Ah, the Summer 2008 Blockbuster Season continues…

The first trailer for The Mummy 3 is up now. (Anyone else growing bored with the “10,000 arrows flying at once” scene?)

Jeremy Zehr has restored my faith in movie reviews with his take on Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. Also, don’t miss the Speed Racer Review “Freak Bite” on his Freak Accident podcast.

As for me? So far this year, I have yet to see anything beyond Horton Hears a Who.

Popularity: 30% [?]

I don’t know about you, but it sure looks to me as if 2008 is shaping up to be one amazing season for moviegoers! Here’s my short list of must-see films:

Iron Man

‘Nuff said.

Son of Rambow

This movie reminds me of my childhood: days spent in the backyard with the video camera, my brothers and I making our own action/adventure blockbusters. We never got this creative with the special effects, though.

Speed Racer

When I saw the first trailer it was so much eye-candy, my optic nerves wanted to puke. That reflex has settled down now, and I actually think I’ll be able to enjoy the thing.

The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian

Finally! Last year I read Prince Caspian to Katie in anticipation of this film… and then it was delayed. Hmm… I wonder if we ought to re-read it now?

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

The boys (Lucas, Spielberg and Ford) said way back when that they’re only making this movie because they’re rich, old men and they thought it would be fun. That could mean that it’ll be really good, or really bad. Like, worse than Temple of Doom bad. :shudder:

The Incredible Hulk

Hooray! We finally have a Hulk film that doesn’t look like a box-office bomb stink like Banner’s pits! (Don’t let the door hit you on the backside as you leave, Mr. Ang Lee. Thank you.)

The Happening

“In a world where all of humanity is mysteriously dying off, one man will survive… Marky Mark.” Yes, Shyamalan truly understands the horror genre.

Get Smart

Let’s face it: Steve Carell has played “Michael Scott as ___” in every single theatrical role he’s had to date. Let’s face it: that’s why he’s so hilarious.

Wanted

The good: it’s just like The Matrix, but less sci-fi and more wild west gunslinging. The bad: it’s just like The Matrix, but less sci-fi and more wild west gunslinging.

(Seriously! A guy working in a cubicle meets a cute chick who thinks he’s some special mystical dude and takes him to a black man who will then spout philosophy and train him to take out “the bad guys” by doing things with bullets that you aren’t supposed to be able to do. How is that not The Matrix, people?)

Wall•E

It’s Pixar. It’s robots. It’s the future. I am so there! (But please, Pixar: don’t let this be another A.I.!)

The Dark Knight

From what I’ve seen in the latest trailer, the late Heath Ledger’s interpretation of The Joker is quite possibly the best ever. I’m most excited about this one.

The X-Files: I Want to Believe

I want to believe that this will be good—if only because Nicole’s already itching to buy the tickets! (Update: the X-Files movie trailer is now online.)

The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor

Grab the popcorn and prepare to zone out, because you know that any movie where Brendan Fraser faces off against Jet Li has firmly released any grip it otherwise had on reality. But hey, that’s why we love the Mummy films, right? (Anyone remember “Brendan Fraser vs. Scorpo-Rock”?)

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

This will be fun! That is all.

Popularity: 32% [?]

I’d like to just come right out and say it: I’ve never watched a single episode of Speed Racer, so I don’t know how faithful this adaptation is. That said, something tells me the Wachowski Bros. are going a little overboard here. This looks like it’s going to be another Batman and Robin, or maybe two hours’ worth of the virtual reality sequences in Spy Kids 3.

Don’t get me wrong—it looks like it’ll be fun. I just think films like this (that try to make the real world look cartoony) and films like Beowulf (that try and make cartoons look ultra-realistic) ultimately aren’t able to hold the viewer’s suspension of disbelief. At least, not long enough to deliver an engaging story. If it’s just about being a popcorn flick, then fine… but these days it’s getting harder and harder to justify paying movie theater prices. As of right now, Speed Racer is on my “rent on DVD” list. We’ll see how things progress as the film develops. (A pun! Get it?)

But hey, don’t take my word for it! You can see the teaser trailer for yourself at Yahoo! Movies.

On a mostly unrelated note, LOST fans will he happy to know that even this trailer has a “Jackface” contribution (Matthew Fox is playing Racer X):

Popularity: 7% [?]