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2007 wasn’t the greatest of years for movies but 2008 really could be a total cracker. Here is a breakdown of the top ten films i’m looking forward to seeing this year.

10. Hellboy II: The Golden Army (imdb)
Release Date: July 11, 2008
Talent: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Guillermo Del Toro
Synopsis: The mythical world starts a rebellion against humanity in order to rule the Earth, so Hellboy and his team must save the world from the rebellious creatures.
The Buzz: This time around, Hellboy gets bigger and badder thanks to it’s director’s much-inflated profile. Universal has given Guillermo Del Toro a major green light to make a visual spectacle unlike any other — all he has to do is deliver as he always does.

9. The Incredible Hulk (imdb)
Release Date: June 13, 2008
Talent: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, Louis Leterrier (Director)
Synopsis: Depicting the events after the Gamma Bomb. ‘The Incredible Hulk’ tells the story of Dr Bruce Banner, who seeks a cure to his unique condition, which causes him to turn into a giant green monster under emotional stress. Whilst on the run from military which seeks his capture, Banner comes close to a cure. But all is lost when a new creature emerges; The Abomination.
The Buzz: Not much has been released about this new Hulk.

8. The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince c(imdb)
Release Date: May 16, 2008
Talent: Liam Neeson, Ben Barnes, Andrew Adamson (Director)
Synopsis: “Prince Caspian” finds the Pevensie siblings pulled back into the land of Narnia, where a thousand years have passed since they left. The children are once again enlisted to join the colorful creatures of Narnia in combating an evil villain who prevents the rightful Prince from ruling the land.
The Buzz: The Pevensie kids are going back to Narnia, and it would appear that we are all going with them. Fans of the first film (of which there are many) are getting very excited about this one. Those of us who were bored with the first one, myself included, can take refuge in the fact that the first trailer for Prince Caspian has tons of action.

7. Star Trek (imdb)
Release Date: December 25, 2008
Talent: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Eric Bana, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, J.J. Abrams (Director)
Synopsis: A chronicle of the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members.
The Buzz: J.J. Abrams has practically an entire year to make sure that his installment is up to par, as he would be an idiot to disappoint the throngs of Trekkies that will be putting his film under a microscope. And while they may be harsh, they should also be a very excited bunch — as there hasn’t been much in the way of a good Trek film since — ever.

6. Wall-E (imdb)
Release Date: June 27, 2008
Talent: Fred Willard, Jeff Garlin, Andrew Stanton (Director)
Synopsis: The year is 2700. WALL*E, a robot, spends every day doing what he was made for. But soon, he will discover what he was meant for.
The Buzz: While Wall-E is significantly more soft-spoken than any past Pixar character (except Luxo the lamp, that is), we have no doubts that audiences will have no trouble falling head over heels for the little guy — it’s something in his eyes. Andrew Stanton and the crew at Pixar have failed to disappoint us up to now, with plenty of great films under there belt — we see no reason why they would start here.

5. Cloverfield (imdb)
Release Date: January 18, 2008
Talent: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Lizzy Caplan, Matt Reeves (Director)
Synopsis: Revolves around a monster attack in New York as told from the point of view of a small group of people.
The Buzz: There are some that have had this marked on their calendar since the mysterious first teaser trailer ran in front of Transformers last summer. Basically, we are all waiting to see the monster that pretty much eats New York City. On 1-18-08, the lines will surely be long — so get to the theater early.

4. Iron Man (imdb)
Release Date: May 2, 2008
Talent: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jon Favreau (Director)
Synopsis: When Tony Stark is forced to create a life support suit to keep him alive after an accident he decides to use the technology in his suit to fight crime.
The Buzz: Did you see the trailer? How much more do you need to see to be excited for Iron Man? Downey Jr. is perfectly cast as Tony Stark and Director Jon Favreau has every fan of the Marvel universe believing. This will be the first big blockbuster of what could be the most exciting summer movie season ever.

3. Zack and Miri Make a Porno (imdb)
Release Date: 2008
Talent: Seth Rogen, Elizabeth Banks, Jason Mewes, Kevin Smith (Director)
Synopsis: Lifelong platonic friends Zack (Rogen) and Miri (Banks) look to solve their respective cashflow problems by making an adult film together. As the cameras roll, however, the duo begin to sense that they may have more feelings for each other than they previously thought.
The Buzz: You didn’t think that this list would be all summer blockbusters did you? Zack and Miri will combine two of the most beloved comedic minds in all of Hollywood, director Kevin Smith and actor Seth Rogen, to make a movie about two people who want to start a porn company. And it stars the always gorgeous Elizabeth Banks. If you need to read that again to allow it to really sink in, we can wait.

2. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (imdb)
Release Date: May 22, 2008
Talent: Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Steven Spielberg (Director), George Lucas (Writer)
Synopsis: Not Available.
The Buzz: They might as well have titled this film Indiana Jones and the Return to the Bank, as it is going to seriously pad the LucasFilm bankroll. Steven Spielberg brings back his trusted old adopted son (Harrison Ford) and throws him back in the Indy costume alongside his new adopted son (Shia LaBeouf) for what can only be described as a wild ride — and we don’t even know what the film is about yet.

1. The Dark Knight (imdb)
Release Date: July 18, 2008
Talent: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Aaron Eckhart, Christopher Nolan (Director)
Synopsis: Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lieutenant Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the city streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as The Joker.
The Buzz: Part of it may be the fanboy inside of me, the other part might be the brilliant web of viral marketing being spun by the folks at Warner Brothers, but there is 2008 release that can get here any sooner than The Dark Knight. Christian Bale is back and as badass as ever in the (nippleless) batsuit and Heath Ledger is slowly transforming into the Joker that we never knew he could be. Mark my words, The Dark Knight is going to rule the summer box office.

(4 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)

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When I saw the trailer to Fred Claus, I was excited, this seemed like a fun Christmas movie that would have tons of good laughs and had a great plot. Now I waited ’till the weekend after this film opened, and I heard nothing but terrible reviews about it, so I was very scared to see it. But the way I looked at it was some people have different opinions, nothing to worry about. So I saw it tonite with my boyfriend, and I have to say that honestly, for what it was, this was just a fun Christmas movie. True, it’s cheesy and the jokes are a little dumb at times, but it was all in good fun.

Fred Claus is the older brother of Santa Claus, quite frankly he’s getting a bit tired of all the attention Nicholas(Santa) gets. It’s tough being the brother of a saint. But when he gets into a bit of trouble with the cops, he asks Nic for help and Nic gives it to him, but Fred wants more money, Nic tells him alright, if he comes up to the North Pole to help him out with the work. Fred comes up and decides to shake things up in the North Pole with the elves, but it couldn’t come at a worse time when Santa is being examined for his business and could possibly be shut down.

Fred Claus was a cute holiday movie, like I said, it’s nothing special, but I thought it was fun.

(4 votes, average: 3.75 out of 5)

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Here is a litte breakdown of my top five favorite (well current favorite) Christmas films:

5 - National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation

If you want to ‘feel’ all Chritmasty, then look no further than buying National Lampoon Christmas Vacation. Everything from the opening music to the ending titles sums up the most favourite time of the year.

It’s Christmas time and the Griswolds are preparing for a family seasonal celebration, but things never run smoothly for Clark, his wife Ellen and their two kids. Clark’s continual bad luck is worsened by his obnoxious family guests, but he manages to keep going knowing that his Christmas bonus is due soon

4 - Home Alone

This megahit that made Macaulay Culkin a household name–and still causes me to wince when I’m in the presence of gallon paint cans–is a tightly plotted and very funny tribute to upper middle class child abuse. Chris Columbus helms this ruthlessly crafty comedy, and from the moment the house lights go down, it’s pedal to the metal.

An eight-year-old boy named Keven McCallister was accidentally left behind when his family rushes off on a Christmas vacation to France. Meanwhile, two bumbling pair of burglars named Harry and Marv known as the “Wet Bandits,” are trying to break in to steal all sorts of valuables. Tonight Keven has become a home security system while he is rigging a bewildering battery of booby traps. It’s all up to Kevin to save the house and set out booby traps before Harry and Marv steals everything in the house!

3 - The Nightmare Before Christmas

A Christmas movie as only Tim Burton could do one. If you’re familiar with his work, then his gothic look at the holiday through the eyes of a Halloween character who has Santa-envy.

Jack Skellington is the King of Halloween, but is about to discover something news. Jack becomes bored and tired with the same routine every year, and takes a walk into the woods, in which he discovered a door leading to Christmas time. Christmas time is amazing to Jack, but he doesn’t fully understand the concept. Now, he want to bring Christmas to everyone, and is planning to take over the job from Santa. Problem is, the real world isn’t used to Jack’s lifestyle, and it’s not going to go to plan for Jack at all.

2 - Scrooged

Another take on the Charles Dickens classic tale of Ebenezer Scrooge. It’s somewhat dated from the time in which it was filmed, but at the same time there’s a dark comedy to it that is timeless.

Frank Cross runs a US TV station which is planning a live adaptation of Dickens’ Christmas Carol. Frank’s childhood wasn’t a particularly pleasant one, and so he doesn’t really appreciate the Christmas spirit. With the help of the ghosts of Christmas past, present and future, Frank realises he must change.

1 - It’s a Wonderful Life

Truly one of the finest films ever made. It’s message still resonates after nearly 60 years. It’s central themes of love, appreciation, loyalty, and sacrifice are valuable reminders any time of year. I saw this film for the first time when I was about 8 years old and even then could understand why it had become a tradition in many households at Christmastime. Like many other Christmas-themed films, this one reminds us to pause and take in our surroundings. It is unfortunate that such films are only celebrated once a year, but that particular trait also adds a certain degree of rarity to its charm.

George Bailey spends his entire life giving up his big dreams for the good of his town, Bedford Falls, as we see in flashback. But in the present, on Christmas Eve, he is broken and suicidal over the misplacing of an $8000 loan and the machinations of the evil millionaire, Mr. Potter. His guardian angel, Clarence, falls to Earth, literally, and shows him how his town, family, and friends would turn out if he had never been born. George meant so much to so many people; should he really throw it all away?

(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)

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A biopic about a drug dealer starring Washington, Crowe, and Scott. It is wonderful seeing two actors with such brilliance and a good director to guide them through their material.

The movie suffers a little from having two such big movie stars in one film. This is mostly Frank Lucas’s story, and I didn’t really get to know him as much as I would have liked. Russel Crowe plays a police officer who seems to have a crummy family life just to give him a fatal flaw. Russel Crowe is the right man to play him, injecting a good deal of street sense intelligence into him and making him gruff enough to counter his role as the purer-than-driven-snow cop.

Without giving too much away, I will say that the most effective scene in the movie is when the two meet for the first time. This scene left me shaking with emotion, not because the scene hasn’t been played out in thousands of gangster/caper movies, or because of the soundtrack which has played in thousands more. Seeing these two characters for the first time is so well shot that there is a potency and mystery in simply these two men just staring at each other.

The movie is not without flaws though. One key part of the story is the corrupt nature of the NYPD Special Narcotics Unit. However, the point-man for this part of the story seems strangely insulated from the rest of the story. He does a lot of generally sleazy things and makes a few hazy threats at Denzel and Crowe, but doesn’t inject himself in enough to make the payoff entirely satisfying. Also, while the courtroom scenes involving the Crowe character’s divorce are brief, my suspicion is they would have been more interesting on the cutting room floor, especially if they had made room for more scenes involving Lucas’s rough edges. My guess is even the most stylish gangster in Harlem wouldn’t be as smooth as Mr. Washington.

(3 votes, average: 4.33 out of 5)

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Sometimes there is a movie that goes unheard of, ignored by most, sometimes pounded by negative critics and suddenly, some years later, it turns into a classic for some reason. Fantasy movies are usually on top of that list. Think of Labyrinth or The Dark Crystal. Stardust will probably find itself along with those titles in the upcoming years for many reasons.

First of, the movie, overall, is not taken seriously in many different ways. The actors all seem to be having fun and an aura of global simplicity surrounds the movie from beginning to end. There’s a lot of cheezy stuff in Stardust, but just enough so it can’t be considered as a boring parody. It involves old fairy tales with contemporary humor, pretty much like Shrek did with brilliance. Although it is not funny as in laughable, the movie makes us smile not because of some joke or the facial expressions of some actor, but because we find each and every character charmingly naive and totally focused on one single idea. The fact that their personality is so simple makes them likable very soon after we encounter them for the first time.

The most intriguing part is, without a doubt, Robert De Niro’s role as cross dressing pirate. His part is played with great acting and he is seen just enough so his character doesn’t turn into a cliché. He is an enlightenment to the movie and almost makes us forget about some boring scenes. The brothers killing each other for the throne also fill up some good moments. The main actor ( Charlie Cox ) playing the hero is doing his best but the whole scenario was too much of a ” loser turning into a winner “, he is still not experienced enough to play a leading role. He was mostly overshadowed by the other characters ( especially Lamia ( Pfeiffer ), Septimus ( Mark Strong ) and Captain Shakespeare ( De Niro )). Claire Danes was okay. I wished Jason Flemyng would’ve played a bigger part as Primus. I liked his over-the-top prince charming looks and personality compared to the Severus Snape/Aragorn look-a-like in Septimus who was not enough of a villain. Wearing black does not really make you evil. Michelle Pfeiffer was all right but I think her character also was built on “evil looks” and she is not that terrifying although the “inn scene” was great.

These kind of movies must not be expected to be as gigantic and dramatic as The Lord of The Rings which is the prime example. It is not a work of art, just an enjoyable family friendly film. It has to be taken lightly but really is worth a watch.

(4 votes, average: 4.5 out of 5)

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