Winter movie preview part 2: Robin Williams' new movie and other things that baffle me

Dreamgirls, Jamie Foxx, Jamie Hudson, December. 15: Bill Condon
(Kinsey and Gods and Monsters) directs an adaptation of a Tony award
winning musical that already is being pushed toward Oscar gold before
it's release next week. The movie follows the Dreamettes, formed by
Beyonce, Hudson and Noni Rose through the 1960's and 70's as they
experience the ups and downs of show business.
Outlook: Ho-hum material could be turned around by talented actors and
the writing and directing of Condon.

The Pursuit of Happiness, Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Demember 15: Will Smith portrays a salesman on the edge of defeat after being evicted from his apartment along with his young son. The Pursuit of Happiness was based on a true story and tells a story of struggle and life defining moments, which should give Smith a chance to show off his range.
Outlook: True "heart-wrenching" stories usually end up really good or pretty bad, without a lot of grey area. It also helps that Smith can act.

Night at the museum, Ben Stiller, Robin Williams, Decmeber 22: Did you see the trailer? It's about museum exhibits coming to life. Robin Williams should now understand the SNL skit which has Richard
Dreyfuss on the set of Krippendorf's Tribe going "I was in JAWS
dammit." Uh, next movie.
Outlook: Bleak – think shoveling the January snow off your car in Buffalo.

Zodiac, Jake Gyllenhaal, Robert Downey Jr., January 19: David Fincher
of Fight Club and Seven takes a crack at portraying the infamous
Zodiac killer. Gyllenhaal has fast become a well-respected and pretty
damn good actor. The film is based around the 1970's killer who
terrorized San Francisco on his way to becoming one of the worst
serial killers known. And don't forget that when Downey isn't being
fingerprinted and asked to turn for mug-shots, he's also a good actor.
Outlook: Fans of Fincher should love what he could do with such dark material.

Breaking and Entering, Jude Law and Juliette Binoche, January 19:
Anthony Minghella (English Patient and Cold Mountain) directs a
capable cast in an intertwining human drama based around the life of a
landscape architect played by Jude Law. Other than the plot being
based around Law's investigation into a series of burglaries happening
at his firm, not a whole lot is known about the film. Minghella
brought together The English Patient, which also starred Binoche, but
Cold Mountain was so bad it ruined a sex scene with Nicole Kidman,
which is like losing while throwing a no-hitter.
Outlook: Hopefully it's a lot more English Patient than Cold Mountain.

Reno 911: Ben Garrant, Thomas Lennon, February 23: It has all the making of stupid humor and when I first heard they were making a Reno 911 movie, I can't say I was that happy about it. However, once I saw the trailer while waiting for the glorious Borat to infiltrate the movie screen, I realized it could actually be very funny. The few episodes of the show I've caught were way funnier than I anticipated they would be and now am very interested in the movie.
Outlook: Screw-up cops are just funny – think Super Troopers. Hopefully I wasn't just giddy about seeing Borat when I saw the preview.

Coming Soon: Why Mel Gibson and Howard Dean have a lot in common.