Summer '06 Preview

Superman, Shyamalan, and Snakes Should Satisfy Sensationally

The Summer '06 film season is heating up and it looks like it's going to be a good one. My most anticipated summer film is, of course, Superman Returns. As a huge fan of the last son of Krypton, I have been waiting in fervent anticipation for director Bryan Singer to bring the ultimate superhero back to the big screen.

This is going to be a big summer. There are plenty of other films to watch for. The season gets an early start on May 5th when the action sequel Mission: Impossible III hits theaters. The new mutant movie, X-Men: The Last Stand, is being billed as the final X-Men film (yeah, sure). And the requisite "based on the best-selling novel" summer film is The Da Vinci Code with Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou. And that's just May!

As always, the release dates are subject to change. Movie studios have a habit of changing release dates based on early buzz about a film and its competition. Looking back at my Summer '05 Preview, I noticed a few movies that were delayed until spring '06 or still haven't been released.

May

Mission: Impossible III: Tom Cruise returns as Special Agent Ethan Hunt, who faces the mission of his life as he takes on a sadistic arms dealer (Philip Seymour Hoffman). Director J. J. Abrams brings his unique blend of action and drama to the billion-dollar franchise. FGN Opinion: A must see in theaters for full sensory overload. Hoffman is a great actor and should make an excellent villain.

An American Haunting: Based on true events that took place in Tennessee during the 1800s, where an unrelenting demon haunts and torments a teenage girl (Rachel Hurd-Wood) and her family. It is based on the alleged only documented true case in U.S. history of a spirit causing a person's death. With Donald Sutherland and Sissy Spacek. FGN Opinion: Good and creepy. We like creepy.

Hoot: Three middle-schoolers take on greedy land developers, corrupt politicians, and clueless cops in the mystery adventure based on Carl Hiaasen's Newbery Honor-winning book. FGN Opinion: A family film with an environment-friendly spin. A great movie for everyone. Plus, Jimmy Buffett music. What more could you ask for?

Poseidon: When a rogue wave capsizes a luxury cruise ship in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean, a small group of survivors find themselves unlikely allies in a battle for their lives. All-star cast includes Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, Emmy Rossum, Andre Braugher and Richard Dreyfuss. FGN Opinion: Not a big fan of remakes, but when it's a disaster movie with Kurt Russell as the hero I'll be the first to buy tickets.

The Da Vinci Code: Ron Howard and Akiva Goldsman reunite to bring Dan Brown's novel to the big screen. With Tom Hanks and Audrey Tautou. The Da Vinci Code begins with a spectacular murder in the Louvre Museum. All clues point to a covert religious organization that will stop at nothing to protect a secret that threatens to overturn 2,000 years of accepted dogma. FGN Opinion: I liked the book, but had reservations until I heard Ron Howard would direct. This should be the mainstream thriller of the summer. Despite the fact that it is a work of fiction be prepared for heated debates about the subject matter.

Over the Hedge: Based on the popular comic strip, Over the Hedge, is an animated picture about wild animals in suburbia. Verne (a turtle) and his woodland friends awaken from their long winter's nap to discover that a tall, green thing has mysteriously cropped up right through the middle of their home. Enter RJ, an opportunistic raccoon, who explains that the world beyond the hedge is the gateway to the good life. Voices include Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, and William Shatner. FGN Opinion: Another winner for DreamWorks SKG. It may be as big as Shrek.

X-Men: The Last Stand: A "cure" for mutancy threatens to alter the course of history. For the first time, mutants have a choice: maintain their uniqueness, though it isolates and alienates them, or give up their powers and become human. The opposing viewpoints of mutant leaders Charles Xavier, who practices tolerance, and Magneto, who believes in survival of the fittest, are put to the ultimate test -- triggering a war to end all wars. FGN Opinion: There has been much discussion about Brett Ratner taking over as director in the absence of Bryan Singer (who left to direct Superman Returns). Personally, I think the cast and the story will carry the film. I'll be at opening day.

June

The Break-Up: Vince Vaugn and Jennifer Aniston star in this movie, which starts where most romantic comedies end: after boy and girl have met, fallen in love, moved in to start their happily-ever-after... and right when they wind up driving each other crazy. FGN Opinion: Vaughn is usually good for some laughs, but the only buzz that's driving this film is whether or not Aniston appears naked. I'll wait to catch this on cable.

Cars: Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson), a hotshot rookie racecar driven to succeed, discovers that life is about the journey, not the finish line, when he finds himself unexpectedly detoured in the sleepy Route 66 town of Radiator Springs. FGN Opinion: The latest from Pixar has some great celebrity voices, awesome animation, and a good story. It's a guaranteed winner.

The Omen: A remake of the 1976 horror classic The Omen (1976), in which an American official realizes that his young son may literally be the devil incarnate. FGN Opinion: Do we really need a remake when the original is still one of the creepiest movies ever? How do you improve on a film that stars Gregory Peck?! I'll pass.

Nacho Libre: Jared Hess (of Napoleon Dynamite fame) directs this bizarre comedy staring Jack Black as Nacho, a young man who works as a cook in the Mexican monastery where he was raised. When the institution faces a financial crisis, Nacho decides that he must come to the aid of the house of God (as well as the beautiful young nun who has recently joined the order) by competing in the local Lucha Libre tournament. Donning a spandex outfit, mask, and cape, Nacho becomes a hero for the ages -- but can he win the heart of a woman of the cloth? FGN Opinion: Jack Black is almost certain to be funny, but this story seems a bit out there. Humor is very subjective. I don't know if this is going to hit or miss.

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift: From the producer of The Fast and the Furious and its sequel, 2 Fast 2 Furious, comes the latest installment of the adrenaline-inducing series built on speed. Set in the sexy and colorful underground world of Japanese drift racing, the newest and fastest customized rides go head-to-head on some of the most perilous courses in the world. FGN Opinion: Egad! Another one? I'm sure it will appeal to fans of the first two flicks, but I think this tank is dry.

Click: A workaholic architect finds a universal remote that allows him to fast-forward and rewind to different parts of his life. Complications arise when the remote starts to overrule his choices. FGN Opinion: Adam Sandler is usually a hoot, and I'm very psyched about Christopher Walken's cameo. This one will click on opening weekend.

Superman Returns: Following a mysterious absence of several years, the Man of Steel comes back to Earth in the epic action-adventure Superman Returns, a soaring new chapter in the saga of one of the world's most beloved super heroes. While an old enemy plots to render him powerless once and for all, Superman faces the heartbreaking realization that the woman he loves, Lois Lane, has moved on with her life. In an attempt to protect the world he loves from cataclysmic destruction, Superman embarks on an epic journey of redemption that takes him from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of outer space. FGN Opinion: Really? You have to ask?

July

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley reunite in this film from Walt Disney Pictures. The all-new, epic tale chronicles the further mis-adventures of Captain Jack Sparrow. FGN Opinion: The first film surprised me. I don't know many details about the plot, so I hope the sequel lives up to the first. Yo ho, yo ho! A pirate's life for me!

A Scanner Darkly: Set in suburban Orange County, California, in a future where America has lost the war on drugs. When one reluctant undercover cop (Reeves) is ordered to start spying on his friends, he is launched on a paranoid journey into the absurd, where identities and loyalties are impossible to decode. FGN Opinion: Like a graphic novel come to life, A Scanner Darkly will use live action photography overlaid with an advanced animation process to create a haunting, highly stylized vision of the future. The idea of seeing an animated film based on a Philip K. Dick novel is too surreal for words. I'm looking forward to it.

Pulse: Imagine our wireless technologies made a connection to a world beyond our own. Imagine that world used that technology as a doorway into ours. Now, imagine the connection we made can't be shut down. When you turn on your cell phone or log on to your e-mail, they'll get in, you'll be infected and they'll be able to take from you what they don't have anymore - life. A remake of the Japanese film Kairo (2001). FGN Opinion: I like a good scary movie as much as the next guy, but why do the scariest ones seem to be remakes of Japanese films? I'll probably still see it, although everyone will say the original is better.

You, Me and Dupree: Carl and Molly Peterson (Matt Dillon and Kate Hudson) are just starting their new life together-complete with a cute house, boring neighbors, stable jobs and the routines of newlywed existence. There's just one unfortunate hitch in their perfectly constructed new world... And his name's Dupree (Owen Wilson). FGN Opinion: Why do people think Owen Wilson is a leading actor and comedian? Even the trailer for this film makes me think he's second banana at best. I'll pass.

Lady in the Water: In a story originally conceived by writer-director M. Night Shyamalan for his children, a modest building manager named Cleveland Heep (Paul Giamatti) rescues a mysterious young woman (Bryce Dallas Howard) from danger and discovers she is actually a narf, a character from a bedtime story who is trying to make the treacherous journey from our world back to hers. FGN Opinion: Can M. Night make a bad movie? Some people hated The Village, but I thought it was wonderful. If you don't like this director, you don't like good movies. With Giamatti and Howard starring, this film should be exceptional!

My Super Ex-Girlfriend: Everyone's had a painful parting of the ways with a romantic partner. We pick up the pieces and move on. But for one New York guy (Luke Wilson), it's not going to be so easy. When he breaks up with his girlfriend (Uma Thurman), he discovers his ex is actually the reluctant superhero, G-Girl. A scorned woman, she unleashes her super powers to humiliate and torment him. FGN Opinion: Undoubtedly silly, possibly lame. It'll need a lot of in-jokes for the comic book crowd to avoid coming off as a jab at the genre -- or worse, a ridiculous plot device for a relationship movie.

Monster House: An exciting and hilarious thrill-ride tale about three kids who must do battle with a mysterious home that is determined to eat every trick-or-treater in sight on Halloween. FGN Opinion: The animation looks good, but the story will sell this. Sony Pictures has a lot riding on this first foray into animation. The jury is still out on whether they will be able to compete with the big dogs of computer animation (Pixar and DreamWorks).

Barnyard: When the farmer's away, all the animals play... and sing, and dance. Eventually, though, someone has to step in and run things, a responsibility that ends up going to Otis (Kevin James), a carefree cow. FGN Opinion: My opinion of Nickelodeon movies is that they are usually more for the under 10 crowd, but something about this tickles my funny bone. Might have to catch this one in the theaters.

Miami Vice: The cocaine cowboys of the '80s are gone, but Miami's Casablanca allure, the undercover cops and the attitudes of Michael Mann's culturally influential television series have been "enhanced" by time in the feature film version of Miami Vice. FGN Opinion: I said it last year about The Dukes of Hazzard and I'll say it again: Sign of the Apocalypse! Run! Hide! Save yourselves before it's too late!

August

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby: NASCAR stock car racing sensation Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) and his loyal racing partner, childhood friend Cal Naughton Jr., are a fearless duo -- dubbed "Thunder" and "Lightning" by their fans for their ability to finish so many races in the #1 and #2 positions, with Cal always in second place. When a flamboyant French Formula One driver, Jean Girard, challenges the duo for the supremacy of NASCAR, Ricky Bobby must face his own demons and fight Girard for the right to be known as racing's top driver. FGN Opinion: Will Ferrell can make just about anything funny. Look at what he did to the local news in Anchorman. NASCAR deserves a good, ridiculous send-up as only Ferrell can provide.

The Ant Bully: A witty and heartwarming story about a 10-year-old boy who embarks on a remarkable journey. New in town, friendless and tormented by a neighborhood bully, young Lucas Nickle has been taking out his frustration on the innocent ant hill in his yard. But one day the ants retaliate. Using a magic potion, they shrink Lucas down to ant size and sentence him to live like an ant in their colony. In this strange new world Lucas will learn important lessons about friendship, get a whole new perspective on life and ultimately find the courage to stand up for himself. FGN Opinion: The animation reminds me more of Antz than A Bug's Life. These ants are not friendly-looking. I don't know if kids will enjoy seeing a boy (even a misguided one) sucked into the insect world. Traumatizing? Probably not. Entertaining? Uncertain.

World Trade Center: This new film by Oliver Stone, tells the story of two Port Authority police officers, John McLoughlin (played by Nicolas Cage) and Will Jimeno (played by Michael Peña), who were the last two surviving rescue workers pulled from the remains of the World Trade Center after the September 11, 2001 attacks. FGN Opinion: The success or failure of this spring's United 93 will decide if American audiences are ready for a film about 9/11. If one does poorly, I imagine the other will be pushed back to January. Even if World Trade Center does go forward with a summer release, however, I suspect a lot of people will be waiting for the DVD so they can watch it in private.

The Reaping: Hilary Swank plays a former Christian missionary who lost her faith after her family was tragically killed, and has since become a world renowned expert in disproving religious phenomena. But when she investigates a small Louisiana town that is suffering from what appear to be the Biblical plagues, she realizes that science cannot explain what is happening and she must regain her faith to combat the dark forces threatening the community. FGN Opinion: Not much on this film besides the synopsis and a few publicity shots. Not even a trailer. But something about this appeals to me in the way The X-Files and the short-lived Miracles did. Could be a frightening supernatural film or a dull religious drama.

Snakes on a Plane: Neville Flynn (Samuel L. Jackson) and Sean Jones (Nathan Phillips), FBI agents, escort John Saunders (Mark Houghton), a former Mafia member, to testify in a highly publicized case. In the course of a flight between Hawaii and California, an assassin pays airport security to sneak a time-release crate of 400 snakes of various sizes on board in the hope of killing the witness. FGN Opinion: This film is THE BUZZ of the Internet -- based solely on the title. Only Samuel L. Jackson could make something that sounds like b-movie material the next big thing. I'll see it, with lot's of popcorn.

Clerks II: Now in their 30s, Dante (Brian O'Halloran) and Randal (Jeff Anderson) are still working dead-end service jobs. But maturity and adult responsibility loom, as Dante is about to move out of state to be with his fiancée. FGN Opinion: Kevin Smith hasn't had a big success since Dogma. A sequel to the independent movie that started his career may be just the ticket. If nothing else, fans will want to see how Dante and Randal are handling adulthood. The question remains whether their special brand of Generation X minimum wage angst is still relevant a decade later.