Iron Man opens this week, and thus the summer movie season has officially arrived. I love a good summer movie as much a the next guy, but this morning I found myself looking back at some of the little films that cropped up during the summer; some of them managed to get a "summer" feel on a much lower budget and without all the advertisement and hype. My absolute favorite summer art house movie has to be Tom Tykwer's Run Lola Run (1999). I saw it three times that summer, and each time I clutched my seat, my heart pounding. I was amazed at how brilliantly Tywker had mapped out his three possible storylines and how lovely the small, quiet interludes were. I loved Franka Potente, and I loved his throbbing score, which practically entered into your bloodstream and pumped up your adrenaline by hand. Every color, movement and cut was designed for maximum effect (I've always been puzzled how Tykwer's movies since have seemed so long and sluggish.)

Also that same summer, John Sayles delivered his baffling adventure/suspense film Limbo, which had several people trapped on an island awaiting rescue and stalked by bad guys. The ending had everybody in an uproar and caused the film to die a quick death. The summer before that one, Darren Aronofsky's debut feature Pi gave me a good dose of sci-fi thrills, as well as a few head-scratching puzzles (which were actually real). 2000 was a particularly bad summer, but John Waters' Cecil B. DeMented provided a mischievous little oasis in the middle of it all. In that film, renegade filmmakers kidnap a Hollywood starlet and force her to be in their indie production; each team member has a tattoo of a maverick filmmaker's name. (I've often wondered which filmmaker's name I would pick for a tattoo? Maybe David Cronenberg...)

Spider-Man 3
The many flaws of Spider-Man 3 have been well-documented: The elevated cheese factor, the overabundance of baddies, that absurd 10-minute stretch of song, dance and unsightliness where it suddenly feels like we're watching some strange mash-up of Willard vs. The Mask... But it's not like this is a bad movie. Underwhelming compared to its pair of astonishing predecessors? Sure, but still entertaining enough for a Sunday afternoon slouchfest. Yes, a movie that costs $250 million (or more?) should make our eyes pop and our remaining senses tingle (and possibly even leave us a craving a cigarette and a shower afterward), and Spidey 3 has moments of such bliss. Its single biggest flaw is that when it needs to get really dark, it gets really hokey -- perhaps catering to a younger audience, but losing a whole lot of credibility in the process.

Talk to Me
About a month back we ran a feature speculating (guestimating, too) over early Oscar contenders, and a few of our readers astutely inquired, "Where the f*** is Don Cheadle?" Our bad. Cheadle does indeed deserve to be part of the discussion in the Best Actor race, as crowded a field as it looks this year. Shoot, even Cate Blanchett wants in. Cheadle begins chewing the scenery faster than you can say Chiwetel Ejiofor as Civil Rights-era radio talk show host Ralph "Petey" Greene in this honest and engaging portrayal. Also thoroughly impressive -- and who I wish would also get mentioned in awards chatter -- is Taraji P. Henson. The Hustle & Flow breakout has a vibrancy about her to match Cheadle at every turn, AND she's got a killer Afro to boot. Though unexpectedly conventional at times, the film is a rare treat for folks who appreciate thoughtful yet feel-good, socially relevant entertainment.

Focus Features has some pretty good films under their belt, some of which they start their upcoming film preview with -- a collection of clips that has found its way to YouTube. There's Michel Gondry's Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Sofia Coppola's Lost in Translation and Ang Lee's Brokeback Mountain, to name a few. But after a re-cap of some of their past successes, the collection offers some footage -- equipped with that cheesy, uber-positive voice over designed to pump you up -- of their upcoming offerings: Evening, Talk to Me, Eastern Promises, Lust, Caution, Reservation Road and Atonement.

Some of the films Cinematical has already shown you glimpses of before. Jessica Barnes and Chris Ullrich previously led you to trailers of Talk to Me, the Don Cheadle biopic about Ralph "Petey" Greene, and in April, I posted about a trailer for Keira Knightley's Atonement, so there's nothing new to see for those films. However, there are some moving glances at the other up-and-coming films that should be worth our attention. Evening, which is the latest Michael Cunningham adaptation, again brings together a huge female cast from Glenn Close and Meryl Streep to Vanessa Redgrave and Toni Collette. All you get in the preview are glimpses of their faces, but there's also a trailer here that you check out, before the ten-hankie film is released this week. There's also David Cronenberg's dark drama Eastern Promises, which looks visually great, and I imagine will be all the better in the right mood, without the PR speak narrating it. The same goes for Ang Lee's Lust, Caution, that geared up last May. Finally, there's Reservation Road, which has possibilities considering the cast that includes Joaquin Phoenix and Jennifer Connelly, but all you get in this blip are a few quick shots before seeing each one of them looking super-somber.

Consummate pro Don Cheadle is an actor who seems like he should be getting leading roles in huge Hollywood blockbusters. But instead, he often gets second, third or, in the case of Ocean's Thirteen, fifth billing in the credits. Well, no matter his position on the poster, he's always been tops with me as an actor to watch. And even if he hasn't quite achieved "household name" status, he's still managed to become one of the most successful and well-regarded actors working today with several projects in the works including the previously mentioned Oceans' Thirteen, a Miles Davis biopic and the soon-to-be-released Talk to Me -- the comedic yet uplifting and poignant story of ex-con turned radio personality Ralph "Petey" Greene.

Previously on Cinematical, we brought you word of the film and included some background on the story and other details like who are the film's co-stars and director (Martin Sheen, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Kasi Lemmons, in case you don't want to click). There was also a trailer at that time as well. And now, thanks to Rope of Silicon, we can bring you a new trailer for the film to help encourage you to go out and see it. Its a good story featuring an interesting and compelling character portrayed by an actor who deserves attention and respect. It's ok to watch something else besides movies like Transformers and Pirates of the Caribbean: AWE sometimes. It won't hurt you, I promise. So, do yourself and Mr. Cheadle a favor: watch the Talk to Me trailer, get interested in the movie and then go see it when it opens in July.

I'll admit that the only Don Cheadle project I had been keeping track of was the Miles Davis biopic; so it was no surprise that Cheadle's Talk To Me had flown completely under my radar. That is until I noticed the new trailer up on Yahoo! Movies. Also starring is Martin Sheen, Chiwetel Ejiofor (Inside Man) and Cedric The Entertainer -- who might be looking to redeem himself with audiences after the reception Code Name: The Cleaner received.

Directed by Kasi Lemmons, the film is the biography of Ralph "Petey" Greene, an ex-con who became an Emmy winning broadcaster and social activist. Greene passed away in 1984 at the age of 53. The movie looks to be dripping with nostalgia and even manages to work in a shot of a burning flag in case you think this period comedy doesn't have a serious point to make. Luckily, Cheadle has the uncanny ability of walking away with his dignity intact no matter what the rest of the movie is like; if you don't believe me, watch Swordfish and tell me he doesn't save himself from total embarrassment, if only John Travolta had managed to do the same. Talk To Me opens July of this year.