Our summer preview starts today as we look at the big name films (Superman Returns, Miami Vice), the sequels (Mission: Impossible III, X-Men: The Last Stand, Clerks 2, Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest), the remakes (Poseidon, The Omen), and those with big name stars set to hit theaters this summer (Snakes on a Plane, The Break-Up, The Da Vinci Code).  We’ll give you the scope on the big films of the summer and a few reasons to go to the theater or stay at home and watch Deal or No Deal.  So sit back and enjoy…

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Here’s a look at the big films out this summer fighting for your movie dollar.

May

Mission: Impossible III
When? – Opened May 5th (read the review)
What’s the story? – Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) goes nose after a dangerous arms dealer (Philip Seymour Hoffman)who escapes and kidnaps his girlfriend (Michelle Monaghan).
Who’s in it? – Ving Rhames return for the third go-round.  Also signed up for this one are Laurence Fishburne, Billy Crudup, Jonathan Rhys-Meyers, Keri Russell, and Maggie Q.
Why see it? – The franchise finally accepts the IMF team concept and Cruise performs some ‘mazing stunts.
Why stay away? – You think Cruise is a crazy person (still… crazy people are pretty entertainin’).

Poseidon
When? – May 12th
What’s the story? – Huge Titanic-like boat goes down from a massive tidal wave sinking the ship as the passengers struggle to stay alive.
Who’s in it? – Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, Richard Dreyfuss, Emmy Rossum, Jacinda Barrett, and Mike Vogel.
Why see it? – You enjoyed the original 1972 film (The Poseidon Adventure), you love Titanic, or you’re a fan of director Wolfgang Peterson (Troy, A Perfect Storm, Air Force One).
Why stay away? – If the list above scares the hell out of you.

The Da Vinci Code
When? – May 19th
What’s the story? – Robert Langdon (Tom Hanks) finds himself pulled into a world of secrecy and death when he bcomes the suspect in the murder of a man he never met and with the help of a French cryptographer (Audrey Tautou) tries to find the Holy Grail.
Who’s in it? – Ian McKellen, Alfred Molina, Paul Bettany, and Jean Reno.
Why see it? – You loved the book, like Tom Hanks, or are ready for another Ron Howard film
Why stay away? – If you’ve seen the trailer you know who the bad guy is, what the secret is and where it is “buried”, and how the film ends.

X-Men: The Last Stand
When? – May 26th
What’s the story? – A “cure” for mutation is created to deal with the Pheonix’s (Famke Jensen) unlimited and dangerous powers and Magneto (Ian McKellen) and his Brotherhood of Evil Mutants square of against Professor X (Patrick Stewart) and his X-Men.
Who’s in it? – Every freakin’ X-Men character ever!  Aside from the returning core group of Cyclops (James Marsden), Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Rogue (Anna Paquin), Storm (Halle Berry), Iceman (Shawn Ashmore), we also get the Beast (Kelsey Grammer), Angel (Ben Foster), Kitty Pryde (Ellen Page), Colossus (Daniel Cudmore), and Jubille (Kea Wong) not to mention the Juggernaut (Vinnie Jones), Psylocke (Mei Melancon), Leech (Cameron Bright), and Dr. Moria MacTaggart (Olivia Williams).
Why see it? – Even if it’s a complete trainwreck with this many characters the fights/effects/stunts should look pretty cool.
Why stay away? – Is Brett Ratner really the right guy to give control of the franchise to?

June

The Break-Up
When? – June 2nd
What’s the story? – A couple (Jennifer Aniston and Vince Vaughn) break-up only to find neither one is willing to move out and decide to try and force each other to leave.
Who’s in it? – Aside from the two stars you get Joey Lauren Adams, Jason Bateman, Jon Favreau, Peter Billingsly, and Ann Margaret.
Why see it? – Could be this year’s Wedding Crashers.
Why stay away? – Sounds a little too much like War of the Roses-lite.

The Omen
When? – June 6th
What’s the story? – Remake of the 1976 original about a young boy (Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick) who just might turn out to be (gasp) the devil!
Who’s in it? – Liev Schrieber, Julia Styles, David Thewlis, Mia Farrow,
Why see it? – If you’ve never seen the original or wish to compare it with this version.  Or you just really love Julia Styles (I’ve got a number for a helpline if that’s the case.  Don’t be shy folks; get the help you need).
Why stay away? – Many, many reasons.

Cars
When? – June 9th
What’s the story? – Pixar’s last big picture while not under Mickey’s thumb tells the tale of a cocky sportscar (Owen Wilson) on the way to a big race who finds himself in the boondock down of Radiator Spring where he falls in love.
Who’s in it? – Voices of George Carlin, Katherine Helmond, Bob Costas, Bonnie Hunt, Paul Dooley, Paul Newman and Cheech Marin.
Why see it? – Last Pixar film before the Disney starts messin’ with the company and the recent run of disappointing animated flicks make us hope this one is as good as their last (The Incredibles).
Why stay away? – It is talking cars afterall.

Click
When? – June 23rd
What’s the story? – Adam Sandler finds a universal remote that allows him to effect and control time and reality.
Who’s in it? – Kate “Underworld” Beckinsale, Sean Astin, Jenniver Coolidge, and Christopher Walken.
Why see it? – You think Adam Sandler is awesome!
Why stay away? – You aren’t mentally retarded (like those who think Adam Sandler is awesome).

Superman Retuns
When? – June 30th
What’s the story? – The Man of Tomorrow (Brandon Routh) returns to Earth after a lengthy absence (somehow they didn’t notice Clark disappeared too??) only to find Lois Lane (Kate Bosworth) has moved on and Lex Luthor (Kevin Spacey) has corrupted Kryptonian technology from the Fortress of Solitude.
Who’s in it? – Frank Langella, James Marsden, Eva Marie Saint, and Parker Posey.
Why see it? – This one’s got trainwreck written all over and you don’t want to miss that do you?  C’mon!
Why stay away? – From the trailers maybe they should have called it “Superman Comes Out.”

July

Pirates of the Carribean: Dead Man’s Chest
When? – July 7th
What’s the story? – A past debt comes due for Cap’n Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) as Davy Jones (not from the Monkees) wants his soul.
Who’s in it? – Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightly all return.  Also with Bill Nighy, Stellan Skarsgaard, Naomie Harris, and Jonathan Pryce.
Why see it? – Did you see the first one?
Why stay away? – Sequels are tricky business; can director and cast recapture the magic?

A Scanner Darkly
When? – July 7th
What’s the story? – Richard Linklater takes on Philip K. Dick in this rotoscoping (he first used it in 2001’s Waking Life) adaption of his work.  (Rotoscoping involves artists drawing over movement frame by frame creating an animated image over that of the film).
Who’s in it? – Keanu Reeves, Robert Downey Jr, Woody Harrelson, Winona Ryder, and Prince.
Why see it? – Can Linklater go right where other good directors (Speilberg, John Woo) have gone wrong in adapting Dick’s work to the screen?  The rotoscoping technique just might be the perfect way to look at Dick’s odd world.
Why stay away? – While Waking Life was visually impressive it didn’t capture either the attention or money of audiences.

Monster House
When? – July 21st
What’s the story? – A trio of kids take on a haunted house in this animated adventure.
Who’s in it? – Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, Spencer Locke, Steve Buscemi, and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Why see it? – Looks like it should be fun for young kids.
Why stay away? – You are older than 14 years-old.

Miami Vice
When? – July 28th
What’s the story? – Vice cops Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Tubbs (Jamie Foxx) take on the drug dealers of Miami.
Who’s in it? – Naomie Harris, Li Gong, Luis Tosar, John Ortiz,
Why see it? – If there’s anyone who knows how to do this it’s director Michael Mann who acted as executive producer onthe 80’s TV show.
Why stay away? – Can the style of an 80’s TV cop show translate well on the big screen in 2006?

August

Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
When? – August 4th
What’s the story? – Rebel NASCAR drivers Ricky Bobby (Will Ferrell) and Cal Naughton (John C. Reilly) face new competition from French Formula One Racing’s Jean Girard (Sasha Baron Cohen).
Who’s in it? – Also showing up on this one are Gary Cole, Michael Clarke Duncan, and Ian Roberts.
Why see it? – Ferrell made a believer out of me that he can carry a movie with a good script and this looks just enough like Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgandy that it might work.
Why stay away? – No Steve Carrell or Paul Rudd to help carry the film this time which could easily lead to diaster.

World Trade Center
When? – August 9th
What’s the story? – Oliver Stone’s tale of two port authority officers trapped under the rubble of the World Trade Center on 9/11.
Who’s in it? – Dara Coleman, Tom Wright, Maria Bello, and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
Why see it? – A more personal and focused look than United 93.
Why stay away? – It is Oliver Stone so there’s always a chance (even given the imposed limits and serious subject matter) this could end up in wackocrazytown.

Clerks 2
When? – August 19th
What’s the story? – Kevin Smith returns to where it all began by examing the lives of Dante (Brain O’Halloran) and Randall (Jeff Anderson) a decade later who end up working at a Mooby’s fast food restaurant.
Who’s in it? – Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, Rosario Dawson, Jason Lee, Walter Flanagan, Scott Mosier, and Wanda Sykes.
Why see it? – Interesting to see how Kevin Smith looks at these same characters after so much time has passed.
Why stay away? – Your name is Aaron Weber.

Snakes on a Plane
When? – August 19th
What’s the story? – An assassin unleashes snakes onboard a plane in order to kill a witness in protective custody.
Who’s in it? – Samuel L. Jackson
Why see it? – It’s Samuel L. Jackson and a plane full of snakes, why not!?!
Why stay away? – Can the movie live up to the tremendous Internet buzz that’s been building since it was announced?