Dukes of Hazzard – August 5

In the style of Starsky and Hutch, The Dukes of Hazzard gets a modern movie makeover. The characters from the hit television show of the ’70s and ’80s return with a new hot cast. Reality-TV star Jessica Simpson plays Daisy Duke while Seann William Scott and Johnny Knoxville play her cousins, Bo and Luke Duke. Burt Reynolds and Willie Nelson finish the star-packed cast. The comedy team Broken Lizard, which has worked on the films Super Troopers and Club Dread, made revisions to the script in an attempt to keep it fresh. The General Lee flies this August and should provide some eye-candy-laden laughs.

Red Eye – Aug. 12 Skeleton Key – Aug. 19

August caps off a year chock full of genre films with the anticipated release of both Red Eye and Skeleton Key. In Red Eye, slasher maestro Wes Craven sets his sights on creating a straightforward thriller of a woman (Rachel McAdams) being held hostage on an airplane by a charming stranger (Cicilan Murphy). She is forced to assist him or her father will die. Skeleton Key brings us Kate Hudson minus the silly romantic comedy fare (Raising Helen, Le Divorce) and throws in a setting of voodoo magic. A newly hired house nurse discovers the dark side of “The Big Easy” in an old home filled with mysteries. With Hudson, fancy movie trailers and Ehren Krugar, writer of The Ring, Skeleton Key should have no problems filling theaters with patrons looking for scares.

The 40 Year-Old Virgin – Aug. 19

In The 40 Year-Old Virgin, Steve Carell stars as a man who is unlucky with the opposite sex, and now his friends have taken it upon themselves to get him laid. A summer that has been lacking in the comedy department is in dire need of an over-the-top crude comedy to bring in audiences. Carell has done well playing off the likes of Will Ferrell and Christina Applegate, but this is his first time opening a picture on his own.

Valiant – Aug. 19

The computer-generated technology of the Disney Company brings the latest kid-friendly flick, Valiant, to theaters this August. In this tale, Ewan McGregor voices the little pigeon that overcomes the odds and becomes the unlikely hero in the British Royal Air Force Homing Pigeon Service, carrying important messages during World War II. The brave Valiant must also avoid attacks from the opposing Falcon Brigade. Tim Curry and John Cleese also lend their voices to the animated feature. Despite not boasting the powerhouse Pixar team, Valiant is sure to be a family friendly hit.

DVD Releases

August 9
Kung Fu Hustle

Aug. 16
Sin City

“Dirtier than Gotham, more corrupt than Metropolis and a whole lot more tawdry than Manhattan, from the darkest corners of Frank Miller’s imagination comes Sin City. Based on his comics and graphic novels, the city leaps from the page to create a ruthless film about a land where evil rules.”
(Lori Bartlett, March 31, 2005)

Wedding Date

“The film wants to be a hybrid of My Best Friend’s Wedding and Pretty Woman. However, it fails to capture the same charming quirkiness those films retain.” (Lori Bartlett, February 3, 2005)

Aug. 23
Ring Two
Layer Cake
Dust to Glory

“Dust to Glory manages to capture the determination of the human spirit. The film evokes emotion through commitment and shows the zest that participants have for the sport.”
(Lori Bartlett, April 20, 2005)

CD Releases

Aug. 2
Natasha Bedingfield — Unwritten
Faith Hill — Fireflies

Aug. 9
Pennywise — The Fuse
O.D.B — A Son Unique

Aug. 16
Hilary Duff — Most Wanted
311 — Don’t Tread on Me

Aug. 23
Juvenile — Reality Check
David Banner — Certified

Aug. 30
Kanye West — Late Registration
Death Cab for Cutie — Plans

August Concerts

Anger Management Tour -Aug. 1, Ford Amphitheatre

The hip-hop arena tour started in 2002 featuring Eminem and now returns to Tampa with a virtual who’s-who of the commercial rap game. Eminem returns to headline and brings pals 50 Cent and Lil’ Jon on board. The tour also features 50 Cent’s team, G-Unit, and Eminem’s backup, D12. Lil’ Jon brings his East Side Boyz to the tour, and Obie Trice completes the line-up. A recent tour bus crash injured Eminem’s latest protégé, Stat Quo and DJ Alchemist. The injuries were mostly mild, but the date when the injured parties will return to the tour has not been released. The show kicks off at 7 p.m. Tickets are $83 for seats and $53.50 for the lawn area.

The Killers – Aug. 21, USF Sundome

With the breakthrough success of “Somebody Told Me,” The Killers became one of music’s hottest commodities. Suddenly, the band was selling out numerous venues and their album, Hot Fuss, sold more than two million copies. Mixing various elements of ’80s music and a flamboyant lead singer, The Killers were soon mimicked by newcomers The Bravery, resulting in a nasty feud between the two bands.

The Killers will ring in the new semester at the USF Sun Dome with their cavalcade of hits such as “Mr. Brightside,” “All These Things That I’ve Done Before” and “Smile Like You Mean It.” Tickets for the show are available for $23 through Ticketmaster.

Warped Tour 2005 – Aug. 5, Vinoy Waterfront Park

The annual punk fest returns to St. Petersburg for a day full of rock. Tickets for the multi-stage event are a steal at $27.75. The show features some of the hottest acts in the alternative and punk music genre. Radio favorites My Chemical Romance and The Offspring are the main stage draws. A multitude of bands are featured on the two main stages, local stages and tents. The event is a long hot day of quality punk rock and extreme sports showcases in a festival atmosphere. The show starts at noon with continuous bands playing till about 9 p.m.