The Force is with this spring’s movies

Spring is chock full of good movies, but the one everyone is talking about is “Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith.” Will George Lucas end his Jedi saga in triumph or will fans walk away disappointed? May 19 is the day viewers will finally find out the answer to that question.

Spring is becoming the new summer as studios release their big films earlier and earlier in the year to avoid the summertime glut. Beyond “Revenge of the Sith,” there's also the remake of “The Longest Yard” starring Adam Sandler and Chris Rock; the film version of Douglas Adams’ “Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy”; Ridley Scott's “Kingdom of Heaven”; and even some very early Oscar bait with Russell Crowe in Ron Howard's “Cinderella Man.” So, for those who've suffered through the bleak movie months of January through March, don’t despair, spring has finally arrived.

“Sin City”

Dimension Films

Starring: Bruce Willis, Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke, Jaime King, Clive Owen, Brittany Murphy, Rosario Dawson, Benicio Del Toro, Elijah Wood, Josh Hartnett, Nick Stahl, Michael Clarke Duncan, Michael Madsen, Michael Douglas, Christopher Walken
Director: Robert Rodriguez, Frank Miller
Story: Based on the graphic novels by Frank Miller, this film tells three stories set in the violent “Sin City.” In one, Rourke stars as a street fighter trying to find the killer who murdered his girl (King). Another features Willis as a cop with a bum heart who has vowed to protect a stripper (Alba). The third stars Owen, the secret lover of Murphy, who spends his night protecting Rosario Dawson and her girls (Devon Aoki and Alexis Bledel) and battling bad guy Del Toro.
Buzz: While, other books based on comic books, like “Spider-Man” and “Hellboy,” go for the mainstream Hollywood treatment, “Sin City” does it with a bit more indie panache. Robert Rodriquez (“El Mariachi,” “Spy Kids”) gives the movie a distinctive look with a mix of black and white and color. Rodriguez also opted out of the Director’s Guild to get Miller a directorial credit on “Sin City.” This is said to be one of the most faithful comicbook adaptations ever made — but will it be able to draw a big mainstream audience?
Web site: http://www.sincitythemovie.com/

“Fever Pitch”
Starring: Drew Barrymore, Jimmy Fallon, Lenny Clarke, Jack Kehler, James B. Sikking
Director: Bobby Farrelly, Peter Farrelly
Story: A romantic comedy about a businesswoman (Barrymore) who falls in love with a high-school teacher (Fallon). Everything seems perfect until baseball season starts. It turns out that Fallon is a rabid Boston Red Sox fan. Will their love survive his obsession?
Buzz: Even in their raunchiest films, the Farrelly Brothers (“There’s Something About Mary,” “Kingpin”) never ignore the sweet side of the story. This film gives them ample opportunity to indulge their softer sides. Yet feel sure they’ll manage to cram some toilet humor in there somewhere. The real question: Can Jimmy Fallon become the next Adam Sandler? It seems unlikely, though his 12-year-old-boy looks may endear him to the tween set. This year’s World Series outcome changed the film’s original ending.
Web site: NA

“Sahara”

Paramount Pictures

Starring: Matthew McConaughey, Steve Zahn, Penelope Cruz, Lambert Wilson, Glynn Turman, Delroy Lindo, William H. Macy
Director: Breck Eisner
Story: McConaughey stars as Clive Cussler’s master explorer Dirk Pitt in this story about his quest to save the world from an environmental catastrophe, woo the lovely Dr. Eva Rojas (Cruz), and maybe find some gold in the process. Zahn plays McConaughey’s wise-cracking sidekick.
Buzz: The peak of McConaughey’s career came early with his role in 1993’s “Dazed and Confused.” Since then he seems miscast in almost every film he’s been in. He’s a bit too quirky for these stock leading-man roles, but too good looking to play the sidekick roles (in which he’d probably flourish). Instead, be prepared for the always funny Zahn (“Out of Sight,” “Happy Texas”) to steal scenes with relish. This film wants to be “Romancing the Stone” — but it’s doubtful it will even be as good as “Jewel of the Nile.”
Web site: http://www.saharamovie.com/

“Winter Solstice”

Paramount Classics

Starring: Anthony LaPaglia, Aaron Stanford, Mark Webber, Allison Janney, Ron Livingston, Michelle Monaghan, Brendan Sexton III, Ebon Moss-Bachrach
Director: Josh Sternfeld
Story: LaPaglia stars as a widower coping with his two sons, Gabe and Pete. Gabe (Stanford) wants to leave home for the warmer climes of Miami, despite his girlfriend’s (Monaghan) objections. Pete (Webber) is helped out of his anti-school funk by teacher Livingston. Janney is on board as the slightly off-beat neighbor.
Buzz: This is a small film by a first-time director that tells a simple, human story. LaPaglia, who shines each and every week on “Without a Trace,” knows how to do the tormented thing well — he spends much of this film longing for his dead wife. This film may not make a big splash, but could be one of those quiet little gems to watch for.
Web site: http://www.paramountclassics.com/winter/

“Eros”

Warner Independent Pictures

Starring: Alan Arkin, Christopher Buchholz, Chen Chang, Robert Downey Jr., Li Gong, Ele Keats, Cecilia Luci, Regina Nemni, Luisa Ranieri
Director: Michelangelo Antonioni, Steven Soderbergh, Kar Wai Wong
Story: Three great directors each contribute a small film to form a trilogy about love and sex. Antonioni’s story focuses on a ménage-a-trios in Tuscany. Kar Wai Wong’s film features Gong Li as a high-end call girl. Finally Soderbergh’s story focuses on an overworked executive (Downey Jr.) who tells his erotic dreams to his psychiatrist (Arkin).
Buzz: It seems like these types of collaborations never produce films that are the least bit interesting (“New York Stories,” “Four Rooms”). Yet, with filmmakers like Antonioni (“Blowup,” “Zabriskie Point”), Kar Wai Wong (“In the Mood for Love,” “Chungking Express”) and Soderbergh (“Traffic,” “Ocean’s Twelve”), it’s hard not to get hopes up just a little. Soderbergh stepped in for Pedro Almodovar (“Talk to Her,” “Bad Education”) who wasn’t able to participate.
Web site: http://wip.warnerbros.com/index.html?site=eros

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