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By Chris Hewitt

KRT

Summer is just around the corner: Hollywood thinks it begins May 5 with the third Mission: Impossible, the first salvo in what's expected to be a record-busting May.

All of which makes it a good time to start thinking about the movies to look forward to in the next four months.

1. A Prairie Home Companion: June 9

It's not quite fair to say I'm anticipating Prairie Home, since I've seen it and I already know it's good. On the other hand, if I hadn't seen it, I'd be in can't-wait territory, and I am really looking forward to seeing it again. The second time, I won't have to worry about the negligible plot and can concentrate on the glorious music and the superhuman way Meryl Streep turns the cartoony part of a ditzy singer into something noble, melancholy and hopeful.

2. Nacho Libre: June 16

There are a few reasons an upcoming movie gets my attention: a terrific director, an actor with interesting taste, a story that sounds intriguing or a perfect storm that whips up all those elements. That’s the case here. I loved Jared Hess Napoleon Dynamite, and the role of a priest who becomes a wrestler sounds perfect for Jack Black's manic talents. The plot — the priest takes to the mat to save some orphans — has a sweetly doofy ring to it, which I'm hoping means Hess’ Nacho dips into Naploeon territory again.

3. Cars: June 9

Someday, the folks at Pixar will make a dud. But, at this point, their track record is so glittering I find myself having to tamp down expectations before I see a Pixar movie (I recently rewatched my least favourite, A Bug’s Life, and even it’s pretty dang good). The trailer for Cars, which has to do with vehicular friendships during the planning of a big race, is underwhelming.

But it showcases affecting voice work from Owen Wilson and, especially, Paul Newman.

Plus, a little birdie who has seen Cars tells me it’s another winner.

4. Harsh Times: Late June

I don't know a lot about Harsh Times, and I plan to keep it that way. It’s directed by David Ayer, who wrote the smart Dark Blue, and it stars Christian Bale, who seems to be attracted to intelligent, disturbing material.

Like Dark Blue, in which Kurt Russell was a dirty cop, it's a drama about crime coming between friends.

5. The Lady in the Water: July 21

Lots of folks were disappointed by M. Night Shyamalan's last movie, The Village. Not me. Yeah, its secret was guessable, but, even if you did guess it, The Village was still the work of a craftsman who keeps finding ways to play with audience expectations.

So I’m thrilled Shyamalan is back with this bedtime story about a mermaid, especially since Paul Giamatti plays the guy who discovers her.

6. Wordplay: June 16

Somewhere, some graduate student is probably labouring on a thesis about why words make such fine source material for documentaries.

Meanwhile, we just keep getting to enjoy such movies as Spellbound (spelling bees), Word Wars (Scrabble championships) and this portrait of the guy who makes the New York Times crossword puzzles. I don't even do crossword puzzles, but I'm already hooked.

7. Poseidon: May 12

What can I say? When it's summer, I want to see things blow up spectacularly. And, although I love The Poseidon Adventure, it’s no classic, so I’m willing to believe it can be done better.

Heck, if one or two of the characters don't sound like an ignoramus every time they open their mouth, that'll be an improvement. And the line Kurt Russell says in the trailer — “There’s nothing fair about who lives or dies” — how mouthwatering is that? (By the way, anyone wanna lay odds he’s one of the characters treated unfairly?)

8. The Break-Up: June 2

There are reasons to worry: How long can Vince Vaughn coast on his wiseguy act?

Can Jennifer Aniston be funny outside Friends? Why is it that real-life lovers often don't spark opposite each other on the big screen?

But it has Judy Davis in it, for crying out loud, a woman who could make sleeping neurotic and hilarious.

And Jason Bateman and Jon Favreau and Vincent D’Onofrio, all of whom are very funny men if they're given good material.

9. A Scanner Darkly: July 14

We can put money down that it’ll be the most original-looking film of the summer, since it's made with the same wiggle-mation technique director Richard Linklater used for Waking Life: He shoots the film normally, then animators outline it and colour it in.

Linklater (Before Sunset, School of Rock) is one of our most consistent filmmakers, and I’m anxious to see if Miss Named-After-a-Minnesota-Town, Winona Ryder, can still act. Especially when she has to act with Keanu Reeves.

10. World Trade Center: Aug. 11

Could the next few months bring two great 9/11 movies? The riveting United 93 ought to put to rest the “Is it too soon?” talk, and Oliver Stone seems like the right guy to tell the story of the two heroic policeman who were the last survivors plucked from the wreckage of the World Trade Center.

Stone, by the way, has made a promise: No hare-brained conspiracy theories.[[In-content Ad]]

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