Summer Preview 2006

Summer Movie Preview 2006 – Only the Strong Will Survive

Click the films’ title for photos, synopses, posters and much more, on each.

Mission Impossible III May 5
Some sequels just need to be made. I felt the MI:II fell a bit short, although it was enjoyable. So this one could redeem the franchise. The plot is a closely guarded secret, but involves Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) traveling to Shanghai, China and Rome, Italy, which I would normally be envious of, if it weren’t for Oscar winnerPhilip Seymour Hoffmanthreatening to kill him in front of his girl.

An American Haunting May 5
This film
premiered at The AFI Film Fest last November, and it’s based on the only true case in US History where a spirit caused the death of a man. Courtney Solomon (Dungeons & Dragons) directs.

The King May 5
A troubled man returns to his childhood home in Texas to reunite with his father. British director James Marsh helms.

Poseidon May 12
Even the name sounds like a blockbuster…POSEIDON! WithWolfgang Petersen (Troy, Das Boot, The Perfect Storm) at the helm, this ship will definitely flip the box office on it’s back. I am still waiting for him to direct Ender’s Game. The book by Orson Scott Card is one of my favorite sci-fi books.

Dead Man’s Shoes May 12
This acclaimed British thriller from Shane Meadows, is about a soldier (Paddy Considine) who returns to his hometown to get even with thugs who brutalized his mentally handicapped brother years before.

The Da Vinci Code May 19
A murder in the Louvre museum and clues in Da Vinci’s paintings lead to the discovery of a religious mystery protected by a secret society for two thousand years. Stars Tom Hanks and is directed by Ron Howard. Need I say more.

See No Evil May 19
Lions Gate brings wrestler Kaneto the big screen in See No Evil. They continue to offer films that don’t try to diguise themselves as something they’re not. Just good old fashioned horror and mayhem. And with a tagline like “Eight Teens, One Weekend, One Serial Killer”, it looks like their will plenty to go around.

X Men 3 May 26
Brett Ratner (Red Dragon, Rush Hour 2) has a lot to live up to. It’s kind of like going to the same high school as your older brother, and joining same the basketball team in which he holds the all-time scoring record. The first two X-Men(dir. Bryan Singer) films were flawless, true to the material, and actually had valid messages about social acceptance and being ones self in the face of adversity. I am a big fan of Ratner’s, so I’m hopeful he can pull it off. The trailers in theFilm Library say he can.

The Omen June 6
A remake of the 1976 horror classic The Omen. DirectorJohn Moore has two solid action films under his belt (Behind Enemy Lines andFlight of the Phoenix), so this film might just stand the test of time. We’ll soon see.

The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift June 16
Tokyo Drift has at least one great thing going for it…Justin Lin, who directed indie favoriteBetter Luck Tomorrow. And for some reason, the page in the I have posted in the Film Library, is getting top hits the past month, since it’s been online. So it seems audiences may not have had enough of this franchise.

The Lake House June 16
Keanu Reeves and Sandra Bullock star in this drama about a frustrated architect and a lonely doctor that share an very strange romance.

Waist Deep June 23
This action thriller comes from non-other than the king of hip hop (and spoken word), Russell Simmons, so you know one thing…slammin’ souundtrack. But it actually looks like it’s got some teeth. Take a look at the pics of Meagan Good in theFilm Library.

Superman Returns June 30
So that’s what director Bryan Singer’s been doing with his time away from the X-Men? I think this film will not only be a blockbuster, it will be ‘uplifting’. And lord knows, we need it. Up, up and away!

The Devil Wears Prada June 30
David Frankel directs this comedy, about a young woman who lands a job working for one of New York City’s biggest fashion magazine editors.

A Scanner Darkly July 7
Indie frat boy Richard Linklater (Waking Life, Dazed and Confused, Before Sunrise) directs this sci-fi thriller, based on the novel byPhilip K. Dick (Blade Runner, Minority Report, Total Recall).

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest July 7
Gore Verbinski (The Ring), Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley and the rest of the crew are back, for this one, plus Part 3, which is also filming as I write.

Pulse July 14
This horror is based on the Japanese film Kairo, about teens who investigate a series of suicides linked to an internet webcam that promises visitors the chance to interact with the dead. The trailers look really good, with a gritty feel on the exterior shots, which I like. We’ll see if the film compares to the original. Jim Sonzero (War of the Angels) directs.

Lady in the Water July 21
M. Night Shyamalan is back with a mystery thriller about an apartment building superintendent (Oscar nomineePaul Giamatti) who rescues a young woman from drowning, only to discover that she is actually a character from a bedtime story.

Monster House July 21
Animated tale about three teens discover that their neighbor’s house is really a living, breathing, monster.

Miami Vice July 28
Michael Mann goes back to his stylish roots with the Miami Vice feature film, due in July.Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxxtake the roles of Crockett and Tubbs.

Apocalypto August 4
Mel Gibson goes against the mainstream again for his latest directorial effort. I understand this film is also in another language. Let’s see if he has the same success he had withThe Passion.

The Ant Bully August 4
Jimmy Neutron: Boy Geniusdirector John Davis guides this animated family film about a boy magically shrunken down to insect size and sentenced to hard labor in ant colony he flooded with his watergun.

Fragile August 4
Calista Flockhart stars in this horror about a nurse who desperately tries to keep her patients safe from a series of seemingly random attacks

The Reaping August 11
Stephen Hopkins (The Life and Death of Peter Sellers)directs yet another horror, this one with Hilary Swank as a former missionary who lost her faith after her family was tragically killed.

Snakes on a Plane August 18
David Ellis (Final Destination 2, Cellular) directs Samuel L. Jackson (and numerous snakes) in this airborne thriller about an assassin bent on killing a passenger on board, using… you guessed it.

Clerks 2 August 18
Dante and Randall are forced to seek alternative employment, in this sequel to the indie favoriteClerks.

DOA: Dead or Alive August 25
Jaime Pressly (My Name is Earl) and Devon Aoki (Sin City) star in this movie adaptation of the best selling video game series Dead or Alive. I love the game series, but not sure if the movie has a fighting chance. Even with famed fight choreographerCorey Yuen (The Legend, Lethal Weapon 4) at the helm.

Stormbreaker September 1, 2006
Based on the Anthony Horowitz series of novels about a reluctant teenage super-spy, trained by MI:6.

Harsh Times September 8
David Ayer, who is also slated to do a remake of The Wild Bunch (Sam Peckinpah),directs Christian Bale in this gritty drama about two friends in a violent South Central Los Angeles.

The Black Dahlia September 15
Brian DePalma (The Untouchables) directs an adaptation of James Ellroy’s1940s-era novel about two L.A. cops heading an investigation into the death of struggling actress Elizabeth Short. Not sure I get it…a movie based on a novel based on a true story?Side Note: DePalma is also attached to The Untouchables: Capone Rising, about Al Capone’s rise to power in Chicago.

Gridiron Gang September 15
Phil Joanou, who directed a favorite of mine calledHeaven’s Prisoners, directs this sports drama about teenagers at a juvenile detention center, who gain self-esteem by throwing around the pigskin. The Rock and rapperXzibit star.

Other Films to look out for include:

The family comedy Hoot (May 5, 2006), about a young man compelled to engage in a fight to protect a population of endangered owls.

Kaige Chen’s action fantasyThe Promise (limited release May 5, 2006), in which a royal concubine makes an unusual promise to an enchantress.

The animated comedy Over the Hedge (May 19, 2006), about a mischievous raccoon and his sensitive best-buddy turtle.

Jack Black in Nacho Libre(June 16, 2006), where he plays a priest who dons a mask and moonlights as a luchador, in order to save an orphanage from closure.

The Break Up (June 2, 2006), a hilarious looking comedy, starring Jennifer Aniston andVince Vaghn.

Cars (June 9, 2006), an animated tale from Pixar Studios, about a town of talking automobiles.

Adam Sandler, Kate Beckinsale and Christopher Walken in Click (June 30, 2006), a comedy about a man who gains the ability to put his life on hold…literaliy…with a remote control.

You, Me and Dupree (July 14, 2006), starring Owen Wilsonas a best man who stays on as a houseguest with the newlyweds, and overstays his welcome.

Pathfinder (July 14, 2006), about a Viking boy left behind after his clan battles a Native American tribe, who later becomes their savoir in their fight against the Norsemen. I have posted a fantastic shot from this film in the photo gallery RIGHT HERE »

My Super Ex-Girlfriend (July 21, 2006), a comedy directed by Ivan Reitman, about a superhero (Uma Thurman)who gets dumped by a human (played by Luke Wilson), and gets revenge by using her powers to make his life a living hell.

Ronny Yu directs Jet Li inFearless (August 4, 2006), which tells the story of Chinese Martial Arts Master Huo Yuanjia.

Will Ferrell in the NASCAR comedy Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby (August 4, 2006).

Trust the Man (limited release May 26, 2006), a drama starringMaggie Gyllenhaal, David Duchovny, Julianne Mooreand Billy Crudup. About two couples trying to save their relationships.

District B13 (June 2, 2006), originally titled Banlieue 13 in France, I had the opportunity to see this film a while back. I was very excited to hear that Magnolia Pictures is releasing it here in the U.S. There are some hard-core fight scenes in this thriller, but it’s smart and flows at the pace of a smooth German auto. A must see. David Belle performs the film’s most death-defying moves with inspiring precision and Jackie Chan-like ease.

Word Play (June 16, 2006 in New York, June 23, 2006 in L.A. and limited on June 30, 2006), directed by Patrick Creadon,enters the world of the Sunday crossword, and chronicles the28th Annual American Crossword Puzzle Tournament.

The Great New Wonderful (June 23, 2006), one of a few dramas being released about 9/11. Maggie Gyllenhaalreceived critical praise for her portrayal of Emmie. The Great New Wonderful weaves five stories against the backdrop of an anxious and uncertain post-9-11 New York City.

The Descent (August 2006) Empire Magazine calls this film ‘the most significant British chiller since 28 Days Later.’ Neil Marshall, who directedDog Soldiers, takes the helm of this story about a caving expedition that goes horribly wrong, as the explorers become trapped and pursued by a strange breed of predators. Check out the original trailer forThe Descent RIGHT HERE