Summer Movie Preview 2010

When the weather gets warm, the movies get big! The summer of 2010 will be filled with big-budget sequels and remakes along with some newcomers hoping to establish new franchises. Get ready for chases, sword fights, karate, 3D, many brinks of disaster, and lots and lots and lots of stuff getting blown up.

Sequels!

“Iron Man 2” Mickey Rourke and Scarlett Johansson are just two of the challenges our metal-suited arms dealer has to face. One of the most intriguing elements of the film, though, is the appearance of Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury.

“Toy Story 3” Buzz Lightyear, Woody, Jessie, and the rest of the toys find a new home at a day care center when Andy leaves for college.

“Sex and the City 2” Charlotte, Samantha, Miranda, and Carrie are back, and they are, fabulous. So are their shoes!

“Shrek Forever After” The crowd from Far Far Away is back in an “It’s a Wonderful Life” type story where Shrek gets to see what life would have been like for his friends and family if he had never met them.

“The Twlight Saga: Eclipse” Team Edward? Team Jacob? They are going to need to work together to fight off some very scary vampires. But when it comes to Bella, the teamwork ends.

“Step Up 3D” More dance-offs. In 3D.

In the mood for love? We’ve got date movies!

“Just Wright” A basketball star (Common) falls for a pretty girl (Paula Patton). But when he is injured, he realizes that his physical therapist (Queen Latifah) may be more than just a friend.

“Letters to Juliet” Amanda Seyfreid discovers a 50-year-old unopened letter and takes a journey to reunite two lovers that will teach her some important lessons about love.

Action!

“Prince of Persia” They’re calling this one the next “Pirates of the Caribbean.” Jake Gyllenhaal must recover the Dagger of Time in this sword and sandal epic movie based on a computer game.

“The Expendables” It would be easier to tell you which big-screen action heroes are not in this movie than to list the ones who are in this film from writer-director-star Sylvester Stallone. Even California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Bruce Willis show up, along with Dolph Lundgren, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Terry Crews, Danny Trejo, and Steve Austin. The plot? Stuff blows up!

Ready for some deja vu? Remakes!

“Robin Hood” The “Gladiator” team is back with their take on one of the most frequently filmed stories of all time. Russell Crowe is in the title role with an all-star cast that includes Cate Blanchett as Maid Marian, Mark Addy as Friar Tuck, and Mark Strong, Oscar Isaac, and Danny Houston.

“The Karate Kid” Jaden Smith (son of Will and Jada Pinkett Smith) takes over the role of the kid who finds a teacher (Jackie Chan) to help him learn the discipline and skill of karate.

“The A-Team” The 70’s television show comes to the big screen with Liam Neeson and Bradley Cooper. I pity the fool who doesn’t know this movie is going to sell a lot of tickets.

“The Last Airbender” A popular animated series comes to the big screen with live action directed by M. Knight Shyamalan. “Slumdog Millionaire’s” Dev Patel co-stars in this story of a boy who has the power to control the elements and the responsibility of saving the world.

“Dinner for Schmucks” Based on a French film called “The Dinner Game” about a mean game where friends compete to see who can bring the biggest loser to dinner, this film reunites two “Anchorman” stars, Paul Rudd and Steve Carell.

Based on a best-seller

Eat, Pray, Love Julia Roberts stars in this adaptation of the best-seller by Elizabeth Gilbert about a woman who traveled to Italy, India, and Indonesia in her “search for everything.”

“Ramona and Beezus” is the first feature-film version of the classic stories about the irrepressible Ramona from Beverly Cleary. Disney pop princess Selena Gomez stars as big sister Beezus.

Intriguing….

“Charlie St. Cloud” Zac Efron plays a young man mourning the loss of his brother, who goes to work in the cemetery to be near him.

“Inception” Christopher Nolan (“Memento,” “The Dark Knight”) is behind the most mysterious film of the summer. All we know is that it stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Oscar-winners Marion Cottilard and Michael Caine and that it looks…spooky.

“Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” Michael Cera has to defeat all of his new girlfriend’s exes. There are seven of them and they are evil. And the girlfriend is the fabulous Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who was terrific in both “Sky High” and “Grindhouse.” I hope this is a breakthrough for her.

Love to laugh?

“Get Him to the Greek” Enfant terrible Russell Brand plays an over-the-top rock star (the Aldous Snow character from “Forgetting Sarah Marshall”) and Jonah Hill is the shy music industry executive who has to make sure he arrives at the concert venue.

“Despicable Me” Two evil geniuses compete to take over pretty much everything in this animated film with the voices of Steve Carell and Jason Segal. Russell Brand is in this one, too!