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2008 Preview: Top 20 Movies to See This Spring
by Brian Tallerico
APRIL Shine a Light
Studio: Paramount Vantage
Release Date: April 4th
Starring: The Rolling Stones
Directed by: Martin Scorsese
Official Site: www.shinealightmovie.com
Plot: Martin Scorsese turns his camera from Bob Dylan - who he chronicled in, arguably, the best music documentary ever made, No Direction Home - to the Rolling Stones. The doc focuses on two concerts on the most recent "A Bigger Bang" tour but also tells the story of the band from its inception to today, including interviews and history behind-the-scenes footage.
Why We're Excited: If Scorsese made Wild Hogs 2, we'd still put it on a "most anticipated" list. He's an automatic pick for everything he makes for the rest of his career. The fact that he's making another music documentary, after producing the amazing The Last Waltz and No Direction Home, only makes us more excited. If you're a fan of music at all, especially The Rolling Stones, Shine a Light is a must-see this season.
Leatherheads
Studio: Universal
Release Date: April 4th
Starring: George Clooney, Renee Zellweger, John Krasinski, and Stephen Root
Written by: Duncan Brantley & Rick Reilly
Directed by: George Clooney
Official Site: www.leatherheadsmovie.com
 Plot: In 1925, Dodge Connolly (George Clooney) leads the charge in the early days of professional football. Long before Brett Favre and Eli Manning were twinkles in their daddy's eyes, Connolly watches his sport struggle to gain widespread acceptance and hires a college football star named Carter Rutherford (John Krasinski) to save the day. Carter and Dodge not only have to compete on the field, but also for the heart of reporter Lexie Littleton (Renee Zellweger). Who will win the game and get the girl? And will football finally catch on in middle-America?
Why We're Excited: George Clooney continues to craft himself into the Cary Grant of his era, going back to another period piece and making what looks like a very fun, old-fashioned comedy, the kind that the stars of yesteryear would have looked perfectly at home in. Leatherheads clearly isn't going to change the world, but it should be a great adult alternative in a season that's usually filled with movies aimed at teenagers. Don't be surprised if this one plays well into summer. Clooney's unstoppable lately.
The Ruins
Studio: DreamWorks Pictures
Release Date: April 4th
Starring: Jonathan Tucker, Shawn Ashmore, Laura Ramsey, Joe Anderson, and Jena Malone
Written by: Scott B. Smith (A Simple Plan)
Directed by: Carter Smith
Official Site: www.ruinsmovie.com
Plot: Scott Smith wrote this terrifying novel about a group of travelers in Mexico who go off the beaten path and find certain death waiting in the reeds. It's a man vs. nature tale where the odds are seriously stacked against the poor mortals. Smith authored A Simple Plan, another tale that had an inevitably tragic end, and wrote the adaptation of his own horrific book, which, if it was faithfully adapted, could be one of the most brutal and riveting films of the season.
Why We're Excited: We read the book. It's hard to believe that anyone who read Smith's nail-biting tale wouldn't be excited for the film adaptation, especially considering that the original author has handled the script. Going with a cast of relative unknowns and an unproven director makes us even more curious about The Ruins, as there probably won't be the egos to ruin the project that there might have been with a bigger profile and budget. The Ruins could catch everyone by surprise. Except those that have read the book.
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Studio: Universal Pictures
Release Date: April 18th
Starring: Jason Segel, Bill Hader, Jonah Hill, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Paul Rudd, and Kristen Wiig
Written by: Jason Segel
Directed by: Nicholas Stoller
Official Site: www.forgettingsarahmarshall.com
Plot: The latest Apatow-verse flick tries to do for How I Met Your Mother star Jason Segel what 40-Year-Old Virgin did for Steve Carell and Knocked Up did for Seth Rogen. Segel stars as a guy who struggles to get over being dumped by the title character (Kristen Bell). Segel's character has been the fashion accessory for television star Sarah Marshall for years, but he gets unceremoniously dumped one day and heads to Oahu to recover. Let's just say, he picked the wrong vacation spot. What is being billed as a romantic disaster comedy could be the next great movie from the best comedy team in business right now.
Why We're Excited: The one-two punch of Knocked Up and Superbad made the summer of 2007 the funniest in years. We're not convinced that Segel can hold a movie like Carell, Rogen, or Jonah Hill, but we're willing to give him a shot. With the great Paul Rudd and Kristen Wiig in supporting roles, Forgetting Sarah Marshall could easily be the first great comedy of the year.
88 Minutes
Release Date: April 18th
Studio: Sony
Starring: Al Pacino, Alicia Witt, Leelee Sobieski, Amy Brenneman, William Forsythe, Deborah Kara Unger, Benjamin McKenzie, and Neal McDonough
Written by: Gary Scott Thompson (The Fast and the Furious)
Directed by: Jon Avnet (Up Close & Personal)
 Plot: Pacino's latest gritty film character is Dr. Jack Gramm, a college professor who also works as a forensic psychiatrist for the FBI. Gramm receives a note that tells him he only has 88 minutes to live, and the clock starts ticking for Jack to figure out who’s going to kill him before time runs out.
Why We're Excited: Pacino gave his recently drowsy style a shot in the arm with a fun turn in Ocean's 13, and we're hoping that it carries to another film. Director Jon Avnet hasn't done the best work behind the camera and the writer of Fast and the Furious owes us a favor or two, but 88 Minutes has an interesting concept, even if it's one that sounds a little familiar. This one's all going to come down to execution, and we're praying that Pacino and the rest of his strong ensemble can knock it out of the park. Even if they don't, at least the movie can’t be that long.
Harold and Kumar Escape From Guantanamo
Studio: New Line
Release Date: April 25th
Starring: John Cho, Kal Penn, Roger Bart, Richard Christy, Rob Corddry, Paula Garces, Ed Helms, and Neil Patrick Harris
Written and Directed by: Jon Hurwitz & Hayden Schlossberg
Official Site: whatwouldnphdo.com
Plot: Four years after Harold and Kumar went to White Castle, the duo find themselves finally trying to get to Amsterdam, but getting pretty seriously detained along the way. After the pair is picked up as suspected terrorists, Harold and Kumar are forced to flee, kicking off another road trip full of weed, bare breasts, and Neil Patrick Harris.
Why We're Excited: What took so damn long? It seems ironic that a franchise about two stoners having trouble reaching their destination took so long to make a sequel. We were excited for Harold and Kumar Go to Amsterdam within days of seeing Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle, but four years later, the project has been reworked to even more directly tackle the racial issues in the current state of the world. What? You don't want to hear about racial issues? How about copious nudity, lots of pot smoking, Doogie Howser riding a unicorn, and a George Bush impersonator? Yeah, we'll see you there.
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