Screen Rant’s 2008 Movie Preview & Recommendations

Here is the official Screen Rant 2008 movie preview! Below you’ll find a list of 48 movies that you’ll most likely consider seeing this year along with a description, month of release and recommendation for each one.

I realize that “Top 10″ lists are all the rage at the end of the year and you’ve probably noticed that there haven’t been any of those here. I did think about it, but really – there were already so many other sites churning them out (and some of them did quite a nice job) that I didn’t feel the need. Plus, I just didn’t see enough movies in 2007 to be able to create my own list of best, worst or otherwise.

However 2008 looks like it’s going to be a pretty awesome year for movie fans. To prove it, from the list below movies that get a pre-release recommendation from me outnumber obvious stinkers by a margin of almost three to one! I was truly not prepared for numbers like those when I set out to create this preview.

Now I’m not going to mention every movie under the sun here – just the ones that I think Screen Rant readers will be most interested in. Namely, sci fi, fantasy, and superhero flicks with a few others thrown in. There are view-worthy movies not mentioned below as well as upcoming bombs that are missing from the following list.

Keep in mind that my predictions are based on my most excellent gut-check instincts but are no guarantee that I am 100% on the mark regarding how great or awful the movies listed below will be.

So read on to see Screen Rant’s 2008 movie preview and recommendations of what you should go out of your way to see – and what you should avoid like the plague.

Winter / Spring 2008

There’s not usually much during this time of year, but 2008 looks surprisingly strong for movies in the following months.

JANUARY

Cloverfield
If you haven’t heard of this J.J. Abrams monster movie, you don’t spend ANY time surfing the web. This one is right around the corner and the buzz has been building since last July via a vague early trailer and viral marketing.

SR says: This could be really cool, but the anticipation for it is so high that it will be difficult to meet expectations.
See it?: Yes

Rambo
Much like the recent Rocky Balboa film, Stallone brings back one of his iconic characters for another go-round.

SR says: As in the recent Rocky movie, Stallone is going to show Rambo in the context of the passage of time since the last movie. It worked for Rocky and I’m betting it will work for Rambo. Leave the kiddies at home for this one, folks.

See it?: Yes

Meet the Spartans
A low-brow take-off on the 2007 hit 300.

SR says: If you must watch this, wait for the DVD release, drink heavily and then pop in the movie. Maybe then you’ll find it funny.

See it?: No

Untraceable
Diane Lane stars in this suspense film where serial killer meets YouTube.

SR says: Dumbest poster ever and no doubt anyone who knows anything about computers will roll their eyes at what transpires in this movie.

See it?: No

FEBRUARY

Jumper
Hayden Christensen and Samuel L. Jackson star in a sci fi thriller involving a small number of people who have the ability to teleport – and those who hunt them.

SR says: This has “sleeper” written all over it. I’m betting it’ll be one of those little gems that may not make a lot of money but will be thoroughly enjoyed by those who show up to watch it.

See it?: Yes

The Spiderwick Chronicles
A young boy discovers a world of goblins and fairies that exists just beneath the surface of what we can see.

SR says: A high quality film that will make a ton of money from family audiences.

See it?: Yes

Be Kind Rewind
A Jack Black comedy about a guy who mistakenly erases all the videos at a rental store and who creates his own versions of popular movies that end up being wildly popular themselves.

SR says: I don’t cover comedies much here, but the buzz on this is quite excellent and Jack Black has not yet jumped the shark.

See it?: Yes

The Signal
A trio of directors each creates one third of this horror film about a mysterious signal that causes the population to go violently insane.

SR says: I’ve seen this and gave it an excellent review but there doesn’t seem to be much interest in it for some reason. Unfortunately I don’t think this one will do very well.

See it?: Yes

Vantage Point
The attempted assassination of a U.S. President is told through multiple points of view.

SR says: I’ve only seen one trailer for this but it looks like it’s going to be quite good and features the likes of Forest Whitaker, Sigourney Weaver, Dennis Quaid and William Hurt.

See it?: Yes

Semi-Pro
Will Ferrell stars in a comedy about professional volleyball players.

SR says: Either you like Ferrell’s style as of late or you don’t. I haven’t liked him since Elf.

See it?: No

The Eye
Jessica Alba stars in a remake of yet another Japanese horror movie as a woman who receives an eye transplant from a now-deceased killer.

SR says: As usual, I’m betting the original Japanese version is better than the remake, although Alba is never a strain on the eyes, so there is that.

See it?: No

The Hottie and the Nottie
Paris Hilton stars in a comedy.

SR says: Do I really have to add anything to that?

See it?: Hell no

MARCH

10,000 BC
Roland Emmerich follows up The Day After Tomorrow with an epic caveman movie.

SR says: Sorry, but while this one looks like it will have cool visuals, but much like the movie I just mentioned it’s going to be mildly mediocre at best.

See it?: Your call

Doomsday
A futuristic action thriller where a team of people work to prevent a disaster threatening the future of the human race from the director of The Descent.

SR says: I only saw the one preview for this at the San Diego Comic-con. It had a very strong Damnation Alley vibe, and while I didn’t love The Descent, I do believe director Neil Marshall is a talented guy.

See it?: Yes

Horton Hears a Who
Jim Carrey provides the voice for the lead character in another screen version of a Dr Seuss classic.

SR says: While it looks like it’s strictly for the kiddies, at least it looks more true to the source material than the God-awful live action The Grinch Who Stole Christmas, which also starred Carrey.

See it?: Yes, if you have very young children

Superhero!
A comedic send-up of superhero movies.

SR says: Haven’t heard of this one? Me neither. It’s from the guy who brought us the last couple of Scary Movie films. Folks, pass on this one and wait for Will Smith in Hancock.

See it?: No

APRIL

Leatherheads
A George Clooney-directed and starring comedy about the birth of professional football back in the 1920’s.

SR says: Hey, look… a comedy that actually looks funny without resorting to moronic humor!

See it?: Yes

Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay
The guys from White Castle are imprisoned at Guantanamo. Much hilarity is supposed to ensue.

SR says: Ok, I haven’t seen their first movie yet, but trying to extract laughs from Guantanamo and terrorists? Doubtful.

See it?: Your call

The Forbidden Kingdom
A teen obsessed with martial arts is transported to China to fight alongside Kung Fu warriors.

SR says: Jackie Chan and Jet Li together in one movie and it turns out to be this? It looks like a PG-rated fantasy/fish out of water flick instead of a real kung-fu movie.

See it?: Your call

Summer 2008

This is it folks, the premium movie viewing season for those of us that love a great blockbuster, and this summer’s looking really good!

MAY

Iron Man
Robert Downey Jr as Tony Stark: Billionaire weapons manufacturer who while captured creates a powerful suit of armor and uses it to fight the forces of evil.

SR says: I’ve personally been waiting for this film my whole life and what a relief it is that it’s looking like they’re going to knock it out of the park. Iron Man has gone from relative obscurity to one of the most highly anticipated films of 2008!

See it?: Hell Yes!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
After almost 20 years Harrison Ford reprises his role as the archaeological adventurer with George Lucas and Stephen Spielberg at the helm.

SR says: While I’m trying to temper my enthusiasm about this, most people are extremely excited about it. While I think it’s a longshot that Lucas and Spielberg can inject the youthful exuberance of the previous films into this one, I’m not betting against it. We are talking about Spielberg as director, after all!

See it?: Yes

Speed Racer
The Wachowskis (who brought us The Matrix films) are finally back with a live action version of the 1960’s anime series.

SR says: This is going to be either incredibly popular or will seem totally cheesy with a surreal, psychedelic look. Amazingly they’ve opted to go for a G-rating on this one.

See it?: Yes

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian
A follow up to the financial mega-hit The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe based on the C.S. Lewis novel.

SR says: While the first one was ok, I thought it fell a bit short overall. This one looks like it may be more powerful and engaging than the previous film.

See it?: Yes

Starship Dave
A crew of miniature aliens operate a spaceship that has a human form. While trying to save their planet, the aliens encounter a new problem, as their ship becomes smitten with an Earth woman.

SR says: Eddie Murphy tries to make his comedic comeback. Again. Sorry, Eddie, but much like Chevy Chase, it looks like you’ve lost your comedy mojo.

See it?: No

Sex and the City: The Movie
A big screen version of the popular HBO series starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Kim Catrrall.

SR says: The only reason I mention this is to tell you how much I don’t care about this movie.

See it?: No

JUNE

You Don’t Mess with the Zohan
Adam Sandler plays an Israeli counter-terrorist expert who leaves everything behind to come to America to become… a hair stylist.

SR says: It’s always dangerous to draw a conclusion about a comedy based on a trailer, but believe it or not this one looks really funny to me.

See it?: Yes

The Happening
Famous twist-ending director M. Night Shyamalan returns with an apocalyptic thriller.

SR says: Shyamalan has lost some of his prestige with recent films but if he can check his ego at the door this may end up being a decent flick (although if what I hear is true and the story being about Earth itself killing off humans to save itself, I’ll vomit.

See it?: Yes

The Incredible Hulk
A reboot of The Hulk superhero movie franchise starring big names like Ed Norton, Liv Tyler and William Hurt and directed by the guy who brought us the adrenaline/action movie The Transporter.

SR says: Up until now there has been an incredible lack of buzz about this one but I’m betting it’s going to sneak up on us all and be awesome.

See it?: Yes

Get Smart
A remake of the 1960’s TV show with Steve Carell and Anne Hathaway.

SR says: Although both of these actors are very funny in the right roles, the director doesn’t exactly have a stellar track record when it comes to funny movies.

See it?: Undecided

Wall-E
The next Pixar movie starring a cute little lonely robot in the far off future.

SR says: It’s Pixar so it will be awesome. That is all you need to know.

See it?: Yes

Wanted
Action flick about professional assassins based on graphic novels by Mark Millar. Stars Morgan Freeman and Angelina Jolie.

SR says: Based on the trailer this looks like a cool Matrix-style action flick.

See it?: Yes

JULY

Hancock
Will Smith as a slacker who happens to possess super-powers and causes almost as much destruction as he prevents when he flies into action.

SR says: Based on the trailer and Will Smith, this looks to be a very funny twist on the superhero genre.

See it?: Yes

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
Guillermo del Toro writes and directs Ron Perlman as the wise-cracking Hellboy once again in this story of an epic battle between good and evil.

SR says: I just re-watched the first one and had forgotten how excellent it was. With Del Toro coming back for this sequel I’m really looking forward to it.

See it?: Yes

The Dark Knight
Chris Nolan once again directs Christian Bale as Batman in this follow-up to Batman Begins which pits our hero against his ultimate nemesis: The Joker.

SR says: As much as I’m a huge Iron Man fan, this movie is tied with that for the one I’m most looking forward to in 2008, no question about it.

See it?: Do you really even need me to answer this one?

The X-Files 2
Little is known about the story for this film which once again pairs up Scully and Mulder.

SR says: Other writers here at Screen Rant are excited about this, but not I. At least I hear it’s going to be a standalone movie instead of continuing down the ridiculously twisted plot path established in the TV series and previous film.

See it?: Your call

AUGUST

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor
This is The Mummy 3, another addition to this series after a seven year hiatus. Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh join the cast in this story penned by the guys behind TV’s Smallville.

SR says: The previous two films were the lightest sort of popcorn movie fluff imaginable, so while this may turn out to be mindless fun, it’s not my kind of mindless fun.

See it?: Your call

Dragonball
A live action film based on the long running Japanese animated series.

SR says: I’m completely unfamiliar with the animated version so I’ll be coming to this one completely fresh and have no opinion at this point.

See it?: Undecided

Trailer Trash
Eli Roth takes fake movie trailers, the concept that filled the space between Planet Terror and Death Proof in the box office bomb Grindhouse, and turns the idea into a full 90 minute experience.

SR says: It’s a great idea as most people love movie trailers (myself included), but Roth’s fake trailer for the fictional horror movie Thanksgiving was particularly vile. I can’t imagine sitting through 90 minutes of horror movie trailers by him and I don’t know if too many others will either. Plus if it fails Roth will no doubt blame everyone else for it.

See it?: No

Babylon A.D.
Vin Diesel returns to the big screen as a mercenary transporting a woman who unknown to him carries a genetically modified organism.

SR says: There really isn’t enough out about this movie to make a judgement either way, but at least it looks like they’re putting Vin in the sort of role he was born to play.

See it?: Yes

Fall / Winter 2008

Well that’s it for the big summer movie season, although you might still include September in that with the next couple of movies. While there are still a couple of heavy hitters in the following list, most of the action for 2008 is now behind us at this point.

SEPTEMBER

Punisher: War Zone
Frank Castle (but not Thomas Jane) returns to fight crime, this time in New York City.

SR says: I thought the last one was a misfire and am hoping for more from this latest version, but it’s being directed by a GIRL. (I’m kidding, hopefully Lexi Alexander will do a great job.)

See it?: Yes

Death Race 3000
A remake of the early 70’s Roger Corman cult classic about a society in the near future that is entertained by a cross country race where pedestrians are run over for points.

SR says: Although I’m a big fan of Jason Statham, it’s being directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. What does that mean? Massive suckage, folks, that’s what.

See it?: Yes, but only if you want to see how terrible a movie can be

OCTOBER

Valkyrie
A Tom Cruise movie about a German officer who plots to assassinate Hitler during World War II.

SR says: Bryan Singer directs and except for his less than stellar Superman Returns, he has an excellent track record.

See it?: Yes

Scanners
A remake of the cult classic sci fi horror flick by David Cronenberg about telekinetic people being used by the government to carry out assassinations.

SR says: Beyond David Goyer being attached to direct, right now nothing is known about this film. Gut check-o-meter says it shouldn’t be made.

See it?: Undecided, but leaning towards no

Saw 5
The fifth in this gore-driven horror series.

SR says: Yawn.

See it?: No. Is this really necessary?

NOVEMBER

James Bond 22
Not much is known about this beyond the fact that Daniel Craig is returning.

SR says: While Martin Campbell, who directed the previous film is not returning, Marc Forster who has taken the reins has an excellent resume.

See it?: Yes

Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
The next (and final?) Harry Potter movie.

SR says: Sorry I can’t tell you more or if I’m unsure whether this is the last. I’m just not that big a fan of the series and I don’t read the books. I’m sure it’ll make a ton of money.

See it?: Yes

DECEMBER

The Day the Earth Stood Still
A remake of the classic 1950’s Cold War era sci fi movie, this time starring Keanu Reeves as the enigmatic visitor from another world.

SR says: I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again regarding remakes: Stay. Away. From. Classic. Films.

See it?: Yes, just to see how badly they mess it up

Star Trek 11
J.J. Abrams reboots the Star Trek universe for a new generation.

SR says: I’m torn on this one. I want it to be great but doing a brand new version of such an iconic TV and movie franchise with brand new actors portraying the original ones is a VERY risky proposition.

See it?: Yes, no matter which way it goes, this is a must see

Well there you have it – the high (and low) lights of the 2008 movie season. It looks like it’s actually going to be a very good year with far fewer sequels than we saw in 2007. If you’d like see what we consider the hottest 15 films from the above list to, check out our most anticipated movies of 2008.

Please chime in with your opinions on the list above, whether you agree or disagree.