Now that we’ve reflected on films released in the first half of 2002, it’s time to take a look ahead at what’s ahead. Rather than take the easy way out and predict that highly anticipated movies such as Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers will finish in the top five overall (duh), I’ve chosen currently lower profile projects as my potential breakouts. All of the films listed below are currently scheduled for wide release between July 1st and December 31st, but since there were a number of smaller and independent films that I wanted to include, I’ll conclude this series next week with a profile of those movies.
Since his first Academy Award® nomination for Big in 1988, he’s gone through a variety of genres and roles, including an AIDS patient in Philadelphia, an endearing goober in Forrest Gump, a war hero in Saving Private Ryan, a death row prison guard in The Green Mile and a castaway in…well, you get the picture. Hanks simply knows how to pick good projects, and what’s more, he has the capability of turning a film that would do average box office with any other star into a blockbuster.
Road to Perdition tells the story of two fathers, Michael Sullivan (Hanks) and John Rooney (Newman). Sullivan works as a hit man for Rooney, who he looks at as a father figure. Rooney’s real son sees Sullivan as a competitor and is jealous of his father’s attention to his rival, causing their worlds to collide in tragic circumstances that send Sullivan and his son on a journey of revenge.
It doesn’t scream “mega-hit,” but then again, neither did The Green Mile or Cast Away. All reports thus far indicate that Road to Perdition is a spectacular film, and though it may initially start slow, I expect it to build to become one of this summer’s surprise sleeper hits.
In theaters July 12th
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2. Barbershop![]() It doesn’t necessarily sound like much on paper but it’s a concept that certainly appears set to be a niche hit. Director Tim Story notes, “The barbershop is the hub of the black community. It’s the one place you can go to get all the information about what’s going on.” Barbershop should have strong appeal for its demographic, and with a terrific and proven cast that includes the aforementioned Ice Cube, Cedric the Entertainer, Sean Patrick Thomas, and the hilarious and under-rated Anthony Anderson, there should be plenty of laughs with an upbeat and fresh presentation. Opens September 13th |
**3. Old School
With appeal across a broad demographic range and a novel combination of Animal House and American Pie/Road Trip/Dude Where’s My Car?, Old School may just be the film that propels “the other Wilson” to broader fame. **Pushed back to First Quarter 2003 just after this article was completed - check out the bonus selection at the end of the article |
4. Moonlight Mile![]() Though Moonlight Mile may not exactly light up the box office initially, it should have some staying power if the performances live up to hype. The trailer is solid and any additional marketing from Disney should attract the precise demographic for which it is aiming. Opens September 20th |
5. Spirited Away
Simply put, Spirited Away is the story of Chihiro, a listless and bored little girl whose family gets lost in the suburbs, causing them to end up in a mysterious town where her parents are turned into pigs and she is forced to become a servant for a witch. It sounds odd, but the animation is lovely and the film has already gained acceptance beyond Japan as it won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival and opened to enthusiastic audiences at the San Francisco International Film Festival. For fans of animation and animé in particular, Spirited Away is not to be missed. Opens September 20th |
6. Tuck Everlasting
The tale is based around Winnie Foster, a girl living during the early 20th century who wishes to escape her parents and her dull everyday life. While walking in the woods, she comes across the Tucks, a family with a secret. She befriends them and helps them when their secret becomes jeopardized. Tuck Everlasting is directed by Jay Russell, who previously helmed the wonderful family film My Dog Skip. The primary star is Alexis Bledel of WB’s Gilmore Girls, a terrific little show that has allowed her to capably develop her acting skills. Her costars include past Academy Award® winners William Hurt, Sissy Spacek and Ben Kingsley, which provides solid evidence that this film will be solidly targeted at the entire family rather than just the younger crowd. Combine all these elements and Tuck Everlasting appears to be a truly wholesome product with more to offer than just Scooby-Doo level dumb jokes or funny dogs to laugh at a la Snow Dogs. It’s rare that a film that is truly appropriate for all ages comes along, but this one certainly looks as though it could fit the bill. Opens October 11th |
7. Ring![]() This film has a hot premise and appears to be the likeliest entry for breakout horror film of the year. The plot surrounds a mysterious videotape that circulates amongst a group of people. The catch? Those who watch it die within seven days. Seattle reporter Rachel Keller thinks the story sounds like urban legend, but finds her own life thrown into tumult when the strange aura of the tape begins to encircle her.
Opens October 18th |
8. I Spy
I Spy is an update of the 1960s television series that starred Bill Cosby and Robert Culp. The story in the film version will be just slightly different, with Wilson playing the actual spy and Murphy taking on the role of a professional boxer whose assistance Wilson’s character enlists. It’ll be the first of two “buddy films” for Wilson in a two month span, with Shanghai Knights to follow in December. Expect I Spy to see a very strong marketing push and big numbers on opening weekend.
Opens November 1st
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9. 8 Mile![]() Yes, it really does star Eminem, and some folks apparently even think he has some acting chops. Love him or hate him, a lot bodes well for 8 Mile.
8 Mile has much, much more to offer, though. Director Curtis Hanson (another member of EW’s “It List”) has done some outstanding work in the past, including Wonder Boys and L.A. Confidential, which was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Picture and also happened to win the director an Oscar® for Adapted Screenplay. True fans of cinema will be interested in 8 Mile thanks to Hanson’s involvement, and it will almost certainly receive a heavy marketing push on MTV and the other more youth-targeted networks. This is going to be a big one. Opens November 8th |
10. Treasure Planet![]() Opens November 27th |
**11. Ghost Ship (Bonus Selection)![]() If this film isn’t on radar at this point, it absolutely should be. It’s the third film from Dark Castle Studios, which previously found Halloween season success with modernized updates of House on Haunted Hill and Thirt13en Ghosts, both updates of classic movies from horror film guru William Castle. Ghost Ship is the studio’s first effort at branching out beyond the Castle catalog, as he was in no way involved in the 1952 film on which this newest effort is based.
Much like the previous Dark Castle films, the cast is comprised of a several familiar faces that lend credibility to the production but aren’t known specifically as box office draws. Gabriel Byrne heads the group, and is joined by Isaiah Washington and former ER denizens Ron Eldard and Julianna Margulies. As with most horror movies, the cast isn’t all that important, but there’s no doubt that the earlier Castle productions would likely have been far less enjoyable affairs without the presence of some of the more talented cast members, such as Geoffrey Rush, Famke Janssen, Tony Shalhoub, F. Murray Abraham and Matthew Lillard. Ghost Ship promises to follow in the stylish footsteps of its predecessors, which comprise two of the ten best October openers ever. It should have a solid first weekend followed by typical horror film drops in weeks to follow. Opens October 25th |