> It's that time again. Here are the highlights of this summer's movie season and some initial thoughts. All of the projections here are subject to change; whatever I might anticipate or dread, I'm open-minded when I fire up a movie and start to watch it. Surprises happen.

And once again it looks like another terrible summer. There are three movies I'm interested in: Kill Bill Vol. 2 (a dubious pick as a summer film, but okay), The Terminal (I fear it'll end four or five times before it's over) and Harry Potter 3.

There are a couple of other movies I'm lukewarm on. Shrek 2 might well be good, but the original is one of those movies I liked the first time but then completely forgot about. I'm dubious as to whether or not the sequel has any reason to exist aside from the fact that the first made a ton of bank.

The Village is yet another Shyamalan supernatural thriller. I loved his first two in this subgenre, but the incredibly retarded ending to Signs made me think he's got himself locked into a structure, particularly with the "twist" endings (to that end, the very end of Unbreakable was fairly tacked-on). I'll probably see it, but I'm not excited it for it the way I was Unbreakable and Signs.

Troy and Collateral could end up being really good, but I'm sketchy on swords-and-sandals epics since Gladiator won an Oscar and I don't know anything about Collateral.

I, Robot is just a shame because it ensures nobody will be able to make a good movie with the title for some years (and the movie looks awful, even if weren't associated with Asimov's stories).

The Manchurian Candidate will suck and remaking it is the worst idea for a remake I've heard since those rumors about an Affleck/Lopez Casablanca reprise.

I suspect Spiderman 2 will be as dull and uninspired as the first. It will have the dubious distinction of being better than Punisher or Catwoman, though. I wish this comic book movie craze would stop before Chris Nolan is allowed to disgrace himself with Batman next year.

I suspect Aliens vs. Predator (which I don't think is as inherently a goofy idea as Sam seems to think: you could make a story as suspensful as Aliens with the premise) will be as moronic and unsuspensful as everything else the director as done. Ditto for Day After Tomorrow.

Ste "Glad for DVD" phen