BAM's Blog and Staticblog present the 2010 summer movie preview

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“Iron Man 2″

Staticblog’s George Lang and I have labored long and hard to round up our annual summer movie preview, seeking out each and every cinematic specimen – from the potential studs to the clearcut culls – due out in theaters this season. It also appears in Friday’s Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman.

Summer movie roundup: Sequels, remakes and adaptations abound

By early May, having been through the serious art of Oscar season, a switch flips in moviegoers’ collective brains and they start craving adrenaline surges. It’s summer, and even the most self-serious critics start salivating over the latest Pixar movie, or the one gazillion-dollar effects extravaganza that doesn’t treat audiences like illiterate chumps. Fun is in order, stadium-seating style.

The bitter pill to be choked back and washed down with a $5 soda is that this summer is chockablock with sequels, remakes and adaptations — this might be the most market-tested movie season in cinematic history.

Which still doesn’t diminish expectations for “Iron Man 2,” mainly because director Jon Favreau is not some Michael Bay-style hack, taking pleasure-center readouts from Maxim subscribers and front-loading them into big, dumb, CG-heavy flicks. And there’s more — much, much more. It’s a summer movie explosion, and Bay has nothing to do with it.

So note the most promising potential blockbusters on your calendar. But remember that movie studios often shift release dates, so check your local listings before heading to the theater.

Today

Robert Downey Jr. returns as the man in the red suit in “Iron Man 2,” doing battle with Ivan Vanko (Mickey Rourke) and undercover spy Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) in what is possibly the most anticipated movie of the summer.

For something a lot cuddlier, there is “Babies,” a documentary following the first year in the lives of babies in Mongolia, San Francisco, Tokyo and Namibia.

<img class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-21508" title="sketch to screen 4" src="http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/wp-content/imagescaler/db37b65a3b8bf63d8280b0d8950ac501.jpg" alt="" width="528" height="410" imagescaler="http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/wp-content/imagescaler/db37b65a3b8bf63d8280b0d8950ac501.jpg" /> Christina Hicks works on a display of gowns from "Gone With the Wind" for the "Sketch to Screen" exhibit at the Oklahoma City Museum of Art. The green dress Hicks is working with is a reproduction of Scarlett O’Hara’s famed green gown that according to the film’s plot is fashioned from curtains. )Photo by David McDaniel/The Oklahoman) From Friday's Weekend Look section of The Oklahoman. Plenty of activities appeal to Mom this weekend in Oklahoma On Sunday, Americans will pay tribute to the moms in their lives. Or at least they’d better. Traditionally, finding a Mother’s Day present involves raiding the nearest florist, candy aisle or jewelry store. Avoiding the kitchenware, automotive and tool departments is recommended unless a Mom asks specifically for a gift from one of those areas. But creative thinkers — and the shopping-phobic like me — can instead express their appreciation for dear mama through art. Several metro area museums, performers and art galleries are offering opportunities to make memories with Mom this weekend. And if an actual gift in a box if a must-have, local galleries and museum gift shops are the perfect places to find unique items more lasting than flowers and less fattening than chocolates. Moms love smart kids, and several top attractions are offering a smart deal on Sunday: free entry for Mom with one paid admission. The Oklahoma City Museum of Art, American Banjo Museum, Oklahoma City Zoo, Oklahoma City National Memorial and Norman’s Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art and Sam Noble Oklahoma Museum of Natural History are among the places treating their motherly visitors Sunday. If your matriarch is a movie buff, pop culture fanatic or fashionista, take her to see the OKC Museum of Art’s new exhibit “Sketch to Screen: The Art of Hollywood Costume Design.” The original show includes more than 65 costumes, 20 accessories and 30 original and reproduced sketches spanning American cinematic history. Outfits worn by Audrey Hepburn, Bette Davis, Charlton Heston, George Clooney, Meryl Streep, Russell Crowe, Kate Winslet, Robert DeNiro and Johnny Depp are featured in the fascinating exhibit. It definitely is among the stops on the Mother’s Day outing I’m planning for my madre. For more information, call 236-3100 or go to <a href="http://www.okcmoa.com/">www.okcmoa.com</a>. <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-21511" title="national cowboy guitar - gibson 20th century" src="http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/wp-content/imagescaler/3a252b61e95a8e479c5698d6ab22b76a.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="341" imagescaler="http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/wp-content/imagescaler/3a252b61e95a8e479c5698d6ab22b76a.jpg" /> This Gibson tribute guitar featured in the National Cowboy Museum's exhibit "The Guitar: Art, Artists and Artisans" pays homage to big moments of the 20th century. (Photo by Chris Landsberger/The Oklahoman) Mom and I also plan to indulge our love for art and music by seeing the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum’s special exhibit “The Guitar: Art, Artists and Artisans” before it closes Sunday. “The Guitar” features about 50 instruments, from historic models dating to the 19th century and elaborately tuneful tributes to musical legends to Dallas artist Amanda Dunbar’s dazzling crystal-decorated art guitars and beloved tools of the trade loaned from hitmakers like Garth Brooks, Vince Gill and Toby Keith. The National Cowboy Museum is closing two other exhibits Sunday: “The Power of Music: Photographic Portraits of Americans and Their Musical Instruments, 1860-1915” and “Bonita WaWa Calachaw Nuñez: Selected Works.” And the museum restaurant, Dining on Persimmon Hill, is planning a special Mother’s Day brunch Sunday. For more information or brunch reservations, call 478-2250 or go to <a href="http://www.nationalcowboymuseum.org/">www.nationalcowboymuseum.org</a>. <img title="Cirque Dreams Illumination Perch" src="http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/wp-content/imagescaler/4f5e311f89fbc122c2a3e0253706fa84.jpg" alt="" width="528" height="355" imagescaler="http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/wp-content/imagescaler/4f5e311f89fbc122c2a3e0253706fa84.jpg" /> "Cirque Dreams: Illumination" For maternal types with a heart for the fanciful, “Cirque Dreams: Illumination” merges theater, dance and circus-style acrobatics into one imaginative show. Presented by Celebrity Attractions, performances are set for 8 tonight, 2 and 8 p.m. Saturday and 2 and 7 p.m. Sunday at the Civic Center. For more information, call (800) 869-1451 or go to <a href="http://www.celebrityattractions.com/">www.celebrityattractions.com</a>. For those willing to celebrate a day or two early, the monthly Paseo Gallery Walk will showcase new artwork, live music, wine tastings and more from 6 to 10 tonight and noon to 5 p.m. Saturday in the historic Paseo Arts District. From noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, children can decorate and fill a basket for their mom or grandma, gathering goodies like flowers, candy and stationary from the galleries as they go. Or youngsters can fix a goodie basket to donate to a deserving family in the neighborhood. Only 100 baskets will be available, so kids are encouraged to start their artistic journey early. For more information, call 525-2688 or <a href="http://www.thepaseo.com/">www.thepaseo.com</a>. <img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-21507" title="Plaza Suite Mary Ann Strandell" src="http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/wp-content/imagescaler/a8bc4ee84266bd308cd6c08cce4fb4ac.jpg" alt="" width="365" height="467" imagescaler="http://blog.newsok.com/bamsblog/wp-content/imagescaler/a8bc4ee84266bd308cd6c08cce4fb4ac.jpg" /> Mary Ann Strandell's "Plaza Suite" At the Paseo gallery JRB Art at the Elms, a new exhibition titled “Indexes of Mediated Space” will feature the paintings, drawings, prints and a video projection from nationally known artist Mary Ann Strandell will open tonight during the gallery walk. Then, independent contemporary curator Shannon Fitzgerald, who organized the exhibit, will give a gallery talk at 3 p.m. Sunday. For more information, call 528-6336 or go to <a href="http://www.jrbartgallery.com/">www.jrbartgallery.com</a>. Those who prefer to fete Mom with art for the ears can hear Oklahoma City pianist Wayne McEvilly play “Mozart for Mother’s Day” at 2 p.m. at the Ronald J. Norick Downtown Library. Or, Spiritful Voices Community Choir will perform selections from its broad repertoire of classical choral pieces, show tunes, spirituals and more at 3 p.m. Sunday at the Belle Isle Library. Both concerts are free. For more information, go to <a href="http://www.metrolibrary.org/">www.metrolibrary.org</a> and click on the calendar tab. And for even more activities for Mom, go to <a href="http://www.wimgo.com/">www.wimgo.com</a> search “Mother’s Day.” -BAM

“Robin Hood”

May 14

Ridley Scott and Russell Crowe tromp into Sherwood Forest for the yet another retelling of the “Robin Hood” saga, with Cate Blanchett as Marian and Matthew Macfadyen (“Pride and Prejudice”) as the Sherriff of Nottingham.

That bow-and-arrow fest is counterprogrammed by “Letters to Juliet,” in which a young woman (ingénue du jour Amanda Seyfried) finds one of the many notes left for William Shakespeare’s fictional heroine at her Verona home.

In “Just Wright,” a physical therapist (Queen Latifah) falls for NBA all-star Scott McKnight (Common), but has to compete for his affections with his childhood friend (Paula Patton), who has trophy-wife dreams.

“Shrek Forever After”

May 21

Now picking his ears in 3-D, Shrek (Mike Myers) returns in “Shrek Forever After,” only to find his fairytale home in shambles and waging war with Princess Fiona (Cameron Diaz) in what is expected to be the final chapter — unless it just rakes in tons of green.

Meanwhile, Will Forte takes his “MacGruber” character from “Saturday Night Live” to the big screen, where he attempts to recover a nuclear warhead stolen by his arch nemesis (Val Kilmer, of course).

“Sex and the City 2″

May 27

There might be a wedding — or not — but Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) Samantha (Kim Cattrall), Charlotte (Kristin Davis) and Miranda (Cynthia Nixon) encounter shoes, sexual hijinks, an Abu Dhabi getaway, Liza Minnelli and possibly a flashback sequence in “Sex and the City 2.”

“Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time”

May 28

Dastan (Jake Gyllenhaal), a former street urchin adopted by royalty, must recover some mystical dirt from an evil overlord (Ben Kingsley) in the video game adaptation, “Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.”

Then, zombies invade a bucolic island refuge as powerful factions argue over whether to kill or cure the rotting brain masticators in George A. Romero’s “Survival of the Dead.”

“Get Him to the Greek”

June 4

In “Get Him to the Greek,” a sorta-kinda sequel to “Forgetting Sarah Marshall,” music business flunky Aaron Green (Jonah Hill, not playing his “Sarah Marshall” character) must ferry uncontrollable rock star Aldous Snow (Russell Brand, playing his “Sarah Marshall character”) from London to Los Angeles.

Then, Katherine Heigl reteams with her “Ugly Truth” director, Robert Luketic, for “Killers,” in which desperate lonely heart Jennifer (Heigl) meets Spencer (Ashton Kutcher), a spy with a best friend (Rob Riggle) trying to kill him.

If those sound too wacky, check out “Splice,” a sci-fi thriller starring Adrian Brody and Sarah Polley as scientists creating human-animal mutations, or Owen Wilson as the voice of a big dog in “Marmaduke.”

“Karate Kid”

June 11

Joe Carnahan (“Smokin’ Aces”) engages in ‘80s schlock nostalgia but possibly to super-cool effect in “The A-Team,” with Bradley Cooper as Faceman, Liam Neeson as Hannibal and best of all, Sharlto Copley of “District 9” as Murdoch. We pity the fool that isn’t excited.

Jaden Smith engages in ‘80s schlock nostalgia but possibly to super-cool effect in “The Karate Kid,” starring Jackie Chan as the inscrutable martial arts master.

“Toy Story 3″

June 18

Kindergarteners who loved “Toy Story 2” when it first ran in theaters are now picking colleges, but Woody and Buzz Lightyear have eternal appeal. In “Toy Story 3,” Andy is headed to college himself, and our heroes must face the ultimate challenge: surviving donation to a day care.

Josh Brolin plays a different kind of cowboy in “Jonah Hex,” a mystical bounty hunter who can hunt down anyone or anything.

“Knight and Day”

June 25

High-minded humor is the order of the day as Adam Sandler, David Spade, Rob Schneider, Chris Rock and Kevin James yuck it up in “Grown Ups,” a comedy about old high school buddies reuniting for a classy weekend.

And this is not “Killers”: In “Knight and Day,” desperate lonely heart June (Cameron Diaz) meets Roy (Tom Cruise), a spy with many people trying to kill him.

“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse”

June 30

Team Edward and Team Jacob, get your T-shirts on: In “The Twilight Saga: Eclipse,” Bella (Kristen Stewart) must choose between brooding vampire Edward (Robert Pattinson) and oft-shirtless werewolf Jacob (Taylor Lautner).

“The Last Airbender”

July 2

Now that James Cameron has authoritatively called dibs on the title “Avatar,” writer-director M. Night Shyamalan’s adaptation of the animated TV series is just dubbed “The Last Airbender.” Set for 3-D release, the fantasy follows young Aang (Noah Ringer), who has the rare ability to manipulate all four elements: fire, air, water and earth.

For less fanciful drama, Chace Crawford stars as a Manhattan drug dealer whose life unravels after his cousin’s murder in “Twelve,” a Sundance Film Festival selection directed by bombast whiz Joel Schumacher.

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