thevoid99's Most Anticipated Films of 2007 Dec 22 '06    Write an essay on this topic. Tweet Popular Products in Movies Love and Basketball From $6 Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy From $8 The Bottom Line 50 Plus movies to see for 2007 plus 10 to avoid. With the year 2006 winding down, it's said that it's been an underwhelming year. Several films that had been eagerly anticipated failed to live up to expectations while some actually surpassed them. There were also some surprises and some disasters. From the film list of last year, nine from that top 25 were seen seven of them are yet to be seen while another film, Goya's Ghost by Milos Forman is trying to find a distributor. The rest of those films like Goat, Zodiac, Across the Universe, Danny Boyle's Sunshine, and Mister Lonely are still in the works though Steven Soderbergh's version of Che now entitled Guerilla is coming out very soon. Then there's Southland Tales which had a disastrous premiere at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival that might not come out in the U.S. after what happened as to whether Richard Kelly is going to recut the film or leave it as it is. In the end, there were some surprises while others just didn't make the cut. Now 2007 is approaching and for now, it's a little too early to tell what's coming out. Some films have no status whether they will be released while others are still in the works. The films that were supposed to come out this year will definitely have a chance to reveal the finished product. So now, let's come to the list of the 25 Most Anticipated Films of 2007: 1. Grind House Planet Terror written and directed by Robert Rodriguez. Death Proof written and directed by Quentin Tarantino. Starring Kurt Russell, Tom Savini, Michael Biehn, Marley Shelton, Rose McGowan, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jordan Ladd, Josh Brolin, Freddie Rodriguez, Naveen Andrews, Danny Trejo, Nicky Katt and Michael Parks. At the 1992 Sundance Film Festival, two new directors emerged from the festival as huge favorites with their respective debut features. Robert Rodriguez with his $7000 budget film El Mariachi and Quentin Tarantino with his heist film Reservoir Dogs. Since then, both films were successes due to their uncompromising vision of violence and humor as their styles would go on to other features like Rodriguez's Desperado, From Dusk Til' Dawn, Once Upon a Time in Mexico, and Sin City and Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, Jackie Brown, Kill Bill, and the screenplay to True Romance. While Tarantino has appeared in Desperado and From Dusk Til' Dawn while writing the script for the latter and directing a scene in Sin City. Rodriguez meanwhile, contributed score music for the second part of the Kill Bill movie. The two directors even appeared in the maligned-anthology film Four Rooms were they each contributed a segment that starred Tim Roth. Now, the two independent yet renegade auteurs are working together once again for a big double feature. In a tribute to the style of horror genres, Rodriguez and Tarantino have decided to create two different styles of horror for their double feature. The two renegade directors will bring in two 80-minute segments of stories in their unflinching tribute to horror. For Rodriguez, he enters the world of the zombie films as Naveen Andrews, Rose McGowan, Marley Shelton, and Freddie Rodriguez battle zombies. Tarantino pays tribute to the slasher films where McGowan along with Kurt Russell, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, and Jordan Ladd where a film shoot goes horribly wrong. It's clear that though Tarantino is still planning to do Inglorious Bastards and Rodriguez on other projects including Sin City 2, this is clearly a stop-gap project their fans can enjoy. 2. My Blueberry Nights Directed by Wong-Kar Wai. Written by Wong Kar-Wai & Lawrence Block. Starring Norah Jones, Jude Law, Natalie Portman, Tim Roth, David Strathairn, Ed Harris, and Rachel Weisz. Following the international success of films like Chunking Express, In the Mood for Love, and 2046, Hong Kong director Wong-Kar Wai is among one of the most beloved and enigmatic directors of Asian cinema. While 2004's 2046 was years in the making with an unfinished version premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, Kar-Wai is known for his last-minute edits and radical changes. For his first English-language feature, Kar-Wai tells the story of a young woman who goes on a journey across the U.S. to find love while meeting offbeat characters. With pop singer Norah Jones in her film debut, she takes on the lead role. While ths will be Kar-Wai's first American production, it is also the first film to not feature his longtime cinematographer Christopher Doyle in which the two collaborators parted after several years of collaboration. 3. There Will Be Blood Written for the Screen & Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. Based on the novel Oil! by Upton Sinclair. Starring Daniel-Day Lewis, Paul Dano, Kevin J. O’Connor, Mary Elizabeth Barrett, David Willis, and Ciaran Hinds. After 2002's acclaimed but little-seen Punch-Drunk Love, P.T. Anderson took a break from the cinema to raise a family. While doing assistance work on Robert Altman's final film A Prairie Home Companion in 2006, Anderson is ready to return with his film adaptation of the Upton Sinclair novel Oil! for There Will Be Blood. The story of a tycoon strikes it rich where he turns a small town into something big that becomes corruptive. A revisionist story of sorts that comments on the current American political situation, Anderson is hoping to create an entertaining, thought-provoking film despite the fact that none of his regular actors are confirmed for the film. 4. The Real Life of Angel Deverell Written for the Screen & Directed by Francois Ozon. Based on the novel Angel by Elizabeth Taylor. Starring Romola Garai, Charlotte Rampling, Lucy Russell, Sam Neill, and Michael Fassbender. Since 2003's Swimming Pool, France's Francois Ozon has become one of European cinema’s most exciting and prolific figures. 2004's 5x2 and 2005's Time to Leave revealed his maturity from the early, bad-boy work of his shorts and feature-films that often consisted of playful, horrific stories and gay connotations. In his first full English-language film, Ozon goes for a period film in the story of a novelist who goes into a whirlwind lifestyles of ups and downs. Playing the title role is British actress Romola Garai of I Capture the Castle, Mira Nair's Vanity Fair, and Rory O'Shea was Here while her co-star will be longtime Ozon muse Charlotte Rampling. Though the film marks a departure of sorts for the French bad boy, it's clear that he will make an interesting period piece. 5. The Other Boleyn Girl Directed by Justin Chadwick. Screenplay by Peter Morgan. Based on the novel by Philippa Gregory. Starring Natalie Portman, Scarlett Johansson, Eric Bana, Kristin Scott Thomas, Jim Sturgess, and Mark Rylance. Following the successful acclaim of his screenplays for The Last King of Scotland and The Queen in which their respective stars Forest Whitaker and Helen Mirren received acting accolades, Peter Morgan is clearly becoming Britain's top screenwriter. For his adaptation of The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory, Morgan tells the story of two sisters vying for the affection of Henry VIII with British TV director Justin Chadwick helming the film. While Peter Morgan is a top name to attract the attention towards the story, the casting is even more powerful with Eric Bana as Henry VIII. More importantly, playing the roles of Anne and Mary Boleyn respectively are two of the best young actresses in Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson in which the two have caused trouble in crashing Christina Aguilera's party. While the script was leaked online recently, it's clear that it's going to become one of the most powerful and dramatic period pieces of the year. 6. No Country for Old Men Written for the Screen & Directed by Joel & Ethan Coen. Based on the novel by Cormac McCarthy. Starring Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson, Tommy Lee Jones, Kelly MacDonald, and Stephen Root. 2003's Intolerable Cruelty was considered a disappointment of sorts since it failed to live up to a lot of the Coen Brothers' previous films. 2004's remake of The Ladykillers also didn't live up to expectations where fans felt the duo were running out of ideas. After a well-deserved break including a short film segment with regular Steve Buscemi for the anthology film Paris Je'taime. The duo returns to the darker stories of films like Blood Simple, Miller's Crossing, Fargo, and The Man Who Wasn't There in a tale about a drug deal gone wrong. Whether the film will feature little or no humor, the fact that the Coens are going towards more dramatic territory is a step in the right direction after their previous lackluster features. 7. Spider-Man 3 Directed by Sam Raimi. Screenplay by Alvin Sargent. Based on comic by Stan Lee & Steve Ditko. Starring Tobey McGuire, Kirsten Dunst, James Franco, Rosemary Harris, Topher Grace, Bryce Dallas Howard, Thomas Haden Church, Bill Nunn, J.K. Simmons, Theresa Russell, Elizabeth Banks, and Bruce Campbell. Ever since the first Spider-Man film from Sam Raimi came to theaters in 2002, it was one of the biggest blockbuster hits of all-time. Spider-Man 2 released in 2004 also did great business with a far more superior screenplay from Alvin Sargent along with the complex nature of Peter Parker's conflict in being Spider-Man. For the third film, Spider-Man begins to accept his role as superhero and Peter Parker only to deal with new villains in the form of the Sandman (Thomas Haden Church), a new version of the Green Goblin, and Parker himself going into an internal and bigger conflict with Venom. While the film's budget is even bigger than the last one, it's expected to be a badder, more confrontational blockbuster for the Spider-Man franchise. 8. Snow Angels Written for the Screen & Directed by David Gordon Green. Based on the novel by Stewart O'Nan. Starring Sam Rockwell, Kate Beckinsale, Amy Sedaris, Griffin Dunne, Michael Angarano, and Nicky Katt. With three widely-acclaimed films and a reputation into being one of American cinema's most promising directors, David Gordon Green has already established himself as a storyteller with a unique vision. While Green originally planned to make a film called Goat in 2006 along The Secret Life of Bees with Dakota Fanning, the two projects are now on hold as Green chose to helm another project in Snow Angels. Originally a project for Jesse Peretz, Green took over this project in the story of intertwining lives between a babysitter, her estranged husband, their daughter, and a teenager. It's likely that the film will feature the same, visual imagery of Green's other films as well as his unconventional narrative style. 9. I'm Not There Directed by Todd Haynes. Written by Todd Haynes & Oren Moverman. Starring Christian Bale, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Cate Blanchett, Adrien Brody, Bruce Greenwood, Richard Gere, Heath Ledger, Julianne Moore, Michelle Williams, and David Cross. Following 2002's Douglas Sirk-inspired Far from Heaven that starred his longtime collaborator Julianne Moore. Todd Haynes returns for his new feature I'm Not There in which he reunites with Moore and Velvet Goldmine star Christian Bale, Haynes returns to the musical exploration of Velvet Goldmine for what is probably one of the most unconventional biographies in cinema. I'm Not There is a musical biography on Bob Dylan with several actors including Bale, Cate Blanchett, and Charlotte Gainsbourg playing the role of Dylan. Many of the actors will be singing Dylan's song while telling his life story in a way that would be unorthodox. Though the concept of actors playing one role might not be new, it's still likely to become one of the most exciting features of 2007. 10. Across the Universe Directed by Julie Taymor. Written by Julie Taymor, Ian La Frenais, and Dick Clement. Starring Evan Rachel Wood, Jim Sturgess, Joe Anderson, Dana Fuchs, Salma Hayek, and Bono. Originally set for a late 2006 release, Taymor's musical based on music by the Beatles was delayed for long periods shooting that also involved animation and puppetry. The story of a Liverpool lad from the 1960s searching for his father in the U.S. only to fall in love with a girl named Lucy and be involved in social activism. More ambitious than any of Taymor's previous work, this film will hopefully become something that fans of the Beatles can enjoy. 11. Zodiac Directed by David Fincher. Screenplay by James Vanderbilt. Based on the book by Robert Graysmith. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., Chloe Sevingy, Mark Ruffalo, Anthony Edwards, Adam Goldberg, Clea Duvall, Pell James, Ione Skye, and Brian Cox. Another film originally to be released for 2006 but delayed as well, David Fincher's tale about the Zodiac killer was widely anticipated due to its ensemble cast. The tale about the investigation of the Zodiac murders is more of a character study of how detectives, journalist, and a cartoonist all get involved while the Zodiac killer is using them as bait. Clearly, it's going to become the film that Brian de Palma's film adaptation of The Black Dahlia should've been without its flashy camera work and muddled screenplay. Hopefully, Fincher won't make the same mistake de Palma did. 12. Be Kind Rewind Written and directed by Michel Gondry. Starring Jack Black, Mos Def, Danny Glover, Sigourney Weaver, and Mia Farrow. 13. 300 Directed by Zach Snyder. Screenplay by Zach Snyder, Kurt Johnstad, & Michael Gordon. Based on the Graphic Novel by Frank Miller & Lynn Varley. Starring Gerard Butler, Lena Headey, David Wenham, Dominic West, and Vincent Regan. 14. Sunshine Directed by Danny Boyle. Written by Alex Garland. Starring Cillian Murphy, Rose Byrne, Michelle Yeoh, Chris Evans, Troy Garity, and Cliff Curtis. Michel Gondry's The Science of Sleep proved that he can create original, unique films as his next feature, Be Kind Rewind. The story of a power plant worker whose attempts to sabotage his workplace gets magnetized only to accidentally erase every video tape at his friend's video store. With Jack Black in the lead role, this is likely to become one of the year's most original films. Following his remake of Dawn of the Dead, Zach Snyder turns to the world of Frank Miller in this retelling of the Battle of Thermopylae with the visual look of Miller's graphic novel as Snyder goes for this visual, dramatic retelling of the 300 Spartans. Danny Boyle's sci-fi adventure of Sunshine tells the story of a dying age where mankind and the sun are cease to exist where a group of astronauts hope to save the sun. 15. Se Jie (Lust, Caution) Directed by Ang Lee. Screenplay by Hui-Ling Wang. Story by Eileen Chang. Starring Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Lee-Hom Wang, and Joan Chen. 16. Saibogujiman Kwenchana (I'm a Cyborg But That's OK) Written and Directed by Chan-Wook Park. Starring Su-jeong Lim and Rain. Following the huge success of his gay-cowboy drama Brokeback Mountain in 2005, Ang Lee returns to his roots by going back to his native Taiwan to create a WWII espionage thriller set in Shanghai. A new genre in which Lee has chosen after several films ranging from drama, romance, period pieces, Westerns, martial arts, and even action films. It's clear that Ang Lee is going to do something different. Another acclaimed Asian director in South Korea's Chan-Wook Park strays away from the extreme violence of his beloved Vengeance trilogy of Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Sympathy for Lady Vengeance in a romantic tale about mental patient who believes she's a combat cyborg. Though these two films reveal a change of pace from their respective directors, it's clear that they don't want to be predictable. 17. Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix Directed by David Yates. Screenplay by Michael Goldenberg. Based on novel by J.K. Rowling. Starring Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson, Michael Gambon, Maggie Smith, Alan Rickman, Gary Oldman, David Thewlis, Bonnie Wright, Matthew Lewis, Evanna Lynch, Julie Walters, James & Oliver Phelps, Robert Hardy, Imelda Staunton, Jason Issacs, Helena-Bohnam Carter, and Ralph Fiennes. Another beloved film franchise with a devoted following including readers of the books, Harry Potter returns to the film world. With a widely rumored release of the seventh and final book entitled Harry Potter & the Deathly Hallows for summer 2007, it's clear that it will be a big year for Harry Potter. For the fifth film Harry Potter & the Order of the Phoenix, Harry returns to Hogwarts to find it in a totalitarian state while he and his fellow students are trying to defend themselves in the wake of Lord Voldermort's return. With Imelda Staunton playing Dolores Umbridge and Helena-Bohnam Carter as Bellatrix Lestrange joining the cast, the film will also mark the feature-film debut of acclaimed TV film director David Yates as well as the debut of Evanna Lynch as Luna Lovegood who won the role after beating nearly a thousand of girls for the role. 18. Funny Games Written and Directed by Michael Haneke. Starring Naomi Watts, Brady Corbet, Tim Roth, Michael Pitt, and Siobhan Fallon. 19. Black Snake Moan Written and Directed by Craig Brewer. Starring Samuel L. Jackson, Christina Ricci, Justin Timberlake, David Banner, and S. Epatha Merkerson. One of Austria's most confrontational and controversial directors, Michael Haneke returns to an old film of his as he remakes it with a different cast of English-speaking actors. Though there's a curse involving directors remaking their own films in a different language, Haneke is likely to challenge American audiences with his themes. Another director who used controversy is Craig Brewer whose 2005 film Hustle & Flow gave him a breakthrough. For Black Snake Moan, Brewer goes further into the South and explore the blues with Samuel L. Jackson playing a God-fearing bluesman trying to cure a party girl, played by Christina Ricci. 20. Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium Written and Directed by Zach Helm. Starring Natalie Portman, Dustin Hoffman, and Jason Bateman. 21. The Nanny Diaries Directed by Shari Springer Berman and Robert Pulcini. Screenplay by Shari Springer Berman, Robert Pulcini and Jenny Bicks. Based on the book by Nicolas Kraus and Emma McLaughlin. Starring Scarlett Johansson, Paul Giamatti, Laura Linney, Chris Evans, Donna Murphy, and Alicia Keys. Two of the stars of The Other Boleyn Girl in Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson each have respective, different projects that they hope will give audiences something different. Portman stars in the directorial debut of Stranger Than Fiction screenwriter Zach Helm in about a young, disenchanted young woman running a magical toy store. Johansson meanwhile works with the directing duo of American Splendor in a quirky adaptation of the beloved novel The Nanny Diaries in which Johansson plays a nanny for the family from hell as she tries to juggle a love life and being a NYU student. 22. Cassandra's Dream Written and Directed by Woody Allen. Starring Ewan McGregor, Colin Farrell, Hayley Atwell, Mark Umbers, and Tom Wilkinson. 23. Paranoid Park Directed by Gus Van Sant. Based on the novel by Blake Nelson Starring Scott Patrick Green, M. Blash, Gabe Nevins, and Taylor Momsen. While 2006's Scoop didn't match the brilliance of his 2005 film Match Point, Woody Allen still proved that he's got some juice left in him. Returning to London once more but without Scarlett Johansson, Allen goes back to drama in which Colin Farrell and Ewan McGregor will be playing brothers. Gus Van Sant meanwhile, returns to the angst of his earlier films to tell the story of a murder in a skate park while utilizing an unknown cast. Though Van Sant was supposed to do The Time Traveler's Wife with Nicole Kidman before departing the project, this new film is likely to be a return to earlier work while leaning on the experimental approach of his recent films in the Death Trilogy. 24. Control Directed by Anton Corbijn. Screenplay by Matt Greenhalgh. Based on the book by Deborah Curtis. Starring Sam Riley, Samantha Morton, Craig Parkinson, Joe Anderson, Toby Kebbell, James Anthony Pearson, and Harry Treadaway. 25. A Mighty Heart Directed by Michael Winterbottom. Screenplay by Michael Winterbottom & Laurence Coriat. Based on the books by Sarah Critchon, John Orloff, and Mariane Pearl. Starring Angelina Jolie, Dan Futterman, Archie Panjabi, and Will Patton. One of the most premier video directors since the beginning of the video age, Anton Corbijn will finally make his feature film debut by telling the story on the life and death of Joy Division singer Ian Curtis. With the remaining band known as New Order consulting, it's clear that Corbijn (who directed their video for Atmosphere) will make a film project that will please Joy Division fans. Michael Winterbottom, who partially told the story of Joy Division in 2002's 24 Hour Party People is now embarking on what has to be his most mainstream project yet. Taking the story on the death of journalist Daniel Pearl, the film is an investigation with Angelina Jolie as Mariane Pearl. Though it's unclear whether Winterbottom will have final cut, given to his film work, it's likely that it won't be some conventional type of film. Possible 2007 Releases (films with unconfirmed status or with limited knowledge): The Darjeering Limited Directed by Wes Anderson. Written by Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola, and Jason Schwartzman. Starring Adrien Brody, Owen Wilson, Jason Schwartzman, Anjelica Huston, and Natalie Portman. Following the mixed reaction to 2004's The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, Wes Anderson had been taking a break working on various projects including a commercial he did for a credit card that starred Jason Schwartzman of Rushmore. While Anderson and his Life Aquatic co-writer Noah Baumbach had been working on an adaptation of Roald Dahl's The Fantastic Mr. Fox for some time, the project is currently on hold. Anderson's new project, The Darjeering Limited is probably is most ambitious project about three men going to India burying their father. Though recently Jason Schwartzman reported he's about to go to India to start shooting, it's unclear if shooting has actually started and if it's going to have a late 2007 release. Youth Without Youth Written for the Screen & Directed by Francis Ford Coppola. Based on novella by Mircea Eliade. Starring Tim Roth, Bruno Ganz, and Marcel Iures. In what has to be his first new feature since 1997's The Rainmaker, Francis Ford Coppola has spent the past 10 years producing projects for his children while reissuing his old films and releasing new, extended versions of them. Though a report last year claimed that Coppola was nearly finished with his new feature about pre-WWII professor who becomes a fugitive. Those who remember his reputation will be aware that Coppola is known for having re-shoots and some last-minute changes. Since this is really more of a stop-gap project for another ambitious project called Megalopolis, it's unclear if Coppola will ever get this film finished but fans do hope it's a return to form from the legendary director. Wasington Written and Directed by Lars von Trier. No Cast so far. 2005's Manderlay, like its predecessor Dogville spewed more controversy for the Danish bad boy largely due to its account of racism and its parallels to the American involvement of the Iraqi war. While von Trier has stated that he had planned to do Wasington in the future, it's likely that his American trilogy has burned him out while funding has become more difficult. Even without a cast aside from his regulars like Udo Kier, Jean-Marc Barr, and Zjenko Ivanek, it's likely that it's on hold while his 2006 release The Boss of It All is really a stop-gap project and return to smaller work. 25 More Films for 2007: Evan Almighty Directed by Tom Shadyac. Screenplay by Steve Oedekerk, Robert Florsheim, and Josh Stolberg. Starring Steve Carell, Lauren Graham, Wanda Sykes, John Goodman, and Morgan Freeman. Hot Fuzz Directed by Edgar Wright. Written by Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright. Starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Jim Broadbent, Bill Nighy, Steve Coogan, Paddy Considine, Martin Freeman, and Timothy Dalton. Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World's End Directed by Gore Verbinski. Screenplay by Ted Elliot and Terry Rossio. Starring Johnny Depp, Geoffrey Rush, Keira Knightley, Orlando Bloom, Chow-Yun Fat, Jonathan Pryce, Tom Hollander, Stellan Skarsgard, Naomie Harris, and Bill Nighy. King of California Written and Directed by Mike Cahill. Starring Michael Douglas and Evan Rachel Wood. His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass Directed by Chris Weitz. Screenplay by Tom Stoppard and Chris Weitz. Based on novel by Phillip Pullman. Starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Eva Green, Dakota Blue Richards, Ian McShane, and Claire Higgins. Year of the Dog Written and Directed by Mike White. Starring Molly Shannon, Thomas McCarthy, Steve Berg, Peter Sarsgaard, and John C. Reilly. Into the Wild Written for the Screen & Directed by Sean Penn. Based on the Book by Jon Krakauser. Starring Emile Hirsch, Vince Vaughn, Marcia Gay Harden, Jena Malone, William Hurt, Kristen Stewart, and Catherine Keener. The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford Written for the Screen & Directed by Andrew Dominik. Based on the novel by Ron Hansen. Starring Brad Pitt, Casey Affleck, Mary-Louise Parker, Zooey Deschanel, Sam Shepard, Sam Rockwell, and Paul Schneider. In Bloom Directed by Vadim Perelman. Screenplay by Emil Stern. Based on novel by Laura Kasischke. Starring Uma Thurman, Evan Rachel Wood, Eva Amurri, and Brett Cullen. Hannibal Rising Directed by Peter Webber. Written by Thomas Harris based on his novel. Starring Gaspard Ulliel, Gong Li, Rhys Ifan, Kevin McKidd, and Dominic West. Atonement Directed by Joe Wright. Screenplay by Christopher Hampton. Based on novel by Ian McEwan. Starring Keira Knightley, Romola Garai, James McAvoy, Brenda Blethyn, Gina McKee, and Vanessa Redgrave. Rendition Directed by Gavin Hood. Written by Kelley Sane. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Reese Witherspoon, Meryl Streep, Peter Sarsgaard, and Alan Arkin. Margaret Written and Directed by Kenneth Lonegran. Starring Matt Damon, Anna Paquin, Mark Ruffalo, Matthew Broderick, Kiernan Culkin, Allison Janney, and Jean Reno. Green Mango Written and Directed by Noah Baumbach. Starring Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nicole Kidman, John Turturro, Jack Black, Flora Cross, Ciarin Hinds. Ocean's 13 Directed by Steven Soderbergh. Screenplay by Brian Koppelman and David Lieven. Starring George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Bernie Mac, Casey Affleck, Scott Caan, Eddie Jemison, Shaobo Qin, Carl Reiner, Elliot Gould, Andy Garcia, Ellen Barkin, David Paymer, and Al Pacino. Mister Lonely Directed by Harmony Korine. Written by Avi Korine and Harmony Korine. Starring Samantha Morton, Werner Herzog, Diego Luna, Jean-Pierre Leaud, David Blaine, and Anita Pallenberg. The Boss of It All Written and Directed by Lars von Trier. Starring Jean-Marc Barr, Iben Hjejle, Jens Albius, and Anders Hove. The Bourne Ultimatum Directed by Paul Greengrass. Screenplay by Tony Gilroy & Tom Stoppard. Starring Matt Damon, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, Paddy Considine, Edgar Ramirez, and David Strathairn. An American Crime Directed by Tommy O'Haver. Written by Tommy O'Haver and Irene Turner. Starring Ellen Page, Catherine Keener, James Franco, Hayley McFarland, and Bradley Whitford. Ratatouille Written and Directed by Brad Bird and Jan Pinkava. Featuring the Voices of Patton Oswalt, Brian Dennehy, Janeane Garafalo, Brad Garrett, Ian Holm, Ashley O’Connor, and Adam Scott. Knocked Up Written and Directed by Judd Apatow. Starring Katherine Heigel, Seth Rogen, Leslie Mann, and Paul Rudd. Lucky You Directed by Curtis Hanson. Screenplay by Eric Roth and Curtis Hanson, based on a story by Eric Roth. Starring Drew Barrymore, Eric Bana, Robert Duvall, Jean Smart, Debra Messing, and Charles Martin Smith. Music and Lyrics Written and Directed by Marc Lawrence. Starring Drew Barrymore, Hugh Grant, Kristen Johnson, Campbell Scott, and Brad Garrett. Smiley Face Directed by Gregg Araki. Written by Dylan Haggerty. Starring Anna Faris, John Cho, Jane Lynch, Danny Masterson, Danny Trejo, and Adam Brody. Love in the Time of Cholera Directed by Mike Newell. Screenplay by Ronald Harwood. Based on the novel by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. Starring Javier Bardem, Catalina Sandino Moreno, Benjamin Bratt, Angie Cepeda, Hector Elizondo, Laura Harring, Ana Claudia Talancon, John Leguizamo, and Liev Schreiber. While the films of the top 25 represent a mix of blockbusters, art films, and all sorts of stuff. That doesn't mean those are the big films to see. There's plenty more for everyone. In the sequel to the 2003 comedy hit Bruce Almighty, Steve Carell returns to play the lead character in Evan Almighty where he has to build an ark. The creators of Shaun of the Dead return for their cop comedy Hot Fuzz which hopes to bring the same kind of laughs that Shaun did. Johnny Depp and gang return for one more romp of shenanigans for Pirates 3 while Michael Douglas and Evan Rachel Wood search for treasure in King of California. Chris Weitz takes on the epic novels of Phillip Pullman of His Dark Materials: The Golden Compass about an orphan girl who is part of a magical conspiracy while his Chuck & Buck co-star Mike White makes his directorial debut about a woman mourning the death of her dog in Year of the Dog. Sean Penn returns to directing by telling the story of the wilderness explorer Christopher McCandless in his adaptation of Into the Wild with Emile Hirsch in the role of the late explorer. Brad Pitt meanwhile, plays Jesse James in this long-awaited epic about Jesse James in The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford. House of Sand & Fog director Vadim Perelman tells the story of a woman played by Uma Thurman who recalls her own life as a teen, played by Evan Rachel Wood, relating to a Columbine-like incident in In Bloom. Hannibal Lecter returns in the form of young French actor Gaspard Ulliel in the prequel Hannibal Rising while Joe Wright reunites with his Pride & Prejudice star Keira Knightley for a family drama of Ian McEwan's novel Atonement that also stars Romola Garai. Jake Gyllenhaal and Reese Witherspoon go into the political thriller Rendition that also stars Meryl Streep. Kenneth Lonegran makes his return with the film Margaret with Anna Paquin about a young woman's involvement in a terrible accident while Noah Baumbach goes into a family drama with Green Mango. Steven Soderbergh, George Clooney, and company return for one more heist with Ocean's 13 that also stars Ellen Barkin and Al Pacino as Clooney's new target. Harmony Korine makes his long-awaited return with his tale of isolation in Mister Lonely while fellow bad-boy Lars von Trier returns to his Dogme 95 roots for the comedic film The Boss of It All. Matt Damon returns to kick *ss in The Bourne Ultimatum that will be directed by the franchise's previous director Paul Greengrass. Ellen Page and Catherine Keener study crime in An American Crime while Brad Bird returns to his unique world of animation with another Pixar-animated comedy called Ratatouille. Judd Apatow reunites with his 40-Year-Old Virgin co-stars Paul Rudd and Seth Rogen for the comedy Knocked Up while Drew Barrymore has a couple of comedies in the card-film Lucky You and the romantic comedy Music and Lyrics with Hugh Grant. Gregg Araki strays from his angst-ridden indie films to go for a commercial stoner comedy with Smiley Face. Mike Newell takes on the great Marquez novel Love in the Time of Cholera about a fifty-year love triangle starring Javier Bardem and Catalina Sandino Moreno along with an all-star cast. 10 Films to Avoid for 2007: There's no such thing as a perfect movie season and there never will be. That's why for every good movie that’s out there. There’s a bad one around the corner that should be avoid. So ladies and gentlemen, let me present 10 films that shouldn't be seen: Transformers Directed by Michael Bay. Screenplay by Alex Kurtzman & Roberto Orci. Story by Alex Kurtzman, Roberto Orci, and John Rogers. Starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson, John Robinson, John Turturro, Jon Voight, and Anthony Anderson. Two words: Michael Bay. That's all there is to say. Hog Wild Directed by Walter Becker. Written by Brad Copeland. Starring John Travolta, Tim Allen, Martin Lawrence, William H. Macy, Ray Liotta, M.C. Gainey, Jill Hennessy, and Marisa Tomei. Hairspray Directed by Adam Shankman. Screenplay by Mark O'Donnell, Thomas Meehan, and Leslie Dixon. Based on the Play by Mark O'Donnell & Thomas Meehan. Based on the 1988 Film by John Waters. Starring John Travolta, Nicole Blonsky, Amanda Bynes, Queen Latifah, Michelle Pfeiffer, Allison Janney, and Christopher Walken. It's been several years since John Travolta has had a hit film yet his star continues to fall. Now, it looks like his desperate attempt for a third comeback ain't happening since he's got not one but two completely awful films for the year. First is the motorcycle-gang comedy Hog Wild where Travolta leads a gang of wannabe bikers with William H. Macy and two of the most unfunny actors right now, Martin Lawrence and Tim Allen. Travolta also decides to get even more desperate by taking on the famed role that the late Divine played in the original John Waters version of Hairspray. Now, in the musical version, Travolta puts on a fat suit and plays a woman in what is obviously going to be career suicide as Waters purists will have something to be angry about. Fantastic Four 2: Rise of the Silver Surfer Directed by Tim Story. Screenplay by Don Payne and Mark Frost. Based on the comic by Jack Kirby and Stan Lee. Starring Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, Chris Evans, Michael Chiklis, Kerry Washington, Julian McMahon, Andre Braugher, and Doug Jones. Ghost Rider Written and Directed by Mark Steven Johnson. Starring Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Wes Bentley, Sam Elliot, Peter Fonda, and Donal Logue. While most comic book adaptations like Spider-Man, Superman, Batman, and the X-Men have gone on to successful film franchises with some acclaim from critics and comic book purists. Not every comic book has met that same kind of success. 2005's Fantastic Four, despite its success in the box office, was panned by critics and hated by comic book purists. The sequel which introduces the Silver Surfer is obviously going to meet the same reaction largely due to Tim Story's handling of the first Fantastic Four film. Ghost Rider is based on a comic book character but since the film is directed by the man who did the much-maligned Daredevil, it looks like another lame blockbuster feature with Nicolas Cage who looks miscast in playing the title role. Seed Written and Directed by Uwe Boll. Starring Will Sanderson, Michael Pare, Ralf Moeller, and Jodelle Ferland. In The Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale Directed by Uwe Boll. Screenplay by Doug Taylor. Story by Jason Rappaport, Doug Stroncak, and Doug Taylor. Based on the video game Dungeon Siege by Chris Taylor. Starring Jason Statham, LeeLee Sobieski, Burt Reynolds, Ray Liotta, Kristanna Loken, Claire Forlani, Ron Perlman, Matthew Lillard, and John Rhys-Davies. Probably one of the worst directors out there, Uwe Boll continues to top himself with bad film after bad film. 2003's awful zombie film House of the Dead. 2005's Alone in the Dark was even worse. 2006's Bloodrayne was beyond awful. Now in 2007, Uwe Boll will release not one but two craptacular masterpieces. That's right, two really bad movies. First is the horror film Seed and the second is an epic adaptation of the video-game film In The Name of the King which is a 150-minute film. Now honestly, why does this guy, like Michael Bay, gets to keep making movies when they suck *ss? The Education of Charlie Banks Directed by Fred Durst. Written by Peter Elkoff. Starring Eva Amurri, Jesse Eisenberg, Fred Durst, Jason Ritter, and Chris Marquette. Blade to the Heart Directed by Madonna. No script or cast has been confirmed. It's bad enough that two over-exposed music stars are making music, though Madonna has made good music but has overstayed her welcome. It was even worse when the two tried to act. Now, it's going to be even bad as both Madonna and Fred Durst are going to direct their own features. Durst is trying to get serious in making a teen-angst drama that despite the talents of Eva Amurri, Jesse Eisenberg, and Jason Ritter, it's not going to work since Durst has no talent or soul. Madonna meanwhile, is going to make a boxing movie but given her resume in her work in movies, it's going to suck. CHiPs No Director Announced. Written by Paul A. Kaplan and Mark Torgove. Starring Wilmer Valderrama and Alexandra Cheron. While films based on TV shows aren't often acclaimed or liked, it's no surprise that the 70s TV hit CHiPs is still in development with That 70's Show star Wilmer Valderrama playing the role of Ponch. Still, that doesn't mean that the film will be any good since Valderrama has very limited acting skills and often looks smug on the camera. Plus, there's no Larry so far. Honestly, this looks like a rather forgettable film that should be avoided. Well, that's pretty much all the films for 2007. Yeah, there's still Shrek 3, Die Hard 4, and such but anyone can talk about those movies. There's also some sleepers to expect from the indie film world and studio films. Yet, it's clear now that despite an underwhelming 2006, let's hope 2007 can bring out a lot more. Anticipated Films of 2006: http://www.epinions.com/content_4607811716

Read all comments (11)|Write your own comment

Write an essay on this topic.