Summer 2003 is shaping up to be the Summer of Sequels. A lot of your old favorites are returning to the big screen so they can hopelessly mutilate and forever destroy your appreciation for the original films, but if you're like me, you'll be watching them nonetheless. A few of them might actually be decent, and there are a few clever originals coming your way, as well. Here's your sneak preview.
X-Men 2 -- May 2
Directed by Brian Singer, X2 brings back all of your favorites from the first film -- including Wolverine (Hugh Jackman), Storm (Halle Berry), Cyclops (James Marsden), Mystique (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos) and Anna Paquin (Rogue) -- for another fight against evil and intolerance. This time around, the mutants will form an unlikely alliance with Magneto (Ian McKellen) to stop William Stryker (Brian Cox), a military leader rumored to have experimented on mutants and one of the most vocal supporters of the Mutant Registration Act. Wolverine will have to confront his murky past, while some new mutants join the mix for both good and evil. Look for cutie Shawn Ashmore as Iceman, Alan Cumming slimy as ever as Nightcrawler and the gorgeous Kelly Hu as Deathstrike.
The Matrix Reloaded -- May 15
Wow. I just watched the trailer for Reloaded, and I can't believe what I saw. With this sequel to The Matrix, the Wachowski brothers take special effects to a whole new level, promising to blow even its predecessor box office smash out of the water. In just the short trailer, I watched Neo (Keanu Reeves) fly like Superman, flip a motorcycle off of a burning building, smash a moving car simply by jumping on it, stop about 50 bullets in midair and kick some serious butt in his trademark slow-mo, gravity-defying, kung fu style. I guarantee that Reloaded will offer great action sequences, and I can bet that this religious allegory will also leave you with plenty to think about, too: In this installment, Neo and the rebel leaders estimate that they have 72 hours before a quarter million probes discover and destroy Zion. Also, Neo must decide how to save Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss) from a dark fate in his dreams.
The Hulk -- June 20
This promising film, directed by Ang Lee (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon), is a big budget fantasy based on the comic, a direct result of last summer's hit, Spider-Man. Eric Bana takes muscle to the max as Bruce Banner and his alter-ego, the Hulk. Nick Nolte plays his father, Dr. David Banner, and the lovely Jennifer Connelly plays the damsel in distress, Dr. Betty Ross. Expect lots of cool special effects in this Jekyll and Hyde action film.
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle -- June 27
Cameron Diaz, Drew Barrymore and Lucy Liu reunite in this sequel to the action-comedy blockbuster inspired by the popular television series. Directed by McG, this film sends the Angels undercover to retrieve two missing bands that contain encrypted information revealing the new identities of every person in the federal Witness Protection Program. The two prime suspects are a "fallen" Angel, Madison Lee (Demi Moore), and the Thin Man (Crispin Glover). You'll also find Bernie Mac, Luke Wilson, Matt LeBlanc and the Olsen twins (as themselves).
Terminator 3: Rise of the
Machines -- July 2
John Connor (Nick Stahl) is now 18, and a female terminator, called T-X or Terminatrix (Kristanna Loken), is after him. A new T-101 (Arnold Schwarzenegger) is sent back through time to protect John once again from the killer. But will he succeed against Terminatrix, a seemingly stronger terminator? You'll have to check out Jonathan Mostow's film to find out.
Legally Blonde 2: Red, White & Blonde -- July 2
The first Legally Blonde starred Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods, an unlikely law school student adapting to Harvard life after undergrad in Beverly Hills. In this outing, Elle turns her legal and fashion-savvy know-how towards passing a bill in Congress, relocating to D.C. to fight for animal rights. She befriends the hotel's doorman, Sidney (Bob Newhart), who helps guide her through the political system.
