This is your opportunity to see what we thought of 1999's movies before they hit the theatres.
MISSION IMPOSSIBLE 2 (M:i-2)
The preview starts out on a figure scaling the rock face of a mountain. As we pan in and I try to discern who the actress is, I realize that it's Tom Cruise. We then get to see him execute a somersalt roundhouse kick in slo-mo, so I'm thinking "how very Matrix rip-offy" when the only phrase that could save the movie appears on screen: "Directed by John Woo". I'm there.
DEUCE BIGALOW: MALE GIGOLO
Rob Schneider finally gets a comedy to call his own as a fish tank cleaner who is forced to make like Valentino. Produced by Adam Sandler. I am expecting high brow humour that stimulates my intellect. You know, like "Waterboy".
GALAXY QUEST
This spoof of the Star Trek phenomenon has Tim Allen as the Shatner of the group, a former sci-fi show that lives on in the minds of fans in the form of conventions. Real aliens watch the show and recruit the cast to help them in a real battle. Remiscent of the storyline from "A Bug's Life". A joke within a parody has Sigourney Weaver acting as an actor who acts as an astronaut who then has to act as an actress being an astronaut. I hope you aren't cross-eyed.
THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY
Real-life socialite Gweneth Paltrow is ex-patriate socialite Marge living with her boyfriend in Italy when Matt Damon's character comes over to return the couple to the good ole' USA. He then pulls a Single White Female meets Fear and tries to turn into the man he was to retrieve and possess everything he owns - including Marge. D'oh! Looks unintentionally campy. Based on a book of the same name.
SNOW DAY
This strictly-for-ten-year-olds mess is all about one town's day when the snow is heavy enough to keep the children from school. In what is sure to be a stretch for him, Chris Elliot plays a creepy comedic loner whose snowplow threatens the kids' off day. I personally hope he succeeds. Snow days! I went to school in San Francisco. We never got them.
SUPERNOVA
I have actually seen this trailer a handful of times before, but never remembered it. That should tell you everything. James Spader again gets the chance to fail at being cool as pilot of some space ship in the future with crewmates Angela Bassett, Lou Diamond Phillips, and some woman I vaguely recognize. They bring on some guy carrying a mutant space thing. Looks very bad.
MISSION: MARS
I believe Brian de Palma executive produced this movie about a manned mission to Mars. Starring Tim Robbins, Don Cheadle, Gary Sinise and others. It promises to answer the question of where life in the universe originated. This feels like of those movies, you know - either profound and special, or total, utter garbage.
TITAN : A.E.
An animated movie created by the group that brought us the children's movie "Anastasia". This decidedly adult-themed movie takes place after the complete annihilation of Earth, and centers on the one human who can give the human race its' re-birth. Looks dark and atmospheric. We'll see.
MAGNOLIA
What an interesting preview.
BICENTENNIAL MAN:
Robin Williams is a robot in San Francisco in the year 2005 for Sam Neill and family. No ordinary robot, though. He begins to feel emotions, and enlists the help of Oliver Platt in a Pinocchio meets Mrs. Doubtfire "heartwarming comedy" seemingly tailored for Williams.
(David's additional note - this looks to be based on Issac Asimovs story, which I last read about 3 years ago. As I recall, it was a very sweet and rather thoughtfull tale.)
GUN SHY:
Liam Neeson is a police officer undergoing psychotherapy when he meets a lovely nurse played by Speed freak Sandra Bullock. The sitcom plot of one person hiding a secret is employed here. The actors may be charming enough to pull it off, though.
ANNA AND THE KING:
Jody Foster and Chow Yun-Fat star in this story of a prpoer colonial lady who comes to the far East to tutor the son of a King (Chow Yun-Fat). Sure to be budding love, understanding, and war. At least one scene of Chow and guns-phew.
ANY GIVEN SUNDAY:
Professional football is the subject of this Oliver Stone drama starring Al Pacino as the coach, Cameron Diaz as owner and general manager, and including Jamie Foxx, L.L. Cool J, and Lawrence Taylor as the players. It would be nice to have a well made drama about professional sports. I hope this is the one.
THE WORLD IS NOT ENOUGH:
007 returns in the guise of Pierce Brosnan in the newest Bond explosion-o-rama. This time "Wild Things" and "Starship Troopers" actress Denise Richards is a Bond Babe doing her thing as 007 tries to kill a baddie who, due to a bullet in the brain, feels no pain. Looks about like the last two in the series.
EYE OF THE BEHOLDER:
Ewan McGregor the train-spotter is in this thriller also starring a sultry looking Ashley Judd, k.d. lang, and Jason Priestly. One of those assissination-turned-(fatal?)-attraction things. Ewan and Ashley could make it worthwhile, though..
THE GREEN MILE:
Based on the Steve King story, this tells the tale of an amazing death row inmate as seen through the eyes of the head guard. Tom Hanks and Gary Sinise star. Hopefully, it will remain as true as possible to the book, instead of being a Tom-Hanks-is-so-great movie. So far, it seems consistent to what I read.
GIRL, INTERRUPTED:
Based on a true story of a young woman who is institutionalized by her parents. Winona Ryder and Angelina Jolie headline this chick-flick that this movie guy just might go see.
THE HURRICANE:
Denzel Washington portrays a boxer who's arrested for a crime he didn't commit in the 60's(?). A group takes an interest in his case, and works to free him. Enlightenment to follow. Liev Schreiber also stars.
PLAY IT TO THE BONE:
Woody Harrelson and Antonio Banderas are two boxers who scam their way into a prize fight against each other. Lucy Liu and Lolita Davidovich provide the estrogen in what seems like a fun little road trip/buddy/sports story.
THE NINTH GATE:
Another horror movie, this one very reminiscent of The Devil's Advocate, starring Johnny Depp. This time he is, possibly, an art collector who somehow unlocks an opening to hell. It might be fun, but probably won't be original.
SLEEPY HOLLOW (New Trailer): -for old trailer, see below
This newer trailer reveals more views of the headless horseman and shows the whole Jack O' Lantern angle. There is also an explosion that seems out of place in such a movie.
END OF DAYS:
Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gabriel Bryne co-star as the good guy and Satan, respectively, in this Armageddon-thoughts-spurred-on-by-the-new-millennium Action/Horror film. The overall mood seems dark and unsettling enough. Let's hope Gabriel didn't make two disappointing horror movies (Stigmata) in a row. The special effects look impressive. Please let this movie actually be good!
LIGHT IT UP:
Usher Raymond, Sara Gilbert and their fellow classmates, through situations that snowball, hold a security guard (Forest Whitaker) and a teacher or two hostage until their voices are heard. Apparently set in a big inner city, this hints that it may be an intelligent drama with thriller aspects instead of "The Negotiator's Boyz in the Hood". Vanessa L. Williams, looking very de-glamorized is Kevin Spacey to Usher's Sam Jackson.
BODY SHOTS:
Any time a preview heavily touts a movie, I'm wary. When one of the glowing reviews is from Cosmo, that does nothing to assuage my fears. This thing claims to be about men and women and their relationships in all their shallowness and hopes for more. We are told that it's the defining movie of "our" generation. I expect it to play out like a made for t.v. melodrama.
THE HOUSE ON HAUNTED HILL:
Yet another group of attractive people choose to stay in yet another haunted house run by yet another eccentric man who is just trying to play with their minds and ends up discovering that, indeed, the house is really haunted. While it looks genuinely scary, "Hill" will have to hurdle the similar-movie obstacle that is familiar to the Sphere/Event Horizon, Antz/Bug's Life, Life is Beautiful/Jakob the Liar fans.
BATS:
Looking like direct to video fare that somehow weasled its way into theatres, this B-movie is about, well, bats that attack people.
THE BEACH:
This Six Days/Seven Nights for young-uns believes Mr. Leonardo You-Know-Who can sell it himself. He probably can for the lady-folk. Not for me.
SLEEPY HOLLOW
Johnny Depp stars in this version of the legend of Ichabod Crane and the Headless Horseman. He is a New York police detective in the late 1700's called to the New England area to help solve a crime that the locals think may involve the supernatural. The skeptical Depp finds out that they may be right. Some quick flashes of the head-impaired horseman and the creepy mind of director Tim Burton make this one worth seeing. Also starring Christina Ricci.
THE INSIDER
This is based on the tobacco company worker whose interview on 60 Minutes was pulled due to the network's fear of retribution by the Big Bad cigarette companies and their lobbies. Al Pacino stars as the good guy of the network (no big surprise since the guy he plays is the writer of the story the movie is based on) opposite a wonderfully aged Russell Crowe who ends up looking a bit like the late J.T. Walsh. While it looks to be a taut drama with thriller aspects, it will be interesting to see how it holds up to the scrutiny of the reality its' based on.
FIGHT CLUB
From the director of Seven comes this stylish-looking movie about a testosterone group who spends time beating the stuffing out of their fellow members. Edward Norton and Jennifer Aniston's boyfriend star in this movie sure to be a hit. Also stars the lovely Helena Bonham Carter.
ANGELA'S ASHES (a site based on the book that the movie's based on)
Appearing to be in the Les Miserables / Oliver Twist mold of drab colors and depressing topics, sure to be critically acclaimed and tepidly received by movie-goers. The best I can figure, it tells the story of poor immigrants who learn by their struggles the importance of family, maybe.
THE MESSENGER
One of those "glimpse" previews, this looks promising just because it stars the wonderlul Leeloo Dallas, uh, I mean Milla Jovovich as Joan of Arc directed by The Fifth Element director and Milla's former beau, Luc Besson. The glimpse shows Milla in a field wielding her sword.
BONE COLLECTOR
Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie co-star as a paralyzed forensics expert and a uniformed police officer who team up to stop a serial killer. Based on a book, Ed O'Neill co-stars. Looks to be pretty formulaic thriller material, but I still want to see it.
MAN ON THE MOON
Odd comic Andy Kaufman's life is portrayed in this film directed by Milos Forman. Jim Carrey appears to have transformed himself into Kaufman for the part. It remains to be seen whether it will be about the comic as opposed to being a 2 hour long impersonation, especially with the original cast of Taxi back together. This may be a great movie or a rejected skit idea for Saturday Night Live. Also starring Courtney Love.