Written by Adam Mast
As we patiently wait to see if “Episode VII” and “Spectre” can live up to the astronomical hype that surrounds them this holiday season (for the record, I believe they will live up to the hype), let’s take a look at the cinematic awesomeness that awaits us this summer. There are plenty of movies to look forward to in the next few months, but I’m just going to briefly profile ten titles that stand out for me personally. Enjoy!
AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON (May 1st)
Writer/director Joss Whedon is back in the “Avengers” driver seat with the highly anticipated, “Age of Ultron.” This latest Marvel adaptation finds Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye joining forces with new recruits Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver in an effort to defeat a baddie with world domination on his mind. “Age of Ultron” has already screened for select audiences and thus far, the buzz is overwhelmingly positive. With the first picture, Whedon proved that he could juggle multiple A-list players with effortless ease all while fashioning a dramatic-filled adventure that never loses its sense of comic book inspired fun. Will lightening strike twice? I’m hoping so. Will Marvel’s new incarnation of “Spider-Man” make an appearance in a post credits stinger? I doubt it but we’ll know soon enough.
MAGGIE (May 8th)
Forget “Terminator: Genysis.” “Maggie” is the Arnold Schwarzenegger summer entry you really want to keep an eye out for. With the success of “Warm Bodies” and “The Walking Dead,” zombies are clearly in these days, but “Maggie” looks to take a decidedly different approach at the genre with this tale of a father out to protect his young daughter after she contracts a deadly virus. Schwarzenegger looks to be going the dramatic route here and while that notion might cause some folks to giggle, I personally look forward to seeing this 80’s action icon in a new light. Not that I dislike the old light. I just love that the big guy is taking a chance on something a little outside his wheel house.
MAD MAX: FURY ROAD (May 15th)
Kudos to Warner Brothers for marketing the crap out of this movie and for suggesting that director George Miller is the visual mastermind that he truly is. It’s been 30 years since Mel Gibson’s Mad Max went beyond “Thunderdome” and now, after years of false starts, Tom Hardy emerges as a Max for a new generation. After seeing the trailers and speaking to folks who have seen the film, I think it’s safe to say that “Fury Road” is going to be a winner of the highest caliber. It’s also a miracle-movie of sorts. We’re talking about an epic post-apocalyptic action movie that features, for the most part, real vehicles and real stuntmen on real locations in a movie climate where CGI generally reigns supreme. May 15th can’t come soon enough!
TOMORROWLAND (May 22nd)
Truth be told, the first teaser for “Tomorrowland” left me a little bit cold, but given that this movie is directed by Brad Bird (“Iron Giant”, “The Incredibles”, and ‘Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol”), I was already willing to give it the benefit of the doubt. Then, I saw the international trailer with its suggestion that Disneyland might somehow play a direct part in this fantasy/sci-fi/adventure, and I was completely sold.
ALOHA (May 29th)
I’ve always had a soft spot for Cameron Crowe. True, “Elizabethtown” left a bit to be desired, but we’re talking about the man who made “Say Anything” and “Almost Famous.” This romance features a love triangle between appealing stars Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, and Rachel McAdams, but I have very little doubt that it will be Crowe’s winning dialogue and keen music selections that dominate a much needed bit of alternative summer movie programming.
ME AND EARL AND THE DYING GIRL (June 12th)
I happen to know that “Me Earl and the Dying Girl” is a winner because I was already fortunate enough to see it. While comparisons to “The Fault in Our Stars” and “Be Kind Rewind” have already been made, this story of an awkward teen’s bonding with a terminally ill classmate has a style all its own. What’s more, “Me and Earl and the Dying Girl” is able to wring warmth and humor out of a topic that isn’t at all amusing, but it manages to do so with honesty and grace. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house following the screening I attended. Final note; Fantastic performances right across the board.
INSIDE OUT (June 19th)
Pixar returns with what looks to be a creative, delightfully magical tale of a young girl and the very distinct personality traits that make up her psyche. With a vocal cast that includes Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Richard Kind, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, and Bill Hader, this one has “winner” written all over it. This has the potential to be Pixar’s strongest effort since 2000’s “Toy Story 3.”
MINIONS (July 10th)
A whimsical, centuries long origin story of how “Despicable Me’s” beguiling Minions came to find a villainous master? Yes please! This movie looks positively adorable. Other animated features have tried to duplicate the sort of quirky cool sweetness that makes up the charming, hilarious spirit of the Minions but none have come close. I can’t wait to see this one!
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE-ROGUE NATION (July 31st)
“The Usual Suspects” screenwriter and “Jack Reacher” director Christopher McQuarrie takes the helm of this latest “Mission: Impossible” adventure. This time, Tom Cruise’s Ethan Hunt takes on a team of anti-IMF agents. If the sight of a real Tom Cruise dangling from the side of a real plan taking off doesn’t thrill you, then I don’t know what will. Oh, and Simon Pegg has a bigger role this time around. “Rogue Nation” looks like a ton of fun.
VACATION (July 31st)
It’s the Griswolds vs. Ethan Hunt! Why Warner Brothers is opening “Vacation” against Paramount’s “Mission: Impossible-Rogue Nation” is beyond me, but I’ll be seeing both films on opening weekend, thank you very much. In the continuing misadventures of the Griswolds, it is now Clark’s grown son Rusty who gets the family into all sorts of mischief. This new take on “Vacation” stars Ed Helms, Christina Applegate, Chris Hemsworth, Leslie Mann, and returning “Vacation” alumni Chevy Chase and Beverly D’Angelo. I haven’t seen a lick of footage for this yet, but I suspect it’s going to be better than “Vegas Vacation.”
Other noteworthy films to look forward to this summer: BURYING THE EX, PITCH PERFECT 2, TRAINWRECK, and THE FANTASTIC FOUR
MIXED BAG: Three high profile summer films that could go either way
JURASSIC WORLD (June 12th)
After a couple of mediocre sequels, Universal is about to unveil a new “Jurassic Park” movie. Executive Steven Spielberg took a big chance hiring Colin Trevorrow to direct the film. Trevorrow only had a single independent feature to his credit (the outstanding “Safety Not Guaranteed”), but Spielberg was impressed enough by the film-maker’s pitch that he was willing to give him a shot. Admittedly, the very concept seems golden; 22 years following the original film, John Hammond’s dream of an actual operating theme park filled with dinosaurs has been realized. Unfortunately, in an attempt to appeal to bored park visitors, scientists genetically create a new breed, and not surprisingly, this new super dinosaur goes on a rampage. So what’s the problem? Well, I don’t know if I can get on board with domesticated raptors and the chemistry between Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard is virtually non-existent. Add to this what looks to be a couple of less than stellar CG shots and you have a big Hollywood movie that really could go either way. Having said that, I’m rooting for this one. I want “Jurassic World” to be good.
TERMINATOR: GENISYS– (July 1st)
Of all the high profile summer movies on the horizon, “Terminator: Genysis” is the film that makes me most nervous. It hardly seems fair to judge a movie based solely on a trailer, but I’m having a real hard time getting excited for this flick despite the return of Arnold Schwarzenegger, who wisely sat “Terminator: Salvation” out. This fifth entry in the franchise appears to use a “Star Trek” reboot/”Back to the Future Part 2″-style re-created time line hook and while there are certainly interesting plot ideas that have been whispered about, the call back one-liners are labored, the action beats feel a little bit off, and Jai Courtney seems all wrong in the role of Kyle Reese. A new trailer just dropped and it’s slightly better than the first, but like “Rise Against the Machines” and “Salvation”, I fear this one will suffer from a severe lack of that old James Cameron magic.
ANT-MAN (July 17th)
Marvel is on a roll, there’s no doubt about that. Even the immensely entertaining “Guardians of the Galaxy” exceeded expectations. At this point, this summer’s “Ant-Man” could go either way. It features a strong cast in Michael Douglas, Paul Rudd, and Evangeline Lilly, but the replacing of original director Edgar Wright (who had been working on the project for several years) has left a bad taste in the mouths of many a fan. With Peyton Reed (“Bring It On”) taking over for Wright and “Ant-Man” star Paul Rudd doing a screenplay polish with “Anchorman” writer/director Adam McKay, this latest Marvel project appeared to be back on track, but based on the footage I’ve seen, I’m having a hard time getting excited about it. I hope I’m wrong. I hope “Ant-Man” kicks a lot of ass because I adore Paul Rudd and I want the Marvel hit streak to continue.
