Big Picture Big Sound

With Summer around the corner - and Manhattan finally feeling vaguely Springy (damn you, Al Gore!) - a young(ish) movie lover's attention turns toward that most treasured of occasions: Blockbuster Season. The first few months of this year proved to be unusually disappointing at the box office ("Drillbit Taylor" and "Jumper" come to mind). Last year at this time, I had already added "The Hoax" and "Zodiac" to my possible High 5 of 2007 list (both ended up off the list in the end).

As is becoming a tradition here at Big Picture Big Sound, I'm taking this time to create some predictions about the upcoming movie season. Unlike last year's fall movie picks, however, the criteria here are a bit different. No one's expecting talk about Oscar gold at the end of August. No, this season is all about movies that have the words "high-octane" or "thrill ride" (or both!) in their previews.

And with that in mind, here are the top ten movies I'm most looking forward to this summer (as usual, in order of release date)...

"Iron Man"
It's not because I'm a huge fan of the Marvel Comic - in which alcoholic, womanizing mogul Tony Stark builds himself a high-tech flying suit to fight crime - or that I'm particularly fond of the Black Sabbath song of the same name (great, now it's in my head), but with director Jon Favreau's clear love of the material and Robert Downey Jr. perfectly cast in the lead, this one has real preorder-the-DVD potential.
Prediction:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0371746/
Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/ironman/
Release Date: 5/2

"Speed Racer"
Like "Iron Man", I was never particularly a fan of this much-loved anime TV series, but I recognize its pop cultural influence all the same. With the Wachowski Brothers taking the reins for the first time since the "Matrix" trilogy ended, this one has opening weekend buzz written all over it. But while the visual effects are sure to be jaw-dropping, and possibly as influential as "bullet-time", I'm doubtful that "Racer" will go the storytelling distance. 
Prediction:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0811080/
Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/speedracer/
Release Date: 5/9

"Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull"
If you have to ask, you're either too young, too old or just plain lying. Indiana Jones is arguable the classic action movie character of my generation and, despite the heavy involvement of childhood-movie-franchise-killer George Lucas (thanks for that title, George), having Steven Speilberg at the helm and Harrison Ford in the fedora still magic. Plus, Karen Allen's back (and looking startlingly the same), and Shia LeBeouf is a great choice as a potential Indy-Marion love child. Oh, and did I mention Cate Blanchett in a Romulan wig as a KGB dominatrix...er, agent? I get chills each time John Williams' signature theme plays during the trailer. Yes, my off-the-charts anticipation for this one is second only to "The Phantom Menace". Let's hope that's the last time I compare those two movies.
Prediction: (oh please, oh please)
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367882/
Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/paramount/indianajonesandthekingdomofthecrystalskull/
Release Date: 5/22

"The Happening"
If it's lame to get sucked in by eerie, atmospheric, what-could-it-all-mean? trailers, then color me a big lame. I've been bamboozled by M. Night Shyamalan before (every post-"Unbreakable" outing has been increasingly disappointing), but I'll be darned if that guy can't put together a promising preview. Even the few tidbits of information he's seen fit to dole out (something about a "green" horror movie) sound intriguing. But realistically, this one has all the "Signs" of being another "The Village". 
Prediction:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0949731/
Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/thehappening/ 
Release Date: 6/13

"Get Smart"
Unlike "Iron Man" and "Speed Racer", I was a huge fan of the campy late-60s TV series starring the inimitable Don Adams (kids today may recognize his voice from the animated "Inspector Gadget" series). But in a post-"Austin Powers" world, is there really a place for a bumbling, oblivious superspy, born out of a James Bond-era Cold War? With Steve Carell donning Maxwell Smart's ill-fitting tux, the movie has a chance (despite the dreadful miscasting of Anne Hathaway as Agent 99), but if 2006's nearly unwatchable retread of "Pink Panther" was any indication, this one might not be a "Smart" move.
Prediction:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0425061/
Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/getsmart/
Release Date: 6/20

"Hellboy II: The Golden Army"
From the look of the trailer, returning director Guillermo Del Toro will be applying some of the stunning visual work that made his fractured fairytale "Pan's Labyrinth" so unforgettable to this sequel to 2004's goofy comic book adaptation. With the perfectly-cast Ron Perlman back in the red and a script co-written by Mr. Del Toro and comic creator Mike Mignola, this one promises to be a (ahem, sorry) hell of a good time.
Prediction:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0411477/
Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/universal/hellboy2thegoldenarmy/
Release Date: 7/11

"The Dark Knight"
The loss of actor Heath Ledger will no doubt cast a pall over his already-intriguing imagining of the Joker. But even without that tragic fact in mind, Christopher Nolan's continuation of 2005's thrilling "Batman Begins" promises to emphasize the "Dark" in the title. And with no pesky origin story to weigh it down (and Katie Holmes ousted in favor of Maggie Gyllenhaal), expect another dystopic gem from this franchise.
Prediction:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0468569/
Trailer: http://www.apple.com/trailers/wb/thedarkknight/
Release Date: 7/18

"The X-Files: I Want to Believe"
Are you kidding? Mulder and Scully back in action, ten years since the last film (and six years since the series woefully fizzled out)? And a plot that creator Chris Carter promises will be a throwback to the series' original monster-of-the-week roots rather than its increasingly un-followable mythology? This one probably has the most apt subtitle of any film in recent memory. I want to believe it will be a good movie.
Prediction:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0443701/
Release Date: 7/25

"The Rocker"
With "Pineapple Express" coming out of the Apatow hit-factory this summer, and Ben Stiller's Hollywood action satire "Tropic Thunder" close behind, you may be surprised that I'm pinning my hopes on this "School of Rock" knock-off starring Rainn Wilson from "The Office". While Mr. Stiller's directorial efforts are typically uneven at best, I'm sure "Pineapple" will garner a well-deserved place in the Netflix queues of many a Mary Jane aficionado. But I like "Rocker's" story of washed-up drummer (for faux-metal band Vesuvius) given a second chance to rock in his nephew's emo band, A.D.D. With Peter Cattaneo ("The Full Monty") hopefully steering the film clear of the inherent schmaltz in the story, this one could, well, rock.
Prediction:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1031969/
Release Date: 8/1

"Hamlet 2"
One of the few non-action entries this season, this indie comedy about a high school drama teacher (and failed actor) who mounts a musical sequel to the Bard's much-produced tragedy has Christopher Guest-level potential. With the mind of British comic Steve Coogan behind this one, count me in. I just hope he cites the "Hamlet" musical from "Gilligan's Island" (who can forget "Hamlet, Hamlet, do be a lamblet"?).
Prediction:
IMDB: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1104733/
Release Date: 8/22