This week’s Flashback in Movie Time Tour promises to be educational for the career seekers out there, who are sure to pick up some handy vocational advice from, among others, a dissatisfied shop girl and a worldly sky captain, a tennis pro, a taxi driver and a mob boss (although that last profession does NOT come highly recommended). For those in it for entertainment purposes only, there’s plenty of dancing, sweet animation, lost love and a Neverland found.

Can’t find the time to watch them all while enjoying the coastal sights? No worries, we have an autumn-full of days to come to take in the scenery and the seaside!

Meg the Movie Buff Goes to Hollywood

Originally Published in the Sun by the Sea…September/October 2004 edition

While a few grief-stricken studio executives perform the Eulogy for summer, with everyone from Shopgirl to SpongeBob in attendance, most are hard at work preparing for the new season of showstoppers. Although the heat of summer blockbusters has cooled off, the gentle breeze of autumn is fast approaching, ready to glide into your local movie theater.

Before the first snowflake hits the still-warm ground, take a look at what Hollywood will soon be offering (keep in mind that studio executives, being the wacky bunch they are, have been known to change release dates on a whim).

Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow finally hits theaters on Sept. 17^th. Starring Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow as a pilot and reporter, respectively, in what is being labeled as part science fiction/thriller/action adventure/mystery. Whew! That’s asking a lot for one movie but then so is $9.00 per ticket.

For movie addicts with an athletic side, there’s Wimbledon (opens Sept. 17^th). This romantic comedy, which no-surprise-here, takes place on the tennis court, stars Paul Bettany and Kirsten Dunst. No substitute for volleyball on the beach, but still promises to entertain.

Now that ocean time is more limited, it’s safe to see the animated Shark Tale (opens Oct. 1^st). Living under the sea (at least in voice) are Will Smith, Robert DeNiro, Renee Zellweger, Jack Black, Angelina Jolie and Martin Scorsese (didn’t we know they’d all get together and make a movie some day?!) Expect lots of watery conflict when the son of the shark mob boss ends up floating on his back with innocent Oscar (Smith) at the scene of the crime.

Starting Oct. 8^th, you can find Queen Latifah driving The Taxi along with green cop Jimmy Fallon. Together they’ll solve a string of bank robberies. No, really…

Speaking of romantic comedies, Oct. 15^th is a popular day for them:

Shall We Dance? stars Richard Gere as a bored accountant and Jennifer Lopez as the (not boring) dance instructor he finds intriguing. Susan Sarandon plays his less-than-thrilled wife.

I Heart Huckabee’s stars Jude Law, Naomi Watts and Dustin Hoffman. Huckabee’s is the name of the popular department store that connects the characters. This film involves existential detectives who help their clients figure out heavy-duty life issues (it’s no beach romance).

P.S. stars Laura Linney as a divorced woman reunited with her high school sweetheart 20 years later. The only problem is he’s dead and reincarnated in the body of a younger man (Topher Grace).

Alfie (Oct. 22^nd) stars Jude Law (again!) as Alfie. Inspired by the 60’s classic Alfie, which tells the story a womanizer who begins to question the meaning of life. Sienna Miller, Marissa Tomei and Susan Sarandon are along for the ride.

Feeling a little lost in the real world? Then you might like Finding Neverland (opens Oct. 22^nd) starring Johnny Depp as J.M. Barrie, the author of Peter Pan. The film, also starring Kate Winslet and Julie Christie, shows how Barrie was inspired to write Peter Pan by four fatherless children who never wanted to grow up. The name alone belongs on a ride at Morey’s Pier.

Grieving over summer’s end? Then you might find comfort in Eulogy (opens Oct. 29^th) starring Rip Torn, Hank Azaria, Ray Romano, Winona Ryder and Debra Winger as a three-generational family brought together by the patriarch’s death. Count on more than beach family gear falling out of that strange familial closet!

Looking to take a trip back in time? Is 356-323 B.C. far enough? There you’ll find Alexander (opens Nov. 5^th) starring Colin Farrell as the King of Macedonia who must fight against the Persian Empire and anyone else who gets in his way. When he had the time to hit on co-star Angelina Jolie is a mystery.

Shopgirl (release date TBA) tells the story of, you guessed it, a shop girl (Claire Danes) who is stuck in the Saks’ Beverly Hills accessories department “selling things nobody buys anymore.”

Can’t get enough animation? Good thing there are several films to choose from!

The Incredibles (opens Nov. 5^th) revolves around a retired superhero family who prefer quiet suburban living but have no choice but to save the world (because quiet suburban living doesn’t exactly translate to Incredible Opening Weekend). Doing voice duty are Jason Lee, Craig T. Nelson and Samuel L. Jackson.

Next up is the Robert Zemeckis-directed animation The Polar Express (opens Nov. 12^th) about a skeptical boy (Josh Hutchinson) being taken on a trip to the North Pole on Christmas Eve. In charge of this journey is train conductor Tom Hanks. Does Santa really exist? We’ll find out when the box office numbers come in.

The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie (opens Nov. 19^th) finds our beloved SpongeBob temporarily leaving  Bikini Bottom to find the stolen crown of King Neptune. Voices include Tom Kenney, Alec Baldwin, Scarlett Johanssen and James Earl Jones.

Why be sad that summer is coming to an end when there’s so much to do in the fall? if it’s too cold for the beach, you can taken an imaginative journey to the North Pole on The Polar Express (with a pit stop in Finding Neverland). Oh, and the people you’ll meet along the way! There’s Alexander and The Incredibles, there’s the sky captain and the tennis pro, the dance instructor and the train conductor. See, autumn really is a beautiful time of year!

Be sure to enjoy the fall foliage on your way to the Big Screen…🍟🍟