Boy, I sure am getting bad at updating this thing. A lot’s happened, but I don’t want to bore you with another REALLY long post. Before I get any further, I’d like to give a big hello to my newest subscribers, FuzzyNavelBabay and marual (who will be a freshman at Denison in the fall).

 

A lot of movie stuff has been happening lately. I’ve since seen Harry Potter again, this time with my parents, and I realized that although I don’t really have a preference between Chris Columbus and Alfonso Cuaron in terms of styling, I noticed that Cuaron left out a major plot point in the movie (one that I had to explain to my parents afterwards). My mom thought it was the weakest of the three movies, mostly because she hasn’t read the books so she felt there were a lot of inside jokes that she didn’t get. Still, I enjoyed it, at least.

 

Last Saturday I saw Garfield with Stephanie. I know the movie got horrible reviews, but it’s still kind of cute. Garfield still looks creepy (and there are times when he sounds sort of drunk), but I was able to ignore that. Granted, a LOT of details were changed (Nermal is now Garfield’s somewhat dumb Siamese friend instead of an annoying kitten, and Jon isn’t as much of a tragically white loser), but the only part I REALLY disliked was that stupid Ice Age cartoon that was shown before the movie (I never had any interest in seeing Ice Age, but Marisa has told me enough details that I was able to understand the premise of the cartoon. That didn’t make it any less stupid). Perhaps the only really offensive part of the movie itself was the rampant product placement. It’s very obvious, and very abundant. Not that I’d fall for anything like that. Now excuse me while I go to Wendy’s and drink a Pepsi, reading my USA Today before I make a stop at Ace Hardware…(That’s a joke, if you haven’t guessed by now).

 

This one isn’t a movie (although it will be in the next couple years), but Wednesday night I saw Rent at the Stranahan. This was my second time seeing it, although this time I was with my parents (last time I went with Chris). We had much better seats this time (Row H, as opposed to Row EE), so I was actually able to see the actors’ faces and more detail. It was awesome, as before. Apparently my dad liked it, but my mom did not (I warned her that it was a rock opera). I don’t really care, though. My new goals: The Producers, which will be at the Stranahan in November (although currently my mom is not letting my buy tickets), and Phantom of the Opera at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus (I’ll have to post pictures of the Ohio Theatre. It would be one of the most awesome places to see Phantom).

 

Friday, Chris and I saw Fahrenheit 9/11. I hadn’t planned on seeing it until I went back to Denison (they’re planning on screening it), but Chris wanted to go opening day (It’s his goal to get the thing to #1 on the box office, and this is really the only weekend to do it, since Spiderman 2 comes out next week). The theater was absolutely packed, and it was probably the most interactive audience I’ve ever been with, not counting the audience at the Sci-Fi Marathon last year. Call me biased, but I highly advise all of you to see this movie. It’s really powerful (there are parts that are hilarious, and parts that are really sad). I think the conservative groups that are trying to boycott it are more afraid of it than anything else (as opposed to their rationale that it is un-American or something along those lines). The audience applauded at the end, and some people gave it a standing ovation. When we left, there was a HUGE line of people waiting for the next showing. Outside, the news people were covering it, and Chris and I were interviewed (Chris’s interview-complete with his last name misspelled-made it to air, but mine did not, probably because I don’t have the military credentials he has). Apparently Fahrenheit 9/11 made it to the #1 spot at the box office this weekend, which makes it the first documentary ever to do so. Now for a little lighthearted PSA: Fahrenheit 9/11 is rated R for profanity, some graphic footage, and John Ashcroft singing (which may or may not count as graphic footage). Don’t let that deter you, though.

 

We also saw the trailer for the Phantom of the Opera movie. It looks pretty cool.

Everyone please go wish Chris a happy 21st birthday, even though he hasn't posted in a while (he's currently on his way to Toledo, so he'll probably post sometime within the next few days). Stephanie's 21st was on the 16th, and my grandma's birthday was yesterday (she's 85).

That said, it's been a while since I've done one of these, so I'll take a stab at it.

Favorite:

Movie- Star Wars movies, LOTR, Amelie, The Shawshank Redemption, and Pirates of the Caribbean)

Song- “Come Sail Away” (Styx)

Actor- Ewan McGregor

Actress- Lucy Liu

Color- Depends on my mood

Book- The Hero and the Crown (Robin McKinley)

Nail Polish- Clear

$tore- Barnes & Noble

§tate- New York

§cent- Fruit

Drink- Mountain Dew Red

Girl Name-Claudia

Boy Name- William

First grade teacher's name: Mrs. Johnson

Last song you sang: “All Love Can Be”

Last song stuck in your head: “Remember When It Rained”

Last Song You Heard: “I Want to Spend My Lifetime Loving You”

Last person chatted with: Stephanie

What's in your CD player: “Romance of the Violin” (Joshua Bell)

What color socks are you wearing: Not wearing socks

What's under your bed: A box of clothes I don’t wear anymore

What time did you wake up today: 10:30 am

What's playing on your TV: David Letterman (I usually watch Leno, but he’s got Dennis Miller while Letterman’s got Michael Moore)

How many close friends do you have: 5 or 6

How many enemies do you have: There are several people I don’t like, but I don’t think are are many who dislike me (at least, I hope not)

 

FUTURE

Who do you want to marry: No one specific right now, but I’d like a guy who’s intelligent, loving, compatible, nonjudgmental, and courteous (a good sense of humor and being a good musician or singer are also perks)

 

Where do you want to live: New York or Los Angeles

What is your career going to be: Filmmaker or pediatric surgeon

How many kids do you want: 2 or 3

Kids' name: Claudia, Katherine, Laria (if there’s a boy, then William instead of Laria)

Where do you want your honeymoon: London/Paris

What kind of car will you have: Don’t Know

 

 

PERSONAL STUFF

Name: Erin

Nicknames: The Vampire Queen

Birthday: August 3, 1983

Birthplace: Toledo

Siblings: None

Best Friends: Laura and Chris

Marital Status: single

Pets: cats

Hair Color: Blonde

Eye Color: Blue

Glasses/Contacts: both, but usually contacts

Height: 5’8”

Piercings: Ears

Righty, Lefty, or Ambidextrous?: righty

What's one thing you would change about yourself?: My body shape

What's one thing you like about yourself?:  My arms

What's your clothing style?: casual

Goal in Life: Earn prestige and respect

Song to describe your life: Castle Walls?

Five words to describe yourself: smart, easygoing, kind, liberal, ambitious

 

SOCIAL LIFE

Best Girl Friend:  Laura

Best Guy Friend: Chris

Where can you usually be found: Denison

Who would you be with?: As of August 30, Mandy, Susannah, and Darby

Are you the center of attention?: sometimes

Are you timely or always late?: timely

Where's the best hangout?: Easton

Do you like being around people or being alone?: Usually being alone, but occasionally I’ll be social

What's your biggest turn on in the opposite sex?: A compatible personality

What's your biggest turn off in the opposite sex?: Being stuck-up

 

OUT OF YOUR FRIENDS, WHO?

Have you known the longest?: Chris and Laura

Do you argue the most with?: Chris?

Do you always get along with?: Laura

Is the most trustworthy?: Laura

Makes you laugh the most?: Chris and Laura

Always has a man/woman?:  Liz (since she’s the only one with a boyfriend right now)

Is the most sensitive?: Marisa

Biggest loser?: Chris, I guess (since he’s the only one of my friends who didn’t go to college)

Has the coolest house?: Laura (since I haven’t been to that many of my friends’ houses)

Has the coolest car?:  Stephanie

Is the most encouraging?: Marisa

Is the shyest? Stephanie

Is the most outgoing?: Marisa

Is the most rebellious?: Marisa, I guess

Is the laziest?: Either Marisa or Chris

 

Is the most conservative?: Hmmm, tough one, since Chris is now an ex-conservative; all my other friends are either Democrats or liberal independents; I guess I’ll say Mandy (she has an anti-Clinton poster)

Is the most liberal? Marisa, probably

Is most likely to become famous?: Either me, Marisa, or maybe Chris

Is most likely to become rich ?: Marisa

 

I was going to post something longer and more significant, but we're in the middle of a HUGE thunderstorm right now so I better not. I just wanted to tell you all that.

I like storms (but I don't like it when the power goes out).

Hey all. Sorry I keep being so negligent in posting. I’m actually going to film my senior project during the summer so I’ve been really busy with that (besides, if my mom catches me doing anything that is not either a chore of some sort or related to my senior project in some way, I get yelled at, which is pretty pathetic, since she doesn’t seem to realize I’m 20 years old and I’m used to living on my own most of the time). What’s cool is that it looks like I’ll be able to film at the Collingwood Arts Center.

 

Big news out of Granville: Howard Dean is coming to Denison September 5^th. Yay!

 

Apparently the Pistons won the NBA finals (what’s really sad is that I heard it on the weather channel). Since Toledo is only an hour south of Detroit, the news people can’t seem to shut up about it (we also get the Detroit stations here as well as the Toledo ones). What’s weird is that Detroit seems to be my favorite team in every sport except basketball. I don’t think I’ve had a favorite basketball team since I was ten years old. I used to really hate the Chicago Bulls, but even that kind of subsided since they now suck and you don’t hear anything about them anymore. I don’t particularly care for the Lakers, but I don’t have any love for the Pistons either. I think that’s mostly because I used to watch a show on one of the Detroit stations, and it was constantly being pre-empted by Pistons games. Since I don’t watch pro basketball (only college), I found it kind of annoying. I am so out of the loop regarding sports anyways. The Stanley Cup this year went to a team I didn’t even know existed (and I used to have all the teams memorized, but that’s because I used to play video game hockey with my friend’s brother all the time). I follow baseball a little better, even though I know very few players’ names. I do like the Tigers, though, even if they aren’t the most skilled team out there. I can’t wait for the Olympics to start. That I watch religiously.

 

My Internet is being really, really slow, so I better wrap this up.

 

 

Hi everyone, and welcome my newest subscriber, ironiccadence, who will be a freshman cinema major at Denison this fall! Just so you know, I'm an MTA major, so I'm in a related field.

 

Yesterday Laura and I went to the Maumee Showcase (the best and most expensive movie theater complex in the Toledo area) to see Harry Potter. It’s pretty cool. I kind of wish the director had left more in, just because it kind of created this atmosphere that I didn’t want to leave quite yet (if that makes any sense at all). On the flip side, there were some shots that were a little too artsy (and I just didn’t get why we needed a talking Rastafarian shrunken head, unless that was in the book and I don’t remember it), but you can overlook most of them, and the ending's kind of abrupt, but the credits are really cool. There’s stuff I like better about the first two, but there’s also stuff I like better about this one (and it’s probably my favorite of the books, if I had to choose). Laura and I are going to get together again on Thursday, and I’m going to start teaching her fencing.

 

I’d like to ask you guys something. In the past year, I’ve had two features which have both kind of fallen by the wayside. One was Hump Day Trivia, and the other was Website of the Week. I’d like to have a feature again, but I don’t have time to resurrect both of them. So I’d like to ask you all: Which one would you rather have?

 

It’s going to be a short entry today, for once. I’ll end by introducing you to Spot, one of our cats. He’s about 8 years old, and he’s BIG (not necessarily fat, just big), easily the biggest cat in the house. He also has six toes on each foot. However, he’s a real sweet kitty, and he’s got a lot of personality.

As all of you probably know, Ronald Reagan died yesterday. It’s sad, even though I disagree with a lot of his politics and ideologies. I was born during the Reagan era, but I don’t remember anything about him as president. It was also kind of ironic, because at the time I found out that he died I was watching a REALLY old episode of MST3K and they were making jokes about Ronald Reagan. Anyways, even though he was nearly my polar opposite in terms of political standpoints, I wish him God bless and all that other good stuff.

 

I don’t know why, but I just REALLY wanted to watch sports last night, and I was willing to watch just about any sport that was on. I ended up watching the Belmont Stakes (the first time I’ve ever watched a horse race), and I rooted for Smarty Jones, but he lost, which sucks (My mom feels bad for him because he was from a small stable and was kind of a “rags to riches” horse). What’s really dumb is that the horse that did win was 36-1 or some incredible odds like that. Then I wanted to watch more sports, but ESPN had a dog show and ESPN 2 had the spelling bee (which I already saw a few days ago). Oh well. At least the Tigers won.

 

It’s the final day of Tiger’s Summer Movie Guide, and today we’ll highlight what is usually my favorite category. On a related note, I recently learned that Warner Brothers just bought the film rights to Piers Anthony’s Xanth series. No word on when they’ll start filming, but it makes me happy nonetheless (It’ll make me happier if they’re really successful and I get the chance to direct a few somewhere down the road. If not, there’s always the Incarnations of Immortality Series). But enough stalling…

 

Sci-Fi/Fantasy/Horror

 

Movie: I, Robot

Release Date: July 16

Summary: Set in a future Earth (2035 A.D.) where robots are common assistants and workers for their human owners, this is the story of "robotophobic" Chicago Police Detective Del Spooner's (Smith) investigation into the murder of Dr. Miles Hogenmiller, who works at U.S. Robotics (run by Greenwood), in which a robot, Sonny (Tudyk), appears to be implicated, even though that would mean the robot had violated the Laws of Robotics, which is apparently impossible. It seems impossible because.. if robots can break those laws, there's nothing to stop them from taking over the world, as humans have grown to become completely dependent upon their robots. Or maybe... they already have? Aiding Spooner in his investigation is a psychologist, Dr. Susan Calvin (Moynahan), who specializes in the psyches of robots...

My Take: I read the book several years back, and I went on a small Isaac Asimov spree because of it (I always meant to finish the Foundation series, but I stopped a book and a half shy), but I liked how p.c. the book was, even though most of it was written in the forties. From the looks of things, the movie is only taking one character that’s in the book (Dr. Susan Calvin, the expert on robots in both book and movie), but I’ll probably check it out because I’m curious, and I usually like Will Smith movies.

How Likely I Am To See It: Probably

 

Movie: Van Helsing

Release Date: May 7

Summary: In the 19th century, mysterious monster hunter Gabriel Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman), easily identifiable by his stalwart nature and flowing locks, hunts down Count Dracula, the Wolf Man, and Frankenstein's square-headed creation. Aiding his fight is the beautiful vampire hunter Anna Valerious (Kate Beckinsale, spouting a Transylvanian accent that puts Gary Oldman to shame).

My Take: It could be interesting. It’d be the perfect movie to see with Stephanie, but I have a hunch she’s already seen it. Too bad, because lately the only thing she wants to do is hang out at my grandma’s house and watch movies with me (and it’s really hard to find movies that both of us will like that she hasn’t seen, because she doesn’t really like seeing movies more than once).

How Likely I Am To See It: If Stephanie hasn’t seen it, definitely. If she has, then maybe.

 

Movie: The Chronicles of Riddick

Release Date: June 11

Summary: Fugitive antihero Richard Riddick (Vin Diesel, who earned $11 million to do that monosyllabic thing he does so well) arrives on the planet Helion, gets banished to a subterranean prison, hooks up with hot babe Kyra (Alexa Davalos), and battles some baddies called Necromongers with the help of Ambassador Aereon (Dame Judi Dench).

My Take: Um, Pitch Black sucked. I have no reason to believe that this will be any better (Hell, I only saw Pitch Black because Chris wanted to see it, and he hated it more than I did). I do want to ask Judi Dench what the hell she was on when she agreed to do this movie. She’s a very well-respected actress. She doesn’t need to be in unpromising sequels to already bad movies.

How Likely I Am To See It: Hell No

 

Movie: Alien vs. Predator

Release Date: August 23

Summary: When wealthy industrialist Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen, as his "Alien" android's creator) discovers an ancient pyramid buried in Antarctica, he puts together an archeological expedition, led by Lex Woods (Sanaa Lathan). Oops. Turns out the site is a training ground for Alien-hunting teen Predators.

My Take: I haven’t seen any movie in either franchise, so I would be totally lost anyways.

How Likely I Am To See It: Very unlikely

 

Movie: Exorcist: The Beginning

Release Date: August 20

Summary: Young Father Merrin (Skarsgård) encounters the demon Pazuzu for the first time while doing missionary work in post-WWII Africa.

My Take: I heard this one had numerous production problems, but as I’ve only seen the first movie (which was very good), I’m not interested.

How Likely I Am To See It: Unlikely

 

Movie: Thunderbirds

Release Date: July 30

Summary: Bill Paxton stars as ex-astronaut Jeff Tracy, who, with the help of four of his sons, some dedicated friends, and a fleet of totally rad rocket ships, helps those in need through the mysterious International Rescue organization. But it's Jeff's fifth and youngest son, Alan (Brady Corbet), who is forced to go mano a mano with criminal mastermind The Hood (Ben Kingsley). "Star Trek" vet Jonathan "No. 1" Frakes directs.

My Take: I’ve only seen one episode of the old puppet TV show, and all I can say is that it’s weird and a little creepy. I do wonder if this movie is going to go for campy (like the show) or serious.

How Likely I Am To See It: Maybe

 

Movie: Code 46

Release Date: August 6

Summary: "Brief Encounter" meets "Double Indemnity" with a splash of "Blade Runner." Set in a travel-restricted world of the near future, this $7.5 million sci-fi production from BBC Films stars Tim Robbins as a married insurance investigator whose life is irrevocably changed after he has a whirlwind affair with forger Samantha Morton.

My Take: I’m not sure, but I think it’s that independent film that did really well at Sundance or one of those other high-profile film festivals. If it is, then I’m curious.

How Likely I Am To See It: Maybe

 

Movie: Anacondas: The Hunt For the Blood Orchid

Release Date: August 27

Summary: What separates this slithery chiller from the surprise 1997 hit "Anaconda" starring Jennifer Lopez? More snakes, all bigger, scarier, and hungrier than the original. Oh, and no J. Lo, although there is an actress who looks just like her. In this outing, the cold-blooded crawlers target a group of scientists searching the jungles of Borneo for an orchid that could be the key to the fountain of youth.

My Take: This sounds like something that should be a Sci-Fi Channel original movie (although they were trying to bill Beyond Re-Animator as their own, when I know for a fact it wasn’t).

How Likely I Am To See It: Very Unlikely

Well, we’re down to the final two categories in Tiger’s Summer Movie Guide. Bet you’re disappointed, huh?

 

“Family Fare” (aka “For Kids of All Ages”)

 

Movie: Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

Release Date:  June 4

Summary: Trouble is once again a-brewin' as a more mature Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) enters his third year at Hogwarts. Convicted murderer Sirius Black (Gary Oldman) has escaped Azkaban prison and is heading his way. Hermione (Emma Watson), Ron (Rupert Grint), and the rest of the Hogwarts gang are back, along with a few fresh faces, including Emma Thompson as kooky clairvoyant Professor Trelawney, David Thewlis as Professor Lupin, and Michael Gambon, who has the unenviable task of assuming Dumbledore's robes from the late Richard Harris.

My Take: Critics are raving about how Alfonso Cuaron made the series better because he made it “darker.” I don’t quite understand how making something darker automatically makes it better, other than that it follows Cinema Purist Law #6 (“When faced with the choice of making your setting warm and enchanting or dark and creepy, always choose dark and creepy”), but I don’t think it automatically makes it worse, either. Also, I don’t really think Alfonso Cuaron is entirely responsible, as this is when the book series starts to take a darker turn (although it doesn’t get really dark until the fourth book). However, I digress. I liked the first two movies, and I’ll probably like this one, and it’s a given that Laura will want to see it (UPDATE: We’re seeing it on Monday). As a sidenote, it’s kind of weird seeing all the taglines and teasers for this movie when I’ve already read the book (so I already know the ending). That doesn’t happen to me very often.

How Likely I Am To See It: Guaranteed

 

Movie: Shrek 2

Release Date: May 19

Summary: Newlyweds Shrek (Mike Myers) and Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) hit a snag on their way to "happily ever after." Mid-honeymoon, they detour -- Donkey (Eddie Murphy) in tow -- to visit her folks (John Cleese and Julie Andrews), the rulers of Far, Far Away (think Beverly Hills, complete with stretch carriages and Joan Rivers dishing on fairy-tale fashions). Horrified with his new son-in-law, Fiona's dad conspires with her Fairy Godmother ("Ab Fab'"s fab Jennifer Saunders) to get rid of the grumpy green ogre in favor of the smarmy Prince Charming (Rupert Everett). Enter feline assassin Puss-in-Boots (Antonio Banderas), who wields the ultimate weapon: big sad kitty eyes.

My Take: Believe it or not, I am one of the 12 Americans who did not like the first Shrek movie. I used to say I was the only one, but then I came across a review of Shrek 2 somewhere online, where the reviewer identified himself as “one of the 12 Americans who did not like the first Shrek,” and so I kind of adopted that phrase, since I am one of the other 11. I know one of the other 10 is some guy that Chris talked to once who said it was “stupid.” My mom won’t go so far as to say she didn’t like it, but she does describe it as “weird and a little sacrilegious.” I understood the jokes and thought they were intelligent, but I just didn’t think it was funny. Also, I’m a little hesitant about bashing Disney because Michael Eisner is a Denison alum, and if he has a bad name, then it might be harder for me to get a job (from what I hear, the entertainment industry can be very fraternal like that; for example, one of the senior VPs of Disney and the president of ESPN-also owned by Disney-are both Denison grads). I do, however, find it ironic in a funny way that Shrek, which was supposed to be so counterculture and the animation jewel in the cinema purist crown (as it strongly follows Cinema Purists Laws 7,8, and 9, at least) has become a government lackey, as he now works for the US Postal Service (just go to your local post office and you’ll see what I mean). Anyways, since I didn’t like the first movie, I’m not that enthused about the second, but most people liked the first movie, so don’t let me stop you from seeing Shrek 2.

How Likely I Am To See It: Very Unlikely

 

Movie: Around the World in 80 Days

Release Date: June 16

Summary: Jules Verne's classic tale of oddball British inventor Phileas Fogg (Steve Coogan), who makes a bet that he can complete the titular adventure. Along for the ride: his sidekick, Passepartout (Jackie Chan) and gorgeous French artist Monique (Cecile de France).

My Take: Just as Marisa was horrified when she heard Brad Pitt was to play Achilles in Troy, she was utterly delighted when she found out that Jackie Chan was playing Passepartout in this movie. It might be interesting to see it with her, but that won’t happen since we’re on separate continents right now. I’ve never read the book or seen the original movie, so I don’t have much insight, but it looks kind of interesting.

How Likely I Am To See It: Somewhat Likely

 

Movie: Garfield

Release Date: June 11

Summary: Fur flies when sedentary Garfield (voiced by Bill Murray) is forced to get off his considerable keister to rescue airheaded pooch Odie from an evil dog trainer. Human element is provided by Breckin Meyer, as Garfield and Odie's owner Jon Arbuckle, and Jennifer Love Hewitt, who plays a bodacious veterinarian.

My Take: I’ve made various comments about how unpromising the production news/images were. First off, I find it hard to imagine Garfield with any voice other than Lorenzo Music, but he died a few years ago, so (obviously) they had no choice (BTW, I just downloaded the entire first season of Garfield & Friends. Yay!), and I guess Bill Murray kinda sounds like Lorenzo Music. Then I saw the pictures (once again, and it always seems to be with cat-themed movies). Garfield looks kind of creepy (especially the green eyes), but mostly he just looks…wrong. He looks more like a stuffed Morris than Garfield. I’ll take my 2-D cartoon any day. Odie’s even weirder, as I think he just looks like a real dog (I can’t be 100% sure about this, since Odie is barely even in the trailer). Why even bother making him CG if he’s just going to look like a real dog? He doesn’t even look anything like Odie. Still, I love Garfield, so I’m more than willing to give the movie a chance.

How Likely I Am To See It: Definitely

 

Movie: The Princess Diaries: Royal Engagement

Release Date: August 11

Summary: It's been five years since Mia Thermopolis (Anne Hathaway) accepted her destiny and became Princess of Genovia, and now the recent college grad is ready to rule her people. The problem? An obscure law decrees that she must be married to become queen, sparking a search for a suitable mate.

My Take: A little too much on the “teeny-bopper” side for me.

How Likely I Am To See It: Unlikely

 

Movie: A Cinderella Story

Release Date: July 16

Summary: Hollywood again courts the too-young-to-drive demographic with an Internet-age retelling of the original makeover story. Hilary Duff is the beleaguered Cinderella (now dubbed Sam), Chad Michael Murray is her Prince Charming, and the always sensational Jennifer Coolidge is the thoroughly modern evil stepmother, brimming with bile and Botox.

My Take: In all honesty, I’d be more likely to see Princess Diaries 2 than this, which isn’t very likely at all.

How Likely I Am To See It: Very Unlikely

 

Movie: Two Brothers

Release Date: June 25

Summary: Two tigers are separated as cubs and taken into captivity, only to be reunited years later as enemies by an explorer (Pearce) who inadvertently forces them to fight each other.

My Take: There’s a reason I have the Xanga name tigera2001…(Actually, I’ve seen the trailer, but I’d like to check out a little more about the movie before making a final decision)

How Likely I Am To See It: Almost Certain

 

Movie: Sleepover

Release Date: July 9

Summary: In yet another tween-targeted film that delves into the high-school caste system, "Spy Kids" cutie Alexa Vega hosts a slumber party for her bestest-but-not-quite-A-list pals in the summer before their freshman year of high school. The evening turns adventurous when they enter a scavenger hunt against the cool clique.

My Take: A little out of my age group.

How Likely I Am To See It: Very Unlikely

 

Movie: Yu-Gi-Oh

Release Date: August 13

Summary: Underneath the sands of Egypt, Anubis, an ancient evil spirit, has awakened. It's up to Yugi, who defeated Anubis centuries ago, to use his skill and determination to rid the world of evil once again.

My Take: I’m not much of an anime buff, but even Liz (who is an anime buff) doesn’t understand it. However, my cousin Nikki, who’s 10, understands it perfectly and spent last Christmas Eve explaining her Yu-Gi-Oh cards to me.

How Likely I Am To See It: Definitely Not

 

Movie: Benji: Off the Leash

Release Date: August 27

Summary: The iconic canine is resurrected for this G-rated dog's-eye view of the seedy world of puppy mills. This time out, the pooch teams up with a shaggy cohort to rescue his mom from an unscrupulous breeder.

My Take: I kind of grew up on Benji movies, so it’s kind of cute that they’re bringing him back (actually, I heard that the dog in the movie is female).

How Likely I Am To See It: Maybe, if I’m feeling mushy

 

Movie: Kaena: The Prophecy

Release Date: June 18

Summary: In distribution purgatory since 2002, this CGI fantasy features the voice of Kirsten Dunst as a brave-hearted girl named Kaena, who embarks on a hero's journey to discover why the tree that gives life to her world is running out of sap.

My Take: I haven’t heard anything about this movie save for the MSN bit.

How Likely I Am To See It: Probably Not, but I might give it a chance if I’m curious

It’s Day Three of Tiger’s Summer Movie Guide. Hope you’re ready for another long one (BTW, a belated thank you to andromediva, Marisa, VikingBoy, and Cortney_12 for your positive feedback)…

 

Action/Adventure

 

Movie: Spider-Man 2

Release Date: June 30

Summary: It's two years later, and Peter Parker (Tobey Maguire, who came thisclose to being replaced by Jake Gyllenhaal) is finding it increasingly difficult to balance his life as a mild-mannered college student with his secret identity as a wall-crawling, quip-loving web-slinger. Complications include mechanical-armed villain Doc Ock (Alfred Molina) and the impending nuptials of Mary Jane Watson (Kirsten Dunst).

My Take: I never saw the first movie (although I do remember Marisa being very excited about it), since I generally prefer creating my own superheroes to watching others. I saw some episodes of the cartoons from various decades, which leads me to think of Spider-Man as one of the cheesiest superheroes ever. However, when I was eight years old I was obsessed with the 70s live-action TV show for one weekend (I think the USA channel was running a marathon of it, but all I remember is that Peter Parker was much older than a high school/college student, and that whenever Spider-Man showed up, they played this really catchy disco/funk music).

How Likely I Am To See It: Unlikely

 

Movie: Troy

Release Date: May 14

Summary: In the year 1193 B.C., Paris, a prince of Troy woos Helen, Queen of Sparta, away from her husband, Menelaus, setting the kingdoms of Mycenae Greece at war with Troy. The Greeks sail to Troy and lay siege. Achilles was the greatest hero among the Greeks, while Hector, the eldest son of Priam, King of Troy, embodied the hopes of the people of his city.

My Take: When I first learned that Brad Pitt was going to play Achilles, I told Marisa and she was horrified (actually, her take on this would be much more interesting than mine). I just hoped they would concentrate on the mythology instead of battle after battle after battle. Marisa’s hope was that they wouldn’t screw up the goddesses by combining Athena and Hera or something. Apparently she doesn’t have to worry about that, because the whole mythological backstory has been completely eliminated (So, Paris just passes Helen in the street or what?).

How Likely I Am To See It: Unlikely

 

Movie: The Day After Tomorrow

Release Date: May 28

Summary: A paleoclimatogist (Dennis Quaid) races to save the world and his Manhattan-trapped son (Jake Gyllenhaal) from an impending Ice Age brought on by the effects of global warming (or, as the gun-shy Fox marketers call it, "global climate change"), which causes cataclysmic hurricanes, tornadoes, blizzards, hail, heat and a colossal tidal wave.

My Take: Okay, when I first heard of this movie, I never once thought of it as controversial. I always assumed that global warming was a given, but apparently not. What I don’t get is why those who don’t believe in it act as if it’s a dirty word or a Satanic cult. But I digress.

How Likely I Am To See It: Eventually

 

Movie: King Arthur

Release Date: July 7

Summary: Based on a more realistic portrayal of "Arthur" than has ever been presented onscreen. The film will focus on the history and politics of the period during which Arthur ruled -- when the Roman empire collapsed and skirmishes over power broke out in outlying countries -- as opposed to the mystical elements of the tale on which past Arthur films have focused.

My Take: Yet another massive age difference (Arthur is played by Clive Owen, who is almost 40, while Guinevere is played by Keira Knightley, who is 19), although this is probably factual for once. I don’t know; for some reason, “de-mystified” seems to translate to “not fun” for me, although Camelot was never my favorite story (I am still trying to read the Avalon books, though).

How Likely I Am To See It: Probably not

 

Movie: Catwoman

Release Date: July 23

Summary: Catwoman is the story of shy, sensitive artist Patience Philips (Halle Berry), a woman who can't seem to stop apologizing for her own existence. She works as a graphic designer for Hedare Beauty, a mammoth cosmetics company on the verge of releasing a revolutionary anti-aging product. When Patience inadvertently happens upon a dark secret her employer is hiding, she finds herself in the middle of a corporate conspiracy. What happens next changes Patience forever. In a mystical twist of fate, she is transformed into a woman with the strength, speed, agility and ultra-keen senses of a cat. With her newfound prowess and feline intuition, Patience becomes Catwoman, a sleek and stealthy creature balancing on the thin line between good and bad. Like any wildcat, she's dangerous, elusive and untamed. Her adventures are complicated by a burgeoning relationship with Tom Lone (Benjamin Bratt), a cop who has fallen for Patience but cannot shake his fascination with the mysterious Catwoman, who appears to be responsible for a string of crime sprees plaguing the city.

My Take: Sorry for the really long summary, but it was the only one IMDB had and MSN’s was too sarcastic. I said earlier that I wasn’t a big follower of superheroes (preferring to create my own instead), but I saw Batman Returns when I was nine years old simply because of Catwoman. I thought she was cool (I still have a Michelle Pfeiffer Catwoman poster in my room), even though she was a “villain” (actually, she’s not really a villain or a hero; she just has no loyalties and does what she thinks is in her best interests). Anyways, I was happy when I first heard that this movie was pitched (which was sometime back in high school). Then I heard it was just a rumor, then suddenly it was given the green light, but with Halle Berry instead of Ashley Judd. I was a little disappointed when I found out that she was going to have a different backstory and that it wouldn’t take place in Gotham City, but I could live with it, since I’m not a big Batman fan. Then the pictures came out. I will say this out loud: The costumes SUCK. Also, the movie is already getting bad press, and many critics are already calling it this year’s Gigli. However, I will probably see it anyway and just hope that the are wrong (hey, I liked Batman & Robin and The Matrix Revolutions, and I even found The Cat in the Hat to be tolerable).

How Likely I Am To See It: Most Likely