Ten summer flicks worth your eight bucks

Summer movie-going usually has a certain connotation to it. Film fanatics seek solace from the heat within dark, air-conditioned theaters. Once the lights dim, viewers are treated to slickly produced images of buildings and cars being blown to smithereens or muscle-bound men and big-breasted women flashing guns bigger than their 20-watt smiles. Occasionally, summertime releases defy these pre-existing stereotypes, but rarely. And as such, I'll recommend films that look to both embrace and debunk these trends. The followed are flicks that will be worth your hard-earned cash. Spider-man
Starring: Tobey Maguire, William Dafoe, Kirsten Dunst
Directed by: Sam Raimi
Opening: May 3 Raimi is one hell of a director. I shake in anticipation to think of what he can do with a $100 million budget and cutting-edge special effects. He so aptly captured motion through his camera in "Evil Dead 2," and thus, with greater resources at his disposal, "Spider-man" is likely to leave filmgoers crapping their pants. Hopefully, Maguire can fill out Spidey's digs and defy the wussier performances of his past. Star Wars: Episode II
Attack of the Clones
Starring: Ewan McGregot, Natalie Portman, Hayden Christensen, Samuel L. Jackson
Directed by: George Lucas
Opening: May 16 Less Jar-Jar equals a movie far superior to "Episode I." Also, Samuel L. Jackson has a beefed-up role in the film. I can't wait to see that bad mofo get his light saber on! And 'N Sync isn't in the flick as previously rumored. Thank God, George Lucas hasn't gone completely insane. Insomnia
Starring: Al Pacino, Robin Williams, Hilary Swank
Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Opening: May 24 Nolan shocked audiences with his feature-length debut, "Memento." As a follow-up he's teamed with Oscar winners Pacino, Williams (playing far-against-type as a serial killer) and Swank (acting without the aid of a faux trouser mouse) in this remake of the 1997 Norwegian thriller of the same title. Produced by George Clooney and Steven Soderbergh, "Insomnia" is likely to become this summer's critical darling. Minority Report
Starring: Tom Cruise, Samantha Morton and Colin Farrell
Directed by: Steven Spielberg
Opening: June 21 Spielberg and Cruise teaming for the first time should churn hundreds of millions of dollars at the box office, even if the flick sucks. Luckily, it doesn't look like it will. "Minority Report" has been adapted from a short story by sci-fi stalwart Phillip K. Dick (the man who penned the short stories which led to "Blade Runner" and "Total Recall"). With its twisted futuristic premise, "Minority Report" could be on par with "Vanilla Sky," and contrary to public opinion, that's a good thing. Mr. Deeds
Starring: Adam Sandler, Winona Ryder, Steve Buscemi, John Turturro
Directed by: Steven Brill
Opening: June 28 Sandler returns after the disastrous "Little Nicky" in hopes of regaining his faithful legion of fans. "Mr. Deeds," a remake of Frank Capra's classic film "Mr. Deeds Goes to Town" starring Gary Cooper, is more akin to "Billy Madison," "Happy Gilmore," "The Wedding Singer" and "Big Daddy" than Sandler's last effort was. The flick co-stars definitive character actors Buscemi and Turturro, as well as Winona "'Girl Interrupted'... shoplifting" Ryder. This looks like a return to form for one of America's most beloved comedians. Jackass: The Movie
Starring: Johnny Knoxville, Steve-O, Bam Margera
Directed by: Jeff Tremaine
Opening: July 12 Despite having substantial roles in two of this summer's other hotly anticipated flicks ("Deuces Wild" and "Men in Black II") Knoxville returns to the premise that made him a star -- it might be 15 minutes too late, but should still be funny as all hell. The flick is essentially nothing more than an episode of "Jackass" prolonged to 90 minutes. "Jackass: The Movie" will have to be awfully good to stand toe-to-toe with fellow MTV shock comedian Tom Green's "Freddie Got Fingered." But these pranksters are up to the challenge. Reign of Fire
Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Christian Bale
Directed by: Rob Bowman
Opening: July 12 Dragons inundate a post-apocalyptic London, and it's up to a British firefighter (Bale, taking a break from dropping chainsaws on hookers), a hottie helicopter pilot (former Bond babe Scorupco) and an impestuous, tatooed, shorn-headed American by the name of Van Zan (McConaughey, no longer playing naked, pot-laden bongos) to stop them. The flick's lensed by director Rob Bowman, who cut his chops on "The X-Files." The Road to Perdition
Starring: Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law
Directed by: Sam Mendes
Opening: July 21 Sam Mendes made what could be the best directorial debut in more than a decade with his Oscar winning film "American Beauty." His follow-up, "The Road to Perdition" keeps this pedigree intact. Hanks headlines the film as a hit-man out to avenge the murders of his wife and child. Silver screen legend Newman portrays Hanks' boss/paternal figure, while Law plays a rival assassin. Adding cool points to this already phenomonally cool project is the fact that the film is adapted from Max Allen Collins' stellar graphic novel. Tadpole
Starring: Aaron Stanford, Sigourney Weaver
Directed by: Gary Winick
Opening: July 19 Sundance darling "Tadpole" essentially picks up where "The Graduate" and "Rushmore" left off. The film concerns a 15-year-old boy named Oscar (newcomer Stanford) who's sexually attracted to his stepmother (Weaver). If that's not fun enough, "Three's Company" and "Problem Child" alumnus John Ritter co-stars as Oscar's father. The film opens July 19 in New York and L.A., so we Bloomington filmgoers should expect it sometime in September or October. Enjoy! XXX
Starring: Vin Diesel, Samuel L. Jackson
Directed by: Rob Cohen
Opening: August 2 Prospective action superstar Diesel and director Cohen re-team after last summer's insanely successful drag-racing pic "The Fast and the Furious," with "XXX" -- a fresh re-invention of the prototypical spy flick. Horror visionary Dario Argento's daughter, Asia, co-stars as Diesel's love interest -- sounds like a match made in muscle-bound hell.