Festival de Cannes 2008 by Mandy_Rodgers

    The 2008 Cannes line-up has been announced. The films play in different sections of the Festival - some to actually compete for the Palm d'Or and others are just there to make a big-time movie premiere splash. Here's what and who to expect this year from just the U.S.

Out of Competition Films:
Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
    Basics: It's been nearly 20 years since Harrison Ford last became film's favorite archaeologist/adventurer, and this time he's got a son involved (Shia LaBeouf). This new installment reunites all the major players: Ford, Spielberg, Lucas and Karen Allen with some LaBeouf and Cate Blanchett - should be mega-movie fun.
    Star sightings: Ford should be in attendance, perhaps with main squeeze Calista Flockhart. LaBeouf, Spielberg, Lucas and Allen should all make it, but with Blanchett recently giving birth to her third son, she might not be in attendance.

Kung Fu Panda
    Basics: A surprising addition to the premieres, this animated comedy from DreamWorks revolves around a lazy panda who becomes the chosen one to protect his community with...you guessed it...Kung Fu moves.
    Star sightings: This voice cast list is all-star and any of these could show up: Jack Black, Jackie Chan, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu,  Seth Rogen, Michael Clarke Duncan and Ian McShane. Angelina Jolie also voices Master Tigress, but with her undeniable pregnancy, so Brangelina might not make it this year.

Vicky Cristina Barcelona
    Basics: Written and directed by Woody Allen, this Spanish/English comedy/drama takes place in Barcelona. A painter becomes romantically involved with two tourists, making his ex-girlfriend jealous.
    Star sightings: Real-life couple Penelope Cruz and Javier Bardem star and might attend the red carpet gala together. Scarlett Johansson (recently engaged to Ryan Reynolds) and Patricia Clarkson also star, and Allen himself should be there.

In Competition Films:
Changeling
    Basics: This Clint-Eastwood directed mystery flick looks at a young mother's suspicion that her recently kidnapped son was not returned to her the same. Other details haven't been revealed, but its writer, J. Michael Straczynski, is known for the sci-fi "Babylon" TV series.
    Star sightings: Eastwood should definitely be around, and the movie stars Amy Ryan and John Malkovich, along with a possible MIA Jolie.

Synecdoche, New York
    Basics: It's a Charlie Kaufman movie. That's really all you need to know. It's going to be different and make you think. Here a man is trying to produce a life-size replica of New York for a play.
    Star sightings: Philip Seymour Hoffman is said play man, and Kaufman-mainstay Catherine Keener also stars. Michelle Williams appears in the film, but more than likely is still maintaining a low profile since Heath Ledger's death earlier this year.

Che (The Argentine/Guerrilla)
    Basics: This two-part biopic from Cannes fave Steven Soderbergh barely made it into the running due to a last-minute completion of the project. Its technically a Spanish entry, revolving around revolutionary Ernesto "Che" Guevara, but it has many American ties.
    Star sightings: Soderbergh will show with wife Jules Asner. Benicio del Toro, Benjamin Bratt, Franka Potente and Lou Diamond Phillips round out the possible appearances.

Other events/screenings:
---Surveillance: A crime drama about an FBI agent's search for a serial killer with Bill Pullman and Julia Ormond.
---Roman Polanski: Wanted and Desired: A documentary examining the true story of director Polanski's move from the United States.
---Blindness: The opening film from Canada, also in competition, looks at the results of a horrifying epidemic of blindness, starring Julianne Moore, Mark Ruffalo, Danny Glover and Sandra Oh.
---Masterclass with Quentin Tarantino: Like last year's class with Scorsese, Tarantino is set to talk about his films in this "Inside the Actor's Studio"-like setting. However, after Tarantino's appearance at Scorsese's discussion (in a Batman tank top), where he talked during half and then left in the middle, I'm not sure if I'm excited about this.