Spring movie season is here
From Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.
Indy race on
Spring blockbusters primed to hit theaters
The sun is getting brighter, the weather is getting warmer, and the choices at movie theaters are getting better.
Spring is here.
With the summer movie rush starting a little earlier every year, movie studios are preparing to roll out some of their potential blockbusters, from the anticipated big-screen version of “Iron Man” to the fantasy sequel “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian.”
But spring 2008 undoubtedly will be remembered as the season of Indy, with the long-awaited “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull” taking everyone’s favorite archaeologist on another adventure over Memorial Day weekend.
The date for fans’ fourth outing with Indy is as firmly embedded as any fossil in prehistoric rock, but movie studios often tinker with opening dates for smaller films. Check local movie listings before venturing to the cinema.
Today
Based on actual events, “21″ focuses on MIT students who win big in Las Vegas after their professor (Kevin Spacey) teaches them to count cards. Eight years after directing “Boys Don’t Cry,” Kimberly Peirce returns with “Stop-Loss,” about a soldier (Ryan Phillippe) who refuses to return to Iraq when the Army orders him to report back for battle. David Schwimmer of “Friends” fame makes his directorial debut with “Run, Fat Boy, Run,” in which the responsibility-dodging Dennis (Simon Pegg) trains for a marathon in the hopes of winning back his ex-fiancee (Thandie Newton). “Batman Begins,” “Fantastic Four” and other comic book flicks are spoofed in “Superhero Movie.” Naturally, Leslie Nielsen is involved.
April 4
George Clooney directs himself, Renee Zellweger and John Krasinski in the screwball comedy/period sports film “Leatherheads.” Jodie Foster, Gerard Butler and Abigail Breslin star in the fantasy “Nim’s Island,” in which a girl whose father goes missing recruits her favorite author to help with the search. Director Martin Scorsese helms the documentary “Shine a Light,” about rockers the Rolling Stones. Singer/pianist Norah Jones makes her film debut in “My Blueberry Nights” as a woman who takes a cross-country trip to heal from a tough breakup. Jude Law, Natalie Portman and Rachel Weisz also star. A group of friends on a Mexican holiday encounter an evil force in “The Ruins.”
April 11
Keanu Reeves plays a veteran cop tracking the people who murdered his former partner (Terry Crews) in “Street Kings.” Forest Whitaker, Hugh Laurie and Common also star. Dennis Quaid, Sarah Jessica Parker, Thomas Haden Church and Ellen Page star in the Sundance hit “Smart People.” “The Counterfeiters,” based on the true story of the Nazis’ program to create fake foreign currency, won this year’s Oscar for best foreign language film. A ruthless killer stalks a group of high schoolers who years ago caused an accidental death in “Prom Night.”
April 18
A college professor who moonlights as a forensic pathologist for the FBI (Al Pacino) gets a death threat indicating he has “88 Minutes” to live. In “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” a heartbroken guy (Jason Segel) takes a Hawaiian vacation to get over his TV-star ex-girlfriend, Sarah Marshall (Kristen Bell). But Sarah shows up at the same resort with her new beau. Jackie Chan and Jet Li star in “The Forbidden Kingdom,” in which a kung fu-loving American teen (Michael Angarano) is magically transported to ancient China. A group of medical students (including Alyssa Milano) compete to commit the perfect murder in “Pathology.” Hong Kong actor-writer-director Stephen Chow (“Kung Fu Hustle”) offers family-friendly sci-fi comedy in “CJ7.” Kate Beckinsale, Sam Rockwell and Amy Sedaris star in the Sundance hit “Snow Angels,” a drama about an awkward teen, his former baby sitter, her estranged husband and their daughter. A Mexican boy (Adrian Alonso) and his mother (Kate del Castillo), an illegal immigrant in the U.S., try to reunite in “Under the Same Moon.”
April 25
The sequel to the hilarious 2004 stoner comedy “Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle,” “Harold and Kumar Escape Guantanamo Bay,” has the title characters (John Cho and Kal Penn) on the run as suspected terrorists. In “Deception,” an accountant (Ewan McGregor) becomes the main suspect in a big heist and a woman’s disappearance after an enigmatic lawyer (Hugh Jackman) introduces him to a secretive sex club. Former “Saturday Night Live Weekend Update” co-anchors Tina Fey and Amy Poehler reunite for the comedy “Baby Mama.” A wimpy con man (Rob Schneider) headed for prison hires a martial arts guru (David Carradine) to teach him to fight in “Big Stan.”
May 2
Inventor Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) dons a high-tech suit of armor and becomes the superhero “Iron Man” after a near-death experience. Jon Favreau (“Elf”) directs this Marvel Comics adaptation, which also stars Gwyneth Paltrow, Terrence Howard, Jeff Bridges and Samuel L. Jackson. In the ultimate example of counter-programming, the romantic comedy “Made of Honor” stars Patrick Dempsey as a ladies man whose best friend (Michelle Monaghan) asks him to be her maid of honor.
May 9
Emile Hirsch and Matthew Fox play rival race car drivers in the Wachowski brothers’ (“The Matrix”) colorful take on the classic anime series “Speed Racer.” David Mamet (“State and Main”) writes and directs “Redbelt,” about a mixed-martial arts instructor (Chiwetel Ejiofor) who rescues a celebrity (Tim Allen) from a fight. “What Happens in Vegas …” stars Cameron Diaz and Ashton Kutcher as a couple who get married after a drunken night in Vegas and are forced to stay together when they learn he has won a big jackpot with her quarter.
May 16
In the sequel “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” the Pevensie siblings return to magical Narnia, where they are enlisted to oust an evil king and restore the rightful heir to the throne, Prince Caspian (Ben Barnes). The documentary “Young @ Heart” follows a chorus of senior citizens touring the world performing the music of the Clash, Coldplay and James Brown.
May 22
When we last saw adventurer/professor Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford), he was riding off into the sunset in 1989′s “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” His return almost 20 years later is the year’s most anticipated film. Not much is known about the plot of “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull,” but the all-star cast includes Ray Winstone, Shia LaBeouf, Cate Blanchett, John Hurt, Karen Allen and Jim Broadbent.
-BAM
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Re: “Naturally, Leslie Nielsen is involved.” Did anybody else ever find it weird that one of his most famous movie quotes is “Don’t call me Shirley.” I mean, his name is Leslie. That’s all I’m saying.
Also Iron Man looks awesome. But I had trouble even sitting through the TRAILER for Speed Racer. It looks sooooo bad.