Looking ahead
A red-eyed gaze at filmdom's coming attractions

WE HAVE SEEN the future, or at least we have spelled it out. Last week, with the candles lit in the meeting room, we, the faithful movie scrubs of this paper, paws planted on the Ouija planchette, transcribed the following message from beyond: "gnnhhh." Though the astral groan summed up the collective fear that our movie preview might pale, shrug, or wilt next to the cascading rivulets of box office-versus-Oscar buzz in Entertainment Weekly, we trudged ahead. Looking at that comely still on page 51 of Uma Thurman in Kill Bill: Volume One – clad in a wasp-hued jumpsuit, set to channel the soul of costar Sonny Chiba, lest she slice up or be sliced by a legion of masked drones – we gazed into a highly probable fall in which we might, as viewers, be toast.

No matter. Even though Tarantino decided to sever the movie into two parts lest he lose a frame, I will gladly dangle on Bill's arbitrarily cut "sequel," and will hang on till the end of the season, when Matt Damon and Greg Kinnear play conjoined-twin goalies in December's Farrelly brothers flick, Stuck on You. After all, September brings Duplex. Danny DeVito, America's best, and hence least-acclaimed, corrosiviste, spews his trademark directorial bad vibe through the mouth of Ben Stiller, no stranger to (ill-)mannered comedy. Most people weren't watching when, in DeVito's Death to Smoochy, Robin Williams got to bake the last 15 years of career saccharine into a few dick-shaped cookies. But maybe Duplex will, as Stiller once said, "knock you back on your coal-mining asses."

Ah, wait, it's coming back to me. "Gnnhhh" is what sluices out of Connie Nielsen's mouth so many times in Olivier Assayas's Demonlover. Giving away the hyperdriven tactics of its second half would be telling. The most one should say is that it has a lot to do with Gina Gershon's very red eye. Whatever mote caused this irritation, Demonlover then metastasizes, lubed by bile, and clacks away to a full-blown (which to some at this moment means half-there) Sonic Youth score. The movie's scrimmage, which effectively irradiates the corporate-scumbag thriller in its first half, avoids a neat summation about our World Media Historical Moment. In its place we get an image-engorged antirapture, replete with glimpses of "Japan porn ... excellent" (the English words of French axiom Charles Berling), a Kiyoshi Kurosawa sample, an illusory catfight, and the otherworldly nudity of a Francophonic Chloë Sevigny twiddling a PlayStation. Maybe there is something to look forward to. Fire up that planchette, man. (Edward E. Crouse)

Sept. 5

Dickie Roberts: Former Child Star Danny Bonaduce, Corey Feldman, Leif Garrett, and Emmanuel Lewis bring the real-life pain in this David Spade alleged comedy.

Herod's Law Satire of political corruption in Mexico.

New Suit Hollywood parody with Blair Witch victim Heather Donahue.

Once upon a Time in the Midlands Robert Carlysle and Rhys Ifans as dueling suitors.

The Order Heath Ledger and his Knight's Tale director go medieval again.

Shaolin Soccer At last.

Sept. 12

Autumn Spring An 80-year-old prankster in a film that's stolen hearts and Czech film awards.

Cabin Fever More '70s-throwback horror.

Cold Creek Manor There's a mega-jinxed cast of burnt offerings – Sharon Stone, Juliette Lewis – in this haunted mansion story.

Lost in Translation Sofia Coppola returns with a mood piece about two Americans (Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson) adrift in Tokyo.

Once upon a Time in Mexico Robert Rodriguez pulls a Leone, stretching El Mariachi into a trilogy.

September 11 This international collection of short films responding to the WTC attacks is erratic.

So Close Corey Yuen's film has been compared favorably to Charlie's Angels.

Sept. 19

Anything Else Woody Allen staves off straight-to-video one more time; houseplant-hater Christina Ricci is the leading lady.

Cet amour-là Jeanne Moreau as Marguerite Duras.

Demonlover See introduction.

Fighting Temptations For everyone who just can't get enough of that singer whose name rhymes with fiancé.

In This World Michael Winterbottom directs a story about embattled Afghan refugees.

Mambo italiano Or My Big Fat Gay Italian Commitment Ceremony.

Matchstick Men Ridley Scott scales down the Gladiator grandiosity. Nicolas Cage plays a con man.

Secondhand Lions A family film, so Haley Joel Osment won't be eaten by the title animals.

Small Voices A Filipino cross between Dangerous Minds and Sister Act 2 (!), according to one reviewer at www.imdb.com.

Underworld Vampires and werewolves wage war.

Sept. 26

Duplex See introduction.

The Embalmer Critically praised morbid homoeroticism from Italy.

The Human Stain Anthony Hopkins passes as white (?), while Nicole Kidman plays an abuse victim – an abuse victim with a big striptease scene.

Prey for Rock and Roll Gina Gershon seduced an entire Castro Theatre audience at this rock drama's Frameline fest screening.

The Rundown The Rock in the Amazon.

Tycoon A portrait of Russian capitalism's cruel dawn.

Under the Tuscan Sun Diane Lane follows up Unfaithful with a romantic comedy – will it be even funnier?

Oct. 3

Casa de los Babys Daryl Hannah, Marcia Gay Harden, Lili Taylor, and stuck-up-looking Maggie Gyllenhaal as adoptive moms in John Sayles's latest.

The Event Parker Posey as a district attorney.

School of Rock See box.

Tibet: Cry of the Snow Lion A doc travelogue; voice-overs by limo liberals Martin Sheen, Susan Sarandon, and Tim Robbins.

Oct. 8

Mystic River Clint Eastwood's latest auteur effort. Troubled masculinity is the subject; Sean Penn and Kevin Bacon are two case studies.

Oct. 10

Good Boy! Matthew Broderick provides the voice of a dog from outer space.

Intolerable Cruelty T-Mobile spokesperson Catherine Zeta-Jones is Kathleen Turner to George Clooney's Michael Douglas in an acrimony-money comedy; the Coen brothers direct.

Kill Bill: Volume One See introduction.

Out of Time Denzel's annual fall Oscar bid: a murder mystery that reunites him with Devil in a Blue Dress director Carl Franklin.

Oct. 17

Girls Will Be Girls The less lauded of two indie drag comedies set in Hollywood this season. Russ Meyer fans take note: one of the three "women" is named Varla.

Runaway Jury John Cusack, Dustin Hoffman, and Gene Hackman battle for best actor dominance.

Shattered Glass Hayden Christensen as disgraced journalist Stephen Glass and Simpsons voice genius Hank Azaria as his editor.

The Station Agent Winner of the Audience Award at this year's Sundance fest.

Sylvia Paltrow does Plath, whose estate is hornet-mad.

Texas Chainsaw Massacre If any movie doesn't deserve a Michael Bay remake treatment, it's Tobe Hooper's 1974 classic.

Veronica Guerin Cate Blanchett and Joel Schumacher vie for respect.

Wonderland Val Kilmer as John C. Holmes and Lisa Kudrow as his devoted, tradition-minded wife.

Oct. 24

Beyond Borders Angelina Jolie gets to model Dr. Zhivago-style arctic couture in a war-torn romantic drama.

Brother Bear Phil Collins provides songs for a Disney cartoon.

Elephant Gus Van Sant's Columbine-"inspired" Cannes Golden Palm winner.

Gasoline Italian girls kiss and kill.

Gothika The best tabloid metascenario in ages: Robert Downey Jr. and a memory-lapsed Halle Berry square off in a mental ward.

In the Cut Jane Campion adapts Susannah Moore; busy Nicole Kidman donated the starring role to Meg Ryan, who unveils her new face.

Pieces of April Set on Thanksgiving Day, Peter Hedges's digi-dramedy is elevated by Patricia Clarkson's performance; Magnetic Fields and the 6ths songs add to the holiday cheer.

Scary Movie 3 See box.

Oct. 31

Die, Mommie, Die Charles Busch revives Bette, Joan, and Lana's postglory-and-thus-more-glorious years; Jason Priestley is Busch's well-hung sex interest.

The Gatekeeper A U.S. border patrol agent gets a dose of his own justice.

Nov. 5

The Matrix Revolutions A documentary about the producers behind Avril Lavigne. Just kidding.

Nov. 7

Bus 174 This Brazilian doc is a D.V. counterpart to One Day in September.

Elf Will Farrell and Zooey Deschanel as elves; sitcom icons Bob Newhart and Ed Asner provide backup.

Nov. 14

Honey Jessica Alba as a girl who just wants to be a dancer, in a film with a worryingly Mariah-esque title.

Looney Tunes: Back in Action Bugs Bunny breaks out of the old folks' home.

Love Actually A recipe for syrup: Hugh Grant and Richard Curtis (who wrote Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill).

Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World Everyone's favorite ray of sunshine – Russell Crowe – in a Napoleon-era adventure.

Suddenly Argentine lesbian bikers drive through Jim Jarmusch-like landscapes.

Tupac: Resurrection Voletta Wallace spoke her peace in Biggie and Tupac; now Afeni Shakur breaks her silence.

21 Grams Amores perros director Alejandro González Iñáritu returns; Naomi Watts, Sean Penn, and Benicio Del Toro costar.

Nov. 21

The Barbarian Invasions Denys Arcand's drama won awards at this year's Cannes fest.

Dr. Seuss' The Cat in the Hat A live-action version, with Mike Meyers in the title role.

Radio Cuba Gooding Jr. plays a mentally challenged football fan in a movie based on a Sports Illustrated article.

Nov. 26

Bad Santa Terry Zwigoff serves up Billy Bob Thornton as an alcoholic criminal Santa trailed by a detective (Bernie Mac).

Big Fish Tim Burton returns with a big-top tale set in the mind of a dying salesman (Albert Finney) in Alabama.

The Cooler William H. Macy adds another sad sack to his résumé.

The Haunted Mansion Another Disney ride becomes a movie, and Jennifer Tilly's head is trapped in a crystal ball. Eddie Murphy stars.

Timeline Paul Walker heads a group of time travelers trapped in feudal France.

Dec. 5

Japanese Story A geologist (Toni Collette) and a businessman (Tachibana Hiromitsu) are trapped in the Australian outback.

The Last Samurai No word yet on whether Tom Cruise commits seppuku.

Dec. 10

The Missing After fleeing The Alamo (see below), Ron Howard directs a different western.

Dec. 12

Girl with a Pearl Earring Colin Firth as Vermeer and Scarlett Johansson as his muse.

Love Don't Cost a Thing Jennifer Lopez has nothing to do with this – Nick Cannon does.

Something's Gotta Give Jack Nicholson falls for the mother (Diane Keaton) of his new girlfriend (Amanda Peet) – yeah, that could happen.

Stuck on You See introduction.

Dec. 17

Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King Spark up the chronic.

Dec. 19

Mona Lisa Smile Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal and Marcia Gay Harden in a feminist Dead Poets Society (written and directed by men); Roberts tells Entertainment Weekly she wants girls to "appreciate deeply the freedom, the job opportunities, (and) blue jeans" they have.

Dec. 25

The Alamo Billy Bob Thornton as Davy Crockett.

Cheaper by the Dozen An update of the 1950 comedy; new elements include dogs attacking Ashton Kutcher's crotch.

Cold Mountain Nicole Kidman and Jude Law, directed by Anthony Minghella.

The Company Producer Neve Campbell's dream of a film about ballet (starring her) comes true, with Robert Altman as the dream maker.

Paycheck Ben Affleck attempts to rehabilitate his action-hero status in a Philip K. Dick adaptation helmed by John Woo.

Peter Pan P.J. Hogan moves from wedding-centered romantic comedy to fantasy.

The Young Black Stallion An Imax prequel.

Dec. 26

The Fog of War Errol Morris supplies the cinematic rope for Robert S. McNamara to hang himself with. (Johnny Ray Huston)