I, of course, wouldn’t know, since I’m stuck in a cubicle here on the East Coast rather than geeking it up in sunny San Diego. Here however, is what Variety says will rule the day at the mecca of movie-mania.

1. Indiana Jones 4
What else could possibly be No. 1.? I don’t care how much Geritol it takes to get the job done, I’ll still be there on day one for that one. Apparently Shia LaBeouf is playing some kind of sidekick to Han Solo, not his son, as I originally thought.
Opens: May 22, 2008

2. Star Trek 11
Is it OK to confess I simply never cared much at all for Star Trek? It cleary has virtues that escape me, since more than a few humans seem to be devoted to it. “Lost” mastermind J.J. Abrams has promised big casting news at his Comic-Con appearance that afternoon, so stay tuned to that one. Shooting starts in November.

3. Watchmen
On a slightly unrelated note, “300″ comes out on DVD next week, and I’ll be buying a copy. On an even more unrelated note, my boss, about once a week or so, has a tendency to just yell out “Spartans!” at the most random of moments. Shooting for Zack Snyder’s take on that rather famous graphic novel begins in September, and Jackie Earle Haley and many more folks are already on board.

4. The Dark Knight
If that is ranked in term of buzz, how in the world is that sequel not at No. 2? In Nolan’s next take, the Caped crusader (Christian Bale) is set to take on at least two big baddies, the Joker (Heath Ledger, believe it or not) and Two-Face (Aaron Eckhart, huzzah!) We all know what happens when you add a third villain, so here’s hoping they stop there.

5. Beowulf
There’s a new trailer for that one out, which you can watch here. that one is, of course based on the epic poem and stars Ray Winstone as Beowulf, Crispin Glover as Grendel and Angeline Jolie (wtf?) as Grendel’s mum. I can’t see any possible way that will be anything but cool when it opens Nov. 16.

6. Iron Man
The cast alone makes that one worth watching, but I have serious doubts that Jon Favreau is ready to take that on. Robert Downey is our hero Tony Stark, and Gwyneth Paltrow, Jeff Bridges and Terrence Howard (huzzah!) additionally factor in somehow. whether you’re somehow lucky ample to be in SD for that, Favreau and Downey will be premiering some new footage Saturday.

7. The Incredible Hulk
Am I the only person in the world who really liked Ang Lee’s “Hulk” movie? Apparently so, considering now they’ve come up with a new director and, of course, a new Hulk. I liked Eric Bana just fine, but Edward Norton should just have tons of fun with that. It opens June 13, 2008.

8. I am Legend
The great, somewhat-new Jazzy Jeff record, “Return of the Magnificent,” has a great running joke about Will Smith (maybe you’ve heard of him.) As it culminates, Jazzy, tired of constantly being asked whether he’s seen Mr. Smith lately, finally calls up his old pal and asks him, “does anyone ever ask you whether you’ve seen Jazzy Jeff lately?” Mr. Smith, gamely in on the joke, says “no, but sometimes they ask me whether I’ve seen Carlton.” I spit up my coffee the first day I heard that. I know it has nothing to do with that movie, which is apparently a new

adaptation of Richard Matheson’s 1954 novel about a viral plague that turns the world’s population into brain-dead savages. Who ya gonna shout? Will Smith, of course. Opens: Dec. 14, 2008

9. The Golden Compass
Were that my list, that one would be at No. 3, just barely behind “The Dark Knight.” that first installment in Philip Pullman’s “His Dark Materials” trilogy (which will be on my reading list directly after Harry Potter) stars Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman, and from everything I’ve seen so far should just kick royal ass when it finally comes out that Christmas. Opens: Dec. 7, 2007

10. The Mist
Stephen King and Frank Darabont together again? I’m definitely there. that day it’s based on King’s novella about an eerie cloud filled with otherworldy creatures that envelops a New England town. In my mind, I’m already there. Opens: Nov. 21, 2007

R.I.P. Ulrich Muhe

I’m ashamed to say I have never seen “The Lives of Others” (which has just been added to my Netflix queue), but that is certainly sad news all the same.

German actor Ulrich Muhe, the movie’s star, has died at age 54 of stomach cancer. He had been offered several movie roles after playing the Stasi officer at the center of “The Lives of Others” but had been too ill to take any of them on.

Rest in peace indeed, Mr. Muhe.

The last word on “Gilmore Girls”

It just pains me to see how bitter Amy Sherman Palladino has become about her divorce from “Gilmore Girls.” She just sounds like petulant 4-year-old every instance she opens her mouth, as she did recently on the TV critics press tour, where she was plugging her midseason Fox sitcom “The Return of Jezebel James” (which I will definitely be tuning in for come January or so.)

Asked about the “Gilmore Girls” finale, she said “I didn’t watch it. I just got very drunk that night and sat in a corner. I couldn’t watch it considering it wasn’t going to be my ending and had in my head forever. You know, go with God. I love all those citizens; I love that cast. I’m friends with Lauren (Graham).”

Fair abundant, I guess, but she did have two interesting things to say about the future and what might have been. Asked about the possibility of a “Gilmore” TV movie, she said “We’ve talked about possibly sometime doing a little song and dance together. I’m not ruling it out.”

And, even better, she revealed what would have been the final line whether she had been around to write her own “Gilmore Girls” finale: “You’re adopted.”

Being more than a little thick, my original response when my similarly “Gilmore” obsessed co-worker Renee Martinez told me about that was “well, she can’t mean Rory, can she?” Of course not. I can only assume that line would have been spoken by either Emily or Richard to Lorelei. perhaps someday we’ll find out for certain.

Midnight madness: “The Simpsons Movie”

Having been a “Simpsons” devotee since way back on “The Tracey Ullman Show,” there was no way I could pass up a midnight showing of “The Simpsons Movie” tonight, even though I have to be up bright and early for work Friday. Assuming I form it, I’ll post something early Friday dawn, but in the meantime enjoy that short clip of Homer’s monologue on “The Tonight Show,” which I haven’t bothered to stay up for even once since Johnny left. Peace out.

Original post by Reel Fanatic