Show Dinosaurs and Aliens and Bats! Oh my! Mike Clayton let's go to the movies summer's almost folks what that Alrightand you itsknow time to head Yep to the theatre for those infamous “Summer Movies!" Critics have raved for awhile about this summer's lop three e hopefuls: The Lost World Men in Black and Batman anti Robin THE LOST WORLD (Universal Pictures May 23) Steven Spielberg directs the sequel to his 1993 blockbuster — the highest grossing motion picture of all time — and Jeff Goldblum reprises his role as the unconventional mathematician Dr Ian Malcolm It's been four years since (he secret disaster at John Hammond's Jurassic Park and now Malcolm finds himself with the terrifying realization that something has survived A few years back venture capitalist John Hammond figured out how to recreate dinosaurs from DNA fragments encased in amber He started a company called InGen which placed the genetically engineered dinosaurs in atlicme park on an island in Costa Rica But the park systems broke down shortly before it could open the dinosaurs got free and had to be destroyed and the island was closed to the public In the aftermath everyone involved moved quickly to quash the story InGen wanted to limit its liability The Costa Rican government wanted to preserve its reputation as a tourist paradise And (he individual scientists who had been hired as consultants on the project were bound by nondisclosure agreements to remain silent But as a resentful Dr Ian Malcolm is about to find out Something Has Survived the secret disaster at Jurassic Park box-offic- BATMAN AND ROBIN (Warner Bros June 20) The fourth installment in the phenomenally successful “Batman" saga continues the crime fighting cxploitsof Batman and Robin on the nighttime streets of Gotham City There's a chill over Gotham City A new nemesis has unleashed a cold front of crime on the beleaguered Only now he doesn't travel alone — his daredevil partner Robin (Chris O'Donnell) speeds alongside him on d his motorcycle the — a united team standing against a new reign of villainy conceived with turbo-charg- Red-bir- ed design by a shimmering cold-blood- terrifying figure of destruction Mr freeze (Arnold Schwarzenegger) Also loose on the streets is Poison Ivy (Uma fighting duo of Batman and Robin reveal a new secret weapon — a tough limber and courageous new partner named Batgirl (Alicia Silvcrstone) — who completes a triumphant trio fighting together to save Gotham City from its most deadly threat yet! MEN IN BUCK (Columbia Pictures July 2) They arc the best kept secret in the d universe Working fora unofficial yet government agency K (Tommy Lee Jones) and J (Will Smith) are the Men In Black providers of immigration services and regulators of aH things alien on earth While investigating a scries of unregistered dose encounters the MIB agents uncover the deadly plot of an intergalactic terrorist who is on a mission to assassinate two ambassadors highly-funde- from opposing galaxies currently in resident in New York City In cider to prevent worlds from colliding K and J must track down the terrorist before the earth is destroyed in the bargain They are our best last and only line of defense They work in secret and they dress in black From the director of Get Shorty and the producers of the smash Twister adventure-comed- y comes the sci-MEN IN BLACK — protecting the earth from the scum of the universe I for one will enjoy these hopeful this summer mega-hit- s It's going to be a promising season for movies with big names big guns big special effects and even bigger budgets than the previous summers They've got dinosaurs aliens and bats (Not to mention Jeff Will Tommy George Chris Alicia Uma box-offi- ce fi And once again the citizenry turns to its one hope its lone nocturnal guardian to free it from the icy grip of crime Summoned by the glowing moon of the hovering against the Batman (George Clooney) night sky roars from the reconstructed Batcave in a sleek remodeled Batmbbile towards the city Bat-Sign- al Thurman) a beauty who can kill with her kiss and plans world domination for her floral kindred When these two villains strike a partnership it will take a powerhouse team to stop them Armed with innovative gadgets redesigned vehicles and an awesome arsenal the crime vine-entwine- d all-ne- w and Arnold) But will it be enough for the kids to enjoy? one more thing Now that we've taken a look at the hopeful blockbusters let's review what is bound to a bust! Fresh from the basketball courts comes another movie from NBA superstar Shaquillc O'Neal (thanks to the Jazz takeing 1 them out the play-ofmight fs 4-1- add) Last issue I vented my frustrations as Nicolas Cage was cast as Superman in a movie next summer Well now I'm equally prcturbed about this summer's STEEL O'Neal stars as Steel a contemporary urban hero from the pages of DC Comics Steel is a lowering pow erful figure of justice and might fighting crime on the plagued streets of Los Angeles present-da- y John Henry Irons (O'Neal) was once a military metallurgist applying his specialty to the development of innovative defense weaponry: a startling device that utilized sound waves to neutralize approaching enemies without killing them Collaborating with spunky Lieutenant Sparks (Annabeth Gish) a brilliant electronics expert John Henry was working to put the US on the verge of a new more humane era in arms technology If you are a true fan of DC Comics you know that this has got to be a mistake STEEL was a spin-of- f of a Superman what's Steel doing in Los Angeles and not in Metropolis comics where Superman was killed by Doomsday (that's another story) Anyone who has any familiarity with STEEL knows that John Henry Irons was a construction worker that was trapped under a falling building and when he immerged from the rubble he thought he was the real Superman reincarnated The above movieplot line is completely fabricated to promote Shaq (who now plays ball in LA) with out makThe ing any mention of Superman costume in the picture is even wrong too I've nut the lime (or space) to go into detail but for one thing there is obviously no NS" on his chest And Whatever! won't continue to bore with the rest of the plot of this hopelessly movie have to it you'll (ack!) go see yourself (Oh and for you Breakfast Club and Suddenly Susan fans Judd Nelson is the bad guy in this movie) ry m Entertainment companies will sell more than $2 billion in performance and attraction tickets annually by the year 2001 according to a new study Mass-base- d by Cambridge Forrester Research The survey polled more than 30 entertainment and travel companies that sell tickets including concert promoters symphony orchestras and majer entertainment venues in the United States and Canada More than 60 ol the companies interviewed are already selling tickets online About 42 of respondents who are not currently selling tickets on the Web plan to begin online commerce in the near future according to the study About 34 of ticket vendors expect that at least 0 of their annual sales will be online by the year 2000 However despite the large potential for growth most respondents say that online sales are currently less than 1 of their annual sales Most respondents indicate that online ticket sales will likely benefit from the customer's desire for more convenience such as the ability to k on the Web shop In addition ticket sellers are optimistic about the prospect of reaching new channels and cutting out ticket middlemen for online transactions A major hurdle that has yet to be solved is the ability of online ticket vendors to handle a sudden flux of Web site activity which is likely to occur at the moment tickets become available for a popular music act 1 around-the-cloc- ff title (Man of Steel) a few years ago when DC went through a scries of plain-ordina- Brett Atwood wwwblllboard-onllneco- You tell me! Next summer: Shaq is back as a Superman rip-oMike Clayton Internet ticket sales boom I -- I ' miOSST ‘preview of the igrxHftttis page Hmoyles (coming near you) check j Webat movfewebcom monolith Shaqullle O'Neal stars as Steel NBA |