2007 Preview
Top Ten Anticipated Films for the New Year

The new year is guaranteed to whet film fans’ appetites with many intriguing releases. The following ten are the ones I am most looking forward to seeing in 2007. Look for them to appear in multiplexes all over the nation over the coming few months.

Here they are, in random order (release dates subject to change):

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (July 13)
“Magical” doesn’t even begin to describe the effect the teen wizard series has on worldwide audiences, and after a whole calendar year with no new Potter film fans are certainly marking down July 13. The fifth film concerns the mystery surrounding Voldemort’s apparent resurrection. There is a new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher (the first female, played by Imelda Staunton) but there is plenty more for fans to get excited about. The teaser trailer looks exceptional, especially Harry’s first kiss. The countdown begins now.

Spider-Man 3 (May 4)
Peter Parker faces demons inside and out, it seems, in this third installment of the popular comic book franchise. The leads are all back, as well as director Raimi, and new villains (played by Thomas Haden Church and Topher Grace) make their appearance, as does new love interest Gwen Stacey (played by Bryce Dallas Howard). The most effective part of the story, though, may be the interaction between Peter and his longtime best friend Harry Osbourne. Will the third time be a charm?

Stardust (July 27)
Brit director Matthew Vaughn (Layer Cake) takes the helm of this fairy tale/fantasy coming to theaters this summer. A guy promises his lady love that he’ll catch a fallen star in a magical land for her, not knowing this star has actually turned into a beautiful woman. The cast includes Claire Danes, Sienna Miller, Henry Cavill, Michelle Pfeiffer and Robert DeNiro which should be enough of a draw for most people, while early images hint at some gorgeous production design. As an added bonus, Ian McKellan just signed on to be the narrator.

Zodiac (March 2)
Serial killers and David Fincher. Sound familiar? Yep, the Seven director is returning to the genre with this film about the titular San Francisco killer. The cast includes Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo and Robert Downey Jr. The first glimpses in posters and the trailer seem to point in the right direction for creepy thrills. All the ingredients seem in place for an exceptional thriller.

Pirates of the Caribbean: At World’s End (May 25)
Well, you’d be hard-pressed to find a fan who wasn’t itching to see this final part of the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy after that cliffhanging last scene in Dead Man’s Chest. Filmed at the same time as the second, this third film will answer the question, “Will Captain Jack Sparrow come back from certain death?” The new cast member is Chow Yun-Fat, joining all the familiar faces and franchise director Gore Verbinski for the swashbuckling fun. Memorial Day is when fans can say, “Today is the day you will remember as the day the final Pirates of the Caribbean was released.”

Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium (Nov. 16)
A talented writer (Zack Helm, Stranger than Fiction, making his directorial debut) and a great cast (including Natalie Portman and Dustin Hoffman) will no doubt make this fanciful story of a woman inheriting a magical toy store a film to keep your eye on. Helm’s past writing has been impressive so this one has a lot going for it.

Ratatouille (June 29)
The Pixar computer animation geniuses are at it again with this Paris-set story of a rat who loves good food and wants to be a chef. Disney is, of course, releasing the film in the summer and the trailer (first seen with last year’s Cars) is encouragingly hilarious. The voices will be provided by actors like Patton Oswald (from TV’s The King of Queens) and Janeane Garofalo. The Pixar’s unbelievable winning streak will probably keep going strong.

Becoming Jane (Aug. 3)
The life of classic author Jane Austen (or at least a part of it) comes to life in this late summer release. Anne Hathaway stars as the Regency-era novelist and James McAvoy (The Last King of Scotland) co-stars as the Irishman who almost wins her heart. The romantic appeal of her novels could very well be captured by this film, and I suppose the trailer will tell us more. The talent of the two leads suggests good performances, and the plot could provide some surprising poignancy in the end.

Enchanted (Nov. 21)
My under-the-radar pick for this year is this animation/live action hybrid. Oscar nominee Amy Adams (Junebug) stars as a fairy tale princess banished to the real world of modern day New York City where she will have to choose between her betrothed prince (played by James Marsden) and her real-world beau (played by Patrick Dempsey). Susan Sarandon also co-stars. Being released in November, female fans especially probably will not be disappointed.

The Other Boleyn Girl (Fall/Winter TBD)
Phillippa Gregory’s bestseller gets the big-screen treatment with the talents of Eric Bana, Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johannson as the leads. A sumptuous period piece with talented actors? Based on a celebrated novel? Yep, it’s a Fall release with awards aspirations. Of course, that’s very premature and may prove to be completely inaccurate. Any more speculation will have to wait until a trailer, but even then considering the subject matter the production design should dazzle.