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Press - 2004
Spring Movie Sneak Peek
Here's what's in for spring: teen comedies, FBI agents, rappers who
act, revenge themes, remakes and Ben Stiller (in an act of freak
synchronicity, he stars in three movies in three months).
What's out: blockbusters with massive budgets, A-list movie stars and
filmmakers who have their eyes on the Oscar prize.
There are exceptions: Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington both have movies
coming out this spring. But generally speaking, the months leading up to
summer constitute a 'tweener season when studios schedule modest
entertainments that don't pretend to harbor stellar ambitions. "January
through March in the minds of many in the industry is seen as a dumping
ground for films that could not otherwise stand up to the competition of
summer or the holiday period," says Paul Dergarabedian, president of
Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc., which analyzes box-office trends. He says
2004 is hewing to form.
Producers are saving their most expensive films, like "Troy," "Shrek 2"
and "Spider Man 2," for summer, when movie viewership peaks. "This time of
year the studios are looking for breakout hits from films with smaller
budgets, " says Dergarabedian, who cites first-quarter hits from last year
like "Bringing Down the House" and "How to Lose a Guy in Ten Days" as the
kind of success Hollywood will be hoping for in the next few weeks.
Eurotrip (DreamWorks) A case of mistaken Internet identity leads to a
wacky romantic romp through London, Paris, Amsterdam and Berlin. The
setup: An American high school student (Scott Mechlowicz) is intrigued by
an e-mail pen pal from Germany who's been translating his homework for
him. They arrange to meet in Europe. With best friends and twins in tow,
the students embark on a romantic tour of Europe's hot spots. Michelle
Trachtenberg (Dawn on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer") heads up the cast of
newcomers. Lucy Lawless and Matt Damon have cameos.
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