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Arts & Culture/ Reel Dealz
Date Posted:
5/10/04


2004 Summer Preview
by:Edwardo Jackson

SUMMER MOVIE PREVIEW 2004

Only in Hollywood is May summer, but here we are again. Here are all the cool movies, stars, and happenings to keep on your radar this hot season…

THE TOP 10 MOVIES I REELY WANT TO SEE
10. Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow – Has the coolest, retro look of any movie this year.

9. Collateral – Cruise as a bad guy? Jamie Foxx playing a reluctant "Driving Miss Daisy?" Michael Mann (Heat, The Insider) directing? This oughta be interesting…

8. I, Robot – Mr. King of July Will Smith and a sci-fi plot? We've been here before but Alex Proyas' (Dark City) direction should make it hot.

7. Catwoman – Halle Berry and have you SEEN that catsuit???

6. Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy – Will Ferrell, the '70s, and the title, says it all. Pass the chocolate clip-on tie, please.

5. King Arthur – Nerd Boy Moment: I read all those books in grade school. Interested to see what Antoine Fuqua does with a Jerry Bruckheimer budget.

4. The Day After Tomorrow – I know my enviro tree-huggers are as geared up for this movie as I am.

3. Van Helsing – Love Jackman and the potential for an "Indiana Jones"-like throwback for vampire hunting.

2. Spiderman 2 – Liked the first one but didn't love it. From the trailers, this one looks to have a really, really good story to it.

1. Troy – Nerd Boy Moment 2: We read the Iliad in middle school so I'm crunk for this. Plus I get the same "Gladiator"-esque chills from the trailer that I did when I was waiting on that flick.

Keep your eye out for: The Village, Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story, The Bourne Supremacy, The Stepford Wives, Breakin' All the Rules, Super Size Me, Baadasssss!, The Terminal, Vanity Fair, The Manchurian Candidate (Denzel!)


TOP 5 MOVIES I WON'T BE SEEING

5. Thunderbirds – Kids, kids, kids. Maybe I need to have some to see some of these family-type movies that send me running for the hills.

4. Before Sunset – Didn't see "Before Sunrise."

3. Riding Giants – Been there, done that with surfing. And I still want my money back from "Blue Crush."

2. Exorcist: The Beginning – You know me and my weak stomach…

1. New York Minute – I've passed puberty, thank you.


TOP 5 UNNECESSARY SEQUELS (because every summer's got 'em)
5. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban – They were going to make it anyway, but after watching the first one twice, call me a Muggle, but I still. Don't. Get it.

4. Before Sunset – Did anyone see "Before Sunrise?"

3. The Chronicles of Riddick – I didn't see "Pitch Black" (the trailers looked dumb) but now, dammit, I have to. Ugh.

2. The Princess Diaries 2 – How anyone over the age of 15 can stomach another go 'round is beyond me…

1. Shrek 2 – The first one was ridiculously overhyped. And with my love of "Finding Nemo," this has nothing to do with an animation bias, either.


MOVIES TOO GIRLY FOR WORDS
5. The Notebook – I'll still see it just for Ryan Gosling, and to see Rachel McAdams (Mean Girls) in a non-witchy role. Just don't expect me to review it.

4. The Princess Diaries 2 – Just look at the title.

3. New York Minute – The adult male fascination with the well-publicized and underage Olsen twins is beyond me.

2. Raising Helen – Another Garry Marshall, down the middle, hide-the-independent-thinking-sarcastic-subversive-adults family feature. Blah.

1. A Cinderella Story – Hilary Duff must see Lindsay Lohan gaining on her in her career rearview window.


MOVIES DESTINED TO DISGRACE THE (HUMAN) RACE
3. White Chicks – Trailers show potential but the Wayanses aren't noted for their subtlety or restraint.

2. The Cookout – If the title don't scare white folks off, watch the horrendous acting and the toothless racial humor. Just a prediction.

1. Soul Plane – A plane on switches? Snoop Dogg as the captain? Monique: "You wanna say somethin'? You wanna say somethin'?!?" Yeah. Y'all will set the race back 40 years.


TOP SUMMER BREAKOUT STARS
Keira Knightley, King Arthur – Guinevere ain't on the sidelines for this one, baby.

Jamie Foxx, Collateral – If he can scene steal like Ken Watanabe did in Cruise's "The Last Samurai," watch Foxx's mainstream profile rise even more.

Jake Gyllenhaal, The Day After Tomorrow – Big disaster flick with a green-friendly theme just might put his great indie work forever in his career rearview.

Alfred Molina, Spiderman 2 – As the tentacled, villainous Doc Ock, this accomplished Brit may thrust him into topline territory after this.

Diane Kruger – If the model-turned-actress as the "face that launched a thousand ships" can act, then she'll be the definition of the summer breakout star.


WHAT I'M MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SUMMER
"Troy's" action scenes ("Is there no one else? Is there NO ONE ELSE?!?!)
Halle Berry's catsuit (purrrrrrr)
Denzel in anything
Will Ferrell with '70s gear and porn mustache
"King Arthur's" swordfights and the oddly appealing, perpetually smug Ioan Gruffudd (CBS' short lived "Century City)
"Soul Plane" gross less than its projected script IQ (30)
"Dodgeball" heralded as a professional sport!
J. Lo and Richard Gere dance it up in "Shall We Dance"
Whatever twist M. Night Shyamalan's (Signs) got up his sleeve in "The Village"


What's got you jonesin' for the multiplex this summer? Holla at me!

Like what you read? Agree/disagree with The Reel Deal? Think he's talkin' out his...HUSH YO' MOUF! (I'm only talkin' about The Reel Deal!) Email him at ReelReviewz@aol.com!

Edwardo Jackson is the author of the novels EVER AFTER and NEVA HAFTA, (Villard/Random House), a writer for UrbanFilmPremiere.com, and an LA-based screenwriter. Visit his website at www.edwardojackson.com

© 2004, Edwardo Jackson

© Copyright 2004

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