Paramount PicturesWith a new year upon us and my top 10 of 2007 officially last year's news, it's time to take a look at the films I'm most excited for in '08. This doesn't mean these'll be the best movies, of course, but they're the ones that I, as a fan of film, have been reading and hearing about for a long, long time.
10. Star Trek: I have never considered myself a Trekkie, or even a knowledgeable fan of the genre, but thanks to my good buddy Hyla, from Yo on E!, my mind has been opened to the world of Captain Kirk. J.J. Abrams (Lost) is behind this franchise relaunch and has made some great casting choices, like Chris Pine as Kirk and Zachary Quinto as Spock. Opens on Christmas Day, so we've got some time to see how Abrams can keep it up.
9. Be Kind Rewind: I've actually already seen this one. I just want to make sure you guys don't miss the boat on this hilarious and incredibly intelligent and original film from director Michel Gondry (The Science of Sleep, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind). Jack Black and Mos Def star alongside Danny Glover in this witty and totally unique movie that only a writer-director like Gondry could execute. This one is gonna stay on the real top 10, I can feel it.
8. Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay: The guys who wrote the first one got the shot to direct this latest stoner adventure, and they invited me down to the set in Louisiana. (Good looking out, Jon and Hayden!) This time around, Harold and Kumar are boarding a flight to Amsterdam—for the museums and pancakes, of course—when they get mistaken for terrorists, and madness most likely ensues. Kal Penn is a good dude, and he was my first celebrity sighting when I moved to Los Angeles, getting a haircut at the Standard hotel. John Cho has two movies on my list, as he has also signed on for Star Trek as Sulu…whoever that is.
7. Valkyrie: I'll say it proud: I like Tom Cruise, and I think he makes good movies. You have a problem with that? Think about it. Almost every time the dude gets in the ring, his films are an event. They're talked about, and most important, they are ambitious. Now comes a war movie about the assassination of Adolf Hitler. Cruise killing Nazis? Sign me up.
6. The Dark Knight: Have you seen the trailer and the six-minute teaser? Director Christopher Nolan looks to have another win on his hands, and I'm excited to see Maggie Gyllenhaal get a well-deserved big studio paycheck. The key to this film, however, is Heath Ledger as the Joker, and it looks like he brings the heat! He looks amazing and true to the character, but with something different than what Jack did with it the first time around. Want a little Lyons Den trivia? Cesar Romero, who played the Joker on the Batman TV show back in the day, went to my high school, Collegiate, in New York City. Pow! Wap! Bang!
5. I Know What Boys Like: Anna Farris produces and stars in the story of a Playmate who gets kicked out of the Playboy Mansion and moves in with a bunch of sorority misfits. The cast is filled with talented young actors like Emma Stone, Rumer Willis, Colin Hanks and your favorite film critic. That's right! I did a few set visits and became friends with Anna and producer Allen Covert, who wrote a little scene for me in the film. Shout-out to the Girls Next Door and big Hef, who also grace the silver screen in this comedy that could be Anna's Legally Blonde, if you know what I mean.
4. Speed Racer: We've shown you some of the pics from production, and I have to say, I don't know what to expect from the Wachowski brothers. I think it's really cool that, for the most part, these big franchise event movies nowadays reach out to some really gifted and talented actors. Here it's Emile Hirsch. I also love Christina Ricci, just not sure she's right for the role. What I am feeling, though, is the casting of Richard Roundtree. For those who don't know, that's John Shaft right there. Get familiar! Cool fact from filming: Emile told me he never stepped foot outdoors during the making of the movie. It was all interiors and green screen. Whoa!
3. Eagle Eye: Disturbia director D.J. Caruso reteams with boy wonder Shia LaBeouf, along with Billy Bob Thornton, Rosario Dawson, Michelle Monaghan and my good friend Anthony Mackie. The story centers on a terrorist cell planning a political assassination attempt, kind of a modern Manchurian Candidate meets WarGames. I'm excited to see Shia in a movie like this. Disturbia surprised a lot of people, and it was the perfect setup for Transformers. I hope this is the perfect follow-up for Indy 4.
2. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull: It's been a long time coming, and I hope it lives up to expectations! Cate Blanchett, Ray Winstone and Shia are all great additions, but the film depends on Harrison Ford. Can he and Spielberg recapture the magic? If you haven't heard, the story takes place after WWII, and Indy takes on the Russians. I got to visit the set and tried asking everyone from crew guys to security guards to give me any more info, and everyone was tight-lipped. I bribed, I begged, I pleaded. I told Shia they blindfolded me on the way to the set and he actually believed me, that's how wide the security blanket has been spread over this project. I predict: biggest Memorial Day weekend ever.
1. Iron Man: Directed by Jon Favreau (a cool, cool choice), this film really might be reminiscent of the original Batman, filmed mostly with real props and a focus on story and character. Robert Downey Jr., one of the most brilliant performers of our time, takes on the title character, aka Tony Stark. His costars are no slouches, either: Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Samuel L. Jackson and Jeff Bridges.
Favreau understands how revered a character Iron Man is, and he knows what makes the comic event movies work—and what makes them corny (remember, he was in Daredevil). Proof of that is when he told me Ghostface Killah from the Wu Tang Clan will have a role in the film. Ghost has been calling himself Tony Stark for years and has been using Iron Man samples and references in his music, so he's become a part of the culture surrounding the character. Also, if you've seen the trailer, you'll know why this film sits on the top of my list for 2008.