2008 Preview part 2 – Also looking interesting…………..

So we have got the big ones out of the way. The following films released in 2008 could also be MASSIVE and may well surprise everyone and end up being better than the films that I think are sure things.

Cloverfield

If you have been living under a rock or don't own a PC with Internet connection then you won't know what this is. Cloverfield is a film about a Godzilla style monster attacking New York City. The film is shot Blair Witch style as if it was 'found footage'. The marketing campaign has been awesome but you know what I really like? I really like the fact that no one knows what the monster looks like and we are still (as of time of writing) two weeks away from release. Remember when the first Jurassic Park came out? you didn't see the whole of the T-rex or any other dinosaur until you saw the film and how much did that first viewing rock? This has the potential to be that cool. The few people who have seen it are already proclaiming it to be a revolution along the lines of the first Star Wars. It probably isn't and these people are ruining movie going but its looking good so far and will no doubt set some sort of record for an opening when it comes out. Released: February 1st

Jumper

February's releases are looking pretty cool at the moment which is unusual as its traditionally apart from one or two releases pretty quiet. I wasn't really interested in this film until I saw the trailer as I heard it was based on a kids book. Anyway it looks like they have made the story a bit more 'young adult' and it looks like great fun. The interesting thing about this story is the supposed good guys with their 'Jumping' abilities are actually screwing up the world somehow all in the name of fun. I read an interview with Doug Liman recently where he said that he would have finished the Bourne trilogy less from Jason Bourne's perspective and more from the aspect of the CIA trying to contain a rogue agent. Interesting. Anyway Mannequin Skywalker, er sorry Hayden Christensen and Jamie Bell star in what could be an action packed romp. if this is a success they will greenlight the next two in the trilogy Pullover and Cardigan, tee hee. Released: February 15th

Rambo

After Rocky Balboa, Stallone is back with another of his greatest roles. This time John Rambo is lured back into action by the inhumane actions of the current regime in Burma. Last summer a trailer debuted which was full on hardcore violence of the type not even seen in the 80's. Heads exploded, limbs were lost and throats ripped out. If they keep the violence to that level then we could be in for a treat if quite a disturbing treat that the Daily Mail will love. If they cut it then basically what you have is a Rambo movie. Anyway it will be good to see Rambo on the screen again and it could be great. There again it could be awful. It remains to be seen whether Stallone can convince Kurt Russell and Teri Hatcher to star in the long awaited Tango and Cash 2. Released: February 22nd

Son of Rambow

From the genuine thing to a small british film about kids trying to make their own version of Rambo back in the 80's. Directed by Garth Jennings who made the underrated adaptation of Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy in 2005, this has been gaining some high praise indeed from those who have seen it at film festivals. We could be in for a treat and a genuine home grown gem. Released: March

In Bruges

For some reason I am a sucker for time travel movies, films about space exploration and films about Hitmen. In Bruges is about two hitmen sent to the Flemish capital to carry out a contract. Cue much violence and swearing as well as amusing banter between Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson as they encounter a culture they do not understand whilst trying to do a job for their boss played by Ralph Fiennes. The trailer for this is damn funny and it could be the best hitman comedy since Grosse Point Blank. Fingers Crossed. Released: April 11th

Semi-Pro

Another Will Ferrell sports comedy arrives in February. This time we are back in the 70's with Ferrell playing Jackie Moon the owner/coach/player in the Michigan Tropics who tries to rally his team to make it into the NBA. After the relative disappointment of Blades of Glory this looks far funnier with Ferrell properly unrestrained as he was in Anchorman. The recent R Rated trailer is hilarious and shows that this film doesn't hold back on the foul language. Check the trailer out on Youtube and look forward to another great comedy from the frat pack. Released: February 29th

Be Kind Rewind

Michel Gondry's latest quirkfest concerns a man with a magnetized brain (Jack Black) who accidentally wipes all the VHS tapes in the local rental store belonging to his friend (Mos Def). They team up to remake all the town's favorite rental's including Ghostbusters, Back to the Future and Driving Miss Daisy. It seems like an age since they announced this and now its finally coming out. This should combine the quirkiness of the cardboard sets of Science of Sleep and the sentimentality of Eternal Sunshine. The trailer makes this look like it will be a genuine crowd pleaser. I just hope it gets a wide release to maximize its potential. Released: February 22nd

Vantage Point

Matthew Fox and Dennis Quaid star as secret service agents in this assassination thriller that has had a decent trailer doing the rounds for a while now. The assassination is seen from several angles by several witnesses including Forest Whittaker and Sigourney Weaver. The trailer promises plenty of action and an intriguing twist filled plot. Released: March 7th

Iron Man

One of the few remaining Marvel main players that hasn't made it to the screen yet is Iron Man and he finally debuts in May. Robert Downey Jr plays Tony Stark, the weapons manufacturer who invents the suit of high tech exoskeleton and uses it to fight the forces of evil after escaping from captivity in Afghanistan. This is the first film to come from Marvel Studios with Paramount distributing. John Favreau directs a great cast including the dude himself Jeff Bridges. By far the coolest news about this though is that Samuel L Jackson makes an appearance as Nick Fury which makes the prospect of an Ultimates movie seem less impossible. Released: May 2nd

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

I know it seems unlikely but this may just suck. I know Spielberg is in charge again which can only be a good thing but have you seen the pictures of Harrison Ford in the outfit again? the guy looks OLD. Its hard to imagine him doing scenes like the tank chase in Last Crusade or the fight with the big bald guy in Raiders. Ford looks like he may fall down dead with a harsh look from Baldy these days. The plot of this new adventure may well if rumors are true involve the pursuit of the Ark of the covenant again. Time has moved on however and the enemy is no longer the pesky third reich, now its those damn commies!. Cate Blanchett stars as one of the Russians along with Karen Allen returning from the first movie and seemingly oblivion Karen Allen, John Hurt plays her father. New additions to the cast include Ray Winstone and Shia Lebouef. It may not have the action scenes to match the previous three but I guarantee this will be an entertaining caper and will open big in May. Released: May 22nd

The Happening

I like a bit of mystery and so far nobody really knows the plot of M.Night Shyamalan's latest movie. Some say it involves mother nature fighting back against humanity with some deadly plants that threaten mankind. Others say it involves a virus that makes everybody infected commit suicide. What is true is that after the relative disappointment of The Village and the downright atrocity that was Lady in the Water, Shyamalan needs a hit. Lets hope this one is on a par with the greatness of Sixth Sense, Unbreakable and Signs. Mark Wahlberg stars alongside Zooey Deschanel. Released: June 13th

Valkyrie

Bryan Singer's latest movie reunites him with Usual Suspects writer Christopher McQuarrie and stars Tom Cruise and Kenneth Branagh. The plot concerns the real life attempt to assassinate Hitler by some rebel members of the Nazi party during World War 2. Although this seems a strange choice to try and launch Cruise back into the big leagues this is probably going to be a very tense thriller with great dialogue and performances. The trailer has promised that this will be the case. Although I can't see this making millions at the box office it should do well enough to keep Cruise in L.Ron Hubbard books for the next few years. Released: October

Burn After Reading

The Coen brothers are now back on form after the great No Country For Old Men. Their next film is a zany comedy along the lines of Raising Arizona and The Big Lebowski. The film has attracted a stellar case including George Clooney, Brad Pitt and John Malkovich. The plot concerns a retired CIA operative who writes some inflammatory memoirs about his former job. The book then gets lost and several weird characters get involved in the search. Even the Coen brothers supposedly lacklustre films Intolerable Cruelty and The Ladykillers were good fun, If they can find the right balance again between the comedy and the violence then we should be in for a good movie. Released: November

The Imaginarium of Dr Parnissus

After the godawful likes of The Brothers Grimm and Tideland, Terry Gilliam returns with a film starring Heath Ledger as a man who travels with a supernatural theatre company. Lets hope this is a return to form and reaches the heights of Brazil and Twelve Monkeys. Released: December

The X Files 2

Its hard to believe but when this is released this summer it will have been ten years since the original X Files movie. I still remember going to see it and then getting wasted in my friends back garden afterwards as we discussed its merits. Its been 6 years since the TV show came to an end with the awful 9th season. Is the time right for Mulder and Scully's return? Or are people's memories still to full of how the series jumped the shark and then limped on for two more years? People will no doubt be put off by the impenatrable alien conspiracy plot from the first movie and the series. Alas Chris Carter probably knows this and so we have been told that this movie will be a stand alone movie with more of the monster of the week type plot that the series did so well. I don't know about you but after season 4 I personally tuned out when it came to the aliens. I was much more impressed with classic monster episodes like Squeeze, Home and The Host. Anyway I hope this does well so that we get to see more adventures with our favorite FBI agents. According to the X Files mythology we are now only four years away from when the aliens finally invade. Released: August

Star Trek

JJ Abrams successfully rebooted the Mission:Impossible franchise in 2006 with the best film in the series. The problem was not many people took any notice and the film made a disappointing amount of money. Based on that film and the ongoing success of Lost he got the job of rebooting the Star Trek franchise. Abrams has gone right back to the beginning ala Batman and Bond with a tale of James T.Kirk at Starfleet academy and how he meets Dr McCoy. Spock etc and becomes Captain of the USS Enterprise. If they get this right this has the potential to be huge, Unknown Chris Pine plays Kirk, Zachary Quinto from Heroes plays Spock and Karl Urban from Lord of The Rings plays McCoy. The cast also includes Simon Pegg as Scott and Eric Bana as a villain. After the boring last two Next Generation movies I hope they manage to capture the charm and excitement of Star Trek's 2,4 and 6. If so I will have a very happy Christmas. (P.S I am not a trekkie, trekker or whatever, I do enjoy the movies though) Released: December 26th