So 2008 is here, which means there is a whole bunch of new movies for me to look forward to. Below is a quick list just off the top of my head of what I am most excited about. I'm sure I've forgotten some movies and there will be others operating under the radar that will explode onto the scene I'm sure. I wasn't overly impressed with the movies in 2007 but I'm hopeful for this year. Mainly due to the first two movies below.

The Dark Knight - This is a sequel to one of my favourite movies of all time. The whole team is back which is a big thing for me. Bale is the perfect Bruce wayne and Batman plus the support actors are all excellent - Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman. Plus the addition of Maggie Gyllenhaal at the expense of Katie Holmes is a masterstroke in my opinion. I haven't really seen a picture of Aaron Eckhart in the role of Harvey Dent but surely anyone with such a square jaw as Eckhart is tailor made for a role in a comic book movie. The promotional material so far has just continued to raise the excitement level and I'm confident that Christopher Nolan can pull it off. Oh yeah and Heath Ledger looks great as the Joker.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull - First off it's an Indiana Jones movie. Speilberg, Lucas and Ford reunited. Do you need another reason to see this movie? Nope, thought not.

Iron Man - I know very little about the character but from the trailer Robert Downey Jr looks cool in the role. Will it be the first superhero movie where the alterego is more interesting than the superhero? It has a great cast including Gwyneth Paltrow and Jeff Bridges.

Incredible Hulk - Ed Norton as the Hulk? Wow, I have to see that. I can't make up my mind on Ang Lee's Hulk. Sometimes I think that 'yeah, I did like it' and other times I'm think 'actually it was rather ponderous and missed a great opportunity for some thoroughly enjoyable Hulk demoltion sequences'. I would be that there will be far more Hulk action sequences in this version, why else would they feel the need to do a reboot?

Cloverfield - Can this movie live up to the fantastic teasers? I certainly hope so and an advance review that I perused suggested that it will and more. I just hope I don't get motion sickness from the shaky camera.

Star Trek XI - JJ Abrams meets Star Trek, sounds good to me. I wouldn't really consider myself to be a big Star Trek fanboy but I do enjoy the series, especially Deep Space 9. A prequel to the whole franchise is a good idea and the casting of Zachary Quinto (Sylar from Heroes) is genius. Although the casting of Simon Pegg is a strange one though.

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button - A new David Fincher movie is always something to look forward to in my opinion. This really is the only reason it is on my list as I know next to nothing about the movie apart for a very rough concept of what the movie might be about.

The Happening - Nobody knows anything about this new M. Night Shyamalan movie but the poster looks great. Again this is another movie making my list based purely on a 'name' director. If this is another Lady in the Water then he won't be on my list again simply based on name alone.

Bond 22 - Casino Royale was good, really good and with Marc Foster on board as director this should be great too. I really hope the rumour that they pick up immediately the end of the previous movie is true.

No Country for Old Men - I'm not one of these Coen Brothers fanboys but this film is supposed to be a modern day classic. The trailer looks very good and the reviews have been glowing. It is out here very soon so this will be one of the first from this list that I will get to see.

Hancock - After seeing I Am Legend, I'm looking forward to Will Smith's next movie and the trailer for this looks cool. It looks like a comedy, action, superhero and drama mash up. Sounds promising and looks it too. Plus it has that great back story of what the original title was, "Tonight, He Comes" and all that that entails.

Speed Racer - I am not a fan of the source material but I'm really interested to see what the Wachowski Brothers can come up with. They are saying that they will raise the bar for visual effects but don't they always say that? The trailer does look spectaular though but I'm not convinced that I will like the acting style. It looks to be straight from the original cartoon, which is I'm sure what they are aiming for. I will say that Matthew Fox seems to be perfect in the role of Racer X. Anyway, it can't be any worse than The Matrix: Revolutions (worst movie ever!).

Valkyrie - Forget the private life of Tom Cruise (it is irrelevant in my opinion) and just think of his professional career. The man is almost a guarantee of quality and this is shaping up to be no different. A top quality supporting cast plus it is directed by Bryan Singer!

X-Files 2 - Yes I'm an X-Files fan. A big fan but even I'm amazed a new movie has been greenlit since the TV show is off air for six years. What I'm really intersted in here is where they are going with this. Will Mulder and Scully still be on the run? Remember they are no longer part of the FBI. Or will it disregard the final season and go for a one off storyline? Also will Agent Dogett be in the movie? It will also be great to see David Duchovny back on the big screen. After his wonderful turn as Hank Moody in the excellent Californication and hopefully, a successful X-Files 2 he can get his career back in high gear.

Have to agree there are some great movies due out this year.

The Dark Knight.
Bale has to be the best Batman after Michael Keaton but the Batman franchise is better now with all CGI and other fantastic effects put in. Batman Begins was an awesome movie and one you'd watch a few times without getting bored. I loved the way it showed the birth of Batman...

Indy IV.
I'm not as sold on this movie as I should be, the first 3 were brilliant and some of Harrison Ford's best movies but looking at the cover of Empire he just looks old, and Indy shouldn't. But we shall wait and see how it works out..

Iron Man.
Well I ain't a huge Robert Downy Jr fan so doesn't appeal to me that much but I'm a comic book fan so I'll be taking this one in and seeing how it all works out.

Cloverfield.
Those Teasers... what the hell??? It looks kinda like a new Godzilla movie without showing you the monster in the trailer. Think I'll just wait for the DVD... (or other format..) and not waste time in the cinema myself.

Star Trek.
I'll take this with a pinch of Salt. I like JJ Abrams but I'm not that keen on "going back before the original series" crap that he's pulling. Plus the guy playing Spock (Sylar from Heroes)... meh.. but I'm a huge Trekkie so I'll definately be taking this in.

Bond.
Well with Daniel Craig as Bond this'll be a great movie. He really made Bond cool again after that moron Brosnan just made a laughing joke of the caracter... they really didn't need to make ALL his lines one liner punned jokes...

X-Files 2..
Hmmm... well this is the first I've heard of the movie and checked it out on imdb... hmmm I still say.. The first movie came out at the height of the X-Files buzz and made the whole series really work with it.. but as someone who kinda lost touch with the series I'm not convinced of this revival... I think it should be left well alone.

Anyway they are my few cents on the movies you've named 40Watt.

Here are some of mine...

Rambo
Think the trailers look really good so think I'll have to take this one in...

Sweeny Todd.
Really like watching Johnny Depp in anything at the moment and this looks a VERY promising movie at the moment...

There Will Be Blood.
Another great actor and from the reports I've heard he's up for a few award for his role in this... none other than Daniel Day Lewis...

well they are just a few others..

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So we are just about half way through the year so I thought I'd update my movie hit list for 2008.

Two of the movies I wanted to see have been delayed till next year - Valkyrie and Star Trek XI. So they are off the list.

Speed Racer was on the list but after I saw trailers there was no way I was going to see it in the cinema. I'll rent it on DVD though.

No Country for Old Men was excellent as I expected. Cloverfield was great fun, although I don't think it will bear up to repeat viewings. Iron Man surpassed all my expectations, superb film. Indiana Jones I enjoyed as I've said several times on this site.

The rest have still to be released.

Funnily enough the best film I've seen this year wasn't even on my list - There Will Be Blood.

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Quite a few films I'm looking forward to over the summer.

Hulk 2

The Dark Night

The Happening.

Cant think of any others at the moment, Iron Man has to be the stand out film for me over last few months, I was very pleasantly surprised.

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I've now seen The Incredible Hulk and I really enjoyed it so that is another film off my list. I have The Happening on my list too but I'm wavering over seeing it. I've tried to avoid reviews but it is impossible not to hear all the negative word of mouth. I think I will still try to see it though and make up my own mind.

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Time to update this thread again. I seen The Dark Knight, Hancock and The X-Files 2 since I last updated it.

As you know I absolutely loved The Dark Knight, having seen it again I do believe it to be my favourite film. Hancock was a disappointment to me. Two-thirds of a good movie and then with the 'twist' it just turns into a total mess. I enjoyed The X-Files 2 for what it was, total fan service. If your not a fan then don't bother.

So what is left on my list? Just The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Two others Valkyrie and Star Trek XI are no longer this calendar year.

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Well I've seen Dark Knight twice now myself and it just keeps getting better!!! Can't wait for the DVD!!

Hancock was ok.. it was a bit of a joke when as you put it the 'twist' comes...

Haven't seen X-Files yet but will be getting it soon... I'm an old fan so would like to see it!!!

Can't wait to see the new Bond and Hellboy 2 seems to be good enough for a watch!!

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