Matt’s Top Films to look out for in 2008

"the Cloverfield mystery will be uncovered"

Matt’s Top Films to look out for in 2008

2008 looks like being another great year for cinemagoers with something for all tastes.

As a huge comic book fan I’m particularly excited about The Dark Knight, which is the follow up to Batman Begins. Christian Bale slips back into the bat-suit and is given a cool new weapon packed bat-motorbike with which to battle the return of perhaps his greatest foe… The Joker (Heath Ledger filling the twisted shoes last filled by Jack Nicholson). Also we’ll get a new reworking of The Incredible Hulk (hopefully more ‘incredible’ than the last Hulk movie) and Iron Man, which will see Robert Downey Jr. saving the world in his high tech personal armour bodysuit.

Family flavoured film highlights are likely to be the return of some heavy hitting favourites – Harry Potter hits the screen for the sixth time in Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. And talking of princes – everyone is also invited back to Narnia to meet Prince Caspian in what looks like a stunning and more savage follow up to the Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe. Plus the latest series of kid friendly fantasy books to make the leap to the cinema are The Spiderwick Chronicles, about an alternate world full of faeries and other strange creatures.

Action fans should prepare to get reacquainted with a certain adventurous archaeologist - Mr Indiana Jones as he comes out of retirement to visit the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Or buckle up for Speed Racer, which sees the creators of The Matrix bring the classic 1960's Japanese animated series of bang up to date featuring the fastest car on the planet, the Mach 5. Doug ‘Bourne Identity’ Liman burst back with what looks like a seriously exciting sci fi actioner called Jumper. A terrifying tale about a man who has to fight for his life against a hoard of vicious jumpers, just kidding, actually Jumper stars Hayden Christensen as a guy who can ‘jump’ as in teleport at will.

If the word ‘teleport’ caught your eye, chances are you might be a Trekkie, in which case it’s my pleasure to be able to report that Star Trek will get a big budget re-imagining in ’08 that boldly go into the early days of James T. Kirk and his fellow USS Enterprise crew members.



Also in the realms of sci fi is the mysterious Cloverfield, the stunning trailer featured the Statue of Liberty's head being blown off certainly got people talking about this monster attacking New York tale which should satisfy those looking for an edge of the seat thriller.

For quality seekers the Coen Brothers are back with their unstoppable killer tale in No Country for Old Men, which pits Tommy Lee Jones against one of the most fearsome hitmen ever. For Oscar buzz Paul ‘Magnolia’ Thomas Anderson’s There Will Be Blood where family, greed, religion, and oil, combine in the life of a turn-of-the-century Texas prospector (Daniel Day-Lewis).

More drama in the new big screen version of ‘80s series Brideshead Revisited with a classy cast reliving the memoirs of Captain Charles Ryder: stationed at Brideshead Castle during WWII. And that other English export James Bond will be back in the follow up Casino Royale which is in the capable hands of director Marc ‘Monsters Ball’ Forster.



Horror fans can look forward to All the Boys Love Mandy Lane, featuring hot upcoming actress Amber Heard in the title role, plus Ghost Town (scarily with Ricky Gervais on the cast list) or the annual death by numbers Saw V…

According to my wife, no advance film listing is valid without listing at least one romantic comedy and so if you’re looking for some Colin Firth swoon action you’ll probably want to check out The Accidental Husband where he’ll be romancing Uma Thurman.

Finally several other titles to keep on your radar should include Tim Burton’s Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, WALL – E (Pixar does cute robot tale) or Get Smart, which sees Steve Carell playing spies for comic effect.

One thing is for sure – there looks like being lots of reasons to visit the cinema in 2008, might see you there!?



Darkmatters: H O M E