The Movies you NEED to see: December 2008

Punisher: War Zone – December 5th

There have been 3 ‘Punisher’ movies since 1989 and none of them have been sequels or have absolutely anything to do with the previous one. You have had Dolph Lundgren and Thomas Jane as Frank Castle and now we are getting Ray Stevenson to play the vigilante superhero.

Who really knows how good this is going to be, it seems that it hit post production hell and I am not certain what the final outcome is but I do want to see it!

The Day The Earth Stood Still – December 12th

Keanu Reeves in a Sci-Fi movie that isn’t named ‘The Matrix’ and is a remake of the 1951 classic. I don’t know know if this movie should make it on the list, but here it is…

Che – December 12th (Limited)

Sure, this movie may be so long that it has to be split into two films, but this is a labor of love from director Soderbergh and with Benicio del Toro as Che, I am eagerly awaiting to see this biopic. Again, this isn’t a new topic for filmmaker’s to tackle, but this film may prove to be the creme de la creme.

Gran Torino – December 17th (Limited)

Clint Eastwood has turned in 2 director credits this year, but he will also star in this one. “Eastwood stars as a racist Korean War veteran who catches a Hmong boy trying to steal his 1972 Gran Torino.” I wonder how this movie will be accepted? Neil Miller from FSJ said the movie was “Tastefully Racist”.

The Wrestler – December 17th (Limited)

The Movie Geeks have already seen, loved, and raved about this movie. You can read our review here, which landed an overall score of 5 stars out of 5! You cant get any better than this movie, and I hope that the Oscars reflect that!

Seven Pounds – December 19th

‘Seven Pounds’ is the best Will Smith performance you’ll see since ‘The Pursuit of Happyness’ and further proves that Smith is a serious actor, despite the Academy’s refusal to acknowledge this. The story involves a secret and that secret keeps me from revealing much at all about the story. What I can say though is that it’s an emotionally charged experience that is well-worth seeing!

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – December 25th

If you don’t believe Brad Pitt is a serious actor, than you haven’t seen ‘The Curious case of Benjamin Button’. I am calling this film the Best Picture and Best Director favorite, whether it wins or not. Cate Blanchett also delivers a wonderful performance in a movie that combined brilliant cinematography with a philosophical sci-fi love story that crosses an entire lifetime.

The Spirit – December 25th

Frank Miller’s first stab at directing by himself(He had Robert Rodriguez for ‘Sin City). Are we going to see a beautiful ‘Sin City’ or something more disastrous? With all of the hot Hollywood A list actresses this movie boasts, plus Samuel L Jackson, lets hope we get something amazing.

Valkyrie – December 25th

Whatever you think of Tom Cruise, ‘Valkyrie’ is bound to be the second best WWII film of 2008. I am hesitant to believe it will outshine ‘Defiance’, but it still looks to offer a fascinating look at that era and the events that unfolded. The topic of the attempted assassination of Adolph Hitler isn’t a new subject for filmmakers to tackle, but this is perhaps the largest budget film to portray the events.

Revolutionary Road – December 26th

Leo and Kate meet up again for the first time since ‘Titanic’… this film is getting a lot of critical attention but the film has been short on screenings. Winslet has been on top of the online critic’s lists for Best Actress and that alone has me excited. I always enjoy Kate Winslet, ever since I saw her in Peter Jackson’s ‘Heavenly Creatures’ and I’d love to see her win. Apparently, Leo does a good job too… but, that’s not news.

Defiance – December 31st

As far as WWII movies are concerned, this one is a must see. James Bond, I mean Daniel Craig, makes his first major film since his back-to-back 007 adventure along side a phenomenal supporting cast. The story is one that hasn’t been told, despite being part of a larger topic that’s been dealt with on film more than almost any other. The appeal of this film is that it takes a very large and epic event and breaks it down to a very local and relatively small scale piece of the bigger puzzle. It’s likely however, that this film will stun audiences and prove far bigger in scope than it’s more personal and intimate appearance.