I have to admit that I was sorely disappointed by this summer’s Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. If I were a 12-year-old girl, I probably would have gone back to see it half a dozen times, but this film fell short of keeping the adult fan in mind. Keep the teenage love angst in the books, please. Kids need more reason to become literate.

My disappointment in Harry Potter has led to me to seek the best geek movie of the year. Upcoming geek movies that spark my interest include:

  • District 9, which opened August 14. Aliens in South Africa really appeals to me.
  • The Time Traveler’s Wife, which also opened August 14. I read the book, and it is an interesting perspective on time travel. The only problem is that it seems too mushy romantic, and Eric Bana is certainly no David Tennant as Doctor Who.
  • Quantum Quest: A Cassini Space Odyssey is set to open in September. The animated movie appears riddled with scientific facts, particularly regarding the sun, photons, neutrons, and electrons, but with enough science fiction thrown in to create an engaging tale. Bonus: It seems child friendly, so the whole family might enjoy this picture, while teaching the little geeks a little something. Plus, the voice talent includes Samuel L. Jackson and James Earl Jones.
  • Gamer opens September 4. The film looks like it will walk the line between science fiction and horror, one of my favorite genre combos. Throw in a little gladiator, and this movie has a lot going on. The premise is simple and has been done before — video games join reality. Though in this version, the game is a MMORPG, and players control real people. If it’s done well, Gamer could be one of this year’s favorites. If the directors, Mark Neveldine and Brian Taylor, don’t stir the mix just right, this movie is apt to disappoint fans across all three genres.
  • Surrogates is set for release September 25. The film caught my attention, and not only because it features Bruce Willis and Ving Rhames. This feature film feels like a mix of I, Robot and I Am Legend. Humans stay home and live their lives via robotic surrogates. Enter Bruce Willis to save humanity from itself. This one has blockbuster written all over it.

In an effort to save me from wasting time and money in a theater, let me know what geek movie you’re most interested in checking out this year. It can be any of the ones I’ve listed, but feel free to make other suggestions. (For more upcoming releases, check out Jay Garmon’s post about this year’s 53 geek movies.) I don’t get to the movies often, and if a film is going to fall short of wonderful, I’d rather wait to rent it.