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©DreamWorks
Bubble Movies: 'Ruins,' 'Guru,' 'Mummy'
©Dennis Van Tine/Retna Ltd.
Casting News: Witherspoon a 'Monster'?
©Miramax
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As the NCAA men's basketball tournament begins to secure 65 teams from around the country there are inevitably a few good teams that are on the "bubble." Some will make it to the big dance, some won't. The same analogy holds true to movies as well. After sitting through 15 minutes of trailers at your local theater, there are always a few films that generate a response of, "I dunno about that one. It could sneak onto my viewing schedule, or ... it could not." With that in mind, here are a few "bubble" movies that are hitting theaters over the next few months.

"The Ruins"
Pros: It's hard to believe, but DreamWorks has a good track record with scary flicks after releasing "The Ring" and "Disturbia." Plus, the Mexican holiday setting lends itself to a plethora of eye candy from the sexy, young cast.
Cons: A bunch of vacationers are infected by an evil creation from an ancient civilization, causing death and destruction? It may be original, but sounds an awful lot like a bad TV movie on SciFi.

"Superhero Movie"
Pros: This genre has been ripe for a smart send-up for years, and writer/director Craig Mazin might be the man to do it after reviving the "Scary Movie" franchise.
Cons: If the trailer has some of the best moments in the movie, the quality of this comedy could be a lot closer to the extremely lame "Date Movie" and "Epic Movie" than classics such as "Airplane" or "The Naked Gun."

"Righteous Kill"
Pros: Robert De Niro and Al Pacino reunite for the first time since "Heat" as two New York detectives on the hunt for a dangerous vigilante.
Cons: Wouldn't this movie have been cool in ... 1992? Now it feels more like a very special episode of "Law & Order."

"The Happening"
Pros: Something strange is happening. People are dying and it's spreading fast across the country. But never fear: Everyday hero Mark Wahlberg seems determined to save his family from this reportedly "natural" disaster.
Cons: This seems awfully similar to Shyamalan's last few flicks, most notably "Signs." Can the former wunderkind create movie magic by reusing that tired "something is out there" formula one more time?

"The Love Guru"
Pros: Mike Myers spent years honing this new character before bringing it to the big screen. Plus, Justin Timberlake looks like he's willing to completely embarrass himself in his skivvies for a laugh.
Cons: The trailer seems painful but, as a friend recently remarked, the original "Austin Powers" wasn't funny until the jokes sunk in a few days later and upon second viewings. Perhaps moviegoers will feel the same about "Guru"?

"The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor"
Pros: Popcorn movies are always good escapist entertainment in the hot, sticky summer, and Maria Bello is a fine replacement for Rachel Weisz.
Cons: Do people really care about this franchise? And has director Rob Cohen ever made a movie you'd pay to see twice?

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