I have been seriously jonesing for some good old-fashioned blockbuster entertainment. (The pickings so far this year have been very slim.) Thus begins another summer of superheroes, sequels, and explosions. I'm in hog heaven. :)
Friday, May 3rdIron Man 3
The first movie of the summer is typically a Marvel superhero movie- not sure why, but they've got a monopoly on this week. The first post-Avengers movie (or, as the fans know it as, Phase 2) is a trilogy capper of the metal guy who started it all. Robert Downey, Jr. returns as Tony Stark in a somewhat darker film. I was not a big fan of Iron Man 2, but the trailer looks very promising. I have high hopes for this film, and for where the mega-franchise will go from here.
Also stars returning cast members Gwyneth Paltrow and Don Cheadle, and newcomers Guy Pearce and Ben Kingsley as the villains. Shane Black (the writer of Lethal Weapon) takes over directing duties from Jon Favreau.
Friday, May 10th
The Great Gatsby
The book everyone read in high school gets an injection of life, and music, in this visually stunning, 3D (!) adaptation of the legendary novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Leonardo DiCaprio stars in the title role as a mysterious- and moody- millionaire who befriends his neighbor Nick (Tobey Maguire) and tries to win back his long-lost love Daisy (Carey Mulligan, An Education), who is unhappily married to unfaithful Tom. I hated the book when I read it (granted, I hated pretty much everything they forced us to read in high school), but it's telling that Hollywood has never been able to make a successful movie adaptation, despite numerous tries.
Co-stars Joel Edgerton (Warrior) and Isla Fisher. Directed by Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge).
Friday, May 17th
Star Trek Into Darkness
Quite possibly the most highly anticipated film of the year. After a four-year gap, J.J. Abrams returns to the Enterprise with a sequel to the wonderful reboot that gave new life to the final frontier. While plot details are being kept under wraps, we know that Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the gang are dealing with a new villain (Benedict Cumberbatch, TV's Sherlock) that pushes the entire crew to their breaking point.
Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, John Cho, and Simon Pegg all return.
Friday, May 24th
The Hangover: Part III
Moviegoers will have their pick of two sequels this week (the other being Fast & Furious 6). Not being a fan of that franchise, I'll go with the comedy route, and see the third (and supposedly last) film in the trilogy of drunken misadventures. After the critical failure of Part II, this film differs in plot, with the three guys hitting the road and getting tangled up in Chow's crazy crime life, and trying to rescue a kidnapped Doug. The film may not be as good as the first installment, but it's tough to resist the chemistry between the three stars.
Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, and Zach Galifianakis return, as does director Todd Phillips.
Friday, May 31st
Now You See Me
This movie isn't generating a lot of buzz, but it should, because it looks freaking cool. In the mode of The Prestige, a group of four hotshot magicians end up robbing a bank in the middle of their show- and giving away all the money to the audience. A police investigation ensues, but the magicians are one step ahead of everyone else. Sure to have lots of head-scratching plot twists.
Louis Leterrier (The Incredible Hulk) directs an all-star cast including Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Isla Fisher, Mark Ruffalo, Morgan Freeman, and Michael Caine.
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