Like a colorful pi-ata that proves to be empty, this semester has been a disappointment when it comes to quality film releases. With a few notable exceptions, Hollywood has given audiences loud noises and shiny objects that ultimately leave viewers with a nasty taste in their mouths. Thankfully, the semester isn’t over, and Hollywood has a few more months to redeem itself. From big name blockbusters to smaller quirky films, Hollywood still has a few more surprises up its sleeve.
The BenchwarmersApril 7, 2006
It’s revenge of the ’90s when two Saturday Night Live has-beens (David Spade and Rob Schneider) join up-and-coming has-been (Jon Heder) in a movie that could only be produced by Adam Sandler. “The Benchwarmers” is directed by TV veteran Dennis Dugan and tells the story of three losers who form a baseball team to compete against little league squads. Fans of slapstick comedy and toilet humor are sure to find something to love in this sure-to-be lowbrow comedy. The trailer promises plenty of pratfalls, baseballs to the groin and violence against children. In other words, if you’re looking for a diversion from intelligence, this looks to be the movie for you.
Scary Movie 4April 14, 2006
The tagline of the original 2000 “Scary Movie” promised three things: no mercy, no shame and no sequel. By the release of the fourth film in the franchise, it has become apparent that two out of three of the promises are still being honored. David Zucker (“Scary Movie 3,” “Airplane!”) returns to direct Anna Faris as Cindy Campbell. Regina Hall, Simon Rex and Leslie Nielsen also return in the latest installment that promises to spoof “War of the Worlds,” “Saw” and “The Village.” The trailer’s laugh-inducing moments were few and far between, but the novelty of some of the cameos (Shaquille O’Neal and Dr. Phil) should prove to be slightly entertaining. With this and “Date Movie,” this spring is shaping up to be a season of spoofs.
Silent HillApril 21, 2006
This big-screen version of the popular horror video game looks to be one of the more interesting video game adaptations to come out of Hollywood. Directed by Christophe Gans (“Brotherhood of the Wolf”) and written by Roger Avary (“Rules of Attraction”), the film stars Radha Mitchell as a young mother searching for her daughter in a fog-drenched town that is apparently deserted except for some of the scariest looking monsters to ever be captured in celluloid. From looking at the trailer, it’s apparent that Gans has captured the dark, melancholy atmosphere from the video game and Avary has crafted an intriguing story.
Mission Impossible IIIMay 5, 2006
Little is known about the plot for Tom Cruise’s latest outing as Ethan Hunt. What is apparent though, is the talent Cruise has surrounded himself with. Keri Russell, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Laurence Fishburne, Billy Crudup and Simon Pegg join the returning Ving Rhames in this third franchise installment. Making his theatrical directing debut is J.J. Abrams (“Lost,” “Alias”). While the first two Mission Impossible movies were box office smashes, critical response was lukewarm. Hopefully the breath of fresh air from Abrams and the cast will be enough to keep audiences satisfied once the purdy explosions have lured them in.