SUMMER FILM SPECIAL

M 19808 undercover cop Classic gets a meaner streak

The pitCh Director Michael Mann I‘L‘Visils his tnega hit l‘)t‘s't)s 'l‘\' series, but gone are the rolled up jackets Lttitl the L‘spttdl'illcs. (‘tilin l‘arrell and Jamie l’o.\.\ pla_\ ('rockett and limbs" modern da} counterparts. with liosx p|a_\ing the smart. urbane 'l‘ubbs and I'arrell inltabiting the more wantonl} max'erick ('rockett. The name oi tlte gatne here. as e\'er with Mann. is an examination oi the points at which the deiinition oi good and e\il. and tnore importanth cop and criminal. becomes a little blurr}. as we iollow our two protagonists

STORMBREAKER Move over Potter, there’s a new kid on the block

The Pitch .-\le\ Rider t:\le\ l’ettyieri is a H- _\ear-old orphan who has been unwittingl} trained b} his uncle to become a secret agent. .\'ow it‘s titne ior his lirst mission.

The Backstory Anthon} llot'owil/s hugel} popular childrens‘ sp} books haxe jllsi been

begging ior a iilm adaptation, British tlireetor

(ieoiire) Sax (White Noise) takes the challenge with the assured help oi a \er} starr}. and oh so \er} British cast tliwan .\lc(iregor. Bill .\'igh_\. Sophie ()konedo. .-\shle} \Valters. Steplten lir}. .limm} Carr. Robbie (‘oltrane Clc‘ ClL‘l.

The Verdict (‘ould this be a mini Bond in the making'.’ liither wa} it's got ‘lucratixe iranchise' written all o\'er it. (PD) I Fr 3*

20 THE LIST '3 g

into the deepest oi undercm er operations in Miami‘s drug underworld.

The backstory .lliumi \it't' linall} arri\es on our screens aiter a \er} long and protracted production. In the earl) stages oi production it was reported that Mann closed the set and told art o\'erweight l‘arrell to get into shape double double quick or he would kick him oii the lilm. l’ilming was also suspended in the Dominican Republic in October 2005 due to \iolcttcc and street skirmishes set oii b} the unexpectedl} huge crowd w ho turtted otit to watch lilming oi

SNAKES ON A PLANE Does exactly what it says on the tin

The pitch 'I'wo l-‘Bl agents tSamuel 1. Jackson. Nathan Phillips) are on said plane to escort a iortner .\laiia member to testii} in court. .»\n assassin. armed with 4()() death} snakes. has other ideas.

The backstory Santuel L Jackson secures deit} status among students with this tongue-in- clteek summer blockbuster. The title w as enough to get him onboard and this 3 1 st centur} take on

the 'creature ieature' has spawned a legion oi

internet ians who created songs. poems and an about the iiltn. Such w as their iniluenee that parts oi it \s ere re-shot to please the geeks. Democracy has ne\ er been so much iun.

The verdict This is one tilm e\er_\one will be quoting this summer. t(i.-\l

I F'. Aug

some oi the action sequences. ()n top oi this. Mann's L‘l‘cus litttl lti deal “tilt the eilccts Hi hurricanes Katrina. Rita. and Wilma. It is little wonder that. when iilming \\ as completed. l'arrell entered rehab ior e\haustion and dependenc} on prescription medication.

The verdict Mann is alwa_\s an interesting iiltnmaker. the trtte l'S inheritor oi the procedural policier crown handed down b) the great l’rench iilmmaker .lcan-l’ierre .\lel\ille. So we’xe got high hopes. t(iraeme :\lli\lL‘t'i

I i r, .1 Ag“;

J / . THE SCIENCE OF SLEEP Further sunshine from a spotless mind

The Pitch In Paris. bashiul beau Stephane t(iael (iarcia Bernal) liltiVCs in next door to Stephanie t('harlotte (iainsbourgi. lle‘s too tongue-tied to romance her except in his bi/arre. eroticall) charged dreams.

The Backstory i‘rench director Michel (iondr_\ tnade his natne with Human .Vullll't' and lilt’t'iiu/ Suns/tine of Illt’ Spot/ms Mind. both scripted by the inimitable ('harlie Kauiman. lior this. his iirst iilm as w riter- director. he drew on his own experience oi romantic rejection as an art student in Paris. The Verdict The dream-sequences. rendered in hand-craited stop-motion animation. convert a iamiliar boy-meets-girl theme into the most original film oi the season. (Andrew Burnet)

I 9‘; eage 08.”; to be confirmed