Holy summer movies, Batman!

Are you ready for some thrills? Someone in Hollywood is certainly banking on that fact, because there are an awful lot of horror thrillers coming your way in the next few months. And many of them feature the living dead — so zombie lovers should definitely find something worth watching, including a new film from the zombie master George A. Romero.

A-list actresses, like Jennifer Connelly and Scarlett Johansson, are following in Naomi Watts’ “Ring”-like footsteps with thrillers “Dark Water” and “The Island.” Even Steven Spielberg's latest, “War of the Worlds” seems more like the spawn of “Jaws” than “Close Encounters of the Third Kind.”

You may also get a strange sense of deja vu from this summer's movies. From TV shows that get the big screen treatment, like “Bewitched” and “The Dukes of Hazzard” to a slew of remakes like “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” and “The Bad News Bears.”  Basically, everything old is new again.

Looking for laughs? The Frat Pack (Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson) may score the biggest laughs of the summer with “The Wedding Crashers.” And “Office Space” creator Mike Judge is back with a new, still untitled project.

No worries, art-house fans. Some great indie films sneak their way in between the blockbusters. Look for Sundance faves “Hustle & Flow” and “Me and You and Everybody We Know.” Also Bill Murray stars in Jim Jarmusch’s “Broken Flowers” and Wong Kar Wai’s latest visual poem is “2046.”

“Batman Begins”

Starring: Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Liam Neeson, Morgan Freeman, Gary Oldman, Ken Watanabe, Katie Holmes, Cillian Murphy, Tom Wilkinson, Rutger Hauer
Director: Christopher Nolan
Story: After Bruce Wayne’s (Bale) parents are murdered, he travels the world to find ways to fight injustice. He emerges as the Dark Knight of Gotham City: Batman. Caine is on board as Wayne’s faithful servant, Alfred. Murphy plays archvillain The Scarecrow, while Watanabe takes on the role of terrorist Ra’s Al Ghul . Oldman plays Sergeant Jim Gordon.
Buzz: It’s hard not to get excited about this film. Innovative director Nolan (“Memento”) promises to give a dark take on material that has been given short shrift in the past. Add a really great cast, which is classed up with the trio of Caine, Neeson and Freeman, and we could actually get a comic-book film that transcends the genre. Or, it could seriously disappoint (see, “The Hulk” for what happens with an intellectual director takes on this type of material). Hopes are high for this one.
Web site:
http://www2.warnerbros.com/batmanbegins/index.html

“The Perfect Man”

Starring: Hilary Duff, Heather Locklear, Chris Noth, Mike O'Malley, Ben Feldman, Vanessa Lengies, Carson Kressley
Director: Mark Rosman
Story: Holly (Duff) tries to get her mom (Locklear) to stop dating losers by inventing a man based on advice from her friend’s Uncle Ben (Noth). Mom takes the bait but wants this man to be more than mysterious love notes and flowers. Can Holly make him materialize out of thin air?
Buzz: Is it just me, or does this seem like one of those movies where the female stars will be dancing in the living room for no apparent reason? This movie seems more like one you would find on ABC Family than in your local multiplex, but Hilary Duff fans (and their moms) should find something to enjoy here.
Web site:  http://www.theperfectmanmovie.com/

“Me and You and Everyone We Know”

Starring: Ellen Geer, John Hawkes, Brad William Henke, Miranda July, Jordan Potter, Brandon Ratcliff, Jason Rice, Natasha Slayton, Miles Thompson, Najarra Townsend, Carlie Westerman
Director: Miranda July
Story: The story of an Elder Cab driver and artist (July) who falls in love with a shoe salesman (Hawkes), who is the father of two boys, and tentative about romance. Seven-year-old Robby (Ratcliff) is having an internet romance with a stranger, while teenage girls experiment with 14-year-old Peter (Thompson).
Buzz: Roger Ebert called this “the best film” he saw at the Sundance Film Festival this year and Film Threat called it “a breath of fresh air.” It definitely seems like one of those little gems that could end up being a summer sleeper art-house hit. Director July is primarily known for her performance artwork. If you’re a “Deadwood” fan (and you should be), you know Hawkes from his role as Sol Star.
Web site:  http://www.ifcfilms.com/meandyoumovie/

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“Bewitched”
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Will Ferrell, Shirley MacLaine, Michael Caine, Kristin Chenoweth, Jason Schwartzman, Steve Carell
Director: Nora Ephron
Story: In this off-beat take on the classic TV series, Will Ferrell stars as Jack Wyatt, an actor who’s been cast in a television remake of “Bewitched.” He picks non-actress Isabel Bigalow (Kidman) to play Samantha. But unbeknownst to him, she actually possesses some of Samantha’s otherworldly powers. MacLaine stars as the actress who plays Samantha’s mother Endora, while Caine plays Isabel’s magical father Nigel. Steve Carrell (“The Office”) co-stars as Uncle Arthur.

Buzz: This is definitely more interesting than doing a straight-up remake of the series, however, buzz on this film has not been great — word is that many of the jokes fall flat. Kidman (“Stepford Wives”) really needs to show she can handle broad comedy. Ephron’s (“You’ve Got Mail,” “Sleepless in Seattle”) comic sensibilities tend toward the sentimental rather than the broad and she hasn’t directed a film since 2000’s bomb, “Lucky Numbers.” She co-penned the screenplay with sister Delia.
Web site:  http://sonypictures.com/movies/bewitched/

“Herbie: Fully Loaded”

Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Michael Keaton, Matt Dillon, Breckin Meyer, Justin Long, Cheryl Hines, Jill Ritchie
Director: Angela Robinson
Story: Lohan stars as Maggie Payton, who tries to save her car-racing family, headed up by Keaton, with the help of a Volkswagen Bug that seems to have a mind of its own. Dillon co-stars as one of the rival NASCAR drivers.
Buzz: Lindsey Lohan has a bit too much party-girl baggage to be believable as a wholesome Disney heroine these days. Tales of trouble on the set, as Lohan allegedly called in sick on some days, dogged the production. Still, Lohan did manage to make both “Parent Trap” and “Freaky Friday” completely her own, so you can’t completely count her out. Robinson is best known for directing the “barely made it into the theaters” comedy “D.E.B.S.” Attention, Matt Dillon, you’re better than this.
Web site:  http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/herbie/

“George Romero’s Land of the Dead”

Starring: Simon Baker, Asia Argento, Dennis Hopper, John Leguizamo, Robert Joy
Director: George A. Romero
Story: From the maker of “Night of the Living Dead,” “Dawn of the Dead” and “Day of the Dead” comes this film about, you guessed it, zombies on the prowl. In this film the undead have taken over the entire world, while the remaining living humans live in a city behind tall walls. A group of mercenaries bands together to protect the living from the zombies.
Buzz: Hey, it’s George Romero, so I can’t mock this one the way I might mock a normal horror movie. The fact that he’s managed to wrangle characters (and character actors) Hopper and Leguizamo into this project bodes well for its potential camp factor.
Web site: NA

“Yes”

Starring: Joan Allen, Simon Abkarian, Sam Neill, Shirley Henderson, Samantha Bond
Director: Sally Potter
Story: The story of a married woman (Allen) who has a love affair with a Middle Eastern man (Abkarian). The lovers embark on a journey that takes them from London and Belfast to Beirut and Havana. Neill plays her betrayed and betraying husband.
Buzz: Joan Allen (“The Upside of Anger”) seems to just get better with every role, and I love that she’s no longer typed as prim and uptight. Potter is probably best known for directing Tilda Swinton to an amazing performance in “Orlando.” With the talented cast and director, this could be one of those small films to look out for.
Web site:  http://www.yesthemovie.com/index.jsp

“Rize”

Starring: Tommy the Clown, Lil Tommy, Larry, Lil C, Dragon, Tight Eyez, Baby Tight Eyez, Miss Prissy, Swoop, El Nino, Daisy, Big X, La Nina, Quinesha
Director: David LaChapelle
Story: This documentary gives an inside look at the world of street dancing in South Central Los Angeles. We meet a group of dancers including Tommy the Clown and Baby Tight Eyez, who show the different styles of dance: “clowning,” “krumping,” and more. The performers face off in a dance-off — think of it as the real-life version of “You Got Served” (with none of that movie’s crummy dialogue).
Buzz: LaChapelle is probably better known as a photographer (http://www.davidlachapelle.com/) than a filmmaker. However, he has made movies on dance before and definitely has a way of capturing the human body on film. This film made a splash at this year’s Sundance Film Festival (as did LaChapelle with his partying ways).
Web site:  http://www.rizemovie.com/rize.html

“War of the Worlds”

Starring: Tom Cruise, Tim Robbins, Miranda Otto, Dakota Fanning, Justin Chatwin, Rick Gonzalez, David Alan Basche
Director: Steven Spielberg
Story: This retelling of the classic H.G. Wells’ story is about the final war: An alien invasion of the planet Earth. The Spielbergian twist is that it is told from the point of view of a divorced dad (Cruise) and his kids (Fanning, Chatwin). Can this broken family survive the final war? Well, considering this is a Spielberg film, the answer to that question is probably fairly obvious.
Buzz: The timing of this film should prove favorable. Considering our current situation in Iraq and the way the world views the U.S., this film will give Americans a chance to be the underdogs once again (reminiscent to the way we were portrayed in “Independence Day”). Spielberg’s last collaboration with Cruise produced a pretty great film, “Minority Report” (except for about the last 20 minutes), so it’s hard not to have high hopes for this one. The clock is running on Fanning — she has only so many cherub roles left till she starts getting too old.
Web site:  http://www.waroftheworlds.com/

“Rebound”
Starring: Martin Lawrence, Wendy Raquel Robinson, Breckin Meyer, Horatio Sanz, Megan Mullally
Director: Steve Carr
Story: After having a meltdown while coaching a college basketball team, Coach Roy McCormick (Lawrence) finds himself reduced to coaching a junior-high-school team. But will his over-the-top tactics work with these middle schoolers? Or will their spirit change him? Um, yeah, one guess. “Will & Grace” star Mullally plays the school principal.

Buzz: “Rebound” is what Lawrence needs his career to do. He takes the Eddie Murphy route here, signing on for a family-friendly comedy, but Lawrence doesn’t really possess Murphy’s likeability. Speaking of Murphy, director Carr helmed both “Daddy Day Care” and “Doctor Doolittle 2.” Look for Lawrence’s career to still be in need of a rebound after this one.
Web site:  http://www.reboundthemovie.com/home.html

“Undead”

Starring: Felicity Mason, Mungo McKay, Rob Jenkins, Lisa Cunningham, Emma Randall, Dirk Hunter
Director: Michael Spierig, Peter Spierig
Story: Set in Berkeley, a small fishing village in Australia, this film tells the story of Rene (Mason) a woman who loses her house to the bank and decides to move to the big city. When I meteor shower strikes, and brings with it an otherworldly infection, Rene finds herself fighting not only to get out of town but for her life. Worse, yet, the victims of the illness don’t just die, they come back as zombies.
Buzz: This film sounds a lot like “28 Days,” and will have to work hard to top that film. But sometimes these smaller horror films are the best kinds — because they have to rely more on genuine fright and less on special effects. This is the Spierig brothers’ debut feature — they already have a new film on tap for 2006 about vampires. 
Web site:  http://www.undeadthemovie.com/

“Dark Water”

Starring: Jennifer Connelly, John C. Reilly, Tim Roth, Dougray Scott, Pete Postlethwaite, Ariel Gade
Director: Walter Salles
Story: Having recently undergone a brutal custody battle, Dahlia (Connelly) and her daughter Ceci (Gade) move into a dilapidated building. But when persistent water leaks and odd sounds appear, Connelly is determined to solve the mystery behind them. As Dahlia searches for answers, the dark water seems to grow around her and her daughter. Could it be a portal into another world?
Buzz: What happens when you take the Japanese creators of “The Ring,” mix in the talented Brazilian director of “The Motorcycle Diaries,” and then throw in an Academy Award winning American star like Connelly? Well, you should get a little bit more than your average Ashley Judd thriller. This is definitely becoming the summer of the horror film.
Web site:  http://touchstone.movies.go.com/index.html?dlink=darkwater

“Fantastic Four”

Starring: Michael Chiklis, Ioan Gruffudd, Chris Evans, Jessica Alba, Julian McMahon, Maria Menounos, Kerry Washington, Hamish Linklater
Director: Tim Story
Story: After a mishap in space, five people find themselves mysteriously altered. Reed Richards (Gruffudd) finds that he can elongate his body almost as if it were made of rubber. Sue Storm (Alba) gains the ability to render herself and objects around her invisible. Johnny Storm (Evans) can shoot flames from his fingers and he can bend the flames. Ben Grimm (Chiklis) becomes a stone monster with superhuman strength. And Victor Von Doom (McMahon) becomes the evil Dr. Doom.
Buzz: Word of mouth on this one has not been good — it hasn’t been “Catwoman” bad, but it might be playing in that ballpark. Story is best known for directing “Barbershop” and “Taxi.” Chiklis had to get therapy to deal with the claustrophobia caused by being trapped in The Thing’s suit during filming. With “Sin City,” this year, Alba’s star is certainly on the rise. Ioan Gruffudd is one of those names (along with about a dozen others) that is being tossed around as the next Bond.
Web site:  http://www.fantasticfourmovie.com/

“Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”
Starring: Johnny Depp, Freddie Highmore, Helena Bonham Carter, David Kelly, Noah Taylor, James Fox, Missi Pyle, Christopher Lee, Jordan Fry, Annasophia Robb, Julia Winter, Philip Wiegratz
Director: Tim Burton
Story: The poverty-stricken Charlie (Highmore) and his grandfather (Kelly) win a golden ticket to visit Willy Wonka’s (Depp) chocolate factory. There they encounter not only the delicious sweets but also the other winners, who include the TV-loving Mike TeVee (Fry), the bratty Veruca Salt (Winter), gum-chewing Violet Beauregarde (Robb) and chocolate-craving Augustus Gloop (Wiegratz). Wonka’s factory has plenty of surprises including the tiny Oompa-Loompas in his employ. Bonham Carter co-stars as Charlie’s mom.

Buzz: Burton (“Planet of the Apes”) insists that this film is not a remake of the Gene Wilder classic (a must-rent film) — it’s supposed to be more faithful to Roald Dahl’s book. Depp looks a bit like Michael Jackson in his Willy Wonka makeup — which might be a bit disturbing for parents. Watching TV and chewing gum don’t seem all that nasty as far as bad habits go — maybe they could have updated them with constant text-messaging and the need to skateboard through large crowds.As someone who loved the original “Wonka” and hated what Burton did to “Apes,” I’m reluctant to embrace this film.
Web site:  http://chocolatefactorymovie.warnerbros.com/

“Happy Endings”

Starring: Tom Arnold, Jesse Bradford, Bobby Cannavale, Sarah Clarke, Steve Coogan, Laura Dern, Lisa Kudrow, Jason Ritter, David Sutcliffe and Maggie Gyllenhaal
Director: Don Roos
Story: Kudrow stars as Mamie, a woman being blackmailed by a man (Cannavale) who claims to know the wherabouts of a baby she conceived with her gay stepbrother (Coogan). He insists that Kudrow participate in his documentary, but her boyfriend (Bradford), who’s a massage therapist, convinces Cannavale to make his film about massage and “happy endings.” And that’s just the beginning. This film has 10 storylines, including one that has Tom Arnold getting Maggie Gyllenhaal pregnant — um, excuse me while I shudder.
Buzz: At the Sundance Film Festival, director Roos said, “We've had a very busy year threatening the sanctity of marriage,” which should give you some idea of where he’s coming from. He also directed the very smart film, “The Opposite of Sex,” in which Kudrow gave one of her most complex performances to date. It’s nice to see these two re-team, but with 10 storylines, let’s hope Roos hasn’t bitten off too much story for one movie.
Web site: NA

“Hustle & Flow”

Starring: Terrence Dashon Howard, DJ Qualls, Ludacris, Taryn Manning, Anthony Anderson, Isaac Hayes, Taraji P. Henson, Elise Neal, Paula Jai Parker
Director: Craig Brewer
Story: DJay (Howard) is a pimp who dreams of becoming a rapper. Club owner Hayes tells DJay about a local music mogul (Ludacris) who could make his dreams come true. DJay begins making music, even involving one of his very pregnant hookers (Parker). Manning plays his favorite hooker, while DJ Qualls is onboard as a keyboard player who helps out on the songs.
Buzz: This film was the talk of Sundance. It got extremely good critical buzz from most corners, although New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis came out with an article calling the film, “garbage.” Paramount forked over a record $9 million for the right to distribute the film. It took home the coveted audience award at Sundance. Let’s face it, for indie film lovers, this is a must-see.
Web site: NA

“The Wedding Crashers”

Starring: Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn, Rachel McAdams, Christopher Walken, Will Ferrell, Isla Fisher, Jane Seymour
Director: David Dobkin
Story: Vaughn and Wilson play divorce coordinators and best friends who love crashing weddings in order to woo women. They use a secret set of wedding “rules” in order to use the romance in the air to their own advantage. When Wilson falls for McAdams, they suddenly find themselves at odds.
Buzz: This looks to be the funniest comedy of the summer. Vaughn, basically using his “Swingers” persona and Wilson (playing himself, as usual) are a great combination and it’s easy to believe that many women would fall for their act (personally, I’d have to go with Wilson). This is another product of the so-called Frat Pack (which also includes Ferrell and Ben Stiller). Dobkin is probably best known for directing “Shanghai Knights.”
Web site:  http://www.weddingcrashersmovie.com/

“The Bad News Bears”

Starring: Billy Bob Thornton, Greg Kinnear, Marcia Gay Harden, Timmy Deters, Seth Adkins
Director: Richard Linklater
Story: This remake of the 1976 film that starred Walter Matthau and Tatum O'Neal tells the story of a group of misfit kids who make up the Bears little league team, and the misfit coach (Thornton) who tries to lead them to victory. He enlists the help of estranged daughter Amanda (Kraft) who just happens to be a great pitcher. Can the team pull it together?
Buzz: This may be one of those rare remakes that actually works. Thornton re-teams with “Bad Santa” screenwriters Glenn Ficarra and John Requa for this film, which means it should have plenty of bite. Linklater proved with “School of Rock” that just because you put kids in a movie, doesn’t mean it has to be cloying.  Thornton seems perfectly cast as the washed up, drunken coach Buttermaker.
Web site:  http://www.badnewsbearsmovie.com/index.php

“The Devil’s Rejects”

Starring: William Forsythe, Bill Moseley, Sid Haig, Sheri Moon, Irwin Keyes, Robert Allen Mukes, Ken Foree, Michael Berryman, Tyler Mane, Danny Trejo, Natasha Lyonne, Rosario Dawson
Director: Rob Zombie
Story: Set a few weeks after the first film, “House of 1000 Corpses,” this film focuses on a conflict between the evil Firefly family members of the first film and a murderous new gang they meet on the road. Needless to say, mayhem ensues. Expect a lot of blood and gore here.
Buzz: The movie seems strictly for those Zombie-cultists who were into the first one. The original film was inspired by “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.” Zombie is the former lead singer of White Zombie.
Web site:  http://www.thedevilsrejects.com/

“The Island”

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Scarlett Johansson, Djimon Hounsou, Michael Clarke Duncan, Steve Buscemi, Sean Bean, Shawnee Smith, Noa Tishby
Director: Michael Bay
Story: This futuristic action thriller tells the story of Lincoln Six-Echo (McGregor) who discovers that he and the other inhabitants of a special contained environment are human clones that are being used for spare parts for their human counterparts. Not wanting to be “harvested,” Lincoln decides to make his escape with Jordon Two-Delta (Johansson). Hounsou plays the head of the security team that tries to hunt down McGregor. Buscemi plays a human working atthe institute who befriends McGregor.
Buzz: Director Michael Bay (“Pearl Harbor,” “Armageddon”) is not exactly known for his subtlety. Chances of stuff blowing up in this movie: 100 percent. Johansson trades in her indie cred for a chance at the big action movie life. Two words for Scarlett: Ben Affleck. Buscemi always brings a little class to the action (as he did in “Armageddon” and “Con Air”).
Web site:  http://www.theisland-themovie.com/

“Last Days”

Starring: Michael Pitt, Lukas Haas, Asia Argento, Scott Green, Nicole Vicius, Ricky Jay, Ryan Orion, Harmony Korine, Kim Gordon, Adam Friberg, Andy Friberg, Thadeus A. Thomas
Director: Gus Van Sant
Story: Inspired by the final days of Kurt Cobain, this film tells the story of the last days in the life ofBlake, a troubled Seattle rocker (Pitt), who feels the mounting pressures that come with his fame. Blake avoids everyone in his life, even the people who share his house. He wanders in the woods, and visits with a man representing the yellow pages, but spends most of his final hours by himself.
Buzz: Pitt (“Dreamers,” “Hedwig and the Angry Inch”) is one of those actors who seems to put his soul into each role — so there should be a good performance from him here. Van Sant (“Elephant,” “My Own Private Idaho”) has a history of telling compelling stories about troubled teens — I just hope he doesn’t veer too far away from conventional storytelling as he did in “Gerry,” which was fairly dismal. Still, this one will at least go on the “must check out a matinee” list.
Web site: NA

“Must Love Dogs”
Starring: Diane Lane, Elizabeth Perkins, Alli Hillis, John Cusack, Christopher Plummer, Stockard Channing, Dermot Mulroney, Julie Gonzalo
Director: Gary David Goldberg
Story: Lane plays a divorced schoolteacher who’s sworn off dating. When her sister (Perkins) pushes her into placing an online personal ad, she states that her suitor “must love dogs,” even though she doesn’t own a dog herself. When she meets John Cusack, who borrows a dog, has she finally found Mr. Right?

Buzz: A male buddy recently asked me why all women seem to love John Cusack. I think it’s his combination of intelligence, good looks and humor — or it could be that we all wish we could have dated Lloyd Dobler in high school. Regardless, the combination of Cusack and Diane Lane is like catnip to those of us who enjoy the guilty pleasure of the occasional chick flick. Lane proved in “Under the Tuscan Sun” and “A Walk on the Moon” that she knows her way around the genre. Goldberg is probably best known as the creator of “Family Ties” and “Spin City,” as well as for being a writer on “M*A*S*H,” “Lou Grant” and “The Bob Newhart Show.”
Web site:  http://mustlovedogsmovie.warnerbros.com/

“Sky High”

Starring: Kelly Preston, Lynda Carter, Michael Angarano, Danielle Panabaker, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Bruce Campbell, Dave Foley, Steven Strait, Kurt Russell
Director: Mike Mitchell
Story: Can Will Stronghold (Anagarno) live up to his superhero parents (Russell and Preston) when he attends a school for superheroes, Sky High. Having no superpowers of his own, Will gets put into the “sidekicks” class. Cult-movie-hero Campbell plays Will’s overbearing gym coach. Will also has to deal with a dangerous bully and a rebel who can shoot fire out of his hands. Appropriately, enough, TV’s “Wonder Woman” Lynda Carter plays the school principal.
Buzz: Mitchell is probably best known for helming the holiday bomb, “Surviving Christmas.” This looks more like an idea for a TV show on the WB than a movie, but if it has a little edge (like “The Incredibles” did) it might be worth a look. Otherwise, this is going to be fit only for the tweens in your life.
Web site: NA

“Stealth”

Starring: Josh Lucas, Jessica Biel, Jamie Foxx, Sam Shepard, Joe Morton, Richard Roxburgh, Ian Bliss, Megan Gale, Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Director: Rob Cohen
Story: Three stealth fighter pilots (Lucas, Biel and Foxx) find out that a fourth member is joining their elite team. The shocker: that fourth plane is automated. When the automated jet gets struck by lightening, its circuits get rewired, making it want to hit targets in the U.S. Can the stealth fighter pilots track it down in time to stop it?
Buzz: It’s so easy to imagine this pitch meeting: “It’s sort of a Hal from ‘2001’ meets ‘Top Gun.’” Yikes, so much for high concept. Cohen (“XXX,” “Fast and the Furious”) will most certainly pump up the action. Lucas (“Sweet Home Alabama”) seems like a good choice for an action hero — a bit in the Harrison Ford mold. Foxx surely shot this film before his Academy Award winning turn in “Ray” — otherwise his presence in this mindless action flick doesn’t make much sense. Biel (“Blade Trinity,” “Texas Chainsaw Massacre”) is one of the few young female actresses who really does look like she can kick some butt. This one is purely for popcorn action flick fans.
Web site:  http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/stealth/

Note: This film has been pushed to August 26

“The Brothers Grimm”
Starring: Matt Damon, Heath Ledger, Jonathan Pryce, Monica Bellucci, Lena Headey, Peter Stormare, Mackenzie Cook, Richard Ridings
Director: Terry Gilliam
Story: The Grimm Brothers (Damon and Ledger) travel from town to town pretending to rid the villages of magical creatures. But when Napoleon’s French government employs them to investigate a haunted forest where girls have gone missing, they stumble upon an adventure that’s like something out of one of their fairy tales. The beautiful Monica Bellucci portrays an evil sorceress.
Buzz: Though Gilliam is undeniably a talented director (“Fisher King,” “Twelve Monkeys”), his last foray into directing, when he attempted “The Man Who Killed Don Quixote,” was a bit of a disaster (see the fine documentary, “Man of La Mancha” for more on what happened). Johnny Depp was originally going to play one of the brothers, and he seems much better cast than Damon, who may be a bit out of his wheelhouse with this fantasy film. This film will either really work well or not work at all — and the buzz seems to point to the latter.
Web site: NA

“The Dukes of Hazzard”

Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Seann William Scott, Jessica Simpson, Burt Reynolds, Willie Nelson, Lynda Carter, M.C. Gainey, Michael Weston, Nikki Griffin
Director: Jay Chandrasekhar
Story: Unlike “Bewitched,” this TV series adaptation is playing it straight — just a fun romp with Bo (Scott) and Luke (Knoxville) Duke, as they try and save the family farm from the evil Boss Hogg (Reynolds). Simpson plays sexy cousin Daisy Duke and Nelson is on board as Uncle Jesse. Gainey plays hapless sheriff Roscoe P. Coltrane.
Buzz: The rumors that came from this set — of Simpson’s alleged affair with Knoxville — seem much more interesting than the actual movie. It’s hard to imagine who exactly is excited to see this movie — however, it’s hard not to see Reynolds and Nelson as inspired casting. This will probably be pretty silly — like the TV show — so go at your own risk.
Web site:  http://dukesofhazzard.warnerbros.com/

“Untitled Mike Judge Project”

Starring: Luke Wilson, Maya Rudolph, Dax Shepard, David Herman, Sara Rue, Stephen Root, Justin Long
Director: Mike Judge
Story: Luke Wilson stars as Joe Bowers, a man as average as you can get. He’s chosen by the president for the “Human Hibernation Project,” a program designed to save the best men until the future when they’re needed. When he, along with the prostitute (Rudolph) chosen to accompany him, wake up, 1,000 years have passed and they find themselves in a society that’s even more dumbed down than ours is. Suddenly Bowers is the smartest guy around.
Buzz: Mike Judge is probably best known as the creator of “Beavis and Butthead.” This is the first film he’s directed since 1999’s cult favorite “Office Space.” The humor here may be broad, but Judge has one of the quicker wits around, so it should be smart and highly quotable. Stephen Root, who turned in one of the classic performances as the stapler-loving Milton in “Office Space,” reunites with Judge for this one. Expect some real laughs.
Web site: NA

“2046”

Starring: Tony Leung Chiu-Wai, Ziyi Zhang, Chang Chen, Faye Wong, Maggie Cheung
Director: Wong Kar Wai
Story: From the creator of “In the Mood for Love,” comes this semi-sequel, which picks up right where the first film left off, with Chow Mo Wan (Leung Chiu-Wai) in the aftermath of his affair with Su Lizhen (Cheung). A lonely writer who begins a book called, “2046,” Chow Mo Wan has affairs with four different women, including a prostitute played by Zhang. 
Buzz: This film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival to a somewhat mixed response, though to be fair the film was not completely finished when it was shown. Fans of Wong Kar Wai’s work should be satisfied as the film has the atmosphere of  “In the Mood for Love” with a bit more payoff than that film. Wong Kar Wai takes his sweet time to tell a story, but the results are usually atmospheric and satisfying. It’s great to see Ziyi Zhang in something other than a martial-arts film.
Web site: NA

“Broken Flowers”

Starring: Bill Murray, Frances Conroy, Julie Delpy, Jessica Lange, Sharon Stone, Tilda Swinton, Jeffrey Wright
Director: Jim Jarmusch
Story: Murray stars as an aging Don Juan who’s been dumped by his latest girlfriend (Delpy). He receives an anonymous letter telling him he has a son who may be looking for him. Murray decides to take a cross-country trip to search for old flames who might have clues about his son.
Buzz: First he stars opposite Scarlett Johansson and now he gets to have Julie Delpy as a love interest — life’s rough for Murray. Jim Jarmusch’s best films (“Stranger Than Paradise” “Mystery Train”) are usually a pastiche of vignettes featuring completely unique performances. With Murray’s character traveling from town to town in this film, expect a similar approach, with each new town featuring strange and interesting characters.
Web site: NA

This film has been delayed until 2006
“The Pink Panther”

Starring: Steve Martin, Kevin Kline, Beyoncé Knowles, Jean Reno, Emily Mortimer, Kristin Chenoweth, Henry Czerny
Director: Shawn Levy
Story: When a famous soccer coach is murdered and his pink diamond stolen, it’s up to Inspector Clouseau (Martin) to solve the crime. Suspects include a beautiful pop star (Knowles). Reno co-stars as Clouseau’s partner Ponton, while Kline is on board as Chief Inspector Dreyfus — who doesn’t have full confidence in the hapless Clouseau.
Buzz: It’s baffling why someone as smart as Steve Martin would choose to take on a role that Peter Sellers made so completely his own or even why this franchise needs to be resurrected to begin with. Director Levy last worked with Martin on the rather lame comedy/remake “Cheaper by the Dozen.” It’s hard to expect more than silly slapstick from this film.
Web site:  http://www.mgm.com/pinkpantherthemovie/

“Supercross”
Starring: Steve Howey, Mike Vogel, Daryl Hannah, Robert Patrick, Aaron Carter, Cameron Richardson, Ryan Locke, Carolyn Garcia
Director: Steve Boyum
Story: Set in the high-octane world of Supercross, this film tells the story of two brothers (Howey and Vogel) who become competitors and rivals. Sophia Bush (“One Tree Hill”) plays the love interest. Richardson plays a female Supercross rider.

Buzz: This looks like your basic, summer popcorn movie, designed solely to tap into that teenage boy market. The only thing that’s surprising about that this one is that it didn’t go straight to video.
Web site:  http://www.supercrossmovie.com/

“Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo”

Starring: Rob Schneider, Eddie Griffin, Jeroen Krabbé, Arija Bareikis, Oded Fehr, Til Schweiger
Director: Mike Bigelow
Story: When his pimp (Griffin) is implicated in the murders of great European gigolos — and no, I’m not making that up — Deuce Bigalow (Schneider) decides to clear his friend’s name and goes back to work as a male prostitute to do it. The catch, he does it in Europe.
Buzz: It’s amazing what films merit sequels these days. This looks nothing but stupid, but if that’s your cup of tea, you’ll probably enjoy it. The first film made over $65 million in the U.S., which isn’t great until you consider that it only cost $18 million to make. That’s the reason sequels like this one get made: easy money. Director Bigelow (just a coincidence with the name) takes over for Mike Mitchell.
Web site:  http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/deucebigaloweuropeangigolo/

“Four Brothers”

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Tyrese Gibson, Andre Benjamin, Garrett Hedlund, Terrence Dashon Howard, Taraji P. Henson, Sofia Vergara
Director: John Singleton
Story: Wahlberg, Benjamin, Gibson and Hedlund star as four brothers who reunite for their adopted mother’s funeral. When they realize that foul play might have been the cause of her death, the brothers decide to track down the killer and avenge her murder.
Buzz: Remember when it seemed like Singleton was going to be the next big thing? That was way back in 1991, when “Boyz in the Hood” came out. He’s never really lived up to that promise, but it’s hard not to hope for something a bit better than what he’s done lately (“Baby Boy,” “2 Fast, 2 Furious”). Benjamin (also known as Andre 3000 from Outkast) was one of the only good things about the dreadful “Be Cool.”
Web site: NA

“The Skeleton Key”

Starring: Kate Hudson, Gena Rowlands, Peter Sarsgaard, John Hurt, Joy Bryant
Director: Iain Softley
Story: Kate Hudson stars as a live-in nurse hired to take care of an elderly woman’s (Rowlands) aging husband (Hurt) in a decrepit mansion in Louisiana. She decides to investigate the mysterious goings-on at the house using a skeleton key to open all the doors. She discovers some terrifying secrets. Sarsgaard co-stars as a local attorney who is working on the old couple’s estate. Bryant plays Hudson’s best friend.
Buzz: Softley has a rather mixed track record as a director. On the one hand, he made the really good Beatles biopic, “Backbeat.” On the other, he helmed the disastrous “K-Pax.”  With the success of movies like “The Ring” (which “Skeleton Key’s” screenwriter also wrote) everyone is getting in on the horror-thriller genre these days. Sarsgaard (“Garden State,” “Kinsey”) is one of the better young character actors around — and he, along with Hurt and Rowlands, should lend some acting talent to the proceedings.
Web site:  http://www.theskeletonkeymovie.com/

“The Great Raid”

Starring: Benjamin Bratt, James Franco, Connie Nielsen, Marton Csokas, Mark Consuelos, Joseph Fiennes
Director: John Dahl
Story: Set in the Philippines in 1945, this film tells the true story of Lt. Colonel Mucci (Bratt) and Captain Prince (Franco) who lead the 6^th Battalion behind enemy lines to liberate over 500 American POWs.
Buzz: John Dahl (“Red Rock West,” “Last Seduction”) is a great director who’s had a couple of missteps (“Joy Ride,” “Rounders”) — let’s hope he gets back on track here. It’s hard to say if Bratt (“Law & Order”) has the acting chops to pull this role off, although Dahl was able to make Peter Berg (“Last Seduction”) seem sexy, which was no easy feat.
Web site:  http://www.miramax.com/thegreatraid/

“Red Eye”
Starring: Rachel McAdams, Cillian Murphy, Brittany Oaks, Kyle Gallner, Laura Johnson
Director: Wes Craven
Story: From horror master Wes Craven comes this scary tale of a woman (McAdams) who has a chance encounter with a man (Murphy) in an airport only to find out that he’s her seatmate on the plane. It turns out that Murphy is plotting to kill a businessman and that she is the key to his plan’s success. If she doesn’t cooperate, Murphy threatens to kill her father. What is she supposed to do while trapped on a plane surrounded by strangers?

Buzz: This almost sounds more like an episode of “24” than a Wes Craven movie. McAdams is definitely turning into an “It” girl with good performances in two wildly different movies last year, “The Notebook” and “Mean Girls.” Murphy (“28 Days Later”) is also definitely a star on the rise year with his performance here and as The Scarecrow in “Batman Begins.”
Web site:  http://www.redeye-themovie.com/

“The 40 Year Old Virgin”

Starring: Steve Carell, Catherine Keener, Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Romany Malco 
Director: Judd Apatow
Story: Steve Carell (“The Office”) stars as Andy, a 40-year-old man, who’s into comic book and action figures and works in an electronics superstore — but, one catch, he’s never had sex. When he meets Trisha (Keener), a mother of three, his friends get excited that he may finally have do it, but Trisha and Andy have decided to have a “no sex” policy in their relationship.
Buzz: Carrell basically stole “Anchorman” from Will Ferrell, which was no easy feat, and “Daily Show” fans probably still miss his appearances on that show. Apatow, who directed “Anchorman,” is probably best known as the creator of the much-loved but short-lived TV series, “Freaks and Geeks” and “Undeclared.” Keener, who is one of the funnier comic actresses around (“Being John Malkovich”) should be fun to watch here. Let’s hope this film’s terrible title doesn’t ruin its chances for success.
Web site: NA

“Valiant”

Starring: Ewan McGregor, Sir Ben Kingsley, Jim Broadbent, Rupert Everett, Hugh Laurie, John Hurt, Ricky Gervais, John Cleese, Tim Curry, Olivia Williams
Director: Gary Chapman
Story: This CGI-animated film tells the story of carrier pigeons during World War II. McGregor voices Valiant, a clumsy pigeon who overcomes his small size and lack of qualifications to take on one of the toughest duties of the war: delivering messages from the French to the Allied Forces who are about to storm the beach at Normandy. Kingsley provides the voice of  the evil leader of the German falcons.
Buzz: With its “Toy Story”-style of animation, this film will definitely find an audience with kids and adults. Interestingly, this is one of the few recent Disney films that was not created by Pixar. Will it possess the magic that all the Pixar films seem to have? This is Chapman’s directorial debut.
Web site: NA

“Romance and Cigarettes”

Starring: James Gandolfini, Susan Sarandon, Kate Winslet, Steve Buscemi, Kumar Pallana, Christopher Walken, Mandy Moore, Aida Turturro, Mary-Louise Parker, Eddie Izzard
Director: John Turturro
Story: Described as “Pennies from Heaven” meets “The Honeymooners,” this big-screen musical tells the story of a Bensonhurst patriarch (Gandolfini) who has an affair with a beautiful redhead (Winslet) and almost destroys his relationship with his wife (Sarandon) and daughters. When the characters can’t find words to express themselves they burst into song.
Buzz: The idea of this film seems vaguely reminiscent of Woody Allen’s “Everybody Says I Love You,” in which actors like Goldie Hawn and Edward Norton burst into song. Turturro (“Mac”) calls the film, “fashionably unhip.” Can Gandolfini, Sarandon and Winslet  — not to mention Buscemi — carry a tune? Only a viewing of this experiment will tell the tale. Mandy Moore is on board to lend some singing assistance. 
Web site: NA

“Domino” (note: this film has been pushed to Nov. 4)

Starring: Keira Knightley, Mena Suvari, Christopher Walken, Lucy Liu, Mickey Rourke, Macy Gray, Jacqueline Bisset, Edgar Ramirez, Mo'Nique, Shondrella Avery, Dabney Coleman, Delroy Lindo
Director: Tony Scott
Story: Based on the true story of Domino Harvey (Knightley) and how she rejected her glamorous life as a Ford model and the daughter of actor Laurence Harvey to become a bounty hunter. Domino’s latest case has her pursuing thieves who’ve stolen $10 million while being filmed by a “Cops”-like reality TV show. Edgar Ramirez and Mickey Rourke co-star as her partners.
Buzz: Scott’s films (“Man on Fire,” “Spy Game”) have a distinctive look — almost washed-out lighting with lots of fast cuts and slow motion. With a great performance in “Sin City,” Rourke may be on his way to career recovery — it couldn’t happen to a better guy. Although, she’s slight in build, Knightley possesses a believable toughness which could serve her well here. Look for Walken to do a bit of scene stealing. This could be one of the late-summer sleeper hits.
Web site:  http://www.dominomovie.com/

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