Friday, May 12, 2000 | 8:59 a.m.
The Movie Guys, starring Jeff Howard and Dave Neil, appears Fridays in the Sun. They can also be seen on the 11 a.m. Friday newscast on KVVU Channel 5. Plus, check them out online at lasvegassun.com/sun/sunlife/movies and themovieguys.com.
Welcome to our annual Summer Movie Preview. Want to beat the heat this summer? Then do as we do and stake out your favorite seat in your local theater.
This season expect to see genetically mutated super heroes, computer-generated dinosaurs, secret agents, revolutionary war heroes, clay-mated chickens escaping the coop, mind-blowing space animation and the return of Eddie Murphy as a nutty professor. Remember that some movies might be subjected to the Hollywood Shuffle and dates change, so be sure to check your local listings.
On the Marquee: "Dinosaur."
On the Bill: The voices of D.B. Sweeney, Alfrie Woodard, Julianna Margulies, Samuel E. Wright, Ossie Davis, Della Reese.
On the Credits: Directed by Ralph Zondag and Eric Leighton.
On the Storyboard: Every summer like clockwork Disney releases an animated feature destined to be a classic. This season, however, the studio decided to take a more experimental approach by producing a combination of live-action and computer animation with digital stop-motion. The PG rating might have some families leery, but Disney is banking on the innovative effects as a major pull (Disney).
On the Calendar: History will repeat itself May 19.
On the Marquee: "Mission: Impossible 2."
On the Bill: Tom Cruise, Ving Rhames, Anthony Hopkins, Thandie Newton, Dougray Scott.
On the Credits: Directed by John Woo.
On the Storyboard: Another impossible mission involving the hunt for a deadly virus. Plagued by constant delays, conflicting schedules and uncooperative weather, the highly anticipated sequel to 1996's smash has our $20 million star "Cruising" the outback off of steep cliffs and racing motorcycles while fending off the baddies. "M:I2" vows to be the ideal adrenaline-fueled action flick to kick off the summer (Paramount).
On the Calendar: The new "Mission" begins May 24.
On the Marquee: "Gone in Sixty Seconds."
On the Bill: Nicolas Cage, Angelina Jolie, Giovanni Ribisi, Vinne Jones, Delroy Lindo, Robert Duvall.
On the Credits: Directed by Dominic Sena.
On the Storyboard: Cage gets behind the wheel of this remake about competing gangs of car thieves. In order to save his brother from a massive mob debt, he agrees to attempt to steal 50 cars in one night. With the script tailored to Cage's specifications by Jerry Bruckheimer ("Con Air"), you expect lots of car chases and skid marks (Touchstone).
On the Calendar: Theaters will be hot-wired on June 9.
On the Marquee: "Shaft."
On the Bill: Samuel L. Jackson, Vanessa L. Williams, Jeffrey Wright, Christian Bale.
On the Credits: Directed by John Singleton.
On the Storyboard: It's an updated version of the 1970s soul flick that made Richard Roundtree a cinematic icon. And who better than Jackson to play the original private dick's nephew as he rids the streets of crime? Plus writer/director Singleton ("Boyz N the Hood") has Roundtree reprising his role (Paramount).
On the Calendar: "Shaft" shoots up the screen on June 16.
On the Marquee: "Titan A.E."
On the Bill: Voices by Matt Damon, Bill Pullman, Drew Barrymore, Janeane Garofalo.
On the Credits: Directed by Don Bluth and Gary Goldman.
On the Storyboard: In this sci-fi animated feature, Earth has been destroyed by an alien attack and an orphaned survivor named Cale (Damon) must search the galaxy for ancient relics that can save the planet. Promised is a dark epic with special effects that are out of this world (Fox).
On the Calendar: "Titan A.E." blasts off June 16.
On the Marquee: "Me, Myself & Irene."
On the Bill: Jim Carrey, Renee Zellweger, Robert Foster, Chris Cooper, Richard Jenkins.
On the Credits: Directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly.
On the Storyboard: The outrageously funny Carrey makes a welcomed return to comedy, teaming with his "Dumb & Dumber" creators the Farrelly Brothers. As a Rhode Island state trooper with multiple personalities, he begins to fight with himself over the love of a beautiful woman named Irene, played by Zellweger (Fox).
On the Calendar: Personalities will split on June 23.
On the Marquee: "The Perfect Storm."
On the Bill: George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, John C. Reilly, Diane Lane.
On the Credits: Directed by Wolfgang Petersen.
On the Storyboard: One of three movies slated for the coveted Fourth of July Weekend is Petersen's ("Air Force One") take on Sebastian Junger's nonfiction best-seller. Clooney plays Captain Billy Tyne who, along with his crew, must endure a hurricane if they intend to survive "The Perfect Storm" (Warner Bros.).
On the Calendar: The "Storm" rolls into theaters June 30.
On the Marquee: "The Adventures of Rocky & Bullwinkle."
On the Bill: Jason Alexander, Robert De Niro, Rene Russo, Randy Quaid, Piper Perabo.
On the Credits: Directed by Des McAnuff.
On the Storyboard: The famous squirrel and moose from the 1960s series have managed to make their own movie. The adventure has Rocky and Bullwinkle entering the "real world" in their animated form upon learning the devious plan by Fearless Leader (De Niro), Boris (Alexander) and Natasha (Russo) that will lead to world domination (Universal).
On the Calendar: The flying squirrel swoops down on June 30.
On the Marquee: "The Patriot."
On the Bill: Mel Gibson, Heath Ledger, Joely Richardson, Chris Cooper, Tom Wilkinson.
On the Credits: Roland Emmerich.
On the Storyboard: Dean Devlin and Emmerich, the creative team behind "Independence Day," decided against any sequels or sci-fi epics and concentrated on this Revolutionary War drama written by Robert Rodat ("Saving Private Ryan"). Gibson will star as Gen. Francis Marion, a peaceful father who is forced to join the war once his son (Ledger) has been taken prisoner (Columbia).
On the Calendar: "Patriot"-ism will be celebrated on June 30.
On the Marquee: "X-Men."
On the Bill: Patrick Stewart, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, Famke Janssen, James Marsden, Rebecca Romijn-Stamos, Tyler Mane, Ray Park.
On the Credits: Directed by Bryan Singer.
On the Storyboard: From the director of "The Usual Suspects" comes the adaptation of the highly popular Marvel comic book series that the studio heads at Fox hope will launch a prosperous franchise. Detailing the origins of the mutant groups who either protect or threaten "truth, justice and the American way," X-Men will have outstanding fights and mesmerizing effects (Fox).
On the Calendar: The battle begins on July 14.
On the Marquee: "What Lies Beneath."
On the Bill: Harrison Ford, Michelle Pfeiffer, Amber Valletta, James Remar, Joe Morton.
On the Credits: Directed by Robert Zemeckis.
On the Storyboard: In the tradition of classic Alfred Hitchcock, Ford plays a college professor who is suspected by his wife (Pfeiffer) of having an affair with a woman (Valletta) who is believed to have killed herself. Suddenly, mysterious things begin to happen as they investigate her murder (DreamWorks).
On the Calendar: "Beneath" reveals itself on July 21.
On the Marquee: "Nutty Professor II: The Klumps."
On the Bill: Eddie Murphy, Janet Jackson, Larry Miller.
On the Credits: Directed by Peter Segal.
On the Storyboard: After the "flatulent" success of 1996's "The Nutty Professor," it was only a matter of time before Murphy would return as the sweet and overweight Sherman Klump. This time out he falls in love (again) with (another) university professor. And of course, his alter-ego Buddy Love has plans on spoiling any matrimonial affairs, as well as Klump's latest invention -- a youth potion (Universal).
On the Calendar: "The Klumps" rolls into theaters July 28.
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