Promising film fare of 2008

by John P. Meyer

I spent some time today checking out trailers for films coming up in the early part of 2008 (which begins on Tuesday, just FYI). What I've discovered is that - aside from the independent, limited release front - there appears to be a preponderance of action-heavy blockbusters and sci-fi/horror films in our immediate film-watching future, such as Roland Emmerich's effects-laden 10,000 B.C. and a Hollywood reworking of the Pang Brothers' Hong Kong-produced 2002 creepshow, Gin gwai (The Eye), this version starring Jessica Alba.

And let's not forget Cloverfield, whose box office over the weekend following its Jan. 18 premiere will demonstrate just how clever (or not) all that pre-production viral marketing turned out to be.

Judging strictly by their trailers, here are the films coming out in the first half of 2008 that I'll be waiting for with considerable anticipation:

* Will Smith saves the world again, this time reluctantly, as a slovenly underachieving superhero with PR problems in Hancock.

* Del Toros' Hellboy makes a return appearance as Ron Perlman reprises his role as the big red devil with a taste for cigars in Hellboy II: The Golden Army.

* On-hiatus hit-men Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson chill out and try to keep low profiles in - of all places - Belgium, in the wacky dark comedy actioner, In Bruges. After they fail miserably at this assignment, underworld agency leader Ralph Fiennes appears to set things right - by making their profiles a great deal lower (as in, below ground).

* The brooding badass Bat-dude that is Christian Bale returns in The Dark Knight. Heath Ledger shows up as the arch-villain with a permanent smiley-face.

* Doug Limon, helmer of The Bourne Identity and Mr. and Mrs. Smith, gives us a taste of Heroes meets X-Men meets Rising Stars in the hyperspace "thinking is the best way to travel" potboiler, Jumper.

* STINKER ALERT: Rambo (Stallone both directs and starts. Ahem.); The Poughkeepsie Tapes (8mm x 800: torture porn triumphant.)

* FILM I WON'T BE ABLE TO WATCH WITHOUT RESORT TO PRELIMINARY MELLOWING AGENTS: Teeth.