Fall Movie Preview: Another season, another chance to take a look at what's coming out in the theater

By Brent Stewart, The Southern

If it weren't for Iron Man and Batman, it would have been a frosty summer at the theater. Both of those movies salvaged what was otherwise a tepid blockbuster season, rightly taking all the viewers and money.

As we enter the fall, there are no Supermen to swoop in and save the day. This time of year is the post-action, pre-holiday time, so look for less quantity in terms of special effects and hopefully more quality in terms of smaller-budgeted, lighter fare.

At a glance, this may not be the case. There's a lot of fluff here with a few bright spots. In the hit-or-miss category, hopefully "Soul Men" will make us miss Bernie Mac even more; "What Just Happened" could possibly salvage DeNiro's post-"Casino" film career; and Kevin Smith has a chance of redeeming himself for everything he's made since "Clerks."

The promos for "How to Lose Friends and Alienate People" just began and it looks great. Ridley Scott, Leonardo DiCaprio and Russell Crowe could be a great combo in "Body of Lies." And I'll give anything by Cormac McCarthy a look.

On the downside: "Saw XXXVII?" Ugh. "Max Payne?" I know it's a video game, but didn't Homer Simpson change his name to that once? Whoops, that was Max Power. "W?" No, no, no, no, no. Please make it stop.

Anyhoo, if you want to get out of the house and take in a flick, here's the Associated Press' guide to the fall's new movies. You mind find a few interesting things or you might want to grab the latest seasons of "The Office" or "30 Rock" and curl up on the couch.

Oct. 3

"An American Carol": Kevin Farley plays an anti-Fourth of July holiday crusader ala Michael Moore, who gets a visit from three ghosts who try to change his view of America in this reimagining of the Dickens classic. Also stars James Woods, Jon Voight, Kelsey Grammer, and Dennis Hopper. Directed by "Airplane" satirist, David Zucker.

"Beverly Hills Chihuahua": Drew Barrymore, Andy Garcia, George Lopez and Edward James Olmos provide the voices for the dogs in this tale of a canine from the wrong side of the tracks in love with a pampered pooch from the 90210 ZIP Code.

"Blindness": Fernando Meirelles ("City of God," "The Constant Gardener") directs Jose Saramago's masterpiece novel about what happens after a city is struck by a plague that renders people blind. Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, Gael Garcia Bernal and Danny Glover co-star.

"Flash of Genius": Based on the true story of Robert Kearns (Greg Kinnear), a college professor who took on the Detroit auto industry in the 1960s, claiming they stole his idea for the intermittent windshield wiper.

"How to Lose Friends and Alienate People": A British celebrity journalist (Simon Pegg) has trouble fitting in at his new job at a respected New York City magazine. Megan Fox, Kirsten Dunst and Jeff Bridges co-star in this adaptation of Toby Young's memoir.

"What Just Happened": A harried Hollywood film producer (Robert De Niro) must deal with temperamental actors (Sean Penn), boorish studio chiefs (Catherine Keener), cranky ex-wives (Robin Wright Penn) and Bruce Willis (Bruce Willis) in this film industry comedy directed by Barry Levinson (Diner, Rain Man).

Oct. 10

"Body of Lies": A CIA agent (Leonardo Di Caprio) attempts to infiltrate a terrorist network in Jordan in this adaptation of David Ignatius' novel. Russell Crowe co-stars as his CIA superior. Directed by Ridley Scott ("American Gangster," "Gladiator").

"City of Ember": Bill Murray, Tim Robbins and Martin Landau are among the inhabitants of the titular city, a magical place of lights known the world over. Then the town's generator starts to fail, threatening to darken the place forever.

"The Express": Fact-based drama about the life of Ernie Davis (Rob Brown), the first African-American to win football's Heisman Trophy. Dennis Quaid co-stars as his coach.

"Quarantine": While covering a story, a TV reporter (Jennifer Carpenter) and her cameraman (Steve Harris) are sealed by the authorities inside an apartment building where a virus is turning people into zombies.

Oct. 17

"Max Payne": A DEA agent (Mark Wahlberg) and a hired killer (Mila Kunis) join forces to track down the people who killed their families.

"The Secret Life of Bees": In 1960s South Carolina, a teenage girl (Dakota Fanning) goes on a journey to learn more about the life of her late mother. Queen Latifah, Jennifer Hudson and Alicia Keys are the women who help her on her quest.

"W.": Director Oliver Stone promises this biopic about the life of President George W. Bush (played by Josh Brolin) will be a compassionate look at the man. Thandie Newton, Jeffrey Wright, Scott Glenn and Richard Dreyfuss make up Bush's cabinet, while James Cromwell is his dad.

Oct. 24

"Crossing Over": Harrison Ford, Ashley Judd, Sean Penn and Ray Liotta co-star in this multicharacter drama about illegal immigrants who risk their lives to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Directed by Wayne Kramer ("The Cooler").

"High School Musical 3: Senior Year": The Disney Channel TV-movie phenomenon makes the leap to the big screen. Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Tisdale and Lucas Grabeel return to sing and dance their way through graduation - and pave the way for a new class of song-happy students.

"Pride and Glory": Edward Norton is a New York City police officer investigating a case of corruption that points toward his brother-in-law (Colin Farrell).

"Saw V": Like death and taxes, there's no avoiding them.

Oct. 31

"Zack and Miri Make a Porno": Writer-director Kevin Smith pushes the R-rating to its limits with this foul-mouthed comedy about a pair of longtime friends (Seth Rogen and Elizabeth Banks) who decide to make an adult film in order to raise some quick cash. During filming, though, the pals discover feelings for each other they never knew they had.

Nov. 7

"Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa": The former Central Park zoo dwellers (voiced by Ben Stiller, Bernie Mac, Sasha Baron Cohen, Jada Pinkett Smith and David Schwimmer) hook up with their multi-generational families in the wilds of Africa.

"Role Models": Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott are two wild men ordered by a judge to do community service as mentors for troubled teenagers. The blind lead the blind in this comedy from director David Wain ("Wet Hot American Summer").

Nov. 14

"Nothing Like the Holidays": Luis Guzman, Freddy Rodriguez, Jay Hernandez and Melonie Diaz are the members of an extended family who come together for a holiday reunion in the Chicago suburb of Humboldt Park.

"Quantum of Solace": Daniel Craig returns for his second outing as 007, this time taking an environmentalist slant as he battles a business man (Mathieu Almaric) trying to take over the world"s water supply.

"The Road": Cormac McCarthy's award-winning (and relentlessly grim) novel comes to the screen, with Viggo Mortensen and Kodi Smit-McPhee as the father and son traveling across a post-apocalyptic America covered in nothing but gray ash and populated by thieves, scavengers and cannibals.

"Soul Men": Samuel L. Jackson and the late Bernie Mac are two estranged former backup singers who get reacquainted in order to perform at a 20-year anniversary concert.

Nov. 21

"Bolt": Computer-animated tale of a TV-star dog (voiced by John Travolta) unaware that the superpowers he enjoys on the program don't translate into the real world. Miley Cyrus and Malcolm McDowell round out the voice cast.

"The Soloist": The true story of Nathaniel Ayers (Jamie Foxx), a musical prodigy who developed schizophrenia while studying at Julliard and wound up playing violin on the streets of L.A. Robert Downey Jr. co-stars for director Joe Wright ("Atonement").

"Twilight": A legion of fans of Stephenie Meyer's phenomenally successful series of books about the romance between a high school girl and a vampire is already lining up for tickets to this adaptation of the first book in the series. Kristen Stewart stars as the new girl in school who falls for a mysterious boy (Robert Pattinson) who may or may not be a bloodsucker. Directed by Catherine Hardwicke ("Thirteen"), who faces the wrath of millions if she screws it up.