A handful of movies are making most of the noise as summer approaches, but the competition for screens and your leisure time will be as fierce as ever given the glut of studio and indie releases on the way.
Release dates listed when available and, as always, are subject to change.
May
“Tea with Mussolini”: Cher’s first movie since 1996’s “Faithful” is director Franco Zeffirelli’s autobiographical tale of an illegitimate Italian boy raised by an American art collector (Cher) with the help of an archeologist (Lily Tomlin) and two British ladies (Maggie Smith and Judi Dench). May 14
“William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream”: As opposed to “Bobcat Goldthwait’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream”? This colorful Bard adaptation stars Michelle Pfeiffer as Titania, Kevin Kline as Bottom, Rupert Everett as Oberon, Calista Flockhart as Helena, Christian Bale as Demetrius and Anna Friel as Hermia. May 14
“Star Wars: Episode I — The Phantom Menace”: Yeah, like you don’t know . . . May 19
“The Love Letter”: This counter programming against you-know-what stars Kate Capshaw as a bookstore owner who tries to find the author of an anonymous love letter and winds up involved with a younger man (Tom Everett Scott). Adapted from Cathleen Schine’s novel, it co-stars Tom Selleck and Ellen DeGeneres. May 21
“Trekkies”: “Star Trek” fans demonstrate they were geeks before “Star Wars” geeks were born in this documentary about obsessive fans. May 21
“Notting Hill”: Julia Roberts plays a paparazzi-stalked movie star — any similarities are purely coincidental — who falls for a bookseller played by Hugh Grant in this romantic comedy that reteams Grant with the writer and producer of “Four Weddings and a Funeral.” May 28
“The Thirteenth Floor”: If “The Matrix” and “eXistenZ” didn’t scratch your what-is-reality itch, you can plug into this science-fiction thriller about two visionaries (Craig Bierko and Armin Mueller-Stahl) who re-create 1937 Los Angeles on a computer chip, setting off a murder mystery taking place then and now simultaneously. May 28
“Three Seasons”: Modern Vietnam as seen through the eyes of Vietnamese-born/American-raised 26-year-old filmmaker Tony Bui. This interweaving of four stories, with Harvey Keitel the sole American name actor, won the top Sundance audience and jury prizes. May 28
June
“Instinct”: A hotshot psychiatrist (Cuba Gooding Jr.) tries to get to the bottom of why a man studying gorillas in Africa (Anthony Hopkins) wigged out, killed some folks and wound up in a prison for the criminally insane. Directed by Jon Turteltaub (“Phenomenon”). June 4
“Limbo”: John Sayles’ reportedly open-ended drama takes place in Alaska as a fisherman traumatized by a sea accident (Sayles fave David Strathairn) falls for a singer (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio) and at some point winds up stranded on a remote island. June 4
“This Is My Father”: Aidan Quinn stars in brother Paul’s directoral debut about a Chicago schoolteacher (James Caan) who travels to Ireland to learn about his father (Aidan in flashbacks). With John Cusack. June 4
“Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me”: Mike Myers returns as the groovy secret agent and pinky-biting Dr. Evil while Heather Graham replaces Elizabeth Hurley as the babe du jour in what promises to be a real mug-fest. Did you know they had to change the title in Britain because “shagged” is just too naughty? June 11
“Besieged”: An English pianist (David Thewlis) becomes enchanted by the African medical student (Thandie Newton) who cleans his house in this intimate tale told mainly through music and images by director Bernardo Bertolucci (“The Last Emperor,” “Last Tango in Paris”). June 11
“Buena Vista Social Club”: Director Wim Wenders’ documentary chronicles guitarist/film composer Ry Cooder’s collaboration with multiple generations of Cuban musicians in Havana, Amsterdam and New York. June 18
“The General’s Daughter”: John Travolta stars as a government officer who investigates the murder of a general’s daughter and finds all sorts of nasty intrigue in this thriller co-starring Madeleine Stowe and directed by Simon West (“Con Air”). June 18
“Tarzan”: Disney’s animated take on everyone’s favorite jungle stud presents a Tarzan (voiced by Tony Goldwyn) who surfboards through the trees. Phil Collins wrote and sings the songs, which don’t come out of characters’ mouths this time. June 18
“The Thomas Crown Affair”: This remake of the 1968 Steve McQueen-Faye Dunaway non-classic stars Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo as a high-class art thief and the female investigator who enjoys chasing him. June 18
“Big Daddy”: Adam Sandler strikes again in a comedy that sounds especially sentimental. The big goofball plays a 32-year-old guy still avoiding responsibility (what a stretch) who tries to prove his maturity to his ex-girlfriend by adopting a 5-year-old boy. June 25
“South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut”: Are you ready for Cartman on the big screen? Will Chef get a production number? How will creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone kill Kenny this time (or times)? June 30
“The Loss of Sexual Innocence”: Writer-director Mike Figgis (“Leaving Las Vegas”) gets allegorical, elliptical and way arty with these scenes of Adam and Eve and a sexually evolving young filmmaker. June
“Lucie Aubrac.” A French woman (Carole Bouquet) fights to free her husband (Daniel Auteuil) from a German death sentence in this based-on-fact World War II story written and directed by Claude Berri (“Jean de Florette”). June
“The Red Violin”: The title instrument spans five continents as it moves from its creation in 17th Century Italy to an auction table in present-day Montreal. Directed by Francois Girard (“Thirty-Two Short Films about Glenn Gould”) and co-starring Samuel L. Jackson. June
July
“Wild Wild West”: This year’s Will Smith blockbuster reteams the former Fresh Prince with “Men in Black” director Barry Sonnenfeld for a TV show remake. Smith and Kevin Kline play government agents who use charm and gadgets to thwart the presidential assassination plans of Kenneth Branagh’s mad scientist. Could be fun; could be “Wack Wack West.” July 2
“American Pie”: There’s something about . . . comedies that revolve around male self-satisfaction gags that inspire memories of last summer’s surprise hit. Here, four high school guys pledge to lose their virginity by prom night, and an apple pie gets deflowered. July 9
“Arlington Road”: A college professor (Jeff Bridges) whose FBI-agent wife is killed by an extremist group begins to get the willies about his new all-American neighbors (Tim Robbins and Joan Cusack) in this thriller directed by Mark Pellington (“Going All the Way”). July 9
“Dick”: This elegantly titled comedy is about two clueless ’70s teenage girls (Kirsten Dunst and Michelle Williams) who take a wrong turn on a White House tour, accidentally uncover some secrets, wind up buddies with President Nixon (Dan Hedaya) and become involved in Watergate. July 9
“The Legend of the Pianist on the Ocean”: Director Giuseppe Tornatore (“Cinema Paradiso”) makes his English-language debut with this charmed-life tale of a talented pianist (Tim Roth) abandoned at birth on an Atlantic oceanliner in 1900. July 9
“Stigmata”: When a young hairdresser (Patricia Arquette) becomes possessed by some nasty spirits, the Vatican sends an investigator (Gabriel Byrne) to check it out, hoping it’s not another of those head-spinning, pea-soup-spewing deals. July 9
“The Blair Witch Project”: The coolest film of this year’s Sundance festival is a no-gore horror story that compiles three fictional student filmmakers’ footage as they disappear into the Maryland woods looking for a legendary witch. July 16
“Drop Dead Gorgeous”: Kirsten Dunst and Denise Richards play teenage beauty pageant contestants in this black-comedy mockumentary about nasty small-town behavior. With Kirstie Alley and Ellen Barkin. July 16
“Eyes Wide Shut”: Cruise. Kidman. Kubrick. Sex. Intrigue. Secrecy. A year and a half of filming. Legendary filmmaker’s swansong. Can’t wait. July 16
“Lake Placid”: A paleontologist (Bridget Fonda) investigates a mysterious death near a remote Maine lake with the help of a wildlife expert (Bill Pullman). Written by David E. Kelley (“Ally McBeal”). July 16
“The Wood”: As Roland (Taye Diggs) prepares to get married, he and his two buddies (Omar Epps and Richard T. Jones) flash back on their hip-hop youth in Inglewood, Calif. July 16
“Autumn Tale”: Eric Rohmer’s final installment of his “Tales of the Four Seasons” series focuses on middle-aged love, matchmaking and mischief among a lonely wine grower (Beatrice Romand), her best friend (Marie Riviere) and potential suitors. July 23
“Bowfinger”: Forget “The Out-of-Towners”; here’s Steve Martin as we like to see him — we hope. Same goes for Eddie Murphy. Martin wrote this comedy about a washed-up movie producer (Martin) who sneakily films a paranoid star (Murphy) for his alien flick. July 23
“The Haunting”: A doctor (Liam Neeson) conducts mysterious psychological studies on three patients (Lili Taylor, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Owen Wilson) in a creepy mansion in this high-tech haunted-house tale from director Jan De Bont (“Twister,” “Speed”). July 23
“Inspector Gadget”: Matthew Broderick plays the title character of this live-action version of the cartoon about a bumbling security guard who’s blown up and rebuilt as a gizmo-loaded bad-guy buster. With Rupert Everett as the fiendish Dr. Claw and Joely Fisher as a sweetie scientist. July 23
“Deep Blue Sea”: Genetically engineered sharks swim amok, and a team of scientists (including Saffron Burrows, Thomas Jane and LL Cool J) try not to become jaws-breakers in this thriller from director Renny Harlin (“Cutthroat Island,” “Cliffhanger”). July 30
“Muppets from Space”: If you see only two space adventures this summer . . . Kermit, Miss Piggy and the gang help out Gonzo when he discovers his long-lost relatives are extra-terrestrials, and paranoid government operatives (led by Jeffrey Tambor) are giving him the business. July 30
“Outside Providence”: The Farrelly Brothers adapted Peter Farrelly’s coming-of-age novel about a blue-collar Rhode Island teen (Shawn Hatosy) whose father (Alec Baldwin) sends him to prep school. Michael Corrente (“American Buffalo”) directed. July 30
“Runaway Bride”: The last time Julia Roberts, Richard Gere and director Garry Marshall collaborated, they came up with the love-it-or-hate-it “Pretty Woman.” Now they’ve reunited for a romantic comedy about a cynical reporter who writes about a woman who keeps dumping her fiances. Warning: Marshall’s last three movies were “The Other Sister,” “Dear God” and “Exit to Eden.” July 30
“Summer of Sam”: Spike Lee’s supposedly unflinching look at the hot, nasty New York summer of 1977, when the “Son of Sam” serial killer was working his way through the Italian-American section of The Bronx. With Michael Badalucco (from TV’s “The Practice”) as killer David Berkowitz plus John Leguizamo, Jennifer Esposito, Adrien Brody and Mira Sorvino. July 30
“An Ideal Husband”: This film version of Oscar Wilde’s 1895 stage comedy follows a troubled high-society couple (Cate Blanchett and Jeremy Northam), a womanizer to whom the husband turns for help (Rupert Everett), a scheming woman bearing secrets (Julianne Moore) and the husband’s seductive sister (Minnie Driver). July
“My Life So Far”: A 10-year-old British boy learns about adulthood when his uncle’s seductive French fiance arrives at the family’s home. This Miramax holdover from last summer’s schedule stars Colin Firth, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio and Irene Jacob and was directed by Hugh Hudson (“Chariots of Fire”). July
“My Son the Fanatic”: A Pakistani taxi driver (Om Puri) in England disrupts his family life when he begins an affair with a prostitute (Rachel Griffiths) in this culture-clash story written by “My Beautiful Laundrette” writer Hanif Kureishi. July
“Run Lola Run”: German writer-director Tom Tykwer’s lightning-fast international crowd-pleaser shows three different outcomes of the same set-up: A young woman (Franka Potente) must raise a bag of money in 20 minutes or her low-level crook boyfriend gets offed. July
August
“Fight Club”: Brad Pitt plays a sadomasochistic promoter of brutal, underground fights, and Edward Norton is a new visitor to this world in the latest dark vision from director David Fincher (“Seven”). Aug. 6
“The Iron Giant”: This Warner Bros. animated feature, based on the same Ted Hughes kids book as Pete Townshend’s 1989 album “The Iron Man,” skips the songs while showing what happens when a 9-year-old boy finds a 50-foot robot in his backyard. Featuring the voices of Jennifer Aniston and Harry Connick Jr. Aug. 6
“The Muse”: Albert Brooks’ latest comedy stars the ever-neurotic filmmaker-actor as a struggling screenwriter whose successful writer friend (Jeff Bridges) introduces him to an actual Muse (none other than Sharon Stone). Aug. 6
“Mystery Men”: A goofy band of superheroes played by a goofy cast (Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, William H. Macy, Kel Mitchell, Janeane Garofalo, Wes Studi and Paul “Pee Wee” Reubens) fight the nasty Casanova Frankenstein (Geoffrey Rush) in this comic-book comedy. Aug. 6
“Plunkett and Macleane”: “Trainspotting” co-stars Robert Carlyle and Jonny Lee Miller play 18th Century British robbers seeking entry to high society, passage to America and love from a young lady played by Liv Tyler. Aug. 6
“Trick”: A young gay musical-theater songwriter (Christian Campbell) picks up a hot boy toy (John Paul Pitoc) but has trouble finding a place to make out in this happy little comedy that played at Sundance and features a song-and-dance number performed by Tori Spelling. Aug. 6
“In Too Deep”: Fresh from the lame “Mod Squad,” Omar Epps tries again as an undercover cop, this time trying to bring down a particularly wicked gangster called “God” (LL Cool J). Aug. 11
“Detroit Rock City”: They wanna rock and roll all nite . . . Four teens in 1978 (including Edward Furlong and Natasha Lyonne) try to scam their way into a sold-out Kiss concert in this movie produced by the scary-tongued Gene Simmons and featuring him and his face-painted bandmates. Aug. 13
“Mickey Blue Eyes”: An English art dealer (Hugh Grant) is in love with a woman (Jeanne Tripplehorn) who pushes him away because she fears he’ll fall under the influence of her mobster father (James Caan) in this comedy directed by Kelly Makin (“Kids in the Hall: Brain Candy”). Aug. 13
“Mr. Accident”: Remember Yahoo Serious, Australian comedian extraordinaire? Well, the auteur of 1989’s “Young Einstein” is back. He wrote, directed and stars in this wacky comedy about an incompetent maintenance man at a huge egg-processing plant. Aug. 13
“The 13th Warrior”: Antonio Banderas stars as a new medieval warrior recruit in this action-adventure directed by John McTiernan (“Die Hard”) and based on the novel “Eaters of the Dead” by Michael Crichton, who reportedly grabbed control of this project. Aug. 13
“Alice et Martin”: Juliette Binoche stars as the pregnant wife of a man (Alexis Loret) struggling to come to terms with an incident from his past in this drama from French director Andre Techine (“Thieves”). Aug. 20
“Blue Streak”: A buddy cop comedy starring Martin Lawrence as a thief who gets out of jail, discovers his buried loot is beneath an L.A. police department and impersonates a detective. Luke Wilson plays his rookie partner. Aug. 20
“Killing Mrs. Tingle”: “Scream”/”Dawson’s Creek” writer Kevin Williamson makes his directoral debut with this violent comedy about a high school student (Katie Holmes) who takes her history teacher (Helen Mirren) hostage after a bad grade threatens her college scholarship. Aug. 20
“The Astronaut’s Wife”: An astronaut (Johnny Depp) returns to Earth following some mysterious outer-space strangeness, and his wife (Charlize Theron) begins to get a creepy, creepy feeling about him. Aug. 27
“Mad About Mambo”: An upper-class Belfast girl (Keri Russell of TV’s “Felicity”) aims to win a regional Latin dance contest, but she’s less enchanted by her rich boyfriend/partner (Theo Fraser Steele) than a working-class bloke (William Ash) who also knows a step or two. Aug. 27
“Brokedown Palace”: Two high school graduates (Claire Danes and Kate Beckinsale) get busted for drugs in Thailand, and an expatriate lawyer tries to free them. Did someone say gender-reversed “Return to Paradise”? “Midnight Express”? August
“Hoofbeats”: This horse tale follows a young foal named Lucky who’s born in 1914, separated from his workhorse mother on the way to Africa and battles harsh desert life and a mean stallion named Caesar. August
“Universal Soldier: The Return”: You loved him so much in 1992’s “Universal Soldier” that Jean-Claude Van Damme couldn’t help but come back for a sequel. This time the high-tech Luc Deveraux must take on some higher-tech robo warriors. August
“Whiteboys”: Monologuist Danny Hoch wrote and stars in this tale of a young, white hip-hop poet who moves into a Chicago ghetto to learn to write rap hits like his millionaire heroes. Directed by Marc Levin (“Slam”). August
