With the year coming to a close, here I am studying for finals and trying to fit in a screening of The Return of the King. But I'm also looking forward to the upcoming releases of 2004, a year in which two monumental achievements are scheduled to reach the big screen: The Passion of the Christ, Mel Gibson's ambitious drama about the last hours in the life of Jesus, and none other than SpongeBob SquarePants: The Movie. In addition to these impending masterpieces, the ten 2004 flicks I'm most anticipating are listed below in alphabetical order:

Alien vs. Predator (Aug. 6). Director Paul W.S. Anderson (Resident Evil) has had this project in development for a while now. But it took the success of Freddy vs. Jason to kick-start production on this sci-fi battle between the creatures Sigourney Weaver fought throughout the Alien  series and the grotesque hunter Governor Ahnuld went head-to-head with in Predator. While I'm not usually sequel-happy, I've been dreaming of this team-up for a long time, and something tells me this clash of the alien titans will be a fun venture, considering the track record of Anderson's similar  flicks. 

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (limited release -- Mar. 19). 2002 was a banner year for screenwriter Charlie Kaufman -- adapting Chuck Barris' Confessions of a Dangerous Mind, penning the underrated and underseen
Human Nature, and translating his own frustrations with writer's block in Adaptation. Next year sees the release of Kaufman's latest screenplay, an oddball (surprise, surprise) tale of a man (Jim Carrey) who decides too late that he doesn't want the memory of his ex-girlfriend (Kate Winslet) erased forever. Kaufman's involvement alone would sell me on on seeing the picture, but the amazing trailer and the great cast (which also includes Mark Ruffalo and Tom Wilkinson) confirms my desire to check out the latest gonzo story erupting from Kaufman's mind. 

Hellboy (Apr. 2). 2003 was a good year to be a comic book fan because of such releases as Daredevil, Hulk, and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (no yelling please, I liked it). 2004 is shaping up to be a banner year for 2-D characters making their screen debut, and it all begins when Blade II director Guillermo del Toro's version of Hellboy hits theatres in April. Ron Perlman plays the beefy red demon-turned-good guy, fighting forces of evil taking trying to, what else, take over the world. Hellboy seemed like an iffy project from the start, but after watching the trailer many times, I'm predicting that del Toro and crew will deliver the goods with this rough-and-tough superhero actioner.

The Incredibles (Nov. 5). Pixar Studios has yet to disappoint me with their steady stream of brilliant computer-animated films, and if advance buzz is any indication, November's The Incredibles will be no exception. After exploring the lives of toys, bugs, monsters, and fish, the Pixar team gives viewers a story about a family of superheroes living in secrecy, only to be called into action once again. Plot details are thin, and only a teaser trailer has been released, but just say "Pixar," and I'm there opening night. 

Kill Bill: Vol. 2 (Feb. 20). Uma Thurman returns as the Bride. She's back to cross off the last names on her Death List Five in the concluding chapter of Quentin Tarantino's love letter to the revenge genre. Vol. 1 divided a few of QT's fans, but most received with open arms this intensely stylized story of an assassin who awakens from a coma dedicated to getting revenge. Vol. 2 sees the Bride's confrontations with the remaining figures on her hit list, including Bill, the unseen employer who gave the order to do her in. I loved Vol. 1, so finding out how Uma's quest ends emerges as a top priority for the new year.

Miracle (Feb. 6). If you told me last month Disney was making a movie based upon the "Miracle on Ice" game of the 1980 Olympics, when the American hockey team took on the seemingly undefeatable Russians, I could'nt have cared less. But upon seeing the trailer recently, I found myself not
only anticipating the film but also intrigued by the story behind it. Disney's had a good streak with sports movies lately (Remember the Titans and The Rookie), so with Miracle, which stars Kurt Russell as the late coach Herb Brooks, the studio might just score a hat trick with another inspirational tale about athletics.

Spartan (Mar. 12). Val Kilmer plays a government agent assigned to finding the President's kidnapped daughter. I know, I know, it sounds like absolutely nothing to write home about, and I'd instantly pass over it too, were it not for a certain man behind the scenes: David Mamet. The man who
has written and directed some of my favorite movies (The Spanish Prisoner, House of Games, etc.) returns with this thriller, and when Mamet's involved, expect a labyrinthine story, memorable characters, and the sort of dialogue where, upon hearing the words, you can instantly tell they came from
Mamet's creative brain. Spartan might not have a fresh story, but I have faith Mamet will pull the rug out from under us and  give viewers a thrilling, unexpected surprise.

Spider-Man 2 (July 2). The superhero flick that set records and dominated the box office last year has spawned a sequel, one that promises to be even darker and just as entertaining (if not more-so) than the original. Spider-Man 2 features the  return of Tobey Maguire as Peter Parker/the Amazing Spider-Man, whose foe this time around is none other than Dr. Octopus (Alfred Molina). Advance word indicates that this sequel, once again directed by Sam Raimi, easily measures up to its predecessor. 

Van Helsing (May 7).  I doubt Bram Stoker ever imagined when he wrote Dracula all those years ago that the character of Abraham Van Helsing, the vampire's number one nemesis, would be the star of his own story. In this 2004 film,  this legendary vampire hunter, played by Hugh Jackman, fights a souped-up version of the Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster in addition to Drac himself. Monster movies are among my favorite genres, and with The Mummy director Stephen Sommers at the helm, there's no way I could turn down what looks like an extremely fun summer blockbuster. Monsters, mayhem, Wolverine -- now what more could you ask from a horror/actioner?

The Village (Aug. 6). Just as Quentin Tarantino's latest earns an instant spot on my list of anticipated films, so does the newest offering from M. Night Shyamalan. This filmmaker has gone nowhere but up, starting off with the weak Wide Awake but continually improving with each new film, leaving us last with the brilliant Signs. As per usual, mum's the word on the story behind M. Night's upcoming supernatural chiller. But I've learned a little about what's in store for viewers -- it's the story of a village in the 1800s surrounded by mythical creatures living in the woods. Knowing M. Night's track record for creeping the heck out of folks, I don't think most viewers will want to watch The Village on a dark night. 

As always, release dates are subject to change, so check local listings to find out when these movies will play in your area. Here's wishing everyone a happy holiday and a New Year filled with great movies.