Films heat up for good ole blockbuster distribution time
  by Brian Abrams, Reporter

    CGI-animated killer androids from the future, Keanu Reeves in leather, another Shannon Elizabeth nude scene, bicep-pumping white trash in hot rods, millions of mind-numbing advertising dollars in a Frito-Lay crossover-you can just smell the summer movies of 2003 right around the corner.
    Before we are completely swept away in the blockbuster bombardment, recognize two imperative films that will release this weekend, other than the leotard all-star cast of X2.
     First is Raising Victor Vargis.
     Critically acclaimed and without being some ninny English chariot-ride flick, the movie follows six Latino teenagers' romances in New York's lower east side.
     The second attempt from unheard-of director Peter Sollett (Five Feet High and Rising), Raising Victor Vargis fuses a professional and amateur cast with pure delight and still maintains an edge, without resorting to any lukewarm cliches.
     Raising Victor Vargis will open exclusively at the Angelika Theatre in Dallas.
     Also this weekend, Michael Moore's controversial documentary on gun control, Bowling for Columbine, will show at Fort Worth's Modern Art Museum.
     For those who missed its first shootout in Tarrant County, the Modern has four showings: Friday 6 and 8 p.m., and Sunday 2 and 4 p.m.
     Some summer movies the crowds will flock to, and others they will run from.
     Either way, here are the expected box office biggies-whether you wish to stand in line with Internet-surfing spastics for seven hours or stock up your storm shelter until the opening weekend's manic ceases:

MAY 15
The Matrix: Reloaded The Wachowski brothers deliver the second chapter of the computer-nerd epic and filmed an extra hour of footage exclusively for Sony Playstation. Gamers, enjoy, you may very well teach courses on this laser-tag someday.

MAY 16
Down with Love Chicago's Renee Zellweger and Moulin Rouge's Ewan McGregor team up for a romance in a 1950s Technicolor backdrop. Fellas, if you still haven't made up for your botched Valentine's Day, this may be your get-out-of-jail-free card.

JUNE 6
2 Fast 2 Furious Vin Diesel couldn't make it for the sequel, but pretty-boy Paul Walker should suffice your every homoerotic emotion in this hooked-on-phonics garbage. Writer John Singleton (Boyz N the Hood, Baby Boy) subjects himself in the role of director.

JUNE 13
From Justin to Kelly If you find any adults alone in the audience, call security. It will be bad enough having thousands of 12-year-old girls starting a moshpit in the AMC lobbies, so we don't need any further troubles for the American Idol popumentary.

JUNE 20
The Hulk Universal Pictures jumps the DC Comics bandwagon with the first endeavor of the green monster to the big screen. Eric Bana (Black Hawk Down) stars.

JUNE 27
Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle Cameron Diaz, Lucy Liu and Drew Barrymore reunite their girlpower yet again to battle a bunch of bad guys. Bill Murray's Bosley bowed out for this one, but the character's brother steps in, played by Bernie Mac.

JULY 2
Legally Blonde 2: Red White and Blonde Elle Woods (Reese Witherspoon) aids a DC congresswoman while fighting an animal rights case. Luke Perry co-stars.

JULY 3
T3: Rise of the Machines Twelve years pass, and the saga is finally put to bed. Linda Hamilton and Edward Furlong are out; Michael Biehn is back in; James Cameron produces instead of directs. Some hot chick is the bad guy, and Arnold looks to save the world from the apocalypse yet again.

JULY 18
Bad Boys 2 Martin Lawrence, Will Smith and producer Jerry Bruckheimer plan to cash in again by crashing cars and blowing up buildings and anything else that is stationary in a middling renovation of Lethal Weapon ... again.

AUGUST 1
American Wedding I guess they skipped American Internship and went straight to their 20-something adulthoods. Jim (Jason Biggs) is getting married. Naturally, the bridesmaids will need an appropriate escort, so Stifler (Sean William Scott) volunteers as the groomsman.
Gigli Originally, the film was titled Tough Love, but the studio felt their second choice was "sexier." J-Lo stars with her most recent boyfriend Ben Affleck in the first of two love stories that will be released this year. The second, Jersey Girl, is scheduled for a November release. Kevin Smith (Chasing Amy) directs Gigli.