Upcoming Fall Movie Preview

It's a pretty slow week for films _ between Jackass: The Movie and Ghost Ship _ so it's time to take a look at those big movies that have yet to come out this year. There's an awful lot crammed into the next two months, and expect most of the Oscar winners to come out around this time.

Number 10:Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (11/15). The students of Hogwarts return in the next installment of the insanely popular series of books by J.K. Rowling.

Plus: Kenneth Branagh should make a great addition to an already stellar cast, and now that the characters are firmly established the movie should get down to business quickly.

Minus: The first film was a perfectly competent, interesting adaptation of the novel. Some of the satire was lost, but overall the feel and look was faithful. The film will probably be much of the same, and while that's by no means bad, it's the least interesting of the top ten.

Number 9:Die Another Day (11/22). Bond returns, in what is supposedly supposed to be the last Pierce Brosnan film. But we'll believe that when we see it.

Plus: Director Lee Tamahori has a distinct visual style, which should help the recently sluggish Bond series. The addition of Halle Barry is a good one, and the action sequences on ice fields look amazing.

Minus: Do you hear that whispering during the trailer? It's many, many people in unison saying, "Don't suck, don't suck, don't suck." The Bond series has yet to be forgiven for that Denise Richards fiasco a few years back. This looks like a step in the right direction.

Number 8:Star Trek: Nemesis (12/13). Step right up and get yer sequels: this time it's the tenth Star Trek film, and (supposedly) the last film with the Generation cast. This time it's about some renegade Romulans who... on second thought, if you care, you probably already know this.

Plus: The crew looks like they've finally been given the tools, the money, and the epic scope they deserve for their supposedly final voyage. It looks to be at least as good as the last good Trek movie, First Contact.

Minus: The buzz is that while the action delivers, the story and dialogue aren't so hot. Hopefully, if everything else is in place, that won't matter. Hopefully.

Number 7:8 Mile (11/8). Eminem stars in a story of growing up in Detroit that's strikingly similar to his own, helmed by the director of LA Confidential (Curtis Hanson)

Plus: Putting together very different people can pay off hugely or bomb completely. But the word from early screenings is that Eminem's story is worth telling, and he does a damn good job of performing it. This movie should be worth a look, and look for at least a Golden Globe nomination for Eminem.

Minus: While Eminem is apparently very good at playing himself, it has yet to be determined if he can play anyone else. The film might yet be another one-movie endeavor from a musician (Prince's Purple Rain, Bjork's Dancer in the Dark) that is more of a vanity project than a start of a career.

Number 6:About Schmit (1/3/03). The boys who made Election return to tell the story of a man who, at the age of 60, realizes he has wasted his entire life. That man is played by Jack Nicholson.

Plus/Minus: I'll admit it: I love watching Jack Nicholson doing practically anything on screen. Having the guys who made Election at the helm helps, but it's mainly the Jack appeal. If you don't like Nicholson, chances are you won't this time around either; but if you're a fan, you'll probably already be there. Oh, and it's going to be a really good movie.

Number 5:Catch me if you Can (Christmas Day). Based on a true story, Spielberg directs this story of an FBI agent trying to catch a young con artist who successfully impersonated an airline pilot, doctor, assistant attorney general and history professor, cashing more than $2.5 million in fraudulent checks in 26 countries.

Plus: Another meshing of great talent with a great concept: Tom Hanks, Leonardo DiCaprio, Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen led by Spielberg? This one should be sure-fire.

Minus: For the record, this is the same story with Road to Perdition, a movie that many people admired... but I've yet to find one person who actually thought it was great. You can cover too many bases when you make a movie like this, and there's been little to no buzz about it so far.

Number 4:Chicago (12/27). In an attempt to outdo Moulin Rouge, Miramax is putting out Chicago, a film of the revived Broadway musical. Lust, Seduction, Drunken Murder, Dance, Jarring Lighting, etc, etc, etc.

Plus/Minus: There's actually a lot being gambled here. Will audiences accept a film musical that's actually a musical (as supposed to Moulin Rouge, which was more of a three ring circus)? Can stars Catherine Zeta-Jones and Renee Zellweger carry off a movie like this? Can Richard Gere sing? Either way, as a spectacular Spectacle or a train wreck, it should prove to be one hell of a show.

Number 3:Solaris (11/27). George Clooney arrives at a space station orbiting an ocean world called Solaris to find bizarre things happening, such as the appearance of old acquaintances of the crew, including some who are dead. Steven Soderbergh (Ocean's 11, Traffic) directs, and James "I did Titanic and then sat on my ass for five years" Cameron produces.

Plus/Minus: Well, we haven't heard much about this project except that it was supposed to come out later. However, filming went so smoothly that they were able to release it in November. That's a pretty good sign that the studio has faith in their project, especially since it's competing on Thanksgiving Weekend. Expect thoughtful, spooky science fiction with a minimum of big-badda-booms, and plenty of George Clooney.

Number 2.Gangs of New York (12/20) This is director Martin Scorsese's (Casino, Goodfellas) labor of love which has taken almost a year and a half to release. The film starts in 1846 and ends in 1863 with the draft riots in New York's five points, the most violent part of the world at the time. The story is raised out of the conflicts between the white Anglo-Saxon "natives" and the Irish immigrants coming into the five points. Big names include Leonardo DiCaprio and Cameron Diaz.

Plus/Minus: In terms of artistic achievement and overall quality, this will be the one that will probably take the Oscar. It's got the pedigree, it's got the actors, it's got the director and the concept. In fact, if it weren't for one more little film, it'd be at the top of this list...

Number 1:Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (12/18). Enough said.

Plus: If anyone tells you that this film isn't the 800-pound gorilla of the holiday season, they are uninformed or lying. No film has more built in buzz or higher expectations, and no film will do as well.

Minus: Practically nothing. Only people who were turned off by the first one won't see the second one, or third one for that matter.

Also...Analyze That answers the question, how much can you sell out, Mr. DeNiro?... I Spy will be the worst buddy comedy ever made, period... Treasure Planet is yet another overly ambitious Disney Animated project. It looks to have great visuals, but it's got very, very strong competition... Slap Her, She's French may have the best title ever, but that doesn't mean people will see it... Robert Benigni's Pinocchio is apparently visually exciting, but it's also being released at Christmas, when is has to compete with, well, everyone... 8 Crazy Nights, an animated Adam Sandler movie. Huh?... Santa Clause 2 may prove to be the most unnecessary sequel since City Slickers 2... wait, no, that's Friday after Next... and Steven Seagal is in a movie called Half Past Dead. Sounds about right.