Here are some of the films I’m looking forward to in the next…year. I haven’t kept up on trailer watching, so these are mostly big releases and many of them are duhs. Oh well.

Embedded trailers and my reactions after the jump. Warning: VERY LONG.

Meet the Robinsons

Yeah, this is the TV spot that ran during the Super Bowl rather than the actual trailer, which is here. That’s because the thirty-second spot is funnier. Which sort of scares me a little…if thirty seconds is funnier than two minutes, how funny is ninety minutes going to be? But I’m worrying about that later. Right now, the dinosaur with the BIG HEAD and the LITTLE ARMS is amusing me far more than it has any right to. Opens March 30, 2007.

The Lookout

Bias upfront: I loved Brick so much I would probably watch anything with Joseph Gordon-Levitt in it. That said, this actually looks quite good. Heist film + Gordon Levitt + brain damage + Memento-like reverse plot (perhaps?) = I’m there. (Hope it doesn’t mimic Memento‘s style too much, though–that would just be tacky.) Opens March 30, 2007.

The TV Set

Dude, I remember seeing clips from this when it was on the festival circuit–or somewhere. I don’t even remember, but I was afraid it had fallen off the planet. I like it! I want to see it! Yay! Of course, any opportunity to see Judy Greer is worthwhile. They should’ve kept Love Monkey on the air just for her. Opens April 6, 2007.

Hot Fuzz

Rock on. Simon Pegg and his buddies were behind Shaun of the Dead, which I would’ve loved beyond measure if it weren’t for my zombie hatred. No zombies in Hot Fuzz, however! Yay! Oh, and if you ever get the chance, watch Pegg’s UK series “Spaced”. It’s inspired. Opens April 20, 2007.

Waitress

Wow, this looks fantastic. It was all the news at Sundance, partially because its writer-director Adrienne Shelley, was murdered last year–before she even found out her film was accepted at the festival. So there’s a bittersweet tinge to the film already, because of that. In any case, pretty much all the Sundance reviewers gave the film excellent reviews, relieved to find that they didn’t have to worry about criticizing Shelley’s film so soon after her death. And just from the trailer, I’m incredibly excited about seeing it–it’s funny, sweet, down-to-earth, looks like Keri Russell strikes just the right tone, and has Nathan Fillion! Of course, Waco won’t get it, so I’ll have to wait for DVD, but I’m waiting with bated breath. Opens in limited release April 27, 2007.

Spider-Man 3

I feel weird following a Sundance indie with what will probably be one of the two biggest blockbusters of the summer, but hey. It’s the black suit, dude. Yes, I know, the black suit is supposed to be bad, but it’s totally hot. And I love me some Spider-Man. Right after Batman in my superhero gallery.

Paris, je t’aime

This is another one I’ve been waiting ages for. Twenty filmmakers including Joel & Ethan Coen (Fargo, O Brother Where Art Thou), Gurinder Chadha (Bend It Like Beckham, Bride and Prejudice), Alfonso Cuaron (Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Children of Men), Wes Craven (Scream, Red Eye), Alexander Payne (Election, Sideways), Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run), Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Elephant) direct different vignettes showing their view of Paris. I love Paris, too, and I can’t wait to see what each of these (very different) directors brings to the film. Opens in limited release May 4, 2007.

Pirates of the Caribbean 3: At World’s End

This is an unauthorized YouTube-posted copy, since I couldn’t find an embeddable one on any of the official sites. In case it gets pulled, Yahoo has it here (also higher quality). Anyway. I actually liked Dead Man’s Chest, contrary to much critical opinion, and I’m looking forward to the third one of the series. Hope Keira isn’t as thin as she was at the premiere of the last one, though. That was just pathetic. Opens May 25, 2007. (Isn’t that early? The others were July, weren’t they?)

Knocked Up

I’ve only read a couple of reviews of this from…was it Sundance or SXSW? I don’t remember. Anyway, the reviews were surprisingly positive, because this could really go either way. I’m tempted to think it’s going to be sweet and funny, though…and after, all, Katherine Heigl does play my second-favorite Grey’s Anatomy character. (It’s weird how much more attached I get to TV stars these days than movie stars…I guess because I feel like I know them better because I know their characters better.) Opens June 1, 2007.

Ocean’s Thirteen

I loved the first one, was disappointed by the second, but I’m still there for the third. How can you not at least give George Clooney, Brad Pitt, Matt Damon, Don Cheadle, Steven Soderbergh and heist movies at least a chance? You can’t. At least, I can’t. Opens June 8, 2007.

Ratatouille

It’s Pixar. Do you need more of a reason than that? I didn’t think so. Opens June 29, 2007.

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Yeah, I’m into the gimmes, aren’t I? Yay, they’ve cut their hair! The rumors I hear about Emma Watson not returning for the two final films, though… These rumors have been going around on and off for months now, and this latest round was kicked off by a British gossip rag, so I don’t know how much to believe them. I really, really hope she stays on. She’s the best actor of the three, and replacing her would just be a debacle. Opens July 13, 2007.

Becoming Jane

Anything about Jane Austen, I’m there. One of my British friends saw this last week, and gave it good marks. I doubt it’ll be an instant classic, but I’m sure it’ll be at least diverting. Opens August 3, 2007.

Sunshine

Danny Boyle is a visionary director. In anyone else’s hands, I would probably write this off as a generic sci-fi/disaster. But I trust him to find a way to make it amazing. Opens September 14, 2007.

A few without trailers yet, but that intrigue me

The Bourne Ultimatum – I still need to see The Bourne Supremacy all the way through, but once I do, I’m sure I’ll be there for this one, too. Opens August 2, 2007.

The Invasion – This stars Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and Jeremy Northam, is a sci-fi thriller in the vein of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, and is directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel, who directed Das Experiment and Downfall in Germany, both of which were frapping amazing films. Opens August 17, 2007.

Atonement – Keira Knightley and James McAvoy in the adaptation of Ian McEwan’s novel. I’ve heard amazing things about the novel. I’ll have to try to read it before seeing the film. Opens August 31, 2007.

Shoot ‘Em Up – They couldn’t think up a better title? Seriously. Seriously? But it has Clive Owen (*swoon*) and Monica Bellucci (gorgeous) and Paul Giamatti (amazing) in an action/thriller. That’s at least intriguing, right there. Opens September 7, 2007.

Eastern Promises – Viggo Mortensen and Naomi Watts in a David Cronenberg crime film. Definitely worth a shot. Opens September 14, 2007.

Resident Evil: Extinction – This one actually does have a trailer, but I didn’t feel like embedding it. It’s zombies, yes, but it’s also Milla Jovovich, and I have an inexplicable girl crush on her. Opens September 21, 2007.

The Kingdom – Jamie Foxx, Chris Cooper, Jason Bateman and Jennifer Garner whup ass in the Middle East. Early test screenings have had very positive feedback. Opens September 21, 2007.

The Dark is Rising – The book series this is based on is really great. Hopefully the film will do it justice, but it’s going to be tough competing with The Golden Compass. The latter is the first part of Phillip Pullman’s His Dark Materials trilogy, and is pretty much going to rule December. Thankfully, The Dark is Rising has a couple of months on it. Dark is Rising opens September 28, The Golden Compass on December 7.

3:10 to Yuma – The main reason this remake is on here is because I would so love for the Western genre to be revitalized, so I’m hoping this is good. Christian Bale and Russell Crowe star. Ooh, and hey! Alan Tudyk is in it too! Even better. Opens October 5, 2007.

The Golden Age – Sequel to 1998’s Elizabeth; Cate Blanchett takes up the role of Elizabeth I again, continuing the story of Elizabeth’s reign and her relationship with Sir Walter Raleigh (played by Clive Owen). Opens October 5, 2007.

American Gangster – This looks to be the marquee film of the year. Ridley Scott directs Denzel Washington and Russell Crowe in a Steven Zaillian-scripted crime story set in 1970s Harlem. This year’s The Departed? It wants to be, at any rate. Opens November 2, 2007.

Enchanted looks interesting, mostly because Amy Adams is in it, and after her brilliant turn in Junebug, I’m willing to watch whatever she does to see if she can keep it up. Opens November 21.

Wow, that was way longer than I intended. Got a tad bit carried away, there. But that’s the year, based on trailers and descriptions I’ve seen so far. I’m getting excited!