COMIC ADAP l'Al ION
Spider—~qu
ETA 14 June
Despite concerns over Hollywood churning out a bland blockbuster (remember the awful Judge Dredd’?) Spider- Man goes for the spectacle while remaining true to its Marvel _ _. comic book origins. The CGI web-slinger vaulting through ._ . g ' v n45, the canyons of New York City impresses. but director Sam ' ‘ r Raimi is more interested in the characters. Of these Tobey Maguire is perfectly cast as Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man). although Willem Dafoe playing Norman Osborne (aka the psychotic. pumpkin hurling Green Goblin) chews the scenery somewhat. Otherwise. Raimi keeps things jaunty and never too serious. Looking forward to the sequel he's just started work on.
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SCI-Fl COMEDY
Men in
ETA 2 August
Agents J (Will Smith) and K (Tommy Lee Jones) are back kicking extra-terrestrial butt in this relatively long time coming sequel to the hit comic book adaptation. Reversing the plot polarity of the first film, Agent J must find and drum back into service his old mentor Agent K. who has lost his memory and become a regular mailman. Nasty illegal aliens continue to arrive on Earth. unseen by everyone other than the US government‘s boys in black. Barry Sonnenfeld is back to direct the follow-up. Let‘s hope it's an improvement upon his dreadful Wild Wild West.
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SCI-Fl ACTION
offerbdll
ETA 28 June
The skinny‘s not great on this remake of the 19703 science fiction flick about a super-violent sport. But it's got a great action movie director helming it. John McTiernan may be no Norman Jewison when it comes to drama. but he's responsible for the cracking actioners Predator and Die Hard. So. perhaps the political dimension of the original film — the sport's promoters glorifying violence in order to increase its popularity — will be lost. The games between spiked gloved skaters and motorbike riders, however. should remain crunchingly intact.
Spy Kids 2: fine Island” V, Of Lest Dreams a 1..»v w s2 .
KIDS' ADVE‘N TURF-
fipy ids Q: "the island Of
Lest red m s ETA 9 August . . I. One of the best kids’ films of recent years — one of the best e Thé Time Machine “'
adventure blockbusters, too — gets the sequel treatment. So the cool kids with groovy gadgets are back putting paid to villains intent on world domination. Antonio Banderas and Carla Gugino return as the kids' super- spy parents. although Alan Cumming, the first film's villain. is missing. Steve Buscerni makes an appearance. and director Robert Rodriguez (previously know for trashy adult action flicks such as From Dusk Ti/ Dawn) once more sneakin casts one of his regular tough guys, Danny Trejo. as grumpy Uncle Machete.
Men In Black II
SCI-Fl THRILLEtR
The Time
ETA 31 May
Remake of George Pal‘s 1960 almost sci-fi classic. likewise based on HG. Wells' novel. Where the original film had Rod Taylor playfully experimenting with moving backwards and fonNards in time. the new film gives the inventor (now played by Guy Pearce) extra motivation. namely a personal tragedy that moves him to attempt to change the past. Nevertheless. Pearce ends up far flung into the future. where he comes to the aid of weak-willed humans enslaved by the subterranean. flesh-eating Morlocks. Simon Wells. grandson of HG. directs.
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18 TI‘IE LIST 9—23 May 2002