Gerard Butler and Channing Tatum save the White House this summer

It is often bemoaned that Hollywood makes the same movies over and over. While this is (very) true to an extent, it is rare that two extremely similar movies are released back to back. Sometimes, however, we are treated to a plateful of same, like in 1998 when we had good guys protecting Mother Earth from asteroids in "Deep Impact" and "Armageddon". And let us not forget the confusion in 2006 caused by the calendar-close releases of period-piece magician movies "The Prestige" and "The Illusionist". This summer, it happens again, with the White House finding itself under attack in two films.

On March 22, Antoine Fuqoa ("Training Day") directs Scottsman Gerard Butler in "Olympus Has Fallen", an action thriller in which terrorists attack the White House and kidnap the Commander in Chief (played in this film by Aaron Eckhart). Butler (with an interesting American accent) stars as Mike Banning, disenfranchised ex-Secret Service Agent who turns out to be the president's, and America's, only hope. Morgan Freeman also stars as Speaker of the House, who, in the time of crisis, becomes the acting president. (Morgan Freeman previously played the president in the aforementioned "Deep Impact".)

Three months later, on June 28, the White House is attacked again, this time under the direction of Roland Emmerich (who had previously zapped the White House to pieces in his 1996 film "Independence Day"). In "White House Down", heartthrob Channing Tatum stars as John Cale, a police officer and Secret Service hopeful. Right after his job interview, the White House comes under attack, leaving him the only hope to save the president (played in this film by Jamie Foxx). The film also features Maggie Gyllenhaal as a Secret Service agent. No trailer has yet been released for this film.

What do you think about these movies being released so close-together? And who would you like to see save the day more, Gerard Butler or Channing Tatum?