Chuck
E-Mail: chuck@altgn.com
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AIM: cmgfender
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Registered Since: 2007-12-12 20:26:29
Profile: Chuck is just way too optimistic about everything. He loves writing, relaxing, playing some games and watching some football.
Posts by cmglassmire:
The 2008 Golden Globes Winners
January 14th, 2008The no ceremony no big deal no one cared thank you writers strike Golden Globes ‘aired’ last night. Here are the winners:
Best Motion Picture - Drama
“Atonement”
Best Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical
“Sweeney Todd”
Best Actress In A Motion Picture - Drama
Julie Christie for “Away from Her”
Best Actor In A Motion Picture - Drama
Daniel Day-Lewis for “There Will Be Blood”
Best Actress In A Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical
Marion Cotillard for “La Vie En Rose”
Best Actor In A Motion Picture - Comedy Or Musical
Johnny Depp for “Sweeney Todd”
Best Animated Feature Film
“Ratatouille”
Best Foreign Language Film
“The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” (France/USA)
Best Supporting Actress In A Motion Picture
Cate Blanchett for “I’m Not There”
Best Supporting Actor In A Motion Picture
Javier Bardem for “No Country For Old Men”
Best Director - Motion Picture
Julian Schnabel for “The Diving Bell And The Butterfly”
Best Screenplay - Motion Picture
Ethan Coen & Joel Coen for “No Country For Old Men”
Best Original Score - Motion Picture
Dario Marianelli for “Atonement”
Best Original Song - Motion Picture
“Guaranteed” for “Into The Wild”
Music & Lyrics By: Eddie Vedder
Best Television Series - Drama
Mad Men (AMC)
Best Actress In A Television Series - Drama
Glenn Close for “Damages”
Best Actor In A Television Series - Drama
Jon Hamm for “Mad Men”
Best Television Series - Comedy Or Musical
Extras (HBO)
Best Actress In A Television Series -Comedy Or Musical
Tina Fey for “30 Rock”
Best Actor In A Television Series - Comedy Or Musical
David Duchovny for “Californication”
Best Mini-Series Or TV Movie
Longford (HBO)
Best Actress In A Mini-Series Or TV Movie
Queen Latifah for “Life Support”
Best Actor In A Mini-Series Or TV Movie
Jim Broadbent for “Longford”
Best Supporting Actress In A Series, Mini-Series Or TV Movie
Samantha Morton for “Longford”
Best Supporting Actor In A Series, Mini-Series Or TV Movie
Jeremy Piven for “Entourage”
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HD DVD Price Drops, Blu-Ray Sticks It To Early Adopters
January 13th, 2008An interesting twist in the format war, HD DVD is kicking with what little life it has left. Techconsumer.com has recently pointed of a few interesting tidbits:
Not sure if this is related to the news of Warner Bros. going Blu-ray exclusive, but Amazon has this Toshiba HD DVD player with seven movies for only $139 (the same one I thought I got a deal on a month ago for $174).
Blu-ray players, of course, are still well above $300. Amazon also has a bunch of HD DVD movies for $15. Interestingly, the site has a Blu-ray movie sale going on at the same time. But the difference between the two sales is a telling story:
The Blu-ray sale has a total of 51 movies on sale with only 8 as low as $15 (and most of them suck). The HD DVD sale, on the other hand, has 84 movies on sale with 63 (nearly 8 times as many) at the $15 price point. And there appear to be some decent movies in this mix. Check out the Blu-ray sale here and the HD DVD sale here and judge for yourself. For me, though, it seems like this could be phase 1 of HD DVD liquidation.
So the million dollar question is: how much is a high definition DVD player worth to you if it is the format that has lost the war?
To add to the irony of the less expensive, more consumer-friendly player dying, check out this news: Buyers Beware: Current Blu-ray Players Won’t Correctly Play Future Discs and Blu-ray: Early adopters knew what they were getting into. The titles alone are enough to get any Blu-ray owner frustrated.
The Playstation 3 (which has Blu-ray built-in) appears to be the exception, otherwise Blu-ray players on the market are designed without “future-compatibility capabilities.” This means that bonus features on titles released starting in October will not be playable on current Blu-ray players. Wow.
What makes it even more ironic is that Blu-ray is blaming HD DVD for its problems:
“When asked why current [Blu-ray] players were released to the market in such a primitive state, [Blu-ray] manufacturers blamed the release of HD DVD and said it forced them to come to market too soon. ‘We should have waited another year to introduce Blu-ray to the public, but the format war changed the situation.’”
*Update* The price for the HD DVD player mentioned above was originally $147 when I first started writing this but is now $139. Amazon tends to play games with pricing; be sure to take advantage of the company’s 30-day price guarantee.
Will this make a difference in the format war? Probably not. HD DVD can drop prices drastically, but it’ll be tough to beat the selection of movies Blu-Ray will have now. Cheap is great, but this format war is about movies, something strangely overlooked.
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Xbox 360: The Video Games Of 2008
January 7th, 2008User goldenpp72 has created the following list for your reading pleasure, outlining all the games announced for Xbox 360, the Xbox Live Arcade, and even Xbox Originals. Credit goes to golden himself, member mjc for the mini banner located above, and GAF forum members. The creator of the banner you see below wishes to remain unnamed. Image credit is in the watermarks. Game links go to IGN.com
You can join in and view discussion on the thread, located here:
http://boards.altgn.com/showthread.php?t=60932
NOTE: Only on Xbox does not include PC or Mac platforms.
Age of Conan - Hyborian Adventures (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Eidos Interactive | Developer: Funcom | Date: Quarter 3 |
Alan Wake (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Microsoft | Developer: Remedy | Date: TBA |
Alone in the dark 5 | Publisher: Atari | Developer: Eden Studios | Date: July |
Army of two | Publisher: EA | Developer: EA Montreal | Date: March 4th |
Banjo kazooie 3 (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Microsoft | Developer: Rare | Date: June (rumor) |
Battlefield: Bad company | Publisher: EA | Developer: DICE | Date: March 24th |
Bionic commando | Publisher: Capcom | Developer: Grin/Capcom | Date: TBA
Borderlands | Publisher 2k Games | Developer: Gearbox | Date: Quarter 4 |
Brother in arms: Hell’s Highway | Publisher: Ubisoft | Developer: Gearbox | Date: April |
Brütal legend | Publisher: Vivendi Games | Developer: Double Fine | Date: TBA |
Bully: Scholarship Edition | Publisher: Rockstar | Developer: Rockstar Vancouver | Date: March 4th |
Burnout paradise | Publisher: EA | Developer: Criterion games | Date: January 22nd |
Civilization Revolution | Publisher: 2k Games | Developer: Firaxis | Date: April |
Command & Conquer 3: Kane’s Wrath (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: EA | Developer: EA Los Angeles | Date: March 24th |
Command and Conquer: Tiberium | Publisher: EA | Developer: EA Los Angeles | Date: Quarter 3 |
Condemned 2: Bloodshot | Publisher: Sega | Developer: Monolith Productions | Date: February 26th |
Crash time (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: RTL Entertainment | Developer: Synetic | Date TBA |
Culdcept saga (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Namco Bandai | Developer: Omiya Soft | Date: February 5th |
Dark Messiah of Might & Magic: Elements (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Ubisoft | Developer: Arkane Studios | Date: February 12th |
Dark Sector | Publisher: D3 | Developer: Digital Extremes | Date: March 25th |
Dead Island (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Unknown | Developer: Techland | Date TBA |
Dead Space | Publisher: EA | Developer: EA Redwood Shores | Date: TBA |
Destroy all humans 3 | Publisher: THQ | Developer: Sandblast | Date: TBA
Devil may cry 4 | Publisher: Capcom | Developer: Capcom Production Studio 1 | Date: February 5th |
Dragonball Z: Burst Limit | Publisher: Namco Bandai | Developer: Dimps | Date: TBA
Dynasty warriors 6 | Publisher: Koei | Developer: Omega Force | Date: February 19th |
Elveon (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: 10TACLE Studios | Developer: 10TACLE Studios | Date: TBA |
Enemy Territory: Quake Wars | Publisher: Activision | Developer: Nerve Software/Splash Damage | Date: TBA |
Fable 2 (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Microsoft | Developer: Lionhead Studios | Date: Quarter 3 |
Farcry 2 (pc screen) | Publisher: Ubisoft | Developer: Ubisoft Montreal | Date: TBA |
Fallout 3 | Publisher: Bethesda Softworks | Developer: Bethesda Softworks | Date: Quarter 3 |
Fifa street 3 | Publisher: EA | Developer: EA Canada | Date: February 18th |
Fracture | Publisher: LucasArts | Developer: Day 1 Studios | Date: July |
Frontline: Fuel of war | Publisher: THQ | Developer: Kaos Studios | Date: February 12th |
Ghostbusters 3 | Publisher: Sierra | Developer: Terminal Reality | Date: Quarter 3 |
Grand theft auto 4 | Publisher: Rockstar | Developer: Rockstar North | Date: April |
Guilty Gear 2: Overture (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Unknown | Developer: Arc System works | Date: TBA |
Hail to the Chimp | Publisher: Gamecock | Developer: Wideload Games | Date: Quarter 2 |
Halo wars (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Microsoft | Developer: Ensemble Studios/Bungie | Date: Quarter 3 |
Haze | Publisher: Ubisoft | Developer: Free Radical | Date: TBA (2009 likely) |
Hellboy: The Science of Evil | Publisher: Konami | Developer: Krome Studios | Date: TBA |
Highlander | Publisher: Sci Entertainment Group | Developer: Unknown | Date: TBA (Possibly canceled)
Huxley (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Webzen | Developer: Webzen | Date: TBA |
Infinite undiscovery (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Microsoft/Square Enix | Developer: Tri-Ace | Date: TBA |
Iron Man | Publisher: SEGA | Developer: Secret Level | Date: May |
Just cause 2 | Publisher: Buena Vista Games | Developer: Avalanche Software | Date: TBA |
Kingdom under fire: COD (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Microsoft | Developer: Blueside | Date: January 8th |
Left 4 Dead (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Unknown | Developer: Turtle Rock Studios | Date: June |
Lost odyssey (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Microsoft | Developer: Mistwalker/Feel Plus | Date: February 12th |
Mafia 2 | Publisher: Take Two | Developer: Illusion Softworks | Date: TBA |
Mercenaries 2 | Publisher: EA | Developer: Pandemic Studios | Date: April |
Midnight club: Los Angeles | Publisher: Rockstar | Developer: Rockstar San Diego | Date: April |
Ninja gaiden 2 (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Microsoft/Tecmo | Developer: Team Ninja | Date: TBA |
Operation Darkness (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Atlus/Sega | Developer: Success | Date: TBA |
Operation Flashpoint 2 | Publisher: Codemasters | Developer: Codemasters | Date: TBA |
Postal 3 (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Akella | Developer: Running With Scissors | Date: TBA |
Project Offset (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Unknown | Developer: Offset | Date: TBA |
Prototype | Publisher: Sierra | Developer: Radical Entertainment | Date: Quarter 3 |
Race Driver: GRID | Publisher: Codemasters | Developer: Codemasters | Date: Quarter 2 |
Rainbow Six Vegas 2 | Publisher: Ubisoft | Developer: Ubisoft Montreal | Date: March 11th |
Resident evil 5 (unconfirmed for 2008) | Publisher: Capcom | Developer: Capcom | Date: TBA |
Rise of the Argonauts | Publisher: Codemasters | Developer: Liquid Entertainment | Date: TBA |
Rogue Warrior | Publisher: Bethesda | Developer: Zombie | Date: April |
Sabotage (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Gamecock | Developer: Replay Studios | Date: Quarter 3 |
Saboteur | Publisher: Unknown | Developer: Pandemic Studios | Date: TBA |
Sacred 2 : Fallen Angel (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Ascaron Entertainment | Developer: Ascaron Entertainment | Date: TBA |
Saints Row 2 | Publisher: THQ | Developer: Volition | Date: TBA |
Sega Superstars Tennis | Publisher: Sega | Developer: Sumo Digital | Date: March 4th |
Silent hill 5 | Publisher: Konami | Developer: The Collective/Konami | Date: TBA |
Soul calibur IV | Publisher: Namco Bandai | Developer: Project Soul | Date: Quarter 3 |
Starwars: Force Unleashed | Publisher: LucasArts | Developer: LucasArts | Date: April |
Street fighter 4 | Publisher: Capcom | Developer: Capcom | Date: TBA (Unlikely for 2008) |
Supreme Commander (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Aspyr | Developer: Gas Powered Games | Date: February 18th |
Tales of vesperia (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Namco Bandai | Developer: Team Symphonia | Date: TBA |
The Bourne Conspiracy | Publisher: Vivendi | Developer: High Moon Studios | Date: Quarter 2 |
The club | Publisher: Sega/(Activision?) | Developer: Bizarre Creations | Date: February 19th |
The Last Remnant | Publisher: Square Enix | Developer: Square Enix | Date: TBA |
Tomb raider: Underworld | Publisher: Eidos | Developer: Crystal Dynamics | Date: TBA |
Tom Clancy’s EndWar | Publisher: Ubisoft | Developer: Ubisoft Shanghai | Date: Quarter 2 |
Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell: Conviction (Only On Xbox) | Publisher: Ubisoft | Developer: Ubisoft Montreal | Date: Quarter 2 |
Too human (Only On Xbox)
Top Spin 3
Turok 5
Universe at War: Earth Assault (Only On Xbox)
Unreal tournament 3
Viking: Battle for Asgard
Warhound (Only On Xbox)
World in conflict (Only On Xbox)
Axiom Overdrive (Only On Xbox)
Braid (Only on Xbox)
Castle crashers (Only On Xbox)
Ikaruga (Only On Xbox)
Metal Slug 3 (Only On Xbox)
N+ (Only On Xbox)
Omega 5 (Only On Xbox)
Rez HD (Only On Xbox)
Samurai showdown 2
Super street fighter 2 HD
Amped: Freestyle Snowboarding
Amped 2
Armed and Dangerous
Blinx: The Time Sweeper
Blinx 2: Masters of Time & Space
Blood Wake
Brute Force
Conker: Live & Reloaded
Dead or Alive 3
Deathrow
Dino Crisis 3
The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
Fable bonus content
Grabbed by the Ghoulies
Grand Theft Auto III
Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City
GunValkyrie
Halo 2
Jade Empire
Jet Set Radio Future
Mechassault
MechAssault 2: Lone Wolf
Metal Arms: Glitch in the System
Midtown Madness 3
Ninja Gaiden
Quantum Redshift
Panzer Dragoon Orta
Phantom Dust
Rent-A-Hero No. 1 (Never released!)
Sneakers
Shenmue II (Shenmue Campaign SUCCESS)
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II: The Sith Lords
Stubbs the Zombie in “Rebel Without a Pulse”
Tao Feng: Fist of the Lotus
ToeJam & Earl III: Mission to Earth
Tork: Prehistoric Punk
Voodoo Vince
Whacked!
Confirmed But No Screens Found
Call of duty 5
Mortal kombat 8
guitar hero 4
Dark void
Marvel ultimate alliance 2
Golden axe: Beast rider
Don King presents : Prizefighter
SBK-08 Superbike World Championship
Galactic Command : Excalibur
Rainywoods
Warhammer: Battle march (Only On Xbox)
Rumored/Obvious/Unlikely
Marvel universe online (Only On Xbox)
Rage
Cry on
Star ocean 4
N3 sequel/expansion
Dead or alive 5
Project progressive (team ninja)
Dead or alive code cronus
timesplitters 4
House of the dead 4
Return to castle wolfenstien 2
Star wars battlefront 3
Sports lineup from T2 and EA
Need for speed 2008
Rock band 2
Gears of war 2
Rare FPS (pd2?)
Lost planet black/colonies
Viva pinata 2
Metal gear solid 4 (likely to remain ps3 only, possibly a substance version later)
Time crisis 4 (ps3 only at the moment)
Tekken 6 (ps3 only at the moment)
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Weta To Work On ‘Justice League’ Film
January 7th, 2008Weta Workshops, most famously known for work on ‘The Lord Of The Rings’ trilogy, will be designing costumes for ‘Happy Feet’ director George Miller’s take on the ‘Justice League’ comics.
Barrie Osbourne, who also produced ‘The Lord Of The Rings’, will produced ‘Justice League’ as well. He confirmed it is possible Weta Digital would also do the effects on the film, but it depends on what other commitments the studio has.
No budget has yet been announced for the film that would bring Batman, Superman, Aquaman, The Green Lantern, the Flash, and Wonder Women together. Production begins in Sydney, Australia, soon.
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First Photos From ‘Bond 22′ Set
January 6th, 2008The first photos from the ‘Bond 22′ set, featuring Daniel Craig returning as James Bond, and Judi Dench reprising her role was M, have appeared online. the photos are located over at blog Just Jared.
View all the photos here:
http://justjared.buzznet.com/2008/01/04/daniel-craig-bond-22/#more-23045
Some new casting details have also been reported:
Dark Horizons:
Meanwhile, actress Gemma Arterton has been confirmed by Eon Productions to play the character of ‘Fields’. “Bond 22″ is currently slated for a November 7th 2008 release date.
Just Jared:
It was recently reported that by Variety that Mathieu Amalric, who played a paralyzed stroke victim in The Diving Bell and the Butterfly, will play a villian in Bond 22.
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Thank You, MPAA, For Protecting Children Everywhere!
January 2nd, 2008Ampersand over at amptoons.com recently posted an interesting article pointing out a ridiculous double standard over at the MPAA. Before getting into anything, note this message from the Motion Picture Association of America themselves:
Ads will be seen by all audiences, including children. If the advertising is not suitable for all audiences it will not be approved by the advertising administration.
So if you don’t understand that, allow me to rephrase. If a movie’s poster or preview is not suitable for children, it will be rejected and not allowed to be shown. Simple. So take a quick peek and the following movie posters…
So, can you guess what one was rejected? Was it the poster with the severed head sitting in a scale? The gory hand laying detached and open? The woman hanging from the ceiling, presumably in a very awkward position, suggesting she is about to be tortured? Which was it!?!?
If you guessed ‘None of the Above’ you’d be correct. Whats this mean? Simple. it means the MPAA designates those posters to be ’suitable for children’. Certainly that seems a bit off, but lets not go wild here, what exactly is TOO FAR for the MPAA? Get ready everyone, faster your seat belts, this next poster was REJECTED and deemed NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN.
I’ll let Ampersand take it from here:
This poster for “Taxi To The Dark Side,” a documentary about the U.S. government’s use of torture, is what the MPAA is protecting our children’s tender eyes from.
Because of the hood.
But — the MPAA assures us — their standard is reasonable, because if that “Saw IV” poster had had a hood over the severed head, they would have rejected it too.
Gosh, no double standard there.
Oh, well, at least this is some sort of aberration. It’s not like the MPAA has a history of right-wing double-standards.
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2007 Box Office Numbers
January 2nd, 20082007 tallies are in for the box office, and Hollywood took in a nice little 9.7 billion dollars, 4% higher from last year. Interestingly enough, after taking inflation into account 1.42 billion tickets were sold, thats the same number of tickets sold last year. Hooray expensive movies! Here are this years top ten:
1. Spider-Man 3 - $336.5m
2. Shrek the Third - $321.0m
3. Transformers - $319.1m
4. Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End - $309.4m
5. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - $292.0m
6. The Bourne Ultimatum - $227.5m
7. 300 - $210.6m
8. Ratatouille - $206.4m
9. I Am Legend - $205.1m
10. The Simpsons Movie - 183.1m
Every film besides ‘300′ and ‘I Am Legend’ were summer releases, 5 out of 10 were sequels, including 4 sequels in the top 5. The top 5’s average rating on Rotten Tomatoes is 55.5% , with the highest being Harry Potter and the Order Of The Phenoix at 77%, and the number one film (Spiderman 3) at 66%.
The worst time of the year for Hollywood was the fall, where only three movies surpassed $100 Million (’Bee Movie’,'American Gangster’, and ‘Enchanted’). ‘National Treasure’ and ‘I Am Legend’ closed the year with a nice $350 Million
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LEGO Spoils Some ‘Indiana Jones’
January 1st, 2008Weeks before ‘Indiana Jones And The Kingdom of the Crystal Skull’ hits theaters, LEGO plans on releasing a batch of toys based on the film. Photos have recently leaked showing off some set pieces and maybe some story details.
Dark Horizons gives us a little bit of their take on the toys:
The first reveals a river/jungle chase featuring rubber dinghys, Indy, Marion, alligators, snakes, tree watchposts and 4WD trucks.
The second has a tank with two giant horizontal circular saws for clearing jungle, some kind of Temple entrance, more soldiers and lots of tarantulas.
The third and big one shows the Temple of the Crystal Skull itself. The shot has lots of strange elements including alien skeletons, natives, and hints of the temple itself opening up to reveal something other-worldly.
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‘Bond 22′ Begins Filming This Week
December 31st, 2007Let the hype begin!
As many of you know, Daniel Craig is of course returning to reprise his roll of 007. Director Martin Campbell (Goldeneye, Casino Royale), however, will not be returning. Marc Foster (The Kite Runner, Monster’s Ball) is instead going to helm the production.
According to Foster, only a few ideas of his have been blocked by producers, as they were too expensive.
The tone of the project remains where, in this writers opinion, it should be: “When Bond began in the Connery days, travel was a luxury not everyone could afford. Today, the world has become smaller. If Bond goes to a beach with palm trees it’s almost banal now. The only interesting trip remains the journey inwards, deep in to the psyche.”
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‘Cloverfield’ Goes Viral In the City
December 24th, 2007NBC was recently almost fined for graffiti advertisements in San Francisco, so what did the guys behind the mystery ridden ‘Cloverfield’ use to advertise subtlety?
CHALK!
Of course, this is only a puddle compared to the ocean of Cloverfield related viral marketing…check out some more below:
http://tidowave.com/
http://slusho.jp
Official Trailer
Jennifer Garner is Offered a Slusho on ‘Alias’
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First Showing’s ‘Why 2008 Will Be an Awesome Year For Movies’
December 20th, 2007Firstshowing.net has recently published their end of the year look forward for movies. Last year, they counted 43 movies to look out for. This year, they clocked it in at 53.
Link To Site
Link To Article
Link to 2008 Release Date Calendar
21
Release Date: March 28th, 2008
Director: Robert Luketic (Legally Blonde, Monster-in-Law)
Starring: Jim Sturgess, Aaron Yoo, Kevin Spacey, Kate Bosworth, Laurence Fishburne
Synopsis: 21 is the fact-based story about six MIT students who were trained to become experts in card counting and subsequently took Vegas casinos for millions in winnings.
The Hype: The trailer makes this look like it could be the next best Vegas / cards movie with a great cast, and it’s based off of a great book to start.
Adventureland
Release Date: 2008
Director: Greg Mottola (Superbad)
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Ryan Reynolds, Kristen Stewart, Martin Starr
Synopsis: A comedy set in the summer of 1987 and centered around a recent college grad (Eisenberg) who takes a nowhere job at his local amusement park, only to find it’s the perfect course to get him prepared for the real world.
The Hype: The director of Superbad, the late-summer sleeper hit comedy of 2007, is back again with a film he wrote that has a plot that sounds like it could rival Knocked Up or Superbad.
Australia
Release Date: 2008
Director: Baz Luhrmann (Romeo + Juliet, Moulin Rouge)
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Hugh Jackman, David Wenham
Synopsis: Set in northern Australia before World War II, an English aristocrat who inherits a sprawling ranch reluctantly pacts with a stock-man in order to protect her new property from a takeover plot. As the pair drive 2,000 head of cattle over unforgiving landscape, they experience the bombing of Darwin, Australia, by Japanese forces firsthand.
The Hype: I think just mentioning that this comes from the colorful mind of Moulin Rouge’s Baz Luhrmann and stars Hugh Jackman is enough to confirm that this is one to definitely watch out for.
Babylon A.D.
Release Date: August 29th, 2008
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz (Gothika)
Starring: Vin Diesel, Gérard Depardieu, Michelle Yeoh
Synopsis: Veteran-turned-mercenary Thoorop (Diesel) takes the high-risk job of escorting a woman from Russia to China. Little does he know that she is host to an organism that a cult wants to harvest in order to produce a genetically modified Messiah.
The Hype: It looks like Vin Diesel is returning to his Pitch Black sci-fi roots and delivering a grungy, action-packed sci-fi film with some French finesse.
Be Kind Rewind
Release Date: January 25th, 2008
Director: Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Science of Sleep)
Starring: Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Mia Farrow, Melonie Diaz
Synopsis: A man (Black) whose brain becomes magnetized unintentionally destroys every tape in his friend’s video store. In order to satisfy the store’s most loyal renter, an aging woman with signs of dementia, the two men set out to remake the lost films, which include Back to the Future, The Lion King, and RoboCop.
The Hype: If you haven’t seen it, watch the trailer now. Not only will VHS nostalgia hit hard, but you can’t go wrong with the immensely creative Michel Gondry, Jack Black, and Mos Def all working together!
Blindness
Release Date: August 8th, 2008
Director: Fernando Meirelles (City of God, The Constant Gardener)
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, Gael Garcia Bernal, Danny Glover, Alice Braga
Synopsis: A doctor’s wife becomes the only person with the ability to see in a town where everyone is struck with a mysterious case of sudden blindness. She feigns illness in order to take care of her husband as her surrounding community breaks down into chaos and disorder.
The Hype: Although The Constant Gardener wasn’t a hit, anything City of God director Fernando Meirelles works on is guaranteed to be incredible, and this time around it sounds like it most certainly could be.
The Box
Release Date: Late 2008
Director: Richard Kelly (Donnie Darko, Southland Tales)
Starring: James Marsden, Cameron Diaz, Frank Langella
Synopsis: A small wooden box arrives on the doorstep of a troubled married couple, who open it and become instantly wealthy. Little do they realize that opening the box also kills someone they do not know.
The Hype: Donnie Darko writer/director Richard Kelly is hopefully making a much more down-to-earth movie that’s a solid thriller rather than an off-the-wall “apocalyptic comedy” like Southland Tales.
Burn After Reading
Release Date: Late 2008
Director: Joel Coen & Ethan Coen (O Brother, Where Art Thou?, The Ladykillers, No Country for Old Men)
Starring: George Clooney, John Malkovich, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton
Synopsis: A disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent ends up in the hands of two unscrupulous gym employees who attempt to sell it.
The Hype: After directing one of 2007’s most critically acclaimed movies, No Country for Old Men, the Coen’s are already back finishing up Burn After Reading, and it seems like it could be another brilliant film.
The Changeling
Release Date: 2008
Director: Clint Eastwood (Mystic River, Million Dollar Baby)
Starring: Angelina Jolie, Jeffrey Donovan, John Malkovich, Amy Ryan
Synopsis: A mother’s prayer for her kidnapped son to return home is answered, though it doesn’t take long for her to suspect the boy who comes back is not hers.
The Hype: Eastwood steps back behind the camera with a script by J. Michael Straczynski (”He-Man and the Masters of the Universe”, “Babylon 5″) with what seems like a very promising period mystery story.
Choke
Release Date: Late 2008
Director: Clark Gregg
Starring: Sam Rockwell, Anjelica Huston, Kelly Macdonald, Brad William Henke
Synopsis: A sex-addicted con-man pays for his mother’s hospital bills by playing on the sympathies of those who rescue him from choking to death.
The Hype: The very next movie based on a book by Chuck Palahniuk since Fight Club in 1999. It’s debuting at Sundance and I’m hoping Clark Gregg kept the story intact enough for it to be even remotely as good as Fight Club.
The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
Release Date: May 16th, 2008
Director: Andrew Adamson (Shrek, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe)
Starring: Georgie Henley, William Moseley, Anna Popplewell, Ben Barnes, Warwick Davis
Synopsis: The Pevensie siblings return to Narnia, where they are enlisted to once again help ward off an evil king and restore the rightful heir to the land’s throne, Prince Caspian.
The Hype: Although I’m not a huge fan of the first Chronicles of Narnia from 2004, the trailer for this sequel makes it look a lot darker, grungier, and intense and it’s certainly captured my attention.
City of Ember
Release Date: October 10th, 2008
Director: Gil Kenan (Monster House)
Starring: Bill Murray, Tim Robbins, Martin Landau, Toby Jones
Synopsis: For generations, the people of the City of Ember have flourished in an amazing world of glittering lights. But Ember’s once powerful generator is failing, and the great lamps that illuminate the city are starting to flicker.
The Hype: The concept just sounds ridiculously cool, and you combine that with Bill Murray and I’m very interested to see what this is all about.
Cloverfield
Release Date: January 18th, 2008
Director: Matt Reeves (”Felicity”)
Starring: Michael Stahl-David, Mike Vogel, Lizzy Caplan, Jessica Lucas
Synopsis: Revolves around a monster attack in New York as told from the point of view of a small group of people.
The Hype: You’ve all seen the trailers by now and at this point the “what the hell is it?!” buzz is higher than almost any other movie in 2008. The early reviews have been all positive, and a new classic could be in the making.
Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Release Date: 2008
Director: David Fincher (Se7en, Fight Club, Zodiac)
Starring: Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, Tilda Swinton, Elias Koteas
Synopsis: Tells the story of Benjamin Button, a man who starts aging backwards with bizarre consequences.
The Hype: You take an intriguing story idea, combine it with Brad Pitt, and then let Fight Club director David Fincher make it all come to life - I’m there in an instant!
The Dark Knight
Release Date: July 18th, 2008
Director: Christopher Nolan (Memento, Batman Begins, The Prestige)
Starring: Christian Bale, Heath Ledger, Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Aaron Eckhart, Maggie Gyllenhaal
Synopsis: Batman and James Gordon join forces with Gotham’s new District Attorney, Harvey Dent, to take on a psychotic bank robber known as The Joker, whilst other forces plot against them, and Joker’s crimes grow more and more deadly.
The Hype: Batman returns in the sequel to Christopher Nolan’s 2005 revamp, and he’s back fighting the Joker. This is already on its way to becoming the best movie of 2008 (or at least the biggest money-maker) from the early marketing alone. And the latest trailer is an absolute hit itself.
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Release Date: December 12th, 2008
Director: Scott Derrickson (The Exorcism of Emily Rose)
Starring: Keanu Reeves, Jennifer Connelly, Kathy Bates
Synopsis: A remake of the 1951 classic sci-fi film about an alien visitor and his giant robot counterpart who visit Earth.
The Hype: Although the response is quite negative at the moment, this could turn out pretty good if all the right elements fall into place, and that includes Keanu Reeves’ performance and Scott Derrickson’s directing.
Eagle Eye
Release Date: August 8th, 2008
Director: D.J. Caruso (The Salton Sea, Disturbia)
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Michellle Monaghan, Rosario Dawson
Synopsis: A young slacker and a single mom get tangled up in a terrorist cell plotting a political assassination.
The Hype: The duo that made Disturbia a huge hit earlier this year, director D.J. Caruso and Shia LaBeouf, are back together again in another thriller that sounds quite promising.
Fanboys
Release Date: 2008
Director: Kyle Newman
Starring: Sam Huntington, Dan Fogler, Jay Baruchel, Kristen Bell
Synopsis: Star Wars fans travel to Skywalker Ranch to steal an early copy of Episode I: The Phantom Menace for their dying friend.
The Hype: The long-delayed Star Wars comedic adventure is supposed to finally hit theaters in 2008 and you know what, I’m still looking forward to it like the Star Wars geek I am.
The Fighter
Release Date: 2008
Director: Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain)
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Brad Pitt
Synopsis: A look at the early years of boxer “Irish” Micky Ward and his brother who helped train him before going pro in the mid ’80s.
The Hype: Visionary filmmaker Darren Aronofsky is finally taking on a more mainstream film that will likely still include his incredible cinematography and brilliant filmmaking techniques.
The Forbidden Kingdom
Release Date: April 18th, 2008
Director: Rob Minkoff (The Lion King, Stuart Little, The Haunted Mansion)
Starring: Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Michael Angarano
Synopsis: A discovery made by a kung fu obsessed American teen sends him on an adventure to China, where he joins up with a band of martial arts warriors in order to free the imprisoned Monkey King.
The Hype: Despite Rob Minkoff’s family film background, this kung fu epic still looks incredible, especially featuring Jet Li and Jackie Chan as well as fight choreography by Matrix and Kill Bill choreographer Yuen Wo Ping.
Frost/Nixon
Release Date: 2008
Director: Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind, Cinderella Man, The Da Vinci Code)
Starring: Frank Langella, Michael Sheen, Kevin Bacon, Sam Rockwell, Toby Jones, Matthew Macfadyen
Synopsis: A dramatic retelling of the post-Watergate television interviews between British talk-show host David Frost and former president Richard Nixon.
The Hype: Ron Howard’s latest since The Da Vinci Code promises to be an epic political look at Nixon and Frost’s interviews, and it’s not often that Howard screws up.
Get Smart
Release Date: June 20th, 2008
Director: Peter Segal (Naked Gun 33 1/3, Anger Management, 50 First Dates)
Starring: Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway, Dwayne Johnson, Terence Stamp, Alan Arkin
Synopsis: Maxwell Smart, Agent 86 for CONTROL, battles the forces of KAOS with the more-competent Agent 99 at his side.
The Hype: Possibly already the big comedy hit of 2008, it’s the first movie since The Producers in 2005 to have Mel Brooks’ touch. Besides that, the footage already out has planted this solidly as the soon-to-be funniest spy movie of the decade.
The Happening
Release Date: June 13th, 2008
Director: M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Signs, The Village)
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Zooey Deschanel, John Leguizamo, Spencer Breslin
Synopsis: A paranoid thriller about a family on the run from a natural crisis that presents a large-scale threat to humanity.
The Hype: Although not everyone is a fan (anymore), I always look forward to M. Night’s movies and the early buzz is that The Happening is the most R-rated intense film he’s made to date.
Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
Release Date: November 21st, 2008
Director: David Yates (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Helena Bonham Carter, Jim Broadbent, Robbie Coltrane, Warwick Davis
Synopsis: As Harry Potter begins his 6th year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, he discovers an old book marked mysteriously “This book is the property of the Half-Blood Prince” and begins to learn more about Lord Voldemort’s dark past.
The Hype: As the series works its way to the seventh and final book, it continues to ramp up the energy and improve in various ways, as not only have the actors gained experience, but so have the directors.
Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
Release Date: July 11th, 2008
Director: Guillermo del Toro (Blade II, Hellboy, Pan’s Labyrinth)
Starring: Ron Perlman, Selma Blair, Doug Jones, Luke Goss, Thomas Kretschmann
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 Hype: Guillermo, Perlman, Blair, and Jones are all much more experienced as we return to the Hellboy universe again since the first film in 2004. And del Toro, now a more well known director, is putting more energy, effort, and excellence into this sequel.
The Incredible Hulk
Release Date: June 13th, 2008
Director: Louis Leterrier (The Transporter, Unleashed)
Starring: Edward Norton, Liv Tyler, Tim Roth, William Hurt, Tim Blake Nelson
Synopsis: 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 Hype: Seeing Edward Norton take on the role of the Hulk is the best thing that could ever happen to this comic book adaptation, and the passion he is bringing combined with Louis Leterrier directing will result in the Hulk movie we’ve always wanted.
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
Release Date: May 22nd, 2008
Director: Steven Spielberg (Jurassic Park, Saving Private Ryan, Munich)
Starring: Harrison Ford, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, Karen Allen, Ray Winstone, Jim Broadbent
Synopsis: The latest installment of Indiana Jones is set at the height of the Cold War in 1957.
The Hype: This needs no introduction. Dr Jones returns to the big screen 18 years after The Last Crusade and 19 years older with Shia LaBeouf as his new sidekick.
The International
Release Date: August 15th, 2008
Director: Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run, Perfume: The Story of a Murderer)
Starring: Clive Owen, Naomi Watts, Ulrich Thomsen
Synopsis: An Interpol agent attempts to expose a high-profile financial institution’s role in an international arms dealing ring.
The Hype: The combination of Tom Tykwer, an incredibly visionary German filmmaker, and Clive Owen can only mean great things.
Iron Man
Release Date: May 2nd, 2008
Director: Jon Favreau (Elf, Zathura)
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Terrence Howard, Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges
Synopsis: When billionaire 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 Hype: The first trailer and early footage show what will be an awesome introduction to this superhero, guaranteed. It already seems like Favreau was born to direct this.
James Bond 22
Release Date: November 7th, 2008
Director: Marc Forster (Finding Neverland, Stranger Than Fiction, The Kite Runner)
Starring: Daniel Craig, Judi Dench, Giancarlo Giannini, Gemma Arterton
Synopsis: Bond is back in the 22nd installment.
The Hype: After Craig was immensely praised as the newest Bond in the successful reboot of the franchise in 2006, everyone is looking forward to the follow-up and where it will take Bond next.
Jumper
Release Date: February 14th, 2008
Director: Doug Liman (Go, The Bourne Identity, Mr. & Mrs. Smith)
Starring: Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson, Rachel Bilson, Jamie Bell
Synopsis: A genetic anomaly allows a young man to teleport himself anywhere. He discovers this gift has existed for centuries and finds himself in a war that has been raging for thousands of years between “Jumpers” and those who have sworn to kill them.
The Hype: The latest trailer makes this out to be one hell of an exciting sci-fi action flick and with Doug Liman’s previous track record, it doesn’t look like it could be anything but good.
Kung Fu Panda
Release Date: June 6th, 2008
Director: Mark Osborne & John Stevenson
Starring: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Ian McShane
Synopsis: Po the Panda is the laziest animals in all of the Valley of Peace, but unwittingly becomes the chosen one when enemies threaten their way of life.
The Hype: The most I can say is that this looks like a good DreamWorks CGI film. It has the right voice actors and story to possibly become something classic.
The Love Guru
Release Date: June 20th, 2008
Director: Marco Schnabel
Starring: Mike Myers, Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake, Romany Malco
Synopsis: Pitka, an American raised outside of his country by gurus, returns to the States in order to break into the self-help business. His first challenge: To settle the romantic troubles and subsequent professional skid of a star hockey player whose wife left him for a rival athlete.
The Hype: Mike Myers is back with his first original character creation since Austin Powers and if he pulls it off, it could be possibly be better than that series.
The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
Release Date: August 1st, 2008
Director: Rob Cohen (Fast and the Furious, xXx, Stealth)
Starring: Brendan Fraser, Maria Bello, Jet Li, Michelle Yeoh, Luke Ford
Synopsis: In the Far East, trouble-seeking father-and-son duo Rick and Alex O’Connell unearth the mummy of the first Emperor of Qin - a shape-shifting entity who was cursed by a wizard centuries ago.
The Hype: Despite the hack of a filmmaker Rob Cohen is directing, the photos released of Jet Li and Brendan Fraser have built up some excitement for the return to The Mummy franchise.
The Other Boleyn Girl
Release Date: February 29th, 2008
Director: Justin Chadwick (”Bleak House”)
Starring: Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana, Kristin Scott Thomas
Synopsis: Based on a novel by Philippa Gregory, The Other Boleyn Girl revolves around the ferociously ambitious Boleyn sisters, Mary and Anne, who are rivals for the bed and heart of 16th century English King Henry VIII.
The Hype: The first trailer has pinned this as an intense, emotional, and powerful drama about two competing sisters. Even I’m interested in this despite having a passionate dislike for period pieces.
Pineapple Express
Release Date: August 8th, 2008
Director: David Gordon Green (George Washington, All the Real Girls, Snow Angels)
Starring: Seth Rogen, James Franco, Amber Heard
Synopsis: A stoner and his dealer are forced to go on the run from the police after the pothead witnesses a cop commit a murder.
The Hype: The powerhouse Judd Apatow production team is ready to redefine and reinvigorate the stoner comedy genre with Pineapple Express, a half-action, half-comedy mega-movie.
Rambo
Release Date: January 25th, 2008
Director: Sylvester Stallone (Paradise Alley, Rocky Balboa)
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Julie Benz, Paul Schulze, Matthew Marsden
Synopsis: In Thailand, John Rambo assembles a group of mercenaries and leads them up the Salween River to a Burmese village where a group of Christian aid workers allegedly went missing.
The Hype: Like Rocky before it, Sly Stallone has returned to put a final cap on this franchise and so far the incredibly gory trailers have evoked an overwhelmingly positive response.
Repo! The Genetic Opera!
Release Date: April 25th, 2008
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II, III, IV)
Starring: Alexa Vega, Paul Sorvino, Paris Hilton, Nivek Ogre, Sarah Brightman
Synopsis: A worldwide epidemic encourages a biotech company to launch an organ-financing program similar in nature to a standard car loan. The repossession clause is a killer, however.
The Hype: Although I’m still unsure of what exactly to expect, Repo is such an off-the-wall and unique concept that I can’t help but be excited to see what Darren Lynn Bousman has cooked up.
RocknRolla
Release Date: October 3rd, 2008
Director: Guy Ritchie (Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch)
Starring: Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton, Chris “Ludacris” Bridges, Jeremy Piven
Synopsis: London’s criminal underworld takes notice of a Russian mobster’s shady land deal, a scam that puts millions of dollars up for grabs.
The Hype: Possibly Guy Ritchie’s big return to excellent British mob movies since 2000 and Snatch, which is a great thing considering how awesome and how unique of a filmmaker Ritchie is.
The Ruins
Release Date: April 4th, 2008
Director: Carter Smith
Starring: Jonathan Tucker, Jena Malone, Shawn Ashmore, Joe Anderson
Synopsis: A group of friends whose leisurely Mexican holiday takes a turn for the worse when they, along with a fellow tourist embark on a remote archaeological dig in the jungle, where something evil lives among the ruins.
The Hype: Early buzz is saying that this could be the big horror movie of 2008, especially being adapted from an apparently quite horrific novel.
Scanners
Release Date: October 17th, 2008
Director: Darren Lynn Bousman (Saw II, III, IV, Repo! The Genetic Opera!)
Starring: Unannounced
Synopsis: Remake of the 1981 David Cronenberg horror classic in which “Scanners” have great psychic power, strong enough to control minds. Doctor Paul Ruth finds a scanner that Revok hasn’t, and converts him to their cause - to destroy the underground movement.
The Hype: Bousman is supposedly taking on this remake of the “exploding head” 1981 classic, and I’m insanely curious to see how he’ll revamp it.
Semi-Pro
Release Date: February 29th, 2008
Director: Kent Alterman
Starring: Will Ferrell, Woody Harrelson, André Benjamin, Will Arnett
Synopsis: Jackie Moon, the owner-coach-player of the American Basketball Association’s Flint Michigan Tropics, rallies his teammates to make their NBA dreams come true.
The Hype: Might be the best Will Ferrell comedy since Anchorman. The