Even I wasn’t born when the original first aired on TV, but it was still in re-runs when i was a little kid, and I loved it. Perfect casting and the appearance that they’ve really stuck to the spirit of the original show make this one secure a spot on my list…. although admittedly there is a “disaster” potential here too. Oh well… I’ll be there.
#18 – Righteous Kill
De Niro and Pacino together at last! The fact that I think the movie will be a let down keeps it lower on this list… but it’s still ON the list. (Yes, they were both IN “Heat”, and they were both IN “Godfather 2”, but they weren’t TOGETHER. In Heat they basically had 1 scene together, and there were never together in Godfather)
#19 – RocknRolla
If director Guy Ritchie can recapture just a tenth of the magic from “Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels” and “Snatch” then a day at the theater watching this movie will be a day well spent. The problem is we might get the same guy who did “Swept Away” instead.
#20 – Valkyrie
Yes it’s Tom Cruise, but the story is an important one. A high ranking german officer who plotted to kill Hitler! This could be wonderful. I have to question the casting of Cruise… but he is a fine actor, so we’ll just see if he can pull it off
