Top 10 summer movies

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From ‘Wolverine’ to ‘Bruno,’ SP picks what to see—and what to avoid

Wolverine
James Fisher

If it wasn’t already an iffy Spike Jonze film from 2002, “Adaptation” would be the perfect title for a movie about the 2009 summer movie season. The next few months offer big-screen updates of vintage TV shows (“Star Trek,” “Land of the Lost”), bestselling novels (“Angels & Demons,” “My Sister’s Keeper”) and memoirs (“Julie and Julia”), and not one but two cartoon/comic-book/action-figure properties (“Transformers,” “G.I. Joe”). Throw in the usual glut of sequels and a handful of romantic comedies that certainly feel as if we’ve seen them before, and you’ve got the most déjà vu-inspiring summer ever.

In the pages that follow, we run down the 10 most anticipated films of the season, and rank their expected entertainment value on a scale of 0-4 bags of popcorn. You’ll also find info on 15 other movies of note. Release dates, as always, are subject to change.

1. X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE

STARRING: Hugh Jackman, Liev Schreiber
THE PITCH: Jackman reprises his role as Logan, the brooding, quick-healing highlight of the “X-Men” franchise for this prequel that explores his violent past. Schreiber plays Logan’s half-brother, also known as Sabretooth; Ryan Reynolds, Taylor Kitsch (“Friday Night Lights”), Dominic Monaghan (“Lost”) and, uh, will.i.am play other mutants.
OUR TAKE: We’re not sold on the unwieldy title, which implies other “X-Men origin” movies to come—is anyone holding their breath for the wooden James Marsden to return with a Cyclops origin flick? Otherwise, see our review on page XX. (In theaters now.)—Kevin Forest Moreau
3 BAGS OF POPCORN

2. STAR TREK

STARRING: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto
THE PITCH: A young, attractive cast, a visionary director (J.J. Abrams of “Lost” and “Alias” fame) and a sleek, sexy sheen—if anything can revive the moribund “Star Trek” movie franchise (which, let’s face it, peaked with 1982’s “The Wrath of Khan”), our money’s on this “Batman Begins”/“Casino Royale”-style reboot.
OUR TAKE: Quinto (Sylar from “Heroes”) certainly looks born to step into Leonard Nimoy’s boots as Spock, and we’re looking forward to a James T. Kirk who doesn’t talk. Like. This. Bonus: Atlanta’s Tyler Perry plays a Starfleet admiral. (May 8) —K.F.M.
4 BAGS OF POPCORN

3. TYSON

STARRING: Mike Tyson
THE PITCH: James Toback’s surprisingly emotional documentary provides an introspective look into the controversial boxer’s journey from unknown criminal to international superstar—and (almost) back again. The film features commentary from a vulnerable Tyson, revealing what makes him tick, as well as archival footage from throughout his career.
OUR TAKE: A look into the mind of a celebrity fighter who bites ears in the ring, gets face tattoos and yells things like, “I’ll f**k you ’til you love me”? Sign us up.
(May 15) —Calvin Son
3.5 BAGS OF POPCORN

4. TERMINATOR SALVATION

STARRING: Christian Bale, Bryce Dallas Howard
THE PITCH: Bale (“The Dark Knight”) takes over from Nick Stahl (who?) as John Connor, now all grown up and leading humankind against SkyNet and its unstoppable Terminators in the post-apocalyptic near-future of 2018. Howard, Sam Worthington, Common and Helena Bonham Carter lend the film a credible sheen (although we question casting elfin Anton Yelchin as badass Kyle Reese).
OUR TAKE: Here’s hoping “Salvation” is less reliant on the franchise’s twisty timeline than the intriguing “Sarah Connor Chronicles.” Bottom line: It can’t do more damage than 2003’s uninvolving “Rise of the Machines.” (May 21) —K.F.M.
3 BAGS OF POPCORN

5. UP


STARRING: Christopher Plummer, Edward Asner, John Ratzenberger
THE PITCH: The latest animated Disney-Pixar venture follows a 78-year-old balloon salesman who decides to satisfy his hunger for adventure by tying thousands of balloons to his house and flying away to South America. Only one problem: An overly optimistic 8-year-old Wilderness Explorer has stowed away for the trip. Select theaters will screen the movie in digital 3-D.
OUR TAKE: Does it really matter? Pixar could make a movie about milk going bad and everyone and their mother would line up to see it. And it’d probably rock. (May 29)—C.S.
3 BAGS OF POPCORN

6. LAND OF THE LOST

STARRING: Will Ferrell, Danny McBride, Anna Friel
THE PITCH: Has-been scientist Dr. Rick Marshall gets sucked into a space-time vortex, along with his assistant and a redneck survivalist, sending them into an alternate universe with dinosaurs and mysterious creatures. After befriending a primate named Chaka, the group attempts to find a way back in what’s supposed to be a funny journey.
OUR TAKE: Following the typical Ferrell formula, it’s Will Ferrell playing a washed-up something-or-other in some decade past—except now there are time machines and horrible computer graphics involved. No thanks. (June 5) —C.S. 
1 BAG OF POPCORN

7. PUBLIC ENEMIES

STARRING: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale
THE PITCH: Michael Mann follows up 2006’s bizarre “Miami Vice” update with this look at Depression-era bank robber John Dillinger. Echoing his 1995 film “Heat,” which cast Robert De Niro and Al Pacino on opposite sides of the law, Mann enlists Bale as Dillinger’s pursuer, real-life FBI agent Melvin Purvis.
OUR TAKE: The current economic mess can’t help but invest the proceedings with an air of timeliness, and a charismatic Depp sticking it to the banking industry sure sounds appealing. But whether “Enemies” resonates with the public ultimately comes down to the usually dependable Mann and his A-list stars. (July 1)—K.F.M.
3 BAGS OF POPCORN

8. BRUNO

STARRING: Sacha Baron Cohen
THE PITCH: The “Borat” mastermind is back, except now he’s Bruno, the flamboyantly gay Austrian fashionista, also of Cohen’s “Da Ali G Show.” With the success of “Borat,” the bar’s been raised in terms of Cohen acting as controversial, crass, and un-politically correct as possible. And judging from how many times he gets hit in the trailer, there are plenty of angry prank victims—which is a good thing.
OUR TAKE: Are you kidding? We’ve had our tent set up in front of the theater for weeks. We just hope “Bruno” doesn’t spawn as many horrible impersonations as “Borat” did. (July 10)—C.S.
4 BAGS OF POPCORN

9. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE

STARRING: Daniel Radcliffe, Rupert Grint, Emma Watson
THE PITCH: Boy wizard Harry Potter begins his sixth year at the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he faces a new teacher, new potions, new dangers pertaining to He Who Shall Not Be Named (psst! It’s Voldemort), and new hormone-related complications. Be ready for surprises; the screenplay is said to take some serious turns from the book.
OUR TAKE: Did we just say hormones? This is the one everyone’s been waiting for. Crud—does this mean this one won’t make sense if we haven’t been keeping up?
(July 15)—C.S.
3 BAGS OF POPCORN

10. INGLOURIOUS BASTERDS

STARRING: Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger
THE PITCH: A squad of Jewish-American soldiers sticks it to the Nazis in occupied France during World War II.
OUR TAKE: Like Guns N’ Roses, Quentin Tarantino started out with a bang but has gradually settled into a too-comfortable existence creating bombastic but ultimately empty works that approximate but never really approach the brilliant mayhem of his early genius. (He even has his own bloated double-sized “Use Your Illusion” in the too-long “Kill Bill” series.) So we can’t help but wonder if this long-promised spectacle will prove as clamorous and anticlimactic as last year’s “Chinese Democracy.” (Aug. 21)—K.F.M.
2 BAGS OF POPCORN


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