the buzz log

Will the undead nudge Batman from atop the Buzz Multiplex? Can Kevin Costner break his streak of mediocrity with a swing? And have audiences at long last found this year's hit documentary? Tune in... now.

1. " The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon" (PG-13). Critic-proof and plot-resistant, the third installment of "The Mummy" brings the next archaelogical generation (Luke Ford) and his suspiciously young-looking parents (Brendan Fraser and Maria Bello) into the top 4,000 queries this week. Jet Li and Michelle Yeoh also make up a search-provoking cast, although their action sequences get lost in the fancy camerawork. The biggest stir, though, belongs to a missing Mummy: Rachel Weisz, the former Evie (replaced by Bello), gets more online attention than the newby.

2. "American Teen" (PG-13, limited release). A year in the life of four Indiana teens, the documentary hits those years better than a beachful of reality TV shows. Director Nanette Burstein didn't let a Sundance prize stop her from adding a follow-up for this debut. The limited release, which expands to more theaters this week, may have spurred the online nostalgia for "Fast Times at Ridgemont High," "The Breakfast Club," and "Napoleon Dynamite." Expect a lot of flashbacks in the theater seats as well, with interest coming from ages 13 through 50-something.

3. "Swing Vote" (PG-13). Civics lesson Walt Disney-style should be a sound ticket in an election year, especially with the likes of Dennis Hopper, Nathan Lane, Kelsey Grammer, and Stanley Tucci sharing the ticket with lead Kevin Costner. But so far, audience indifference likely means a landslide loss at the box office. Add this artistic deadweight to Costner's filmography—which has nonetheless enjoyed a spike ("kevin costner movies," +154%) among true believers.

Filed under: Movies, Politics, Archaeology, Jet Li