The Great Popcorn Explosion

May 24, 2006

Big explosions, high-tech weapons, creepy terrorists...no, it‘s not the latest report from CNN. It‘s M:I3, the action-packed thriller that put Tom Cruise back in the good graces of his fans again. Studios are breaking out the big guns to get us into theaters, and with M:I3 pulling in $160 million so far, the summer movie season is off to a great start. Here‘s a sneak peek:

JUNE

2 - The Break Up (PG-13). Last summer, Brangelina wow‘d us with “Mr. and Mrs. Smith.“ Now, Vaughniston gets their turn in this decidedly “unromantic“ comedy about the dissolution of a relationship -- who gets the apartment, the friends, etc. Vince Vaughn was comedic gold in last year‘s “Wedding Crashers.“ He‘ll have a field day with “Break Up‘s“ clever premise.

6 - The Omen (not rated at press time). An elite American couple unwittingly adopts the future anti-christ and much spookiness ensues. Liev Schreiber takes over for Gregory Peck as diplomat Robert Thorn in this update of the 1976 horror classic. Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick is satanic spawn Damien.

9 - Cars (G). Stock car Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) learns lessons about friends and family when he breaks down in a small town on his way to a big race. Paul Newman, Michael Keaton, Tony Shalhoub and Bonnie Hunt also supply voices. At this point, any Pixar release is virtually guaranteed a record-breaking opening.

9 - A Prairie Home Companion (PG-13). Garrison Keillor brings his droll humor to the big screen with this movie based on the popular radio show. Guy Noir (Kevin Kline), singing cowboys (Woody Harrelson and John C. Reilly), a country music siren (Meryl Streep), and a host of others hold court. With Robert Altman directing, this should be interesting.

16 - The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (PG-13). To avoid a jail sentence, Shaun Boswell (Lucas Black) heads to Tokyo to live with his military officer uncle. In a low-rent section of the city, Shaun gets caught up in the underground world of drift racing. Fast cars, cool locations, and a lots of anti-authoritarian attitude, this one‘s for the MTV crowd.

16 - The Lake House (PG). Two lonely people (Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock) fall in love through letters that somehow cross time via a mysterious mailbox. Get out the hankies, girls, this is definitely a long-distance relationship.

16 - Nacho Libre (PG). Jack Black adopts an accent and grows a mustache to play Ignacio, a cook who becomes a wrestler to raise money for the Mexican orphanage where he was raised. With the brains behind Napoleon Dynamite and School of Rock at the helm, this quirky comedy will score big.

23 - Click (PG-13). A hard-working dad (Adam Sandler) gains the power to control time through a universal remote, but the device turns out to have a mind of its own. Kate Beckinsale plays his wife. Christopher Walken is a nutty electronics salesman. A kinder, gentler Sandler? It could work.

23 - Garfield: A Tail of Two Kitties (note rated at press time). Garfield (Bill Murray) goes to England, where he switches places with a royal cat and inherits a castle. But a scheming lord (Billy Connolly) has designs on the same palace. This latest adventure from the fat cat will appeal to younger kids and their parents.

30 - The Devil Wears Prada (PG). Being an assistant is never easy, especially when you‘re working for a devil-diva at a famous fashion magazine. Meryl Streep is the demon in designer duds; Anne Hathaway is unlucky enough to work for her. Streep‘s preening as the Anna Wintour-inspired character will pull in chick lit fans and other curious femmes.

30 - Superman Returns (PG-13). The Man of Steel is back, ready to relaunch a major-studio franchise in a single bound! Newcomer Brandon Routh is the big “S.“ Kevin Spacey is Lex Luthor; Kate Bosworth is Lois Lane. Director Bryan Singer has proven that he knows a thing or two about superhero movies.

JULY

5 - Little Man (not rated at press time). When a robbery goes awry, a not-so-tall criminal poses as a toddler to avoid landing in the slammer. Marlon and Shawn Wayans carry out the antics, while older brother Keenen directs. When the trailer proudly announces that a film is from the creators of 2004‘s “White Chicks,“ that‘s pretty much all you need to know.

7 - Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man‘s Chest (not rated at press time). It seems that the twitchy but lovable Capt. Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) owes his soul to Davy Jones and has forgotten to pay up. Orlando Bloom and Keira Knightley return in this sequel to 2003‘s “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.“

7 - A Scanner Darkly (R). Set in suburban Orange County, CA, this eerily-animated flick imagines a paranoid world where two of every 10 Americans has been hired by the government to spy on the other eight, all in the name of national security and drug enforcement. When one reluctant recruit (Keanu Reeves) is ordered to spy on his friends, he enters a world where government contractors rule, identities and loyalties are suspect, and not even his girlfriend can be trusted.

14 - You, Me and Dupree (not rated at press time). After a young couple gets married, the groom‘s annoying best friend moves in “just for a few days,“ and manages to wreak havoc. Matt Dillon and Kate Hudson play the happy couple; Owen Wilson is Dupree.

21 - Lady in the Water (PG-13). An apartment super (Paul Giamatti) discovers an otherwordly creature (Bryce Dallas Howard) in the community swimming pool. When he discovers that she‘s actually a character from a bedtime story who‘s trying to get back home, he works with his tenants to protect her. M. Night Shyamalan directs this fantasy-thriller.

21 - Monster House (not rated at press time). You know that decrepit old house down the street? Turns out, it‘s an honest-to-goodness monster. Quick! Someone call Bob Vila! Voices include Steve Buscemi, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Jon Heder and Kevin James. This movie is too scary for very young kids, but it‘ll appeal to families with older kids. It‘s also debuting in 3-D in select theaters.

21 - My Super Ex-Girlfriend (not rated at press time). When a regular guy (Luke Wilson) dumps his superhero girlfriend (Uma Thurman) because of her neediness, she uses her powers to make his life a living hell. Sure, we‘ve all been there. Guys will want to see Thurman; women will want to see her kick butt.

28 - Miami Vice (not rated at press time). Detectives James “Sonny“ Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Ricardo Tubbs (Jamie Foxx) battle criminals in Miami‘s underworld. With Michael Mann directing, this isn‘t your run-of-the-mill adaptation of a cheesy TV show.

28 - Barnyard (PG). A group of farm animals with ‘tude decide there‘s more to life than lolling about the barnyard. Voices include Kevin James, Courteney Cox, Sam Elliott, Danny Glover, Andie MacDowell, and, yes, Wanda Sykes, who‘s carving out quite the summer movie career.

28 - John Tucker Must Die (PG-13). Three of John Tucker‘s (Jesse Metcalfe) ex-girlfriends hatch a plot to exact revenge on their two-timing former lover. Ashanti, Sophia Bush and Amber Borycki are the spurned gals.

AUGUST

4 - The Ant Bully (PG). Tired of being persecuted by a 10-year-old boy, the residents of an ant colony decide to shrink their tormenter down to size. With Nicolas Cage, Paul Giamatti, Regina King, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep and Lily Tomlin, this CG-animated movie has a great cast and fun visuals.

4 - Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (not rated at press time). NASCAR driver Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) joins forces with a friend to form a racing duo, Thunder and Lightning.

9 - World Trade Center (not rated at press time). The story of two policemen (Nic Cage and Michael Pena) who become trapped in the rubble of the Trade Center following the Sept. 11 attacks. Mario Bello and Maggie Gyllenhaal play their wives. Perhaps fittingly, given the sensitive subject matter, this movie will premiere on a Wednesday opposite no other film.

11 - The Reaping (not rated at press time). A lapsed Christian-turned-cynic (Hilary Swank) must regain her faith to battle dark forces in this supernatural thriller. This movie marks Swank‘s first role since winning her second Oscar for 2004‘s “Million Dollar Baby.

11 - Step Up (PG-13). A delinquent (Channing Tatum) strikes up a friendship with a dancer and starts channeling his energy in a more positive direction. Former “Six Feet Under“ alum Rachel Griffiths also stars.

11 - Zoom (PG). An out-of-shape superhero (Tim Allen) gets his spandex out of storage to help save the world. Also stars Courteney Cox, Chevy Chase, Spencer Breslin and Rip Torn.

18 - Snakes on a Plane (not rated at press time). OK, keep up with me now. This movie is about snakes. On a plane. Samuel L. Jackson, Julianna Margulies, Bobby Cannavale and a jetliner full of reptiles star. If this doesn‘t scream “cult movie of the year,“ I don‘t know what does.

25 - How to Eat Fried Worms (PG). No, it‘s not “Fear Factor: The Movie.“ It‘s about a boy who accepts a rather unappetizing dare from a bully. Luke Benward plays Billy, the budding gourmand in this film adaptation of Thomas Rockwell‘s popular young adult novel. I recommend you skip the spaghetti dinner before seeing this one.

25 - Idlewild (R). This long-delayed 1930s period musical features OutKast‘s Andre Benjamin and Big Boi as speak-easy performers in the South. Also stars Terrence Howard, Patti LaBelle, Faizon Love, Ving Rhames, Cicely Tyson and Ben Vereen.

25 - Invincible (not rated at press time). This Buena Vista movie follows a Philadelphia Eagles fan (Mark Wahlberg) who tries out for his favorite team. Hey, any movie named after a Pat Benatar song can‘t be all bad. Long live the 1980s. Break out the big hair and shoulder pads.


Jane Louise Boursaw is a freelance writer specializing in the movie and television industries. Email HYPERLINK “mailto:jboursaw@charter.net“ jboursaw@charter.net or visit her Web site, HYPERLINK “http://www.ReelLifeWithJane.com“ www.ReelLifeWithJane.com.