LOVE'S LABOURS LOST
Directed by Kenneth Branagh
Starring Kenneth Branagh, Alicia Silverstone
JUNE 9

Figuring that it should stick to its roots of critical success, Miramax Studios is once again exploiting William Shakespeare. With the 1998 success of Shakespeare in Love, the fictional adaptation of the life of Shakespeare, this time the studio is at least sticking to the great bard's words-or some of them, at least. (Haven't we seen this before) The only catch is they are grossly distorting the traditional setting to a glitzier Hollywood of the 1930s. The classic and comedic tale of oaths and devotion, love and loyalty, takes on an entirely new twist when plopped down into the world exploited and adored by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Not that any setting can ever replace the original, but Kenneth Branagh's adaptation is an acclaimed success, having already screened in London.

CHICKEN RUN
Directed by Peter Lord and Nick Park
Featuring the voices of Mel Gibson, Jane Horrocks, Miranda Richardson
JUNE 23

This Dreamworks claymation film hopes to take kids to Tweedy's Chicken Farm, where any hen that doesn't make her egg quota can meet a "fowl" fate. Ginger and her fellow hens, with the help of Rocky, a Yankee rooster, hatch a plan of escape before they end up fried. This send-up of the classic Steve McQueen film, The Great Escape, features more cool animated effects from the England-based Aardman Animations, the Academy Award-winning team behind the popular "Wallace and Gromit" shorts; Chicken Run marks their first full-length claymation feature. With Disney releasing its summer kid fare Dinosaur a month earlier than the usual mid-June release date for its animated films, Chicken Run is expected to challenge Disney's hold on younger audiences.

ME, MYSELF & IRENE
Directed by Peter and Bobby Farrelly
Starring Jim Carrey, Rene Zellweger
JUNE 23

Jim Carrey plays Charlie, a friendly state trooper with a heart of gold. He also plays Hank, a mean-spirited guy who likes to pick fights. The catch? They're both the same person. Confused? Don't be. Just another case of multiple-personality disorder, Carrey style. Throw in the beautiful Zellweger, whom both alter-egos fall in love with, and you've got the recipe for a side-splitting summer comedy. The Farrelly Brothers, directors of the wildly successful There's Something About Mary, are at it again-and this time, they've got one of the greatest comedic minds of our generation to play with. Carrey has proven that he can assume a nearly infinite number of outrageous personas, so it shouldn't be too much of a stretch for him to take on two in one movie. With the combination of Carrey and the Farrelly Brothers, audiences are guaranteed to witness at least a few scenes even more shockingly hilarious than those made famous in Mary. The movie tested extremely well in advance screenings-some sources say the response was even better than it was for There's Something About Mary. If the trailer is any indication of the laughs to come, Me, Myself and Irene promises to live up to, and perhaps surpass, the comedic standard set by its predecessor.

THE LEGEND OF BAGGER VANCE
Directed by Robert Redford
Starring Matt Damon, Will Smith, Charlize Theron
AUGUST 4

Matt Damon tees off as Steven Pressfield's World War One hero Rannulph Junah, who-with the help of a spiritual caddy (Will Smith) and his supportive girlfriend Adele (Charlize Theron)-shows up a pair of pro golfers in this feel-good mystical sports drama. Will Smith attempts to flex his acting chops in a role 180 degrees from his typical July 4 weekend fare. Director Redford, no stranger to mystical sports dramas himself (The Natural), decided to give Smith and Damon a chance after deciding that he and Morgan Freeman, the original stars, were too old. The buzz is iffy-the mystical bent of the whole Bagger Vance character has audiences commenting on the film's overall "Touched By An Angel" type of feeling.

BIG MOMMA'S HOUSE
Directed by Raja Gosnell
Starring Martin Lawrence, Nia Long
JUNE 2

Martin Lawrence plays an undercover FBI agent who is sent to Georgia to protect a mother and her son from an escaped convict. In order to do this, he must take on the identity (and the heavyset physique) of an old grandmother. For his scenes as Big Momma, Lawrence dons a prosthetic "fat suit" (a l Eddie Murphy in The Nutty Professor and Mike Myers in Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me). The result is a frighteningly realistic, bad-mouthing Southern granny with an attitude. Prior to filming, Lawrence made headlines when he collapsed from a heat stroke and slipped into a coma after jogging in heavy clothing. As a consequence, extreme measures were taken during filming to ensure Lawrence's comfort and safety while in the fat suit. As for the fat suit itself, it looks like the film's success will depend largely on its effectiveness-Lawrence's appearance will have to draw enormous amounts of laughs for Big Momma's House to do well.