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Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest

Director: Gore Verbinski
Stars: Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley (Full Cast)
Studio: American Broadcasting Company (ABC)

The Plot: When Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) finds out he owes a blood debt to ghostly Davey Jones, he desperately searches for a way to pay it off, or else face eternal damnation in the afterworld. And he's not above interrupting the wedding plans of Will Turner (Bloom) and Elizabeth Swann (Knightley) to do it.

Photos (see all 255 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 43)

THE BUZZ: All the major players are back -- including director Verbinski and the original screenwriters -- and Disney took a cue from Lord of the Rings and shot back-to-back sequels (PotC: World's End arrives next May). It will be interesting to see where this one ranks once the trilogy is complete, and it's interesting to note this is one of the few times in the history of movie marketing that a romance storyline has been played down, as the fawn eyes between Will and Elizabeth have taken a back seat (rightly) to Cap'n Jack.

Trailer Buzz: We hear the teaser for Michael Bay's Transformers will debut in front of the good Captain.

Message Boards: Will and Tia Dalma Question (Slight Spoiler) | Jack or Will? (spoiler)

A Scanner Darkly

Director: Richard Linklater
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Winona Ryder, Robert Downey Jr. (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Independent Pictures (WIP)

The Plot: Undercover cop Fred (Keanu Reeves) is one of many agents hooked on the popular drug Substance D, which causes its users to develop split personalities. Fred, for instance, is also Bob, a notorious drug dealer. Along with his superior officers, Fred sets up an elaborate scheme to catch Bob and tear down his operation.

Photos (see all 56 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 12)

THE BUZZ: Linklater adapted Philip K. Dick's novel -- a s/f fan favorite -- in a fashion that reportedly tickled the Dick estate. As he did with Waking Life, the director shot a live-action version of the film, then had it animated. This is one of those projects that infuriates genre purists; Darkly also seems to be confounding Linklater's fans, who love the material but question the star. While that drama plays out, please know that Linklater is going for a much more realistic type of animation this time, not the wavy, stoned style of Waking Life. Warner Bros. must have liked what they eventually saw, as the film was granted this high profile release date after being delayed for a few months.

Message Boards: Preachy anti-drug garbage. | the dedication at the end

Strangers with Candy [limited]

Director: Paul Dinello
Stars: Amy Sedaris, Stephen Colbert, Paul Dinello (Full Cast)
Studio: THINKFilm

The Plot: Fresh from prison, 47-year-old Jerri Blank (Sedaris), moves back in with her comatose father (Hedaya), his new wife (Rush), and her son (Cross). A self-admitted "boozer, user, and loser," Jerri re-enrolls as a freshman at Flat Point High School, where she'll have to use his street smarts to make alliances, get out of tricky situations, and ultimately help a team of students win the state science fair.

Photos (see all 24 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 115)

THE BUZZ: With Sarah Jessica Parker playing a horny grief counselor, and Philip Seymour Hoffman and Allison Janney also added to the mix, this reimagining of the depraved Comedy Central TV show (which aired from 1999-2000 and is a hit on DVD) promises to be as hilarious as it is offensive. No matter how many celebrity cameos there are, no matter the legal troubles that led to a release delay and distributor change, this is all about Sedaris. And even if die-hard fans are being super whiny pee-pants over the differences between the show and film (why a new Derek? why a new Orlando? wah!), we have a feeling the cult movie of 2006 is here.

Message Boards: Hmmm. | the meat man!!!!!

Little Man

Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans
Stars: Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Kerry Washington (Full Cast)
Studio: Revolution Studios

The Plot: A wannabe dad (Shawn Wayans) and mom (Washington) are duped by a short, baby-faced criminal (Marlon Wayans) on the lam as his newly adopted son.

Photos (see all 17 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 13)

THE BUZZ: Even if the Wayans's sort of comedy isn't your thing, you can't deny the glee with which their audience anticipates their every move. And this isn't a niche crowd, either; the near-universally dismissed White Chicks made $70 million at the box office alone. But it appears as though they've gone from high-concept gross-out comedy to just ... gross ... with this one.

Message Boards: Who Cares! I laughed anyway ;-) | Racist Movie please read

You, Me and Dupree

Director: Anthony Russo Joe Russo
Stars: Kate Hudson, Owen Wilson, Matt Dillon (Full Cast)
Studio: Universal Pictures

The Plot: A recently married couple's wedded bliss is tested when their best man (Wilson) moves in with them for an undefined period of time.

Photos (see all 57 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 19)

THE BUZZ: With the Russo brothers behind the cameras, and three of the most likeable stars you can imagine, Dupree wants to be this year's Wedding Crashers. But why does the trailer come off as a grown-up version of An American Pie? Might as well call this Stifler Moves In.

Message Boards: Carl....Carl... | why not show mandy the librarian??

Edmond [limited]

Director: Stuart Gordon
Stars: William H. Macy, Julia Stiles, Joe Mantegna (Full Cast)
Studio: First Independent Pictures

The Plot: A fortune-teller's rumination sends Edmond Burke (Macy) lurching into New York City's underbelly, where his tentative connection with a waitress (Stiles) ultimately brings out his dark nature.

Photos (see all 16 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 9)

THE BUZZ: You'd think a David Mamet play in the hands of cult director Stuart Gordon would generate considerable hype, but we really haven't heard an anti-social peep from Edmond since its premiere at the Venice Film Festival last year. And neither William H. Macy nor Julia Stiles is out on the publicity trail; maybe that's the best way to not spoil what happens to Ms. Stiles' character. But for those of you who have longed to see Macy in the nude (again, if you missed The Cooler), here's your chance ...

Message Boards: 100 Things Learned from 'Edmond' | most disturbing flims

The Oh in Ohio [LA/NY]

Director: Billy Kent
Stars: Parker Posey, Paul Rudd, Danny DeVito (Full Cast)
Studio: Cyan Pictures

The Plot: Frustrated by the fact that he's never given his wife, Priscilla (Posey), an orgasm, Jack (Rudd) moves out of their home, and into a relationship with his comely student (Mischa Barton). Though Priscilla first turns her attention to a battery-operated lover, she finds an unlikely partner in Wayne (DeVito), a chunky businessman more than twice her age.

Photos (see all 12 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 5)

THE BUZZ: Unless it gets swallowed up by blockbusters and higher-profile indies, this stealth sex comedy should go into wider and wider release as the summer picks up. We hear Posey's physical comedy is aces, Rudd's brooding is unparalleled, and DeVito doesn't plays it as hammy as you'd expect. Liza Minnelli locks down another bizarro role as a sex guru, while Heather Graham goes uncredited as a clerk who gets Parker P. hooked on the buzz.

Message Boards: Heather Graham uncredited? | Unfinished

The Groomsmen [LA/NY]

Director: Edward Burns
Stars: Edward Burns, Matthew Lillard, Brittany Murphy (Full Cast)
Studio: Vivendi Entertainment

The Plot: A groom (Ed Burns) and his four attendants wrestle with issues related to friendship and maturity a week before the big day.

Photos (see all 9 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 7)

THE BUZZ: Strip the Irish Catholicism from The Brothers McMullen, center the story on a more townie version of Barry McMullen, and presto ... Ed Burns has a new film. "We need to rock one more time before you walk down the aisle." Stale popcorn; even VH1 is fresher.

Message Boards: John Mahoney | Jay Mohr's Performance...Comed ic Timing at its Finest

Mini's First Time [limited]

Director: Nick Guthe
Stars: Alec Baldwin, Nikki Reed, Carrie-Anne Moss (Full Cast)
Studio: Home Box Office Home Video (HBO)

The Plot: Life takes a debaucherous twist for Mini (Reed), an 18-year-old bombshell with a penchant for trying new things, when she takes up prostitution. When her stepfather (Baldwin) becomes her first client, the duo plot against Mimi's mother (Moss) to avoid various repercussions, though their actions attract an investigator (Luke Wilson) who might just topple their house of cards.

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THE BUZZ: Flying way below the radar, don't expect Mini to create anywhere near the amount of controversy Hard Candy whipped up. Maybe we're just getting old, but black comedies such as this don't have the same taste they used to. More than anything, this looks like a giant sidestep for everyone involved, especially Nikki Reed, who should maybe focus on diversifying herself a bit.

Message Boards: Minni's friend at school... | Chapter Headings, v1.00:

Lady in the Water

Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Stars: Paul Giamatti, Bryce Dallas Howard (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

The Plot: One night, Cleveland Heep (Giamatti), superintendent of The Cove apartments, rescues the mysterious Story (Howard) from the complex's pool. She may be a narf, a nymph-like creature of storybook legend, but there's no doubt that something otherworldly, something vicious, has followed her here.

Photos (see all 43 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 16)

THE BUZZ: Hey, here's a question: Will M. Night Shyamalan ever make like the reforming Woody Allen and promote his movie before his name? Most everyone called him out of The Woods, and the backlash has certainly hurt Lady's word of mouth. And it's too bad, because this adaptation of a bedtime story he wrote for his children holds promise. I mean, something cool had to lure cinematographer Christopher Doyle out of Asia to shoot the film ... Maybe M. Night will tone it down for his second film at Warner Bros. ... might he direct the Half-Blood Prince?)

Message Boards: D+D | so why is it so bad

Monster House

Director: Gil Kenan
Stars: Mitchel Musso, Sam Lerner, Spencer Locke (Full Cast)
Studio: Sony Pictures Entertainment (SPE)

The Plot: Three young kids discover that one of the houses in their neighborhood really a living, breathing, scary monster.

Photos (see all 25 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 21)

THE BUZZ: Robert Zemeckis is guiding director Gil Kenan's debut, and the producer is using the same motion-capture technology he employed for The Polar Express last year. Who is Gil Kenan? He graduated from UCLA's film school and bowled people over (including his mentor here) with a short entitled The Lark. We love the concept here, the design, and, of course, the cast. This looks to be the family film to beat this summer ... more so than even Cars? While $200 million is lofty, the movie doesn't have anywhere near the same expectation, and it's not like any of the August family movies are going to pose a threat.

Message Boards: Inappropriate portrayal of obese people (Spoilers) | Monster House #9 on list of best animated movies

Clerks II

Director: Kevin Smith
Stars: Brian O'Halloran, Jeff Anderson, Rosario Dawson (Full Cast)
Studio: Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

The Plot: When the Quick Stop burns up, old pals Randal Graves (Anderson) and Dante Hicks (O'Halloran) are forced to join the crew at Mooby's, a fast food joint where dreams go to die.

Photos (see all 45 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 11)

THE BUZZ: When Kevin Smith finally arrived at Comic-Con this year, he had a lot to say about his forthcoming projects, critic Joel Siegel, and even some thoughts on his latest movie. Watch the big guy here.

Message Boards: Most of this movie is crap.... | Funniest line?

My Super Ex-Girlfriend

Director: Ivan Reitman
Stars: Uma Thurman, Luke Wilson, Anna Faris (Full Cast)
Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

The Plot: Matt (Wilson) dumps his girlfriend Jenny (Thurman) for being too needy, and eventually hooks up with his co-worker (Faris). Bewildered is he when Jenny morphs into her alternate form, G-Girl, a superhero who will now use all of her abilities to bust up Matt's new union.

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THE BUZZ: Directed by Ivan Reitman? Holy 80s rom-com ... If you needed further proof that only a select group of filmmakers know what to do with both Thurman and Wilson, here's your crowdpleaser. However, this summer is the season of the unlikely date movie, as the junky The Break-Up is still going strong and You, Me and Dupree opened big in the wake of PotC 2. Girlfriend's release date slid all over the place, and there wasn't a coherent marketing angle after their Superman spoofs proved irrelevant. Personally, I would pay someone $50 to never watch Uma/The Bride act needy again. It's like watching SMG in The Grudge after "Buffy" ... doesn't work.

Message Boards: nerdy Uma sexier than regular Uma | Wardrobe

Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos [limited]

Director: Paul Crowder John Dower
Stars: Pelé, Giorgio Chinaglia, Matt Dillon (Full Cast)
Studio: ESPN

The Plot: In the 1970s, the New York Cosmos, a soccer team backed by a media mogul with a dream to break the sport in the U.S., are born.

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THE BUZZ: Funk music and 70's excess drive this documentary from co-directors Paul Crowder (Stacy Peralta's homeboy) and John Dower (who last offered Live Forever, a 90's Britpop doc). Pele fetishists and PC sports fans (you know, people who pronounce "football" as "futbol") will flock while the rest of us realize that, some 30+ years later, America just isn't that hip on a global scale.

Message Boards: What? No Pele? | New York Cosmos

The Amateurs [LA/NY]

Director: Michael Traeger
Stars: Jeff Bridges, Ted Danson, Joe Pantoliano (Full Cast)
Studio: Newmarket Films

The Plot: A man (Bridges) in the midst of his mid-life crisis somehow convinces the residents of his small town to come together and make an adult film.

Photos (see all 27 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 8)

THE BUZZ: Are you sure this isn't a UK film? Because it sounds like The Full Monty, Calendar Girls, etc. If Ted Danson even thinks about disrobing, I'm outta here.

Message Boards: What a lame film,This film is a joke. | Two words: Otis Cartwright

Miami Vice

Director: Michael Mann
Stars: Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Li Gong (Full Cast)
Studio: Universal Pictures

The Plot: Vice detectives James Crockett (Farrell) and Ricardo Tubbs (Foxx) go deep undercover to take down a murderous group of criminals who are trafficking drugs into South Florida.

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THE BUZZ: With M:i:III and Superman Returns going soft on audiences, something tells us Crockett and Tubbs are poised to hit the box office jackpot -- even if neither Farrell nor Foxx appear remotely interested in pounding the beat to promote their film. Turns out the press is more than willing to do their work for them, as both high- and low-brow reviewers are enjoying the stank of South Florida's underbelly. We hear, however, the film's success has everything to do with the critic-proof Michael Mann's ability to turn a project gone wild into a completed film (weather, danger, and diva fever reportedly plagued the production). Don't expect a sequel, but you can imagine the studios will be eyeing Vice's behavior during its first couple weeks, as many of the big houses have 80s TV-to-film adaptations in development. None of them will be as serious and cool as this one.

Message Boards: See 'Intermission' and 'Miami Vice' Back to Back | This is the most criminally underated film in the history of cinema

Little Miss Sunshine [7/26 -- limited]

Director: Jonathan Dayton Valerie Faris
Stars: Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Greg Kinnear (Full Cast)
Studio: Fox Searchlight Pictures

The Plot: A dysfunctional family determined to get their young daughter into the finals of a beauty pageant take a trip from New Mexico to California in their VW bus.

Photos (see all 37 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 21)

THE BUZZ: Within hours of its premiere at Sundance, Fox Searchlight snapped up worldwide rights to this dark comedy from Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris (who probably never want you to know they once directed videos for Belinda Carlisle, Extreme, etc.). The co-directors and screenwriter Michael Arndt have apparently created a relatable, accessible cast of characters that never get too quirky for their own good. A suicidal Steve Carrell? A smack-addicted Alan Arkin? Abigail Breslin stealing Dakotah Fanning's child star crown? We're sold. Besides, wouldn't you want Alan Arkin to tell you that you're the most beautiful girl in the world?

Message Boards: Based on how he taught Olive to dance, was Grandpa a pedophile? | The greatest farce about this film

The Ant Bully

Director: John A. Davis
Stars: Paul Giamatti, Nicolas Cage, Julia Roberts (Full Cast)
Studio: Warner Bros. Pictures

The Plot: After Lucas Nickle floods an ant colony with his watergun, he's shrunken down to insect size and sentenced to hard labor in the ruins.

Photos (see all 52 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 21)

THE BUZZ: Director John A. Davis came out of nowhere several years back with Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius, one of the first hits for the pact between Nickelodeon Movies and Paramount. Davis's sense of humor and his stellar voice cast (if you care about such things, Julia Roberts voice the queen ant) should make for good word of mouth, even though few people are saying much about the film during the week of its release. With Superman Returns and Lady in the Water performed less than expected, this is shaping up to be WB's hardest worker of the summer.

Message Boards: I dunno if this one line was intentional... | Why, oh why.....

John Tucker Must Die

Director: Betty Thomas
Stars: Jesse Metcalfe, Ashanti, Arielle Kebbel (Full Cast)
Studio: Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation

The Plot: When three high school girls realize they're all dating the same guy (Metcalfe), they set out to ruin his life. They coax a fourth girl into a plot to win his heart, then break it ...

Photos (see all 46 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 15)

THE BUZZ: Sophia "I'm Chad Michael Murray's First Ex-Wife" Bush, Arielle "I'm Not Jessica Alba" Kebbel, and Ashanti "My Perfume Is Named Precious Jewel" Douglas play three girls from different high school cliques who come together to emasculate the jailbait gardener from "Desperate Housewives." (We still wish JB were playing JT ...) Sounds perfectly trashy to us, and maybe -- just maybe -- a high school comedy that will earn its place alongside Clueless, Mean Girls, etc.

Message Boards: Ashanti's Acting | Question?

Scoop [limited]

Director: Woody Allen
Stars: Scarlett Johansson, Hugh Jackman (Full Cast)
Studio: Focus Features

The Plot: A spirit visits a journalism student (Johansson) and provides her the scoop of a lifetime -- a tip that sees her to shine up to Peter Lyman (Jackman), an arisocrat who might just be the notorious Tarot Card Killer.

Photos (see all 23 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 8)

THE BUZZ: Woody Allen's trying to go 2-for-2 after Match Point became one of the biggest commercial achievements of his career. (We still feel duped by that one.) Too bad he opted for a co-starring role as a magician (ugh) in his latest film, and that he urged his latest muse, Ms. Johansson, to adopt his tone and mannerisms. Though the story's set in London, we're calling this film Manchester Murdery Mystery.

Message Boards: Utter Garbage | Other plot holes

Another Gay Movie [limited]

Director: Todd Stephens
Stars: Michael Carbonaro, Jonathan Chase, Jonah Blechman (Full Cast)
Studio: TLA Releasing

The Plot: Four gay young men make a pact to lose their virginity before they go to college.

Videos (see all 11)

Another Gay Movie (2006) -- Four gay high school friends make a pact to lose their virginity before they go to college.

Another Gay Movie (2006) -- Clip: Early Birthday Present

Another Gay Movie (2006) -- AZMovies - Trailer (Flash)

THE BUZZ: TLA Releasing follows up the successful Adam & Steve with this gay spin on the teen sex comedy. With potty-mouthed dialogue, explicit sex scenes, and a cast that includes Scott Thompson, Mink Stole, and the newly incarcerated Richard Hatch, these high school boys should have no problem sticking it to their competition. Our advice: Go with a group or don't go at all.

Message Boards: best lines/quotes from the movie | Why no rating in the US?

America: Freedom to Fascism [limited]

Director: Aaron Russo
Stars: Aaron Russo (Full Cast)
Studio: Cinema Libre Studio

The Plot: A documentary that explores erosion of civil liberties in America.

Photos (see all 8 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 3)

THE BUZZ: FtF has a grassroots momentum that Robert Greenwald would die for. Producer-turned-director Aaron Russo's look at the connection between money creation, voter fraud, the national identity card, and other indicators of America as an evolving police state received a standing ovation at Cannes, and while that's no surprise, the $150,000 he raised in donations through the film's website has to have indie-minded filmmakers plotting their future moves.

Message Boards: Former IRS agent from FTF film could die in prison | Where does the money go?

Brothers of the Head [NY]

Director: Keith Fulton Louis Pepe
Stars: Luke Treadaway, Harry Treadaway (Full Cast)
Studio: IFC Films

The Plot: In the 1970s, a music promoter plucks conjoined twins Tom (Harry Treadaway) and Barry Howe (Luke Treadaway) from obscurity and grooms them into a searing proto-punk rock band.

Photos (see all 10 \| slideshow)	Videos (see all 4)

THE BUZZ: Movie of the summer. Hands down. The trailer makes my heart go funny.

Lost in La Mancha directors Keith Fulton and Louis Pepe present their first feature film, an adaptation of Brian Aldiss' cult novel. Tony Grisoni (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas) handled the screenplay. The self-image issues, visual sensibilities, cheeky rock references, and brother-on-brother makeout scene reportedly make this the most exciting, subversive, music-obsessed picture since Hedwig and the Angry Inch.

Message Boards: THE SCRIPT | Regarding the Ending (Spoilers)

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