[Ed. note: Each week I'll be breaking down the big summer blockbuster movie releases. If you're curious about what's coming out in future weeks, be sure to check out the Summer Movie Preview.]
FRIDAY, MAY 15TH
Box Office Gold: Angels & Demons
Worth Seeing? Tom Hanks and director Ron Howard returns to Da Vinci Code territory with this adaptation of author Dan Brown’s first book, a prequel of sorts to Da Vinci. This one’s aimed squarely at a more mature audience, as the under-25 crowd is probably going to find Star Trek or several of May 22nd’s offerings far preferable to Forrest Gump sorting out the mysteries of the bible. If you’re a Da Vinci Code fan, however, this is a can’t-miss proposition.
Counter-programming: The Tampa Theatre scores with Little Ashes, the story of the 1922 meeting of Salvador Dalí, writer Federico García Lorca and filmmaker Luis Buñuel in Madrid, Spain. Dalí and Lorca ended up having a deep friendship — a friendship portrayed in the film as more than just palling around at the bullfights. The historians disagree on whether or not the pair went all the way, though Wikipedia points to yes so it must be true. The film was directed by noted documentary filmmaker Paul Morrison and stars Twilight heartthrob Robert Pattinson as Dalí, giving Ashes maybe just enough star wattage to cut through the summer clutter. Maybe.
Previews after the jump …
This article appears in May 27 – Jun 2, 2009.