Sarah Michelle Gellar

Upcoming movie season brings sequels, Superman and Tales of the South

When the year winds down movie speculation hardly ever holds up. The films you think will be big aren’t, the films we think will win awards don’t, and the films you’ve never heard of become water cooler talk.

All buzz aside however, there are a lot of films to be excited about going into ’06.

“Southland Tales”

Richard Kelly, the writer and director of Donnie Darko, is going to unleash another mind trip in ‘06. According to the IMDB, “Southland Tales” is an action/comedy/sci-fi/musical/psychological thriller. The film follows an ensemble cast as their separate story lines converge on Independence Day, 2008.

Little is known about the characters’ individual stories, but the main plot revolves around a new power source being derived from the earth’s oceans. A major component of the film is media in all forms, so Kelly is working to market the film to be interactive both before and after the release. The first three parts will of the story will be told in graphic novels, and the final three chapters will be provided by the film.

“It’s either going to be mind-blowing and genre-breaking, or it’s going to fall flat on its face,” film and video studies senior James Murnan said. “Either way, I think it will be like Donnie Darko in the sense that you’ll have to respect it. And if it works, hopefully the studios will take notice.”

“The New World”

We change presidents more times than director Terrence Malick makes films, although the wait is usually worth it. “The New World” has already made numerous top ten lists while still in limited release.

According to the film’s Web site, it was shot entirely with natural light and sound and the story follows John Smith (Colin Farrell) and Pocahontas’ (Q’Orianka Kilcher) relationship as it develops during the colonization of Jamestown, Virginia in the 17th century. The film opens Jan. 20.

“Superman Returns”

There probably won’t be a rock you can hide under in ‘06 thick enough to save you from hearing at least some buzz on “Superman Returns.”

“This is the one the theaters are banking on for the ‘06 year,” said Arpana Dalaya, assistant manager at Harkins Bricktown Cinema 16. “Hopefully, this film will break the so-called movie slump of 2005.”

Taking place roughly five years after the events in Superman II, the new film sees the iconic character returning from a self-imposed exile to find the city of Metropolis not quite the way he left it. The world he left has moved on, including his love, Lois Lane, who is engaged and has a child. Superman must embark on a mission of redemption to reclaim his place in the world while an old foe waits in hiding. The film opens in June.

“X-Men 3”

Although the X-Men franchise is going on without director Bryan Singer (who swapped X-Men with Brett Ratner, the original director of Superman Returns), it doesn’t look like it will lose any of its appeal. The new trailer can be viewed at www.apple.com.

According to the movie’s Web site, X3 will revolve around a cure being found for the mutant condition; once it goes public the lines are drawn between the X-Men and the Brotherhood of Mutants. Kelsey Grammer of “Frasier” comes into the fold as the blue-furred Beast, along with a host of other new characters, including The Angel and Juggernaut. The film opens May 26.

“Flags of our Fathers”

After the success of “Million Dollar Baby,” which won best picture at the Oscars last year, Clint Eastwood is stepping up in ’06 for more directing. According to the Internet Movie Database, Eastwood will release “Flags of Our Fathers,” about the life stories of the six men who raised the American flag at the Battle of Iowa Jima in World War II. Eastwood will also be directing a companion piece “Red Sun, Black Sand,” which tells the Japanese side of the same battle. Flags will be released in the fall, with Red Sun following shortly after.