December 2007 Movie Preview

I've recently written a few preview articles on upcoming released films; such as, American Gangster, and Fred Claus. This is a list of more new films you should look for or watch out for. Find out all you need to about these films, and see what I have to say.

The Golden Compass

Directed by Chris Weitz
Written by Chris Weitz from the Philip Pullman novel
Release date: December 7, 2007

Here's hoping this fantasy adventure film ranks up there with Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe instead of something like The Seeker. It's about a young girl by the name of Lyra Belacqua (Dakota Blue Richards) who lives among scholars in the hallowed halls of Jordan College. Gobblers, known for kidnapping children take Lyria's friend, Roger. She soon takes a journey north to find him. She's met by creatures of all kind. Lyria is aided by her daemon Pantalaimon (which is a polar bear voiced by Freddie Highmore, I think). Also starring in this wild story is the two principle stars of Invasion, Nicole Kidman as Marisa Coulter and Daniel Craig as Lord Asriel. This movie looks as delightful as The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, perhaps even as magical as the last Harry Potter installment, and as crazy as that Stardust movie that came out earlier this year. After all, one of the key stars of Lord of the Rings is playing the voice of Iorek. Whatever the outcome may be, it should be a wild ride.

More of the principal cast

Ben Walker as Roger
Ian McKellan as the voice of Iorek Byrnison
Eva Green as Serafina Pekkala
Sam Elliott as Lee Scoresby

I Am Legend

Directed by Francis Lawrence
Written by Akiva Goldsmith based on the Richard Matheson novel
Release date: December 14, 2007

This is a remake of a remake of an adaptation. The Last Man on Earth starring Vincent Price was the first theatrical adaptation of the I Am Legend novel. Then came Charlton Heston as The Omega Man. In every version of this story, a man is the sole survivor of a man-made virus that practically wipes the human race off the planet. Now, let's give this man, Robert Neville (played by Will Smith) a German Shepard, and put him in New York City. He drives through empty streets, plays golf, and shops during the day. Robert stays in his locked down apartment at night. Why? Well, there happens to be something dreadful and terrifying that only comes out at night.

More of the principals cast

Salli Richardson as Ginny Neville
Willow Smith as Marley Neville
Alice Braga as Anna

National Treasure: Book of Secrets

Directed by Jon Turteltaub
Written by Marianne and Cormac Wibberly
Release date: December 21, 2007

This is a sequel to the 2004 film, National Treasure. For the most part, everyone is back. You've got Nicolas Cage playing Benjamin Franklin Gates, Justin Bartha playing Riley Poole, and Diane Kruger playing Abigail Chase. The original earned an impressive $347.5 million dollars worldwide. I guess that total is enough to get a second installment green lit. But I still wish we could see Cage in the more gritty action hero roles; such as, Con Air. This time around, Ben Gates is trying to reclaim his family's name. You see, Thomas Gates, Ben's great-great-grandpappy may or may not have been a conspirator in the assination of Abe Lincoln. This takes him to the Book of Secrets. It's a book every US President has been able to see. All of the answers to all of the questions in our nation's history are inside this book. Though National Treasure is no masterpiece of a concept, some of its adventures almost pay homage to Raiders of the Lost Ark or Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. But unlike the Tomb Raider movie series, the National Treasure series might actually be well-told stories that end up being thrill rides.

More of the principal cast

Jon Voight as Patrick Gates
Ed Harris as Jeb Wilkinson
Helen Mirren as Emily Appleton
Harvey Keitel as Sadusky

Alvin and the Chipmunks

Directed by Tim Hill
Written by Jon Vitti, Will McRobb, and Chris Viscardi
Release date: December 14, 2007

That's right, folks. Just when you were hoping they'd stopped making cartoon characters turn into CGI characters for live action movies with Garfield, here comes those three lovable rascals, the Chipmunks. Yes, they are CGI. Yes, this is a live action movie, starring My Name is Earl's Jason Lee as 'Dave' or David Seville. Unfortunately, these are the only kind of film projects this talented actor seems to be able to get. He was the voice of Underdog. Where's the Kevin Smith masterworks of late; such as, Clerks or Mallrats? Jason needs you, Kevin, badly. Just kidding. I did enjoy the Chipmunks when I was a kid. I didn't realize their high-pitch voices were drilling into the ears of my parents but what can I say, I was young. Long-time voice of Alvin and Simon, Ross Bagdasarian Jr. returns as the new CGI Alvin and Simon. And the long-time voice of Theodore, Janice Karman returns to play the CGI Theordore. Word to the wise, Jason, don't let one scene escape you when you're not yelling "ALVIN!" At least then, it might be easier to buy the idea that the Chipmunks are real and you're looking right at them.

More of the principal cast

Don Tiffany as Don the Sound Engineer
David Cross as Ian
Cameron Richardson as Claire
Jane Lynch as Gail

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

Directed by Tim Burton
Written by John Logan
Release date: December 21, 2007

If there was ever a musical where Tim Burton's directing style fit most perfectly, it would be Sweeney Todd. And to be sure, this is a musical. It stars Johnny Depp as the title character, Sweeney Todd, Helena Bonham Carter as Mrs. Lovett, and Alan Rickman as Judge Turpin. The story follows barber, Todd through Victorian England as he seeks revenge for the destruction of his family. Picture a slasher film with musical numbers and the look of Burton's Sleepy Hollow or Burton's Edward Scissorhands, and you've probably got a good understanding of Tim Burton's latest film.

More of the principal cast

Timothy Spall as Beadle Bamford
Sacha Baron Cohen as Signor Adolfo Pirelli
Jayne Wisener as Johanna
Jamie Campbell Bower as Anthony Hope

More December releases to look for

P.S.: I Love You

Directed by Richard LaGravenese
Written by Steven Rogers and Richard LaGravenese
Release date: December 21, 2007

Starring Hilary Swank as Holly Kennedy, Gerard Butler as Gerry Kennedy, Lisa Kudrow as Denise Hennessey, Harry Connick Jr. as Daniel Connelly, Gina Gershon as Sharon McCarthy, and Kathy Bates.

Atonement

Directed by Joe Wright
Written by Christopher Hampton
Release date: December 7, 2007

Starring Keira Knightley as Cecilia Tallis, James McAvoy as Robbie Turner, Brenda Blethyn as Grace Turner, Romola Garai as Briony Tallis at 18, Saoirse Ronan as Briony Tallis at 13, and Vanessa Redgrave as the Older Briony.

Grace Is Gone

Directed by James C. Strouse
Written by James C. Strouse
Release date: December 7, 2007

Starring John Cusack as Stanley Philipps, Gracie Bednarczyk as Dawn Philips, Doug Dearth as Captain Riggs, Michael Thomas Dunn as Tourist, Brian Patrick Farrekk as Balloon Man, and Dane Lynne Gilhooley as Grace.

The Bucket List

Directed by Rob Reiner
Written by Justin Zackham
Release date: December 25, 2007

Starring Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Beverly Todd, Robb Morrow, Lauren Cohn, Ian Anthony Dale, Jennifer, Defrancisco, Verda Bridges, and Angela Gardner.

More 2007 releases to look for

American Gangster

Directed by Ridley Scott, written by Steven Zaillian, released on November 2, 2007, starring Denzel Washington, Russell Crowe, Cuba Gooding Jr., Josh Brolin as Detective Trupo, RZA, and John Ortiz.

Bee Movie

Directed by Simon J. Smith and Steve Hickner, written by Jerry Seinfeld, Andy Robin, Barry Marder, and Spike Feresten, released on November 2, 2007, starring the voices of Renee Zellweger, Jerry Seinfeld, Chris Rock, Matthew Broderick, Kathy Bates, and John Goodman.

Hitman

Directed by Xavier Gens, written by Skip Woods, release date: November 21, 2007, starring Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko, Robert Knepper, and Ulrich Thomsen

Martian Child

Directed by Menno Meyjes, written by Seth Bass and Jonathan Tolins, released on November 2, 2007, starring John Cusack, Bobby Coleman, Joan Cusack, Amanda Peet, Sophie Okonedo, and Oliver Platt as Jeff

Fred Claus

Directed by David Dobkin, written by Dan Fogelman, release date: November 9, 2007, Vince Vaughn, Paul Giamatti, Miranda Richardson, Kevin Spacey, Rachel Weisz, and Kathy Bates.

Stephen King's The Mist

Directed by Frank Darabont, written by Frank Darabont from the Stephen King novel, release date: November 23, 2007, starring Thomas Jane as David Drayton, Alexa Davalos as Sally, Marcia Gay Harden as Mrs. Carmody, Laurie Holden as Amanda Dumfries, and Chris Owen as Norm

Enchanted

Directed by Kevin Lima, written by Bill Kelly, release date: November 21, 2007, starring Amy Adams as Giselle, Patrick Dempsey as Robert, James Marsden as Prince Edward, Timothy Spall as Nathaniel, and Susan Surandon as Queen Narissa

Lions for Lambs

Directed by Robert Redford, written by Matthew Michael Carnahan, release date: November 9, 2007, starring Robert Redford as Dr. Stephen Malley, Meryl Streep as Janine Roth, Tom Cruise as Senator Jasper Irving, Peter Berg as Wirey Pink, and Michael Pena as Ernest

Other 2007 releases

Michael Clayton

Directed by Tony Gilroy; written by Tony Gilroy; released October 5, 2007; starring George Clooney, Sean Cullen, Tom Wilkinson, Tilda Swinton, and Sydney Pollack. For more, click on the link.

The Seeker: The Dark is Rising

Directed by David L. Cunningham; written by John Hodge; released October 5, 2007; starring Alexander Ludwig, Christopher Eccleston, Ian McShane, Jonathon Jackson, and Amelia Warner. For more, click on the link.

Sleuth

Directed by Kenneth Branagh; written by Harold Pinter; released November 9, 2007; starring Michael Caine and Jude Law

30 Days of Night

Directed by David Slade; written by Stuart Beattle and Brian Nelson; released October 19, 2007; starring Josh Hartnett, Melissa George, Ben Foster, Danny Huston, and Craig Hall. For more, click on the link.

We Own the Night

Directed by James Gray, written by James Gray, starring Joaquin Phoenix as Bobby Green, Mark Wahlberg as Joseph Grusinsky, Robert Duvall as Burt Grusinsky, Eva Mendes as Amada Juarez. For more, click on the link.

Gone Baby Gone

Directed by Ben Affleck, written by Ben Affleck and Aaron Stockard, starring Morgan Freeman as Jack Doyle, Casey Affleck as Patrick Kenzie, Michelle Monaghan as Angela "Angie" Gennaro, Ed Harris as Detective Remy Broussard, and Robert Wahlberg as Detective O'Malley. For more, click on the link.

Good Luck Chuck

Directed by Mark Helfrich, written by Josh Stolberg, starring Dane Cook and Jessica Alba

Resident Evil: Extinction

Directed by Russell Mulcahy, written by Paul W. S. Anderson, Jeremy Bolt, Robert Kulzer, Bernd Eichinger, and Samuel Hadida, starring Milla Jovovich, and Ali Larter. For more, click on the link.

Across The Universe

Directed by Julie Taymor, written by Julie Taymor, Dick Clement, and Ian La Frenais, starring Evan Rachel Wood and Jim Sturgess. For more, click on the link.