Yes, summer doesn't officially begin until June 21, but the folks in Hollywood like to start things off early, so the summer blockbusters season is officially beginning. Last year, movies like Spider-Man 3, Shrek the Third, Transformers, Ocean's 13 (and many others) took a lot of people to the movies, with total ticket sales amounting to almost $10 billion. This year, the grand total may not be that much, but with a little help from the following movies, it's likely to come close.

Here are the blockbusters you should watch out for, starting this week:

Speed Racer (May 9)

The cartoon series Speed Racer was a very successful adaptation of a Japanese anime originally called Mach GoGoGo. Still, I wouldn't make a movie out of it, but the Wachowski brothers thought it was a good idea. I really liked watching the show when I was a kid (seriously, how gay am I?), so I'm curious as to how they're going to adapt it. I'm also curious to see Trixie (Speed's girlfriend), played by Christina Ricci. Go Speed Racer, go!

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (May 22)

Indiana Jones (and Harrison Ford) is finally back for the fourth film in the series. No, Indy doesn't have a cane yet, but we'll meet an older version of the character, obviously. However, the character I'm most looking forward to meeting (as are you, probably) is Agent Irina Spalko, the evildoer played by the lovely Cate Blanchett. Actually, she'll play a Soviet Union agent. How hot is that? Yeah, not much, I guess. But not so bad either, in a sexy dominatrix kind of way (see the pictures and you'll know what I mean.) They can certainly count on my 10 bucks! … continue reading

What do Will Smith, Meryl Streep, Gillian Anderson, Steve Carrell, Cate Blanchett, and the young girl from Akele and the Bee have in common? They're all starring in movies we want to see this summer. (Archeology! Singing! Football! Not all in the same movie, fortunately.)

In this episode of SMMWT!, Lori and I discuss which movies coming out this summer we really want to see — and which ones we definitely don't. (One word: Baghead. Yes, that's right, it's a movie about a guy wearing a paper bag over his head. 'Nuff said.)

As you can tell by my voice and vague resemblance to road kill, I'm still recovering from the cold I got at Dinah, so please bear with me if I seem a little low-key. I'll be back up to full-speed soon, so enjoy my slower pace while it lasts (I know Lori is!).

What summer movies are you most looking forward to? Chime in in the comments!

Another Friday, another new movie trailer. But don't be confused by the title on this one. Wanted isn't an Angelina Jolie biopic. Instead, it's an Angelina Jolie action-thriller.

Earlier this week, the new, longer, more action-packed trailer for the summer spectacular Wanted came out. It's things like this I can really get behind, so to speak.

The film, based on the graphic novel series by Mark Millar, looks like a mix of old-fangled shoot 'em up and newfangled bending of the laws of physics. It revolves around a secret society of assassins, dubbed the Fraternity. Morgan Freeman plays the Fraternity's leader, Sloan; James McAvoy is its hapless newcomer, Wes, and Angie is its ace assassin, Fox. Gosh, if there were ever a name that matched its character. Give the trailer a look and see for yourself (see it in hi-def here):

Hmm. In general I'm of the "more Jolie, the Jolier" school of thought, but I'm getting a distinct sense of déjà vu with this preview. We've seen action Angie before in the Tomb Raider films. We've seen secret agent Angie in Mr. & Mrs. Smith. … continue reading

That's the headline over at Eonline.com, anyway. We all know that Reese Witherspoon doesn't hesitate to speak up about women's issues from a feminist perspective, and this time she's addressing women's roles in Hollywood. She's been promoting her upcoming quirky little film called Penelope.

If you missed the 9 out of 10 movies that manage to pigeonhole talented actresses into tiny, underutilized roles or stereotypes, here's her take. Witherspoon wants a shot. At playing a badass with a gun, that is. And she's annoyed with shoot-'em-ups that feature some dude gunning down the baddies and saving the day. Or the woman, or the world, or any combination thereof. (I think I've seen the trailer for that movie under three different titles this week.) Her words:

"Why does the guy get to shoot him? I want the girl to shoot him! I love watching Angelina Jolie kick ass in Mr. & Mrs. Smith, and I can't wait to see her in Wanted. I would love to shoot someone. In the kneecap or something, just to stop them!"

Well. Hardly the words of a steel-nerved gunslinger. It's true she's no Angelina Jolie, but maybe I can see it. But even after gunning somebody down, you know Reese would end up looking more innocent and wholesome than before she drew the gun. Even leather chaps and a motorcycle helmet make her look petite. The stills from Penelope just make me want to pat her on the head. … continue reading

This week the trailer and stills from Angelina Jolie’s new action flick Wanted hit the web. And when I say hit, I mean sped into like a bullet. Make that a lot of bullets.

The film, costarring Morgan Freeman and James McAvoy, involves a secret society of assassins and a lot of shooting. While I can’t say I’m overly impressed with the dialogue, you really can’t beat the visuals. Angie and guns. So simple, yet so satisfying. (I recommend taking a look in hi-def here, too.) … continue reading