“Not long after the webs have been spun, soon after the Ogres have taken the throne and a matter of days following the final voyage of the East India Trading Company, the summer season hits full throttle as we kick off our Summer Movie Preview. Ocean’s Thirteen June takes a gamble on its opening weekend with the final part in the Ocean’s trilogy.”
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Not long after the webs have been spun, soon after the Ogres have taken the throne and a matter of days following the final voyage of the East India Trading Company, the summer season hits full throttle as we kick off our Summer Movie Preview.

Ocean’s Thirteen

June takes a gamble on its opening weekend with the final part in the Ocean’s trilogy. Clooney and the gang (sans Julia Roberts and Catherine Zeta-Jones) have a large population of fans to win back after the disappointing 2004 sequel.

When one of the original 11, Reuben (played by Elliott Gould), is double-crossed by casino owner Willy Bank (none other than Al Pacino), Daniel Ocean corrals the rest of the team for the biggest heist yet. Ellen Barkin steps into the only pair of heels this time around. Director Steven Soderbergh (who promises this is the last installment) has guaranteed our thieving entourage goes out with a bang. Ocean’s Thirteen opens June 8.

Fantastic Four:

Rise of the Silver Surfer

The not-so-Fantastic Four are back. God only knows why. But the box office figures have spoken, and the $154 million summer blockbuster has returned. The four leads are back, bringing with them an interplanetary enigma bent on the destruction of earth.

In addition to their new nemesis, the four must battle an old archenemy as Julian McMahon (after much coercion and a rather large payday) steps back into the role of Von Doom. Thank God Jessica Alba returns, spandex and all. FF takes flight on June 15.

Ratatouille

Perhaps the only original film of the summer scurries into local theaters on June 22. Brad Bird helms the eighth Disney/Pixar collaborative effort with an all-star cast of vocal talents; including Brad Garrett, Janeane Garofalo, Ian Holm and Peter O’Toole.

Ratatouille is the story of a turmeric-loving rodent who aspires to be a Parisian chef. With the help of a lowly busboy, our meek and whiskered friend may reach those goals. After successfully creating Disney Magic with racecars and fish, I have faith the creative geniuses at Pixar will serve up another delicious treat.

Evan Almighty

Even higher powers love a good sequel. Funnyman Steve Carell returns to Buffalo to reprise his role as Evan Baxter from 2003’s Bruce Almighty in Evan Almighty.

For his latest life lesson, God (Morgan Freeman steps back into the celestial shoes) charges Baxter to build an Ark in preparation for another flood. Tagged the most expensive comedy ever made, Almighty hopes to compete with its predecessor’s $435 million worldwide gross. Wanda Sykes and John Goodman also star.

Transformers

July offers three of the most talked-about movies of the year.

First, celebrate your freedom and independence with a group of robotic individuals determined to destroy such fine living. Michael Bay is back in his element (slam-bang visual effects where the story really doesn’t matter) as he brings to the big screen the 1980s rage Transformers.

For those of you who either missed out on the comic, the cartoon or the collectibles, the battle between the two alien races – the Autobots and the Decepticons – hits home as the fate of humanity hinges on the victorious force. If the Decepticons win, we die.

Transformers, which stars Shia LaBeouf and Jon Voight, blasts into theaters on July 4.

Harry Potter and the

Order of the Phoenix

With the release of the final chapter in the young wizards’ adventures at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry right around the corner, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix apparates into theaters and IMAX’s worldwide on July 13.

Based on the fifth book in the series, Order picks up after the death of Cedric Diggory and the return of Lord Voldemort during the finale of the tri-wizard Tournament.

The film begins just days before the release of the seventh and final novel, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on July 20.

The Simpsons Movie

July closes with the release of the full-length film every fan has been salivating over since the rumors began over a year ago. The Simpsons Movie crashes into theaters on July 27.

While very little plot detail has been disclosed, rumors are now circulating about Bart going full frontal on the screen. Why, I ask you, why?

For a full rundown of all upcoming summer releases, check out the Summer Movie Preview at Rottentomatoes.com for a complete list and the buzz surrounding the new films.

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