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Monday, 6/23/97 Summer flicks: blockbusters or plain busts? FILM: Look at this season's movie releases suggests possible hits and misses

By Stephanie Sheh Daily Bruin Senior Staff Last year the nation came together to make "Independence Day" a huge success. Once again, the battle to be the summer blockbuster is well under way. While "Lost World," "Speed 2" and "Batman and Robin" have gotten head starts, there are plenty of challengers to come. Here are some of the industry's biggest contenders: "Face/Off": After playing heroes in his last two films, Nicolas Cage is now the bad guy ... and the good guy. Confused? John Travolta's the bad guy too ... and the good guy. Further explanation needed? Well, in John Woo's ("Broken Arrow," "The Killer") latest work, Travolta plays a FBI agent who, in order to catch his nemesis, surgically exchanges his face with a terrorist's (Cage). Prediction: With this innovative premise, such star power and Woo at the helm, it is hard to go wrong. (June 27) "Hercules": James Woods ("Ghosts of Mississippi"), Tate Donovan ("Partners") and Susan Egan (Angelenos know her as Belle in the stage version of "Beauty and the Beast") lend their voices to Disney's version of the mythological hero. After the serious messages of "Pocohantas" and "The Hunchback of Notre Dame," Disney returns to the type of fun musical romp that made "The Little Mermaid" and "Aladdin" successful. Prediction: It seems fast, furious and a lot of fun. And it doesn't feature Kevin Sorbo in a loincloth. "Men in Black": Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are dark-suited, sunglasses-wearing secret government agents who monitor extraterrestrial visits. The aliens look good and Smith is charismatic as ever. Prediction: Aliens, Smith, July 4th weekend ... it is the formula for success. (July 2) "CONTACT": It's the other alien movie of the summer. You know, the serious one with Jodie Foster. Based on Carl Sagan's best-selling novel, Foster is an astronomer who receives a radio response from extraterrestrials that comes with instructions for space travel. Matthew McConaughey ("A Time to Kill") is a government adviser. Prediction: There is some major talent here and Robert Zemeckis' latest since "Forest Gump" looks like it will present a lot of interesting issues. (July 11) "Nothing To Lose": Usually gloomy Tim Robbins is paired with Martin Lawrence in a Steve Oedekerk ("Ace Ventura 2") comedy. An ad executive distraught over discovering his wife's adulterous liaisons gets carjacked by a fast-talking thief. (I'll give you two chances to guess who plays who, and the first one doesn't count.) Prediction: The film has interesting casting and a funny script, but it might be just the same predictable plot and situational comedy that people are tired of. (July 16) "Mimic": Mira Sorvino is an ethically- questionable entomologist who creates and releases a predatory species that can morph into its victim species in order to stop some plague. However, now it seems the species has picked a new victim, the human race. Sorvino is running through the sewers trying to save humanity. Prediction: The dark thriller seems a little too intense and tries a little too hard to insert a social commentary. (July 18) "Conspiracy Theory": Julia Roberts has her work cut out for her. After doing the romantic comedy bit earlier in the summer, pouty-face Roberts plays a justice department attorney who buys into a paranoid taxi driver's (Mel Gibson) conspiracy claims. Prediction: It all depends on Robert's and Gibson's chemistry. Maybe Gibson's successful streak will rub off on his costar. (July 25) "Air Force One": Harrison Ford is the President of the United States. Glenn Close is the Vice President. And Gary Oldman is the evil Russian terrorist who hijacks the presidential jet. Prediction: It looks like a suspenseful ride. However, audiences have shunned Hollywood's recent presidential movies, "Absolute Power" and "Murder at 1600." (July 25) "Cop Land": It's not the usual Sly. This time Stallone is 40 pounds heavier and plays sweet-natured Jersey law officer Freddy Heflin in a film that is far from his usual big-action adventure. Stallone and Robert De Niro are officers who start investigating when a fellow law enforcer (Michael Rapaport) kills some innocent people. There is also Harvey Keitel as a seedy community officer, Ray Liotta as a loner cop and Annabella Sciorra as a cop's wife. Prediction: Stallone is in good company in this long-awaited drama. (Aug. 1) "Excess Baggage": We all know Alicia Silverstone can act ... well, we all know she looks good on-screen and can charm her way through just about anything. But can she produce? Silverstone-produced "Excess Baggage" features the "Clueless" star as a wealthy, needy teen who fakes her own kidnapping to get attention from her dad. Prediction: The story is not original. It will be the test to see how big of a box-office draw Silverstone really is. (Aug. 15) "Free Willy 3": Just how many times can this whale be captured? And why free him if he's just going to get caught again? Jesse (Jason James Richter), now 17 and even less cute, spends his summer on a research boat. He and a friend (Vincent Berry) attempt to save their favorite whale from harpooners. Prediction: Let the little kiddies go cry over Willy. (Aug. 15) "Spawn": Based on the best-selling comic book, Michael Jai White is a murdered soldier who is resurrected to join Satan's army. John Leguizamo ("Too Wong Foo") also stars as super villain Clown. Prediction: Aside from Batman, Hollywood has not had success with comics-to-film transformations. However, it is visually fascinating and has spawned video games, popular action figures and an HBO animated series. (Aug. 22) "Hoodlum": Set in the Depression-era, Laurence Fishburne plays Ellsworth "Bumpy" Johnson, a legendary number's runner. The film also starts Andy Garcia and Tim Roth as legendary mobsters Lucky Luciano and Dutch Schultz. Prediction: There is plenty of talent, but it all depends on how the audience feels about returning to gangster movies. (Aug. 29) Columbia Pictures (r. to l.) K (Tommy Lee Jones) and J (Will Smith) take aim at a menacing alien in "Men In Black." -->