Able to leap buildings in a single bound

If brown is the new black, than May and June are the new spring. While spring may start in April, this year’s big April Fool’s joke is that the good movies don’t roll in until that month rolls out. Studios must be hoping April showers bring killer May box-office receipts.

Blockbusters bound into theaters in May with appearances from the “X-Men’s” Wolverine, “Mission: Impossible’s” Ethan Hunt and “The Da Vinci Code’s” Robert Langdon — also known as Hugh Jackman, Tom Cruise and Tom Hanks. And let’s not forget a brand-new Superman in June in the guise of newcomer Brandon Routh.

And those aren’t the only big stars with potential blockbusters. Meryl Streep pays two visits to theaters this spring as an evil fashion magazine editor in “The Devil Wears Prada” and as a country crooner in “A Prairie Home Companion.” Can you say versatile? Legend Paul Newman provides one of the voices in the new Pixar animated film, “Cars.”  Lindsay Lohan and Adam Sandler both have new comedies; they hope to win back fans with “Just My Luck” and “Click.”

Finally, for art-house fans, there’s “Art School Confidential,” a new collaboration from “Ghost World’s” Daniel Clowes and Terry Zwigoff; Justin Timberlake making his film debut in “Alpha Dog”; and Kevin Bacon’s directorial debut “Loverboy.” Pick your poison.

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“Akeelah and the Bee”

Starring: Keke Palmer, Angela Bassett, Laurence Fishburne, Jeff Marlow, Sara Niemietz, Eddie Steeples
Director: Doug Atchison
Story: Set in South Central Los Angeles, this is the story of 11-year-old Akeelah Anderson (Palmer), a girl with a gift for words. Tutored by Dr. Larabee (Fishburne), she decides to make a run for the National Spelling Bee. Akeelah becomes a local celebrity as the community rallies around her. Bassett co-stars as Akeelah’s mother.
Buzz: This marks the first time that Bassett and Fishburne have worked together since their Academy Award-nominated roles in “What’s Love Got to Do with It?” A fiction movie has yet to capture the spelling-bee drama the way the documentary, “Spellbound” did. The sentiment — the need to be uplifting — may overwhelm everything else. This is writer-director Atchison’s second feature film.
Web site: NA

“United 93”

Starring: J. J. Johnson, Gary Commock, Polly Adams, Opal Alladin, Nancy McDoniel, Starla Benford, Trish Gates
Director: Paul Greengrass
Story: A real-time account of the passengers of United Flight 93, during which the passengers chose to try to overwhelm the hijackers before they could head the plane toward Washington, D.C. The plane was the fourth hijacked on Sept. 11, 2001 and crashed near Shanksville, Penn.
Buzz: Do people want to see films about 9/11? That question will be answered with this film and in August with Oliver Stone’s “World Trade Center.” A New York theater recently pulled the trailer for the film , when audiences found it too upsetting. Greengrass (“Bloody Sunday,” “Bourne Supremacy”) wisely cast no-name actors — that way you don’t have to be distracted by Tom Cruise or some big name taking on the hijackers like a superhero. This is delicate subject matter — think about how long after Vietnam it took to actually get a good Vietnam movie (“Deer Hunter,” 1978, “Apocalypse Now,” 1979). Do we have enough distance for the events for this to feel like more than a moralistic made-for-TV movie?
Web site:  http://www.united93movie.com/

“RV”

Starring: Robin Williams, Kristin Chenoweth, Jeff Daniels, Tony Hale, JoJo, Cheryl Hines
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Story: In an attempt to bond with his dysfunctional family, Bob (Williams) rents an RV and takes his family to the Colorado Rockies. Along the way, he encounters another wacky family led by Daniels. Hines (“Curb Your Enthusiasm”) plays Williams’ wife. Pop star JoJo plays Williams’ cynical daughter who wants nothing to do with him.
Buzz: Remember when Robin Williams used to be funny? If not, that could be because his last truly funny movie was 1992’s “Aladdin.” He’s now strictly in Chevy Chase/Steve Martin/Eddie Murphy territory — doing family films that make his older fans probably wish he’d never kicked that nasty drug habit or had kids. What you’ll find here is broad comedy, obnoxious kids, trailer trash humor and poop jokes. Sonnenfeld may be the man behind “Get Shorty,” but he also gave us “Wild Wild West.” The man is not to be trusted.
Web site:  http://sonypictures.com/movies/rv/

“Stick It”

Starring: Jeff Bridges, Missy Peregrym, Vanessa Lengies
Director: Jessica Bendinger
Story: After a run-in with the law, the rebellious Haley Graham (Peregrym) is sentenced to return to an elite gymnastic academy run by a hard-nosed coach (Bridges). She quickly makes friends and enemies at the school. Ultimately, the team must band together for a major competition and prove that the team means more than the individuals on it.
Buzz: A film with chick flick written on it in bright sequined letters. Bendinger makes her directorial debut; she also penned the script. She’s known for her scripts for “Bring it On” and “First Daughter,” so this is familiar territory. It’s strange to see the talented Bridges slumming here, but it could mean this film is better than it looks. Costar Lengies is known for her role as Roxanne on TV’s “American Dreams,” while Peregrym played Jackie on the short-lived “Life as We Know It.”
Web site:http://stickit.movies.go.com/

“The Lost City”

Starring: Andy Garcia, Robert Duvall, Nestor Carbonell, Dustin Hoffman, Benicio Del Toro, Javier Bardem, Enrique Murciano, Bill Murray
Director: Andy Garcia
Story: Garcia makes his directorial debut in a film set in his native Cuba in 1958 just before the Castro revolution. He plays the owner of a famous Cuban cabaret who struggles to hold his family together during the onslaught of political change. While his brothers (Carbonell and Muricano) become involved in the revolution, Garcia and his family must flee to America. Hoffman plays gangster Meyer Lansky, while Murray is the expatriate writer who takes it all in.
Buzz: Though obviously a labor of love for writer-director Garcia, this is a big chunk of history to bite off for his first film. Variety’s Scott Foundres wrote that the film “emerges as a handsomely produced, deeply passionate, but seriously flawed historical epic whose reach far exceeds its grasp.” Murciano is best known for his role as Danny on “Without a Trace.”
Web site:  http://www.magpictures.com/profile.aspx?id=408b722a-92f9-428b-ac24-1f36aafbc044

“An American Haunting”
Starring: Donald Sutherland, Sissy Spacek, Rachel Hurd-Wood, James D'Arcy, Thom Fell
Director: Courtney Solomon
Story: Based on true events (and the novel by Brent Monahan), this film tells the story the only documented case in U.S. history where a spirit caused a person’s death. Between 1818 and 1820, the Bell Family (Sutherland, Spacek, Hurd-Wood) of Red River, Tenn. were tormented by a spirit, whose attacks grew in severity. The Bells tried desperately to rid their house of the spirit. In 1998, when the manuscript of a local schoolteacher (D’Arcy) is found, all the secrets are revealed.

Buzz: Rather than a straightforward horror flick, this film has the more ghostly feel of “The Others” or “The Sixth Sense.” Solomon’s only other film is the dismal “Dungeons & Dragons,” which doesn’t bode well. But Solomon’s script must have had some thrills to attract Spacek and Sutherland, so here’s hoping the second time’s the charm. Hurd-Wood looks to join the creepy kid club along Cameron Bright (“Birth”) and Haley Joel Osment.
Web site:  http://www.anamericanhauntingonline.com/

“Art School Confidential”

Starring: Max Minghella, Sophia Myles, Matt Keeslar John Malkovich, Jim Broadbent, Anjelica Huston
Director: Terry Zwigoff
Story: A talented young artist (Minghella) attends a small East Coast art college and has to deal with the question of whether he really has talent, while trying to woo an artists’ model (Myles) who turns around and falls for a painter (Keeslar). Minghella devises a risky plan to win her back. Malkovich costars as a slimy art teacher. Broadbent plays an alcoholic failed artist, while Steve Buscemi is a pretentious café owner.
Buzz: This marks the first time Zwigoff and Daniel Clowes have worked together since the quirky “Ghost World.” Clowes, again, adapts one of his own graphic novels. Unfortunately, the pair might not have recaptured their old magic. David Rooney of Variety wrote, “this melancholy comedy might be mistaken for an inferior imitation of their ‘Ghost World.’” Minghella, son of filmmaker Anthony Minghella (“The English Patient”), is an actor to keep an eye on — he did promising work in 2005’s “Bee Season.”
Web site:  http://www.sonyclassics.com/artschoolconfidential/

“Down in the Valley”

Starring: Edward Norton, Evan Rachel Wood, David Morse, Rory Culkin, Bruce Dern
Director: David Jacobson
Story: A mysterious stranger (Norton) who thinks he’s a cowboy strolls into the lives of two siblings (Wood and Culkin) who live with their father (Morse) in the San Fernando Valley. To the consternation of her father, Norton and Wood fall for each other, but is this cowboy more off kilter than he seems?
Buzz: Jacobson also wrote and directed the compelling but flawed “Dahmer.” Variety’s Scott Foundres wrote of “Down in the Valley”: “imperfect and overlong, but hugely ambitious and often breathtaking.” However, the Hollywood Reporter’s Kirk Honeycutt wrote that the film may have been “conceptually sound on paper, but onscreen the whole idea falls apart.” Sounds like a film to save for your Netflix queue. Morse (“16 Blocks,” “Dancer and the Dark”) is a great actor who deserves a chance to be something other than the creepiest guy in the room.
Web site: NA

“Hoot”

Starring: Luke Wilson, Logan Lerman, Brie Larson, Cody Linley, Tim Blake Nelson
Director: Will Shriner
Story: Based on Carl Hiassen’s Newberry-award winning book, Lerman stars asRoy Eberhardt, a boy who moves from Montana to Florida and befriends two teens (Larson, Linley) who hope to protect endangered owls from greedy land developers.
Buzz: Hoping to cash in on the audience who embraced “Holes” and “Because of Winn Dixie,” this one is designed purely to capture those wholesome family crowds. Shriner is primarily known for directing television (“Frasier,” “Becker”). Lerman starred as Bobby on the short-lived TV show “Jack & Bobby.”
Web site:http://www.hootmovie.com/

“Mission: Impossible III”

Starring: Tom Cruise, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Ving Rhames, Laurence Fishburne, Billy Crudup, Michelle Monaghan, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Keri Russell
Director: J.J. Abrams
Story: The exact plot of this film is still being kept under tight wraps, but suffice it to say Special Agent Ethan Hunt (Cruise) is back on another case. Abrams told iFilm that this film will focus more on the team executing a well-thought out plan, rather than just a Cruise one-man show. Academy Award-winner Hoffman should be fun as Cruise’s nemesis. Monaghan plays Cruise’s love interest.
Buzz: With his background in television (“Lost,” “Alias”), Abrams could be just the man to bring some humanity to all the thrills and explosions. He promises that this time we’ll get to know Ethan Hunt as a man — whereas in earlier installments, he was more just a cog in the machine. If you saw last year’s “Kiss Kiss, Bang Bang,” you know that Monaghan is a star on the rise (if not, you should definitely rent it). Abrams first worked with Russell on another of his TV creations, “Felicity.”
Web site:http://www.missionimpossible.com/

“The Proposition”

Starring: Guy Pearce, Ray Winstone, Danny Huston, John Hurt, David Wenham, Emily Watson
Director: John Hillcoat
Story: Set in the Australian Outback in the 1800s, this western tells the story of three brothers who are being held responsible for the rape of a pregnant woman and the murders of her entire family. Captain Stanley (Winston) makes a deal with Charlie Burns (Pearce). He will let his younger brother Mikey (Richard Wilson) go free if Burns kills his older brother, Arthur (Huston). Watson costars as Captain Stanley’s naïve wife. Hurt plays a bounty hunter who’s also looking for Arthur.
Buzz: Musician Nick Cave wrote the screenplay (and music) for this revisionist western that has more in common with “Unforgiven” than the westerns of the past. The Hollywood Reporter’s Kirk Honeycutt calls the film, “A mesmerizing Australian western that occurs in a raw and brutal land.” Huston (“Constant Gardener”) and Pearce (“Memento”) are two actors who, by measure of their talent, should be huge stars.  Adding Watson (“Gosford Park”) and Hurt (“V for Vendetta”) to the mix makes this a perfect film to see great actors at work.
Web site:http://www.thepropositionfilm.com/

Alpha Dog

Starring: Emile Hirsch, Justin Timberlake, Bruce Willis, Sharon Stone, Ben Foster, Anton Yelchin, Dominique Swain
Director: Nick Cassavetes
Story: Inspired by actual events, this is the story of a mid-level drug dealer (Hirsch), who at age 19 became the youngest person on the FBI’s most-wanted list. When a junkie (Foster) refuses to pay him drug money, Hirsch kidnaps the junkie’s brother (Yelchin of “Huff”) and stows him at a friend’s (Timberlake) Palm Springs’ home. There Yelchin finds himself entranced by the boys’ decadent lifestyle. Stone costars as Yelchin’s mother; while Willis plays Hirsch’s father.
Buzz: It’s strange to see Cassavetes at the helm of this seemingly edgy film when he’s known for weepers (“The Notebook,” “Unhook the Stars”). Justin Chong of Variety wrote, “Hurled to the screen with more hopped-up energy than insight, ‘Alpha Dog’ is standard-issue tabloid fare pimped out as a serious true-crime saga.” Foster is best known for his role in “Six Feet Under” and also joins the cast of “X-Men” this year as Angel.
Web site:http://www.alphadogmovie.com/

“Goal! The Dream Begins”

Starring: Kuno Becker, Stephen Dillane, Anna Friel, Marcel Iures, Sean Pertwee, Alessandro Nivola
Director: Danny Cannon
Story: Santiago (Becker) is a young man in the barrios of Los Angeles, who works two jobs and dreams of playing soccer. A British scout (Dillane) sees him play and gets him a tryout with Britain’s premier club, Newcastle United. But can he make it against the best players in the world? Considering this film comes via Disney’s Touchstone Pictures, the answer is most likely “yes.”
Buzz: Cannon is primarily known for directing episodes of “CSI”; he also directed “Judge Dredd,” so maybe he should stick to television. The Hollywood Reporter’s Ray Bennett wrote, “It's hard to imagine soccer lovers turning out in large numbers to see such an unimaginative potboiler.” Two sequels to the film are already in the works. Nivola (“Junebug”) is too good an actor to waste his talents here.
Web site:http://www.goalthemovie.com/flags.html

“Just My Luck”

Starring: Lindsay Lohan, Chris Pine, Faizon Love, Missi Pyle, Samaire Armstrong, McFly
Director: Donald Petrie
Story: Lohan stars as Ashley, a recent college graduate who always seems to have the best luck in the world. Pine plays Jake, the unluckiest guy around. When the two kiss at a party, they exchange luck, her good for his horrible. Armstrong (“Entourage”) costars as Lohan’s best friend.
Buzz: This is pretty lightweight fare, and director Petrie has made a career out of mediocre comedies (“Grumpy Old Men,” “How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days”). Lohan’s career is at a crossroads. She’s outgrown the Disney roles she’s played in the past, but does she really want to be another cute “America’s Sweetheart” type in the mold of Kate Hudson or Meg Ryan? And with her hard-partying reputation, will fans even accept her in that role?
Web site:http://www.foxmovies.com/

“Poseidon”

Starring: Josh Lucas, Kurt Russell, Emmy Rossum, Jacinda Barrett, Mike Vogel, Jimmy Bennett, Mia Maestro, Andre Braugher, Richard Dreyfuss
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Story: A remake of 1972’s “The Poseidon Adventure,” this film tells the story of a luxury ship on New Year’s Eve that is struck and capsized by a tidal wave. A group of survivors must make their way to the bottom of the ship (now at the surface) if they are going to live. Lucas plays a professional gambler who’d like to take his chances alone. Dreyfuss is a suicidal man who must find his will to live. Barrett is a mother trying to get her nine-year-old son to safety. Russell plays a father in search of his daughter (Rossum).
Buzz: What is it with Peterson and water-disasters (“The Perfect Storm,” “Das Boot”)? His last film was the disappointing “Troy.” Seeing a movie about a ship going down, it’s hard not to think of “Titanic” and it’s going to be difficult for this movie to match that one’s spectacular effects (however, it would be easy to improve on that film’s cheesy dialogue). It’s fun to see Dreyuss on a ship for the first time since “Jaws” — looks like sometimes having a bigger boat doesn’t help.
Web site:http://poseidonmovie.warnerbros.com/

“The Da Vinci Code”
Starring: Tom Hanks, Jean Reno, Audrey Tautou, Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Paul Bettany
Director: Ron Howard
Story: Based on the best-selling novel by Dan Brown, this mystery thriller tells the story of an American teacher (Hanks) whose name is found at a murder scene and finds himself both prime suspect and detective. Along with cryptographer Sophie Novea (Tautou) try to unravel a mystery that somehow involves both the Mona Lisa and Mary Magdalene. Reno plays the cop on the couple’s trail; while Bettany plays a mysterious albino dedicated to his cause. McKellen is a Holy Grail scholar who could hold the key.

Buzz: The key problem working against this highly anticipated film is that most of the audience will already know the answer to the mystery that kept those pages turning. Screenwriter Akiva Goldsmith is also penned the screenplays for “Beautiful Mind,” “Cinderella Man” (on the other hand, he also wrote “Batman & Robin”). Howard hasn’t really tackled a true thriller before and he’ll definitely need to rein in the sentiment that tends to mar even some of his better films (“Apollo 13,” “A Beautiful Mind”). But that said; this film is pretty much a sure thing, box office wise.
Web site:http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/davincicode/site/home.html

“The King”

Starring: Gael García Bernal, William Hurt, Pell James, Paul Dano, Laura Harring
Director: James Marsh
Story: A young man named Elvis (Bernal) is discharged from the Navy and goes in search of the man he claims is his father (Hurt), now a pastor with a new family. The pastor’s 16-year-old daughter (James) falls in love with the boy, not knowing his relationship to her father. When Hurt’s other son (Dano) goes missing, the family’s faith is shaken.
Buzz: Variety’s Todd McCarthy called the film “entirely unpalatable, despite attentive work by the actors.” The Hollywood Reporter’s Ray Bennett, however, disagrees, calling it “an accomplished piece of mischief making that directly confronts religious conviction.” Screenwriter Milo Addica also penned “Monster’s Ball.” Harring, who plays Hurt’s wife was absolutely stunning in David Lynch’s “Mulholland Dr.,” and really deserves a high-profile career.
Web site: NA

“Over the Hedge”

Starring: Bruce Willis, Garry Shandling, Steve Carell, William Shatner, Avril Lavigne, Catherine O'Hara, Eugene Levy, Wanda Sykes, Nick Nolte, Omid Djalili, Allison Janney, Thomas Haden Church
Director: Tim Johnson, Karey Kirkpatrick
Story: A group of animals awaken from their winter nap to discover a tall hedge. A mischievous raccoon (voiced by Willis) tells them going over the hedge is their ticket to the good life, while an overprotective turtle (voiced by Shandling) thinks they should stay on their own side of the hedge. The two creatures decide to form an alliance and explore the world of suburbia. Carell voices a hyperactive squirrel, while Shatner plays a possum who likes to play dead as dramatically as possibly. Haden Church plays a nasty exterminator known as “The Verminator,” who’s hired to drive the animals out of the neighborhood.
Buzz: Though the trailer claims this film comes from “the makers of ‘Shrek’,” they must be referring to DreamWorks rather than directors Johnson (“Antz,” “Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas”) and Kirkpatrick (making his directorial debut, though he did pen screenplays for “Curious George” and “Chicken Run”). Animation that values star voices over story never quite works (see, “Shark Tale” and “Chicken Little”). Pixar is still the master of these films and Dreamworks is forever playing catch-up.
Web site:http://www.overthehedgemovie.com/

“See No Evil”

Starring: Kane, Christina Vidal, Samantha Noble, Luke Pegler, Michael J. Pagan, Steven Vidler
Director: Gregory Dark
Story: Seven-foot, 400-pound reclusive psychopath Jacob Goodnight (World Wrestling Entertainment star Kane) lives in the abandoned Blackfoot Hotel. When eight petty criminals show up to do community service along with the cop who shot Goodnight seven years prior, all hell breaks loose.
Buzz: The aptly named Dark is primarily known for directing music videos and for low-budget horror fare (“Sex Freaks,” “Animal Instincts”). Let’s face it; if you go see a horror movie starring a prime-time wrestler, you’re not going to get “Rosemary’s Baby”; heck you’re probably not even going to get “Seed of Chucky.” At your own risk…
Web site:http://www.seenoevilthemovie.com/

“X-Men: The Last Stand”
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, Anna Paquin, Kelsey Grammer, Rebecca Romijn, James Marsden
Director: Brett Ratner
Story: In this third film, when a “cure” for mutancy is discovered, the mutants must choose: retain their uniqueness or give up their powers and become human (hey, isn’t that the same story as “The Little Mermaid”?). While Xavier (Patrick Stewart) preaches tolerance, Magneto (McKellan) wants to fight. It’s up to the mutants to choose which side they want to fight on. New characters include Beast (Grammer) and Angel (Ben Foster).

Buzz: The big question mark with this one is director Ratner, who steps in for Bryan Singer. Singer’s “X-Men 2” was one of the better superhero films to come out and it seems unlikely that Ratner (“Rush Hour”) can live up to that standard. Fans were livid when they heard Ratner was taking the helm. Ratner told Dark Horizons, “My input really has been just trying to make a more emotional film. A film with more heart and more pathos.” Hmm. Ratner is in talks to return for a spin-off film about Wolverine.
Web site:http://www.x-menthelaststand.com/

“The Break-Up”

Starring: Vince Vaughn, Jennifer Aniston, Joey Lauren Adams, Ann-Margret, Judy Davis, Vincent D'Onofrio, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau
Director: Peyton Reed
Story: Aniston stars as Brooke, who breaks up with boyfriend Gary (Vaughn) after she’s finally had enough of their petty arguments. When neither ex is willing to move out of the condo they share, they stay together as hostile roommates, playing mind games, turning their friends against each other and maybe even falling back in love.
Buzz: Aniston (“Derailed,” “Rumor Has It”) desperately needs a hit if she wants to be considered a viable mainstream leading lady. With the Brangelina fiasco, it seems like she’s owed a bit of good karma. “Wedding Crashers” fans are bound to come out and support Vaughn, who basically always plays the same character, but, hey, at least that character is funny. It will be nice to see him re-team with “Swingers” pal Favreau. Adams has better comic timing than many actresses around — it’s hard not to wish that she were starring opposite Vaughn rather than Aniston. Reed (“Down with Love,” “Bring it On”) keeps his movies fun and fast-paced, which adds hope that this one could be an enjoyable ride. A chick flick that will probably be acceptable to husbands and boyfriends.
Web site:http://www.thebreakupmovie.net/

“Loverboy”

Starring: Kyra Sedgwick, Kevin Bacon, Dominic Scott Kay, Sandra Bullock, Marisa Tomei, Matt Dillon
Director: Kevin Bacon
Story: Sedgwick stars as a neglected daughter who’s always dreamed of being a mother; she has casual sex with Campbell Scott to make it happen. As a mother, she’s hyper-possessive, home-schooling her son and referring to him as “Loverboy.” Bacon and Tomei costar as Sedgewick’s parents.
Buzz: Lexi Feinberg of Cinema Blend wrote, “Kyra Sedgwick gives one of the best performances of her career, but it is impossible to root for a character that gives ‘Mommy Dearest’ a run for her money.” Kevin Bacon makes his feature-film directorial debut.
Web site: NA

“The Omen”

Starring: Julia Stiles, Liev Schreiber, Mia Farrow, Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, David Thewlis, Pete Postlethwaite, Michael Gambon
Director: John Moore
Story: A remake of the classic 1976 horror film about the coming of the antichrist, personified as a young boy named Damien (newcomer Davey-Fitzpatrick). Stiles and Schreiber step in for Lee Remick and Gregory Peck as the boy’s parents. Farrow costars as the maniacal governess, Mrs. Blaylock. Postlethwaite plays the conscience-torn Father Brennan.
Buzz: It’s hard to deny the great cast here — especially Farrow (“Rosemary’s Baby”), who’s sure to chew a bit of scenery as Mrs. Blaylock. Director Moore made the surprisingly good “Behind Enemy Lines.” The original film succeeded because of what it didn’t show — it was a horror movie, per se, but more of a mystery. It will be interesting to see if Moore gives into the current horror marketplace and makes this a gore fest. Let’s hope not.
Web site:http://www.theomenmovie.com/

“Cars”

Starring: Paul Newman, Owen Wilson, Bonnie Hunt, “Larry the Cable Guy,” Cheech Marin, George Carlin
Director: John Lasseter
Story: Wilson provides the voice for Lightning McQueen, a hot-shot stock car, who gets waylaid in Radiator Springs on his way to a big race. Newman provides the voice of 1951 Hudson Hornet, while Hunt voices the lovely Porsche who has an eye for McQueen. Larry the Cable Guy voices Mater, a rusty tow truck.
Buzz: Pixar’s main man Lasseter was the force behind the wonderful “Incredibles,” “Toy Story” and “A Bug’s Life.” He writes his own films and makes sure the story is the star. It’s hard to imagine this will be anything other than a huge success — the marketing possibilities alone, with all those little boys going crazy for the toy cars based on the characters, boggle the mind. John Ratzenberger who has been a part of every Pixar film, once again provides a voice here. He must be Lasseter’s lucky charm.
Web site:http://disney.go.com/disneypictures/cars/

“A Prairie Home Companion”

Starring: Garrison Keillor, Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline, Tommy Lee Jones, Lily Tomlin, John C. Reilly, Woody Harrelson, Lindsay Lohan
Director: Robert Altman
Story: Based on Garrison Keillor’s long-running radio show of the same name, this film tells the story of the last night of an anachronistic old-time radio show. Streep and Tomlin are the Johnson sisters, a country duo who work the fair circuit. Lohan costars as Streep’s daughter, who gets her big chance to sing. Kline is the suave Guy Noir, a down on his luck private eye who works the door. Harrelson and Reilly are the Old Trailhands, a singing cowboy act. Maya Rudolph costars as a pregnant stagehand and Keillor brings it all together as the emcee.
Buzz: Altman either produces thrillingly complicated balancing acts of storytelling (“Nashville,” “MASH”) or he goes right off the rails (“Dr. T and the Woman”). Something tells me this film will fall somewhere in between (“The Company,” “Cookie’s Fortune”), with great performances in spots but with a lot of obvious flaws. But if anyone can pull it off, it’s the 81-year-old Altman. Will people who’ve never heard of Garrison Keillor (or those who aren’t fans) be interested? Keillor’s meandering style certainly fits with Altman’s storytelling. It’s hard not to be curious about this one.
Web site:http://www.aprairiehomecompanionmovie.com/

“The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift”
Starring: Lucas Black, Bow Wow, Brian Tee, Sung Kang, Jason Tobin, Nathalie Kelly
Director: Justin Lin
Story: The series shifts to Japan and the style of “drift” racing, in which cars are designed so they purposely skid sideways, in this story of an outsider (Black) moves to Japan to avoid a jail sentence. Bow Wow plays Black’s Obi-Wan Kenobi, while Kang is an ex-pat who brings Black into his strange family of racers. Tee plays the notorious DK, or Drift King.

Buzz: Not even Paul Walker returns for this third film. Sad. On the other hand, director Lin made the rather fun, “Better Luck Tomorrow” (of course, he followed it up with the dreary “Annapolis”). Definitely a mixed bag here, but the new setting and style of racing should freshen up the series a bit for those who just want a watchable action flick.
Web site: NA

“The Lake House”

Starring: Sandra Bullock, Keanu Reeves, Dylan Walsh, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Christopher Plummer
Director: Alejandro Agresti
Story: This remake of the South Korean film “Il Mare” is about a lonely doctor (Bullock) who begins to exchange love letters with a frustrated architect (Reeves). They soon discover that they are actually living two years apart and must unravel the mystery that brought them together through time.
Buzz: Award-winning playwright David Auburn (“Proof”) adapted the South Korean script. This marks the first teaming of Reeves and Bullock since “Speed,” but this time it’s a straight up love story — albeit one with spooky overtones. The two certainly had chemistry in “Speed” but Reeves was more about action than talk. Reeves was charming in “Something’s Gotta Give,” and it would be nice to see him move away from action flicks. This marks Argentinean director Agresti’s first English-language feature.
Web site: NA

“Nacho Libre”

Starring: Jack Black, Ana de la Reguera, Héctor Jimenez, Richard Montoya, Peter Stormare
Director: Jared Hess
Story: From the director of “Napoleon Dynamite” comes this story of a Ignacio (also known as Nacho) a Mexican priest (Black) who moonlights as a lucha libre wrestler to raise money for the orphanage.
Buzz: With a screenplay by “School of Rock’s” Mike White, this one looks pretty promising. It’s a bit strange to see Black playing a Latino character, but with Hess and White as puppet masters, political correctness probably isn’t the first priority. With the right script (“School of Rock”), Black is wonderful, but give him the wrong one (“Envy,” “Orange County”) and you’ll find a little of Black goes a long way.
Web site:http://www.nacholibre.com/

“Wordplay”

Starring: Will Shortz, Bill Clinton, Bob Dole, Jon Stewart, Ken Burns, Mike Mussina
Director: Patrick Creadon
Story: This documentary gives an up-close look at New York Times crossword puzzle editor and NPR puzzlemaster Will Shortz. It includes interviews with collaborators such as syndicated puzzle creator Merl Reagle, along with interviews with puzzle fans Stewart, Dole and Clinton among others. The finale takes place at the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament, an all-out puzzle battle created by Shortz.
Buzz: A must for puzzle fanatics who torture themselves trying to do Sunday’s crossword. Justin Cheng of Variety wrote, “Punsters, linguists and crossword puzzle fanatics everywhere couldn't ask for a more bracing tribute than helmer Patrick Creadon's buoyant and exhilaratingly brainy docudocu ‘Wordplay.’”
Web site: NA

“Leonard Cohen: I’m Your Man”

Starring: Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, Kate & Anne McGarrigle, Martha Wainwright, Berth Orton, Linda Thompson
Director: Lian Lunson
Story: A tribute to the gravel-voiced troubadour who burst onto the scene in 1967 and became an inspiration for a generation of performers to follow. The film delves lightly into Cohen’s story but is primarily a showcase for the “Came so Far For Beauty” tribute, in which Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, Kate & Anna McGarrigle, Martha Wainwright, Beth Orton, Linda Thompson, Teddy Thompson, Jarvis Cocker, The Handsome Family, Julie Christensen and Perla Battala all performed covers of Cohen songs. The film also features a special performance by Cohen with U2.
Buzz: Music docs seem all the rage right now, with recent Neil Young and Beastie Boys docs. Personally, I would rather see Cohen perform than watch all the performers cover him — this might be one to await on DVD. Michael Rechtshaffen of the Hollywood Reporter wrote, “A beautifully produced concert film/documentary tribute that's as poetically soulful as its man of honor.”
Web site:http://www.leonardcohenimyourman.com/

“Click”
Starring: Adam Sandler, Christopher Walken, Kate Beckinsale, David Hasselhoff, Sean Astin, Rachel Dratch, Henry Winkler
Director: Frank Coraci
Story: Sandler stars as a workaholic architect who’s given a universal remote control by a mysterious store clerk (Walken) that not only controls his television and stereo, but everything around him, including his kids and wife (Beckinsale). Hasselhoff costars as his demanding boss.

Buzz: Sandler was pretty fun as the dad in the otherwise dreary “Spanglish” so it’s nice to see him explore a similar character. Sandler and director Coraci worked together on two of Sandler’s funniest films, “The Wedding Singer” and “The Waterboy.” Screenwriter Tim Herlihy also penned those two films (along with the dreadful “Little Nikki” and “Mr. Deeds”). It’s a fun “Twilight Zone”-lite premise for a film, and Sandler should score with this one.
Web site:http://www.sonypictures.com/movies/click/

“Garfield’s A Tale of Two Kittens”

Starring: Breckin Meyer, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Billy Connolly, Bill Murray
Director: Tim Hill
Story: Jon (Meyer) and Garfield (voiced by Murray) travel to the U.K. where Garfield is mistaken for a royal cat who rules a local castle. Garfield savors his newfound power, but his reign is in jeopardy as the evil Lord Dargis (Connolly) wants to turn the castle into a resort. 
Buzz: Does some studio executive have obscene photos of Murray? There is no rational explanation as to why he would lend his talents to this kind of junk. Again. Basically, if you liked the first one (and is there anyone out there who actually did?), this will probably just be a slightly lesser version of the same film. And people wonder what’s going wrong in Hollywood. Here’s your answer, folks.
Web site:http://www.foxhome.com/garfieldthemovie/

“Waist Deep”

Starring: Tyrese Gibson, Meagan Good, The Game, Paul Terrell Clayton, Eric Lane, Larenz Tate
Director: Vondie Curtis-Hall
Story: Ex-con O2 (Gibson) is trying to go straight for the sake of his son, but when his car gets hijacked with the boy inside, he must deal with a criminal ringleader (The Game) who wants money and lots of it for the child’s return. With nowhere else to turn, O2 enlists the help of a street-savvy woman (Good). The two of them decide to rob banks to raise the funds they need for the boy. Tate plays O2’s cousin, who’s caught between his loyalties to the criminals and O2.
Buzz: Can’t you already see the headline for the review? “‘Waist’ of Time” — or something to that effect. Model-turned actor Tyrese (“2 Fast 2 Furious”) has the depth of a puddle and just doesn’t have the chops to carry a film. Director Curtis-Hall is primarily known for his acting work (“ER,” “Soul Food”), but does have the dubious honor of having directed “Glitter.” This is one of two roles The Game will have in 2006. Lucky us.
Web site:http://www.waistdeep.net/

“Strangers with Candy”

Starring: Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello, Ian Holm, Sarah Jessica Parker, Matthew Broderick, Allison Janney, Philip Seymour Hoffman
Director: Paul Dinello
Story: A prequel to the Comedy Central show of the same name, the film tells the story of 46-year-old junkie and ex-con Jerri Blank (Sedaris), who goes back to her old high school to pick up right where she left off. Jerri gets involved with a jock (Chris Pratt) and joins the wacky Dr. Nolbert (Colbert, who also cowrote the screenplay) on the school’s science fair team. Nolbert is determined to take the prize, despite a ringer rival (Broderick). Dan Hedaya plays Jerri’s ailing father.
Buzz: It’s hard to translate a half-hour show where basically anything goes to the big screen, where the film has to follow a more traditional story arc. There are laughs here to be sure, but making the characters stick to the science-fair plot will only undermine the hilarity. Sedaris is one of the funniest comedians around and the sister of the talented memoirist, David Sedaris.
Web site: NA

“The Devil Wears Prada”

Starring: Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Stanley Tucci, Simon Baker, Emily Blunt, Adrian Grenier
Director: David Frankel
Story: Based on Lauren Weisberger’s best selling novel, which is a thinly veiled look at Vogue editor Anna Wintour, this film tells the story of an assistant (Hathaway) who is tormented by her fashion editor boss (Streep).
Buzz: Let’s face it, with Streep chewing away at the scenery, this film has potential to be big fun. A chick flick, to be sure, but a comic one. Director Frankel (“Miami Rhapsody”) is probably best known for directing TV shows (“Entourage,” “Sex and the City”). Both Don Roos (“The Opposite of Sex”) and Aline Brosh McKenna (“Laws of Attraction”) worked on the screenplay. Hathaway showed her range in “Brokeback Mountain” — this could finally be her chance to escape her “Princess” past.
Web site: NA

“Superman Returns”

Starring: Brandon Routh, Kate Bosworth, James Marsden, Frank Langella, Eva Marie Saint, Parker Posey, Sam Huntington, Kal Penn, Kevin Spacey
Director: Bryan Singer
Story: After a mysterious absence for several years, Superman (Routh) returns to earth. Unfortunately, Lois Lane (Bostworth) has moved on with her life and Lex Luthor (Spacey) has devised the ultimate plan to get rid of the Man of Steel once and for all. Posey plays Luthor’s sidekick, Kitty Kowalski, while Langella is on board as Daily Planet editor Perry White. Saint plays Clark Kent’s adoptive mom, Martha Kent.
Buzz: Many fans were shocked that Singer left the “X-Men” franchise to direct this film, but Singer is a well-known comic book nut and should serve up an interesting flick. The Christopher Reeve-starring film will be a tough one to top — though it always had a sort of old-fashioned squareness. Routh bares a startling resemblance to Reeve and got the blessing of the former Superman and his late wife. Spacey hasn’t had a hit film since “American Beauty” — could he be box office kryptonite?
Web site:http://supermanreturns.warnerbros.com/

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