Summer film season offers promising efforts

Julien R. Fielding

The release of "The Mummy Returns" last weekend heralded the start of the summer film season, the time of year when Hollywood releases its astronomically budgeted blockbusters.

Variety is king this summer, with films ranging from a World War II epic to a film of a futuristic "Pinocchio" to a romance set in the Moulin Rouge.

The following is a quick glance at this summer's most promising prospects. (Release dates are subject to change.)

• A Knight's Tale (May 11) - Opening this weekend, in the film a squire impersonates a knight so he can fulfill his dreams of becoming a jouster. It's the ultimate "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade" sentiment. Even if the script tanks, females won't walk away empty. Australian Heath Ledger ("The Patriot") commands the lead.
• Pearl Harbor (May 25) - If you haven't seen the trailers, you haven't been going to the cinema since last year. This World War II epic starring Ben Affleck, Josh Hartnett, Kate Beckinsale and Cuba Gooding Jr. promises riveting action, tearjerker potential and patriotism aplenty. Directed by Michael Bay ("The Rock," "Armageddon") and produced by powerhouse Jerry Bruckheimer, this one is sure to rake in the cash.
• Sexy Beast (June) - This dark comic crime caper about two men in for one last heist won plenty of praise when released in its native Britain. Now it's crossing the Atlantic with more to follow. (It already has taken Sundance and the Toronto film festivals by storm.) Ben Kingsley and Ray Winstone star.
• Moulin Rouge (June 1) - A musical romance set in the most decadent club in 19th century Paris, with modern songs performed by actors Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor and directed by Baz Luhrmann ("Romeo + Juliet," "Strictly Ballroom") Of all the summer fare, this one looks the most lush and promising, with gorgeous costumes, sets and dance numbers. This is decadence personified. Delicious.
• Swordfish (June 8) - Here's to John Travolta climbing out of his career slump. The story touts computer hackers, government intrigue and rousing direction by Dominic Sena ("Gone in 60 Seconds.") Hugh Jackman and Vinnie Jones come along for the ride. Life can't get much better than this.
• Tomb Raider (June 15) - Simon West ("Con Air") directs this feature film adaptation of the popular computer game about a privileged Brit seeking adventure. Think of her as a 21st century Emma Peel in Angkor Wat. Angelina Jolie portrays the action heroine.
• A.I: Artificial Intelligence (June 29) - Steven Spielberg returns to his winning combination of boys and science fiction ("Close Encounters of the Third Kind," "E.T.: The Extraterrestrial") with anticipatory results. Add in the sentiment of "Pinocchio" and cast Haley Joel Osment and Jude Law in lead roles. This can't be anything but revelatory.
• Cats & Dogs (July 4) - Forget about "Dr. Doolittle" and think "Cats & Dogs," a live action, puppet and computer graphic hybrid from Lawrence Guterman, the director of "ANTZ!" Sean Hayes, Tobey Maguire and Michael Clarke Duncan provide voices for these kung fu fighting canines and felines waging war against each other. In Jeff Goldblum's backyard nonetheless.
• Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within (July 11) - Advance word claims this computer-generated film has to be seen to be believed. (It's photo realism also scared the be-Jesus out of Hollywood.) Based on the computer game series and starring the voices of Ming-Na, Alec Baldwin and Ving Rhames, it has the cache of Oscar-nominated screenwriter Al Reinert ("Apollo 13") and director Hironobu Sakaguchi ("Final Fantasy IV," "Final Fantasy VIII.")
• The Score (July 13) - Edward Norton stars with Robert DeNiro and Marlon Brando in this "one last heist before I retire" film. The trailers look tantalizing with plenty of showmanship promised by Norton. Frank Oz directs.
• Evolution (July 13) - David Duchovny seems a natural wisecracking fit for director Ivan Reitman's ("Ghostbusters") sci-fi comedy. And with 7-Up spokesman Orlando Jones along for the ride, this film shouldn't lose. (Especially since both were given free improvisational range.) "Evolution" could be this summer's answer to "Men in Black."
• Made (July 13) - Writer and actor Jon Favreau ("Swingers") gets back into the feature film game with a film about boxers who get drawn into the crime world. Recapturing his chemistry with Vince Vaughn shouldn't prove difficult.
• Hedwig and the Angry Inch (July 20) - A runaway hit at Sundance, it won the audience and directors award, this feature film adaptation of John Cameron Mitchell's off-Broadway musical about a wannabe rock star coping with a botched sex change operation should prove, if nothing else, interesting. Fans of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" unite.
• Planet of the Apes" (July 27) - Studio executives promise this isn't as much a remake of the 1968 film as a reinterpretation of Pierre Boulle's novel. And with director Tim Burton at the helm, you generally can believe it. Mark Wahlberg plays the astronaut Leo Davidson and Tim Roth, Helena Bonham-Carter and Michael Clarke Duncan go into ape cognito. Expect a cameo appearance by Charlton Heston.
• Rush Hour 2 (Aug. 3) - Director Brett Ratner, Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker (hopefully) reprise the chemistry of "Rush Hour." The jokes look good and the kung fu kickin'. But audiences will have to pray the sequel slumps don't kill its potential. (It also might not help that screenwriter Jeff Nathanson's last film was "Speed 2: Cruise Control.")

Summer film season offers promising efforts was originally published in The Daily Nonpareil on 10 May, 2001. © Council Bluffs Daily Nonpareil LLC