With the somewhat blah year of 2007 almost behind us, I am starting to already anxiously look forward to the excitement that 2008 is bound to bring! Think about it, we have the summer Olympics coming up in China, the Presidential elections going on throughout the year (finally bringing an end to the awful Bush regime), and we have (as I discovered early today) an amazing plethora of great movies coming to the big screen! After a disappointing year of film in 2007, this is great news to me.

As any of you out there with small children know, it is often difficult to head to the theatres. You have to find a sitter and pay the extra expense of that, or find a movie that the whole family can see and will enjoy. While, thankfully, we live in the era of Pixar's amazing films; having to go see only "kids shows" can leave you a bit wanting after a while. I have always been a huge movie buff and can think of few other activities I enjoy more than sitting in a dark theatre, munching on popcorn, and being entertained with a bunch of strangers by an amazing movie.

Given the fact that "grown up" movie going experiences become more infrequent and precious in the era of small children, it is crucial to make every movie selection count. There is nothing more disappointing than setting everything up for the care of the children, only to head out and see a crappy movie (e.g. Transformers!). For me, 2007 was relatively easy in this regard, as there were not too many films that piqued my interest enough to bother. 2008 on the other hand, looks like it is going to be a stellar year! Have a look at this page with a great snapshot look at a lot of the films due up next year.

Some of the films I am most looking forward to:

• Be Kind Rewind: This is done by the guy who did Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind and stars Mos Def and Jack Black!
  
• Blindness: This was a great book that I struggled to make it half way through. I finally get to see how it ends! ;)
  
• The Box: I LOVED Donnie Darko! Hopefully Richard Kelly, the director, can make a similar film here with an interesting sounding concept.
  
• Burn After Reading: Coen brothers movie, enough said.
  
• Choke: Finally another movie adaptation from one of Chuck Palahniuk's books! Fight Club is by far my favorite movie of all time.
  
• Cloverfield: The trailer for this was amazing. This is the guy who does lost. How bad can it be?
  
• Curious Case of Benjamin Button: David Fincher is the director of an F. Scott Fitzgerald story here. Fincher did Fight Club and Seven and is one of my favorite directors.
  
• The Fighter: Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, The Fountain, Pi) is another of my favorite directors. The ladies will like this one for its starring of Brad Pitt and Marky Mark. ;)
  
• The Happening: Love him or hate him, you have to admit that M. Night (Sixth Sense, The Village) is definitely a unique director.
  
• Sex and the City: The Movie: I know, I know! I just LOVED this series, I'll admit it. I have to see what Carrie is up to next! ;)
  
• Wall-E: Again, Pixar can do no wrong, and this one looks like it might end up being my favorite.
  
• Where the Wild Things Are: A really kewl kids book adaptation, done by a really kewl director in Spike Jonze. Should be fun!
  

And those are just the highlights, there are sure to be even more in store! Again, check out the list here and get ready to eat lots of popcorn in 2008!!