SouthFlorida.com | City Link Magazine

Movies this spring have been eking out ticket sales of $20 million here, $20 million there. But the $200 million here, there and everywhere blockbusters will soon be upon us. This could be a record-breaking summer, especially with Darth Vader and Batman on the docket.

Clearly, Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith is going to dominate early summer. But don't count out Madagascar, the computer-animated zoo story from DreamWorks, because computer-animated movies continue to attract huge audiences. It remains to be seen if Batman Begins will revive the Dark Knight franchise, and some prognosticators say War of the Worlds will be the movie to beat in midsummer.

The upshot of this guessing game is that the movie industry is going to make some serious cash this summer, often via cheesy remakes of old films and television shows. Apparently there isn't an original idea left in Hollywood.

The following 25 movies in no way represent everything that is opening this summer. Hidden among these blockbusters will be some wonderful little movies that could relieve the redundancy of comic book heroes and video-game-like effects. Be sure to look for: Murderball, an award-winning documentary about wheelchair athletes; Mad Hot Ballroom, an upbeat documentary about kids and dance; Night Watch, a Russian sci-fi thriller; Rock School, a doc about the real School of Rock in Philadelphia; The Chumscrubber, concerning alienated youth in suburbia; and Hustle and Flow, which is about an amateur hip-hop artist.

In the meantime, though, bring on the blockbusters. (Note: Release dates are subject to change.)

XXX -- State of the Union

While Vin Diesel was playing baby sitter in The Pacifier, Ice Cube waltzed in and snatched up the XXX franchise. Co-starring with Samuel L. Jackson, the rap icon plays the new Agent XXX, who is enlisted to smoke out insurgents within the National Security Agency.

Forecast: Cube already did the kid thing in Are We There Yet? Now, he's ready to scowl and get nasty again.

Opens: April 29

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

The Monty Python-esque, sci-fi publishing phenomenon upon which this film is based was often referred to as the best science-fiction book never made into a movie, though it was a TV miniseries in 1981. This adaptation features an impressive cast, including Mos Def, John Malkovich and some weird Jim Henson creatures.

Forecast: The movie faces an uphill battle at the box office, but this anti-Star Wars may find new fans.

Opens: April 29

Kingdom of Heaven

Yes, Orlando Bloom is a hottie, but must he wield a sword in yet another period piece? If The Lord of the Rings fans need another fix of medieval action, this battle-heavy epic could fill the bill. Director Ridley Scott (Gladiator) knows the territory, and Liam Neeson and Jeremy Irons will give it some English heft. But a movie about battling Christians and Muslims is almost too contemporary.

Forecast: Is there really demand for a movie about the Crusades?

Opens: May 6

House of Wax

Paris Hilton gets her first big movie role. Need I say more? Maybe I should. This remake of a 1953 movie starring Vincent Price can't come anywhere near the original, since it has been transformed into a teen horror flick with Elisha Cuthbert and Chad Michael Murray. The story: A wax museum operator uses real people.

Forecast: Considering the popularity of the new Amityville Horror, this could be a big success.

Opens: May 6

Monster-in-Law

Jane Fonda has been hitting the talk-show circuit with gusto to promote her new autobiography and subsequent return to the big screen. The previews for this movie are hilarious, as Fonda goes tooth and nail after Jennifer Lopez. Go get her!

Forecast: It may be a surprise comedy hit.

Opens: May 13

Kicking and Screaming

The first of several upcoming soccer-themed movies, this Will Ferrell vehicle gives soccer dads a shot at being funny. But when Ferrell becomes his kid's soccer coach, things change drastically.

Forecast: Funnyman Ferrell will probably lure in every soccer-playing child on Earth.

Opens: May 13

Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith

Considering that this will likely be the last chance for Star Wars fans to camp outside theaters in anticipation of a new chapter, expect screenings to be swamped upon the release of this final installment in the series. A scruffy Hayden Christensen will morph into Darth Vader, but will his voice sound like James Earl Jones'?

Forecast: As long as Jar Jar Binks has limited screen time, everything should be fine.

Opens: May 19

Madagascar

An animated movie about a revolt among zoo animals, Madagascar will need much more substance than Shark Tale to be truly successful and entertaining. The film does boast some promising vocal talent, including Ben Stiller, Chris Rock and Jada Pinkett Smith.

Forecast: Computer animation quite simply attracts everyone. Buy stock in DreamWorks now.

Opens: May 27

The Longest Yard

In this remake of the 1974 Burt Reynolds movie, the veteran actor appears as a coach alongside Adam Sandler and Chris Rock, who may or may not be funny as athletic inmates.

Forecast: Do you really want to see a movie starring Nelly? Let's hope Rock is funnier here than he was hosting the Oscars.

Opens: May 27

Lords of Dogtown

Catherine Hardwicke directed the hell out of the rebellious movie Thirteen, so it's likely she sank her teeth into this rebels-on-skateboards tale. Based on Stacy Peralta's autobiographical documentary Dogtown and Z-Boys, the movie features sensitive actors Heath Ledger and Emile Hirsch.

Forecast: Surfing, skateboarding and California: It sounds like fun, but given its source material, the movie could be gutsy, as well.

Opens: June 3

Cinderella Man

What's summer without Ron Howard directing a classy movie? The story of Depression-era fighter Jim Braddock is sure to get an emotional boost from stars Russell Crowe and Ren�e Zellweger.

Forecast: It will either be great or A Beautiful Mind in the ring.

Opens: June 3

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

Two of the most gorgeous people on Earth, Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, star together for the first time -- and in the wake of real-life scandalous rumors, to boot. I don't care that they play spies trying to kill each other, just so long as they don't mess with the fantastic faces and bodies.

Forecast: Curiosity may kill the moviegoer. The stars may turn out to have no on-screen chemistry whatsoever.

Opens: June 10

The Honeymooners

This remake's African-American cast could do justice to the classic TV show. I can see Cedric the Entertainer in the Ralph Kramden role made famous by Jackie Gleason, but the profoundly untalented Mike Epps as Norton? The sassy Regina Hall and sexy Gabrielle Union play wives Trixie and Alice respectively.

Forecast: It looks like fun.

Opens: June 10

Batman Begins

Christian Bale, who lost a third of his body weight for his creepy role in The Machinist, has pumped back up to revive the Caped Crusader. Michael Caine, Liam Neeson and Morgan Freeman should give the movie some heft. Director Christopher Nolan (Memento, Insomnia) is sure to do a better job than Joel Schumacher, who ran the series into the ground in 1997 with Batman and Robin. But can anyone touch Tim Burton's dark genius in the first two movies? The film will expound on the death of Bruce Wayne's parents.

Forecast: Can Batman steal Spider-Man's audience? If anyone can do it, the intense Bale can.

Opens: June 15

Bewitched

Will Ferrell again, but writer-director Nora Ephron (When Harry Met Sally, Sleepless in Seattle) seems to be sporting a bad case of the cutes. Even worse, this is a remake about making a remake. Shirley MacLaine as the mother of the witch appears well-cast. An office colleague insists the previews are funny and the movie has potential.

Forecast: Do you really want to see Nicole Kidman twitch her nose with abandon? First, she wore a prosthetic schnoz in The Hours, and now this.

Opens: June 24

Herbie Fully Loaded

Guess what? Another remake. Lindsay Lohan's first movie since Mean Girls may help bury all the tabloid headlines about her father. That sweet little Volkswagen bug is now heading to NASCAR.

Forecast: Did Herbie really need his ride pimped?

Opens: June 24

War of the Worlds

Orson Welles made his name with the scary radio show he created based on the H.G. Wells novel. But will alien invaders have as much resonance nowadays? Only if the special effects are flawless.

Forecast: Steven Spielberg directs and Tom Cruise stars. How can it lose? This is predicted to be the second-biggest money earner of the summer, behind Star Wars.

Opens: June 29

Fantastic Four

Another movie from the Stan Lee/Marvel Comics stable. Jessica Alba is clearly hot after the success of Sin City, but why cast her as The Invisible Woman? The casting of Michael Chiklis (The Shield) as The Thing is inspired, though.

Forecast: This tale of radiation-exposed astronauts with superpowers could capture some of that X-Men magic.

Opens: July 8

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

There's little doubt that director Tim Burton can put the proper dark spin on the classic book by Roald Dahl, who reportedly hated the gooey 1971 adaptation starring Gene Wilder. The late Dahl might have preferred Burton's vision, and Johnny Depp can't miss as Willy Wonka.

Forecast: Atkins dieters beware. And should we be afraid of the new Oompa-Loompas?

Opens: July 15

The Wedding Crashers

Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn play incurable ladies' men who sneak into weddings to take advantage of love-prone bridesmaids. But Rachel McAdams of The Notebook could cure at least one of them.

Forecast: This may be the funniest and most clever movie of the summer.

Opens: July 15

The Bad News Bears

Billy Bob Thornton brings his Bad Santa attitude to the role made famous by Walter Matthau. Director Richard Linklater (School of Rock) gets down with the kids again.

Forecast: Terry Zwigoff was originally set to direct this, so expect a much more mainstream product than first planned.

Opens: July 22

Stealth

Can Oscar winner Jamie Foxx draw an audience in a futuristic, militaristic action thriller? The bigger attraction here is Jessica Biel, predicted to be the next big thing.

Forecast: This latter-day Top Gun may strain the imagination.

Opens: July 29

The Pink Panther

You have to admire Steve Martin for taking on one of Peter Sellers' most famous roles, since Roberto Benigni, Roger Moore and even Sellers himself could not repeat the success of the first two Pink Panther movies of the early 1960s. Beyonc� Knowles will also try to work her mojo in this prequel to the original.

Forecast: Martin needs a hit. I'll give him the benefit of the doubt.

Opens: Aug. 5

The Dukes of Hazzard

Even though Seann William Scott as Bo Duke and Johnny Knoxville as his cousin Luke could be hilarious in a doofus sort of way, I'm very skeptical of Jessica Simpson's acting abilities -- though she will certainly fill out those Daisy Dukes. Co-stars Burt Reynolds and Willie Nelson may save the day in this remake of the 1979-85 TV series.

Forecast: It looks plain awful.

Opens: Aug. 5

Deuce Bigalow: European Gigolo

Rob Schneider recently defended his Deuce Bigalow franchise in Variety magazine after a scathing Los Angeles Times attack that called the clearly inane comedies an example of Hollywood's intellectual bankruptcy. Way to go, Rob! Let's speak up for mediocrity and idiocy. Deuce goes whoring in Amsterdam, Netherlands, this time around.

Forecast: Entertainment journalists be damned! It could be a massive hit.

Opens: Aug. 12