Movies and Sports Bloom this Spring

This year's spring break (summer break here in the Philippines), parades big personalities and happenings both in the world of film making and of sports. Back in 2005, only a handful of quality and high-budgeted movies were shown; however, the season's offerings are consistently better and more blockbuster each year than those of any part of the calendar.

Last year, the last (but technically, the third of six parts) installment of the jedi saga was very much anticipated with the unprecedented box-office performance of Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. The overlapping and/or simultaneous screenings of Adam Sandler's The Longest Yard, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Academy Award^® winner Russel Crowe's Cinderella Man, directed by The Da Vinci Code director Ron Howard were never a threat to the phenomenon of the Star Wars series. But the only film that overwhelmed me with two-thumb-up approval was Kingdom of Heaven starring Orlando Bloom. Maybe, that was because I love war movies, especially those classic ones that tell the stories of the imperial medieval world. I usually play a computer game with a similar storyline - Age of Empires II, so I easily absorbed the Crusade vs Jihad plot of the motion picture.

In 2006, moviegoers have more and better choices on how to spend their money well. Starting with winter's last and pre-spring salvo, here are the films that paved the way for the second quarter movie rush: (in US only, playdates vary around the world)

March 2006
Basic Instinct 2
Ice Age 2: The Meltdown
She's the Man
Ultraviolet

April 2006
The Benchwarmers
Scary Movie 4
Silent Hill
Take the Lead

...When it rains, it pours... So let's continue the rundown:

May 2006
The Da Vinci Code
Mission:Impossible 3
Over the Hedge
Poseidon
X-Men 3: The Last Stand

June 2006
Cars
The Fast and the Furious 3: Tokyo Drift
Garfield 2: A Tale of Two Kitties
The Omen
A Prairie Home Companion
Superman Returns

July 2006
Pirates of the Caribbean 2: Dead Man's Chest


For another commentary regarding this year's peak season, visit:


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June is not only the month for movies but also for international major sporting tourneys. The recently concluded 37th World Chess Olympiad was held in Turin, Italy (also the host of XX Winter Olympics 2006 last February) with Armenia and Ukraine bagging the team gold medals for the men's category and the distaff category, respectively. China and USA took home the silver and bronze medals in the men's while Russia and China grabbed the silver and bronze in the distaff.

The second Grand Slam tennis tournament of the year, Roland Garros' French Open also bids farewell as all four topseeded men enter the semifinals (first time since 1985). World's #1 Roger Federer faces third-seed David Nalbandian while #2 and defending champion Rafael Nadal goes againts fourth-ranked Ivan Ljubičić. In the women's side, #8 Svetlana Kuznetsova meets with #16 Nicole Vaidisova as an All-Belgian match-up takes place involving defending titlist Justine Henin-Hardenne (ranked 5) and former #1 Kim Clijsters (ranked 2).

The NBA Playoffs 2006, on the other hand, enters the Finals with the Dallas Mavericks drawing the first blood via a 90-80 triumph over the Miami Heat. Game 2 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas is scheduled on June 11, Sunday evening (Monday morning in Manila). Game 3 shifts to the Heat's turf at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Florida.


And the world's largest sporting event finally unfolds... The Cup of Life has started to be disputed as the hostilities kick-off on June 9, Berlin time. Three-time winner and host Germany tries to clinch its fourth FIFA World Cup^TM as it tackles Costa Rica in the opening game in Munich; Poland faces Ecuador in the second game in Gelsenkirchen. Brazil, a soccer powerhouse and record-holder for having five golden trophies under its belt, is expected to bring a huge threat over the other 31 participating countries. Asian countries like 2002 FIFA World Cup^TM co-hosts Japan and Korea are also predicted to finish strong this year.

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So, are you enjoying your spring (in my case, summer) as much as I do?