2008 Summer Movie Preview

Movies - these are all movies I am at least quasi-interested in this summer.

The Ruins (4-4) : pros - Jena Malone, looks to be an interesting concept; cons - horror movie made in the past five years with an 'interesting premise; verdict - would like to see it in theaters but honestly, it probably won't be worth the extra money versus renting it.

My Blueberry Nights (4-4): pros - Natalie Portman, Jude Law; cons - Norah Jones (seriously?) in the starring role, looks pretentious; verdict - I don't think this is even in full release yet, so it'll be a rental for sure.

Forgetting Sarah Marshall (4-18): pros - Judd Apatow productions, who doesn't love a good break-up comedy?; cons - none that I can see, although comedies have a tendency to disappoint with their hit-or-miss nature; verdict - if money is available, would love to see it but no real pay versus renting it.

Baby Mama (4-25): pros - Tina Fey, remember Mean Girls?; cons - Amy Poehler has a tendency to irk me; verdict - rental.

Harold & Kumar... (4-25): pros - sequel to a cult classic, premise has potential; cons - marijuana humor tends to run thin quickly, really a second one?; verdict - rental, make a marathon out of it.

Iron Man (5-2): pros - another comic book to major motion picture (see Batman, Spiderman, X-men); cons - another comic book to major motion picture (see Daredevil, Spiderman 3, Catwoman); verdict - this one might not even get rented...who casted Robert Downey, Jr.?

Speedracer (5-9): pros - theatrical firework show, Christina Ricci (she's a cutie!); cons - high risk, this could be terrible; verdict - still out, I'll have to keep an eye on the reviews and any more trailers that come out. I'm interested and it should be amazing to watch, but so was Beowulf and that was a big snore and I didn't even have to see it to realize that.

Prince Caspian (5-16): pros - one of the top three (in no particular order) or the Chronicles of Narnia series, Disney looks to actually be doing these right; cons - only that it's impossible to translate books to the big screen seamlessly and thus I'm sure to be disappointed about adding or removing something; verdict - will probably see it opening weekend.

Indiana Jones (5-22): pros - it's Indiana Jones! Those movies are all good! Shia LaBeou; cons - Harrison Ford isn't a young Han Solo anymore...; verdict - will see, eventually, probably soon after it comes out.

The Happening (6-13): pros - M. Night Shyamalan at his most mysterious since the Village, Zooey Deschanel; cons - M. Night Shyamalan at his most pretentious since Signs, Marky Mark (without the Funky Bunch); verdict - we'll take a wait and see on this one as well.

Get Smart (6-20): pros - Steve Carell, Anne Hathaway; cons - none as of yet; verdict - opening night, be there or be square.

Wall-E (6-27): pros - Pixar+Disney=Finding Nemo, Monsters, Inc., the Incredibles; cons - Cars; verdict - looks promising, but you can tell that Pixar's original idea bank is starting to run a bit thin. Will see in theaters, but not right away.

Hancock (7-4): pros - Will Smith (on 4th of July weekend where he never misses) and Justin Bateman; cons - there is no intel on this movie as of yet; verdict - still out, who knows what this is going be like.

The Dark Knight (7-18): pros - the reincarnation of the darker, more faithful (to the comic books) Batman, Heath Ledger's last film which he was getting raves for before he died; cons - they cut out the Joker's body bag scene because it might "upset" people; verdict - opening weekend if not knight or night...get it?

The X-Files: I Want to Believe (7-25): pros - dude, it's the X-Files! Original cast!; cons - the first movie wasn't all that great and that was 10 years ago, how high can our expectations be?; verdict - wait and see.

There is also Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2, Pineapple Express (8-8) and House Bunny (8-15) but there isn't enough on any of them to make a reasonable analysis.

What movies are you going to see this summer?