How pathetic are the current crop of films being churned out by the major Hollywood studios? I mean Final Destination 3? If they didn't reach their destination the first two times, what makes you think that this time will be any different? Paul Walker rescuing his dogs in Eight Below? Can we save the dogs and leave Walker out in the biting cold instead? Date Movie? Do we really need another cheesy teen comedy to support the ailing careers of the American Pie alums? I can truthfully say nothing appealing has hit theatres since the Oscar rush at the end of 05. So what rocks are all the quality flicks hiding under you ask? They are in the pipeline, but the studio execs are waiting until this slow season passes before giving us the interesting fare. The following films are festering summer blockbusters, indie gold beating up the festival circuit and generally interesting flicks that make shelling out $10 a ticket a tad less painful.

Superman Returns - Last year brought us the return of Batman, Christopher Nolan-style. It was an adventure thick on style, beautifully executed by acting heavyweights like Christian Bale, Morgan Freeman and Gary Oldman. Now the Superman franchise finds new life with newcomer Brandon Routh donning the cape and Kate Bosworth sexing it up as the driven reporter Lois Lane. Can Routh fill out the tights as well as the immortal Christopher Reeve? With Brian Singer (X-men) behind the camera and a stacked cast including Kevin Spacey, I think we may just have another classic in the making.
Release Date: June 30 - Trailer

Mission Impossible III - Do we really need to send Ethan Hunt on yet another Impossible mission after the John Woo high octane, "strike a pose" sequel? At first, I was hesitant at the revival of this tepid franchise until I heard who was involved: Felicity (Keri Russell), Billy Crudup and the sure lock for best Oscar this year, Philip Seymour Hoffman. Would heroes of indie sign on for a botched moneymaking, soul sucking summer blockbuster? I think not. JJ Abrams tears himself from the boob tube to direct this intriguing action thriller as Tom Cruise takes a break from his usual couch calisthenics to race fast cars and make out with hot women. Will this turn out to be a massive disappointment a la War of the Worlds or an edge of your seat, mind bending, thrill fest akin to Minority Report? Look for Tom's other hotly anticipated summer projects, Scientology: the Movie and Loss of Innocence: Seducing the Girls of Dawson's Creek.
Release Date: May 5 - Trailer

Casino Royale - Its time to introduce the world to its first blonde James Bond. Daniel Craig takes over the Howletzer and sexes up the irresistible women, revamping the tepid 1967 Bond spoof. Some have deemed the original the worst film ever so the straight-laced remake may have its work cut out for it. Craig has proved himself a worthy successor with quality work in Layer Cake and Munich. The question still remains if the Bond faithful will embrace this newcomer. Eva Green (the Dreamers, Kingdom of Heaven) steps in as Bond girl Vesper Lynd and Mads Mikkelsen fills the role of resident baddie Le Chiffre.
Release Date: November 17

X3 - Also being dubbed X-men: the Last Stand, this is the latest installment of mutant mania. The entire cast is back, from Hugh to Halle, as they try to bankroll their previous box office success. Even Famke Janssen has crawled from the crypt after supposedly being swallowed by the crushing tide in X2. With Brian Singer exiting to take on Superman duties, it's hard to say if Brett Ratner (Rush Hour) has the necessary savvy to bring in another topnotch chapter in this series. I do have one rather large worry though. Kelsey Grammer as the Beast? Really?
Release Date: May 26

V for Vendetta - So turn Natalie Portman into a skinhead and throw in the Wachowski Brothers (the Matrix Trilogy) as the film's scribes, and this comic adaptation holds some serious promise. V for Vendetta is set in a Britain of the future that operates under the thumb of a fascist dictatorship a la 1984. A masked vigilante, who goes by the name of "V," is traipsing around inciting the people to rise up against their oppressors. Intriguing to say the least.
Release Date: March 17 - Trailer

A Scanner Darkly - How can you go wrong with an animated Keenau? Much like his earlier animated stream of consciousness piece Waking Life, Richard Linklater takes the pencils to jailbird Winona Ryder, Woody Harrelson and Robert Downey Jr. in this futuristic tale, set in an America besieged with drugs. It promises to be a trippy adventure hinged on multiple personalities, Big Brother and a reality cool enough to the drawn. With industry bigwigs like Stephen Soderbergh and George Clooney forming the production arm, I think we may have a sharp little independent feature to crash the summer box office party.
Release Date: July 7 - Trailer

Nacho Libre - Admit it. You've completely worn out your copy of Napoleon Dynamite haven't you? Well fear not because writer/director Jared Hess is back with his second feature film Nacho Libre. Swap out Jon Heder out for a topless Jack Black and you have this new ridiculous comedy. Black stars as a Mexican priest who moonlights as a wrestler, raising cashola for his orphanage. Putting Jack Black and Jared Hess together. Need I say more?
Release Date: June 2 - Trailer

World Trade Center/Flight 93 - Are we far enough away from 911 to look at it with an objective pair of eyes? A couple studios seem to think so. Oliver Stone brings World Trade Center to the table starring Nicholas Cage. It's based on a true story about two cops who went into the burning towers to rescue people only to become trapped themselves. Flight 93 focuses on the United Airlines flight that was hijacked by terrorists and redirected to the nation's capital. Will these wounds prove a too fresh for poking at, or is it time to pick these troubling times apart? Only time will tell.
Release Date: Flight April 28 - Trailer, WTC August 11

Miami Vice - If senseless nostalgia hasn't quite gotten the best of you lately with the Dukes of Hazzard, you can look forward to the return of white suits and two day stubble as Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell patrol the streets of Miami. Michael Mann (Heat, the Insider) takes on directing responsibilities. What? Will this suck something fierce? I think that is a definite possibility, but it should be fun watching these 'A' grade stars and director attempt to justify this paycheck project to themselves.
Trailer

Flags of Our Fathers - Clint Eastwood is busy readying his latest epic film, set in the midst of World War II in 1945. Tumultuous war waged on in the sands of Iwo Jima anchored in the Pacific. Think of it like Saving Private Ryan for the other front of America's war. The only big name involved in this project is Ryan Phillippe, fresh off his bold performance in Crash. Can Eastwood continue his amazing streak of stunning films with Flags? Smart money doesn't bet against Dirty Harry.

The Lake House - Its Speed: Part Deux. Well not quite. The Keanu/Sandra Bullock onscreen reunion is finally here. They play time-crossed lovers, exchanging letters with a two-year gap separating the two of them. Bullock has said she doesn't plan to romantic comedy her way out of existence like Meg Ryan, so it should be interesting to see what this romance offers that breaks the mold.
Release Date: June 16

Apocalypto - Mel Gibson has been laying low since stirring up a fervor across America with his blood thirsty take on the last days of Christ in the Passion of the Christ. This time Gibby goes tribal, taking on the Mayans. It's filmed complete with local yokels and in the original dialect nonetheless. Maybe we should just call this National Geographic: the Movie or the Danger of Life without Bras.
Trailer

Thank You for Smoking - Aaron Eckhart is one of those actors you know has potential, but we never get to see it. Since his groundbreaking role In the Company of Men, he's been spinning his wheels in B-grade flicks. Thank You for Smoking allows him to finally take off the kid gloves and show us what he's made of. He plays a tobacco lobbyist who goes around touting the benefits of lighting up. A dark comedy oozing with satire, this film captivated Sundance and should burn up the indie film circuit with its bite. Hopefully that Katie Holmes nude scene will find its way back into the mix.
Release Date: March 17 - Trailer