2008's Most Antipated Films
by Brian Eggert
1/17/2008
Nevermind that my 2008 preview comes half-way through January. Nobody’s perfect.
An empty chasm where 2007’s fill of great movies once resided now echoes, cleaned out, made vacant by the awfulness of 2008’s reprehensible titles like One Missed Call and In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale. No doubt ‘08 cannot keep up its hitherto string of disasters, nor live up to the incomparably high standards set by its immediate predecessor. Despite that truth, the coming year bears some exciting titles... Movies by Ridley Scott, David Fincher, The Coen Brothers, and David Mamet, along with some so-excited-I’m-giddy blockbuster sequels.
Take a look below for what I anticipate to be the best of the best.
Cloverfield
Release Date : January 18th
Theatrical Trailer
Producer J.J. Abrams likes to work in secret, avoiding the overexposure associated with brayed and revealing marketing campaigns. Accordingly, we know little-to-nothing about the monster terrorizing New York City in Cloverfield. Be it the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man or an ambiguous cloud of mechanized smoke à la Lost, Abrams has peaked my interest. The only problem with creating a covert film project and marketing it as well as they have: nothing can possibly live up to our expectation. I would plan on minor disappointment when the creature is finally revealed, because chances are it’s nothing like what you expected. With the pseudo-home-video approach the production employs, it’s doubtful we’re going to get an all-encompassing view of the thing, whatever it is.
Leatherheads
Release Date : April 4th
Theatrical Trailer
George Clooney, in addition to being a fine actor, has twice certified himself behind the camera as director. The forgotten Confessions of a Dangerous Mind and Oscar-nominated Good Night, and Good Luck show Clooney’s impressive and unexpected attention to detail, control of the cinematic apparatus, and value of strong narrative. Leatherheads looks like a charming romantic-comedy set during the 1920s professional football circuit, showing off its director’s attention to precise, consistent form. Indeed, much of the trailer recalls quick-witted, Hawksian screwball comedies of yesteryear. Also starring are Renée Zellweger, John Krasinski, and Jonathan Pryce. Clooney’s film is sure to incite guilt-free laughs, perhaps even generating some critical clout in the process.
Iron Man
Release Date : May 2nd
Theatrical Trailer
What a brilliant casting decision writer-director Jon Favreau made by signing Robert Downey Jr. to the title role. The Marvel superhero Iron Man offers another complex comic-to-film role, comparable to Maguire’s Spider-Man or Bale’s Batman, wherein the hero’s alter-ego, in this case millionaire arms-dealer Tony Stark, bears heavy personal burdens. Stark reverberates Downey Jr.’s offscreen persona, with a womanizing, hard-drinking, arrogant bastard-of-a-character for the actor to make empathetic, in the way only he can. But let’s not forget how Gweneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges, Terrence Howard, Samuel L. Jackson, and Hilary Swank all costar, making this an impressive A-list superhero movie. Favreau’s flawless-looking production design is evident in the trailer. He avoids relying on a CGI hero; Iron Man’s otherwise bulky costume was made with light, manageable material for the actor inside. This production holds immeasurable promise.
George A. Romero's Diary of the Dead
Release Date : May 20th
Theatrical Trailer
With his latest zombie venture, George A. Romero (Dawn of the Dead) goes back to the beginning of his undead apocalypse. As opposed to the late 1960s when Night of the Living Dead debuted, his film is set in present day when a group of amateur documentarians decide to chronicle the sprouting carnage. Running about in the midst of chaos for footage, clearly they didn’t read Max Brooks’ “On Defense” chapter in The Zombie Survival Guide, which instructs victims of a zombie threat to find somewhere safe and stay hidden. Filmed on a shoestring budget with a cast of unknowns, Romero returns to his origins: low budget, near-guerilla filmmaking. With his customary social commentary raising his horror to the levels of satirical art, no doubt we can anticipate another Romero classic.
Indian Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Release Date : May 22nd
Theatrical Trailer (not yet available)
Part of me wishes Spielberg and Lucas had left Indiana Jones in its already-perfect trilogy form. There’s a rustic, human quality to the original three I fear will be lost in this sequel; any noticeable use of CGI, for example, will diminish the series’ physical realism. And yet, the prospect of Dr. Jones returning to the big screen assures greatness. Rumors of the plot continue to swirl about the internet: aliens, atomic weapons, Einstein, and the question of what the hell is this Crystal Skull (hopefully, your answer resides on Wikipedia HERE)? Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, John Hurt, and Jim Broadbent costar, and recent pictures of Blanchett in Russian interrogator garb suggest a potential lover-enemy relationship between she and Indy. I could go on and on about the impending greatness or disaster of this sequel. Suffice it to say, I’m excited with a few reservations.
The Incredible Hulk
Release Date : June 13th 
Theatrical Trailer (not yet available)
Ang Lee’s Hulk was a failure; the action highpoint featured our green hero beating up a giant poodle. A reboot to Lee’s film, The Incredible Hulk will be directed by the unimpressive name Louis Leterrier (The Transporter), and written, curiously, by Edward Norton, who stars as Bruce Banner (aka Hulk). Had Norton not been involved, I doubt this film would be on my “most anticipatated” list. But I trust Norton’s choices, as playing Banner was contingent on working over the script himself. Supposedly akin to the television series, we will follow Banner as he tries to find a cure for his green rage, all the while hiding from authorities and fighting off his comic-book nemesis Abomination (Tim Roth(!)). All signs point to a dark, more introspective comic-book movie, which as we learned from the darker approaches of Batman Begins and X-Men 2, usually makes for gratifying entertainment.
Wall-E
Release Date : June 27th
Theatrical Trailer
Early trailers for Pixar’s latest animated feature Wall-E demonstrate another profound step for the studio, mastering senses of space and air. Writer-director Andrew Stanton brought Finding Nemo to the screen, where his underwater environment seemed palpable beyond grasp; his concern is now to animate a vacuum and give it atmospheric character. For the story, he takes us far into the future, where the human race has abandoned Earth after flagrant consumerism leaves our planet a virtual garbage pile. A small garbage-cleaning robot named Wall-E remains, all alone, continuing his duties. When a reconnaissance robot named EVE visits Earth to survey the progress, Wall-E falls in love, experiencing something he was never intended to feel. Filmed largely without dialogue, but rather with a focus on visuality and dimensionality, this may be Pixar’s most artistic achievement.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army
Release Date : July 11th
Theatrical Trailer
Guillermo del Toro’s career includes affecting fantasy-dramas like Pan’s Labyrinth, interspersed between his more commercial fare. But don’t hold its marketability against Hellboy 2: The Golden Army. The original film, an impressive comic-book adaptation released in 2004, continues getting better with every revisit on DVD, thanks to Del Toro’s fully-fleshed characters. Without relying on CGI for every physical detail, empathetic heroes emerge despite being covered in pounds of flawlessly-conceived makeup design. From early concept art and the impressive trailer, this sequel seems to follow its predecessor nicely. The plot involves the fantasy world, tired of being forgotten, breaking through into our reality and running amuck. Ron Perlman reprises his role as the title character, a loveable hero-ruffian who just-so-happens to look like the devil. Written and directed by Del Toro, it’s bound to have a classy, artistic realization far above other summer blockbusters.
The Dark Knight
Release Date : July 18th
Theatrical Trailer
The sequel to the comic-book reboot Batman Begins, my most anticipated movie of 2008 is The Dark Knight. Starting with the "Batman"-less title, director Christopher Nolan returns with his pronounced creative credibility, offering an alternate-yet--welcomed new take on The Joker (here played by a scary-as-hell-looking Heath Ledger). Viral marketing has satisfied excited fans with new posters, images, scavenger hunts, and practical jokes revolving around the smiley-faced Joker villain. But don’t expect Jack Nicholson’s silly laugh-a-minute portrayal; rather, Ledger is as The Joker should be: a homicidal lunatic with his own sense of murderous reality, empathy for nothing, and a bad case of schizophrenia . The wonderful Christian Bale returns as Bats himself, as do Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Cillian Murphy, and Michael Caine to their previous roles. Additions include Maggie Gyllenhaal as Rachel Dawes and Aaron Eckhart as Harvey Dent. Recent reports say Eckhart’s role, which will eventually blossom into Two Face (possibly in the third Nolan-Batman picture, possibly by the end of this film), is said to substantially dominate the story arc, while The Joker remains an ever-present personification of Gotham’s anarchy. Based on the trailer, all signs point to The Dark Knight living up to, if not exceeding incalculably high expectations set by the first.
Untitled X-Files Sequel
Release Date : July 25th
Theatrical Trailer (not yet available)
After years of seemingly empty promises from David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson, a return to X-Files country is finally a reality. I couldn't be happier. Fox’s production remains hushed, so much so that we don’t yet have a title. Directed by the show’s creator Chris Carter, and written by Carter and frequent show collaborator Frank Spotnitz, this is a stand-alone film with a “monster-of-the-week” type feel, which will be familiar for fans of the show. Nothing more about the plot is known. Expect no exposures of alien or government conspiracies, just Mulder (David Duchovny) and Scully (Gillian Anderson) reuniting, hopefully rekindling their love, and making room for future sequels, all while pretending the last season of the show never happened. Being a devoted fan of the series, what more could I hope for?
Valkyrie
Release Date : October 3rd
Theatrical Trailer (not yet available)
Director Bryan Singer and writer Christopher McQuarrie reteam after their Oscar-winning hit The Usual Suspects, for this WWII thriller set in Germany. Valkyrie is a true story surrounding a group of German generals who amass a resistance against Hitler; led by Claus Stauffenberg (Tom Cruise, sporting an eye patch), the group seeks to assassinate the Fuehrer. Surely we know the outcome of their task going in, but the dramatic potential is inescapably appealing. And what a cast of greats: Kenneth Branagh, Tom Wilkinson, Bill Nighy, Carice van Houten, Terrence Stamp, and Eddie Izzard. As the second production from Cruise-owned United Artists, after their flopping first Lions for Lambs, the company is in desperate need of a hit. Indeed, this historical resistance tale could prove to be just that.
Body of Lies
Release Date : October 10th
Theatrical Trailer (not yet available)
Two spy yarns in back-to-back weeks, with this second one a contemporary-based CIA story from novelist David Ignatius, adapted to script form by The Departed’s writer William Monahan and directed by Ridley Scott. How can it get better than that, you ask? Sign on stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe (two of the most accomplished actors working today), add Black Book’s beauty Carice van Houten, and the film’s mere concept deserves applause. Scott continues to persevere from genre to genre, here tackling a relevant plot for contemporary world politics. Someday he’ll have made a film for every genre; cinema will become a lot less interesting on that day.
Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince
Release Date : November 21st
Theatrical Trailer (not yet available)
Screenwriter Steve Kloves has adapted every Harry Potter tale to film, except for The Order of the Phoenix. Perhaps that’s why the last one didn’t feel up to par. Or, perhaps, the inexperienced direction of David Yates is to blame. Don’t misunderstand me, I enjoyed the movie, but much of it felt small-scale in comparison to the grandiose majesty of previous Potters. Much to my disappointment, Yates is back for Half-Blood Prince; I hope he revisited Prisoner of Azkaban and Goblet of Fire in the interim to see how it’s done. Recent rumors have circulated, speculating that there may be two more Harry Potter films to follow this latest; Warner Bros. intends to suck every penny out of this franchise before it’s completed, splitting The Deathly Hallows into two separate releases. Movie life will be weird come a few years down the road when there are no Potter films to look
forward to.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Release Date : November 26th
Theatrical Trailer (not yet available)
For the first time, David Fincher (right) enters romantic territory with his new film, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Starring Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett, the story comes from F. Scott Fitzgerald and is an examination of why life traditionally ends in decrepitude but begins with pleasant youth. Accordingly, Pitt plays Button, a man born into an elderly body sometime prior to the turn of the last century; as time passes, he grows young, sustaining a somewhat normal life in his middle years. I’m glad to see Fincher move away from the thriller genre, and I'm curious to see how his distinct visual flow will support the premise. After last year’s Zodiac, I’m convinced audiences will always underestimate Fincher’s potential, and he’ll just keep surprising us.
Star Trek
Release Date : December 25th
Theatrical Trailer (not yet available)
With the sad demise of The Next Generation movies thanks to the lackluster Star Trek: Nemesis, Paramount Pictures has invested more than $130 million into this Star Trek reboot, the most expensive Trek movie yet. Directed and produced by J.J Abrams, who, come December, will already be having a good year thanks to Cloverfield, the Star Trek origin movie remains shrouded in Abrams’ signature secrecy. Scripts are under lock and key; plot details are scarce; the cast is mostly no-names sprinkled with the occasional celebrity (such as Eric Bana and Simon Pegg), all sworn to conceal details. We do know that Kirk and the original crew of the Enterprise will be shown at Starfleet Academy, likely butting heads with a Romulan or two in their first mission. Abrams assures that both fans and non-fans will be pleased with the result. Place me in the former category.
Burn After Reading
Release Date : Fourth Quarter 2008
Theatrical Trailer (not yet available)
The only troubling thing about The Coen Brothers’ (right) new film Burn After Reading is that their longtime cinematographer Roger Deakins, who so splendidly shot the empty landscapes in their '07 masterpiece No Country for Old Men, will not be returning for this collaboration. Instead, Children of Men photographer Emmanuel Lubezki, no slouch himself, will sit behind the camera. The plot involves John Malkovich as a retired CIA operative, who has written a lifetime of government secrets into his memoirs. His estranged wife (Frances McDormand) finds the disc, accidentally leaving it at the gym for a numbskull trainer (Brad Pitt) to find, who then uses it as a blackmail device. And then there’s the CIA cleaner (George Clooney), hired to sweep up the mess. In consideration of their creative rebirth, not to mention their wow-worthy cast, I can only hope the Coens don't regress into The Lady Killers/Intolerable Cruelty territory.
Redbelt
Release Date : Fourth Quarter 2008
Theatrical Trailer (not yet available)
David Mamet describes his new film Redbelt, starring Chiwetel Ejiofor as jujitsu specialist Mike Terry, as a modernized version of a Kurosawa samurai picture. Long-retired from the field of competitive fighting, Terry is conned back into it by Hollywood types (including Tim Allen, in a curious appearance in a credible film) and forced to participate. Now, while this plot recalls a number of Jean-Claude Van Damme pictures I’d rather not remember, keep in mind: Mamet. The Pulitzer-prize winning writer-director brings nothing but class to whatever genre he works, reinventing and transforming it to meet his own needs. As a rebel who transcends established filmic dictums of show versus tell, his staples of American cinema such as House of Games and Homicide contain much of their action in Mamet's dialogue; consequently, the concept of a Mamet film about underground fighting intrigues.