Continuing my countdown of films that are "on my radar" for 2008. If yesterday's back ten are movies that have me slightly intrigued, today's 10 can probably have me quite curious...
40. Forgetting Sarah Marshalldir: Nicholas Stoller / 30 May
Possibly to be retitled Dumped, this comedy comes from the team behind Knocked Up and Superbad. It concerns a man (Paul Rudd) who breaks up from his girlfriend (yummy Kristen Bell) and goes to Hawaii to get over her, only to find she's travelled to the same resort with her new boyfriend, a weird British rocker (our very own Russell Brand). Grab the trailer here.
39. Be Kind Rewinddir: Michel Gondry / 23 January
Oddball comedy from the stylish director of Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, about two video rental clerks (Mos Def and Jack Black) who decide to personally remake the films they stock, after all their cassettes are accidentally wiped clean. A hilarious oddball concept, or tedious excuse for some low-budget parodies? We'll see. The trailer is here.
38. Scanners
dir: Darren Lynn Bousman / 17 October
dir: Darren Lynn Bousman / 17 October
Inevitable remake of David Cronenberg's 1981 horror classic, from the director of the Saw sequels. The premise involves a subculture of humans with the ability to control minds, known as "scanners". This remake bound to annoy Cronenberg's fans, but the premise is probably due a slick update, as the original is quite creaky. Just wait for the inevitable "which exploding head scene was better?" debates.
37. Horton Hears A Who!dir: Jimmy Hayward & Steve Martino / 14 March
Computer-animation based on a Dr Seuss novel, with Jim Carrey voicing an elephant called Horton who discovers an entire world of people living on a speck of dust. After tedious live-action dabbling with Seuss' books (the plodding Grinch, the sickening Cat In The Hat), the nifty trailer looks like CGI is definitely the way to go.
36. Burn After Reading
dir: Joel & Ethan Cohen / winter
dir: Joel & Ethan Cohen / winter
A disk containing the memoirs of a CIA agent comes into the possession of two gym instructors, who attempt to tell it. Starring George Clooney, John Malkovich, Brad Pitt, Frances McDormand and Tilda Swinton.
35. RocknRolla
dir: Guy Ritchie / autumn
dir: Guy Ritchie / autumn
London-based crime film from Guy Ritchie (Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels), about a Russian mobster's shady dealings. Stars Gerard Butler (300), Jeremy Piven, Thandie Newton and Tom Wilkinson.
34. Valkryiedir: Bryan Singer / 27 June
Bryan Singer leaves comic-book superheroes behind for this true life drama about German soldier's plan to murder Adolf Hitler. Stars Tom Cruise as Stauffenberg the assassin, Bill Nighy and Kenneth Branagh. March to the trailer here.
33. The Love Gurudir: Marco Schnabel / 20 June
Mike Myers make a belated return to physical form (after voicing Shrek movies post-Austin Powers) with another crazy character; Pita, the eponymous love guru, and his attempt to break into America's self-help culture. Co-starring Jessica Alba, Justin Timberlake and Ben Kingsley.
32. The International
dir: Tom Twyker / 15 August
dir: Tom Twyker / 15 August
Run Lola Run director Tom Twyker returns with this espionage thriller, starring Clive Owen as an Interpol agent trying to expose a financial institutes's involvement in arms dealing. Co-stars the superb Naomi Watts.
31. Wanteddir: Timur Bekmambetov / 28 March
The visionary Russian director of the Night Watch/Day Watch movies makes his western debut, with this high-octane action thriller based on a graphic novel by Mark Millar. It stars James McAvoy as an ordinary man who discovers his father was a top assassin and is trained by Morgan Freeman to replace him. Co-stars Angelina Jolie (back on ass-kicking duties) and the steely gravitas of Terence Stamp.
Tomorrow: Simon Pegg returns, before Da Vinci, the truth is out there, an iron superman, Keanu Reeves arrives on Earth, and much more...
