The Movie Guys: Taking a sneak preview of fall movie season

Friday, Sept. 1, 2000 | 9:48 a.m.

The Movie Guys, starring Jeff Howard and Dave Neil, appears Fridays in the Sun. They can also be seen on the 11 a.m. Friday newscast on KVVU Channel 5. Plus, check them out online at lasvegassun.com/sun/sunlife/ movies and themovieguys.com.

With the long, hot summer finally coming to a close, we look to the fall movie season that promises a unique batch of science fiction, horror and some early Academy Award-buzz films.

Because of space limitations, the Movie Guys can't mention all 60 or so films due to be released over the next few months, so we've done the next best thing and have given you a selection of the films we are looking forward to this fall. For a more complete list, check out our website, themovieguys.com. Please remember, some movies may be subjected to the Hollywood shuffle -- release dates change. So, be sure to check the Sun's listings before you make your way to your local theater. We do.

On the marquee: "Almost Famous"

On the bill: Billy Crudup, Kate Hudson, Jason Lee, Patrick Fugit, Francis McDormand and Philip Seymour Hoffman.

On the credits: Written and directed by Cameron Crowe.

On the storyboard: In the long-awaited follow up to his Academy Award-nominated "Jerry Maguire," Crowe relives his youth in the semi-autobiographical story of a teenage rock journalist (newcomer Fugit), who in 1973 tours with the fictionalized band Stillwater to cover its growing popularity. Plenty of nostalgia, a return to some of rock's most influential music and plenty of sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll may make this the biggest movie on tour.

On the calendar: "Almost Famous" takes the stage Sept. 15.

On the marquee: "Pay It Forward"

On the bill: Kevin Spacey, Helen Hunt, Haley Joel Osment and Jay Mohr.

On the credits: Written by Leslie Dixon; directed by Mimi Leder.

On the storyboard: How could anyone lose with a talented cast like this? The film's premise is along the lines of your average chain letter, as Osment's teacher (a physically and emotionally scarred Spacey) assigns his class to perform random acts of kindness to three strangers in hopes they will do the same in return. Like most chain letters, we normally throw them away and gracefully bare whatever consequences that follow.

On the calendar: "Pay"-day is Oct. 20.

On the marquee: "Book of Shadows: Blair Witch 2"

On the bill: Erica Leerhsen, Jeff Donovan, Tristen Skyler and Stephen Turner.

On the credits: Directed by Joe Berlinger.

On the storyboard: Wasting no time to keep up with the indie hit's pop-culture momentum, the sequel to "The Blair Witch Project" promises to be "quite different." In fact, esteemed documentarian Berlinger has discarded the "mockumentary" approach, shaky camera work and the intentionally amateurish style. Here we see a group of twentysomethings camping in the woods of Burkittsville, who go searching for the five hours they lost from the night before. Sounds spooky already!

On the calendar: The "Witch" returns Oct. 27.

On the marquee: "Charlie's Angels"

On the bill: Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu, Bill Murray, Tim Curry and John Forsythe.

On the credits: Written by Ryan Rowe and John August; directed by McG.

On the storyboard: The classic '70s television show makes its way to the big screen and with three of the hottest actresses around, the comic genius of Murray as Bosley and Forsythe reprising his voice-over role as Charlie, this should be enough to squelch all of the chaos rumored to have occurred from the set during production. The plot is simple and straight forward: Charlie's Angels must save the world from a power crazed villain (Tim Curry) bent on taking over the world. We've seen the outfits the Angels wear during the trailer and they are more than enough to stop any villain in his tracks. This is camp at its best. Let's hope these Angels take flight. We want sequels.

On the calendar: The "Angels" heat up the screen Nov. 3.

On the marquee: "Red Planet"

On the bill: Val Kilmer, Carrie-Anne Moss, Tom Sizemore and Benjamin Bratt.

On the credits: Written by Jonathan Lemkin and Chuck Pfarrer; directed by Antony Hoffman.

On the storyboard: It's our second Mars movie of the year and it won't be the last. Earth has finally destroyed its environment with pollution and overcrowding, so mankind looks to Mars to create a second Earth. Val Kilmer leads a team of astronauts to the red planet, but winds up marooned. With hundreds of special effects and a big thumbs down from NASA (due to creative differences), this $70 million dollar-epic surely has to deliver a much more exciting crusade than the dismal "Mission To Mars" tried to do earlier this summer.

On the calendar: "Red Planet" blasts off Nov. 3.

On the marquee: "How the Grinch Stole Christmas"

On the bill: Jim Carrey, Molly Shannon, Jeffrey Tambor and Christine Baranski.

On the credits: Written by Peter S. Seaman and Jeffrey Price; directed by Ron Howard .

On the storyboard: The classic children's book by Dr. Seuss and annual holiday television special, that delivers a message of joy and giving, has Universal Pictures hoping moviegoers give -- and give big -- to this big-budget spectacle. Carrey endured long hours in the makeup chair (and came out looking like some sort of Bigfoot on a bad hair day) to bring to life one of the meanest villains ever to ruin Christmas. From director Howard, the buzz is running rampant on Carrey's performance, the creative makeup and magical set decoration for what is sure to be a winner for all the Whos in Whoville. Still it will be hard to replace narrator Boris Karloff.

On the calendar: "The Grinch" steals Christmas on Nov. 17.