Summer doesn't officially arrive until June 20. But with the The Avengers taking over theatres and cleaning up at the box office for the last two weeks, and with Battleship, another big, special-effects driven popcorn movie, opening this weekend, summer movies are upon us and more are just around the corner. Here's a look at some of the ones that have our attention.
NOTE: This article ran in the Friday, May 18 edition of t.o.night Newspaper. You can download a copy of it in PDF format here.
Men in Black III (May 25) – Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are back keeping the world clean of aliens and this time they're in 3-D. There's also time travel and Josh Brolin so it must be good.
Snow White and the Huntsman (June 1) – Laughable debacle or a solid retelling of the Snow White tale? That's what we're all wondering after hearing Kristen Stewart's British accent in the trailer. Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth, and Ray Winstone are also in it to help give the film some momentum.
Prometheus (June 8 ) – Ridley Scott's latest sci-fi thriller, that could or could not be a prequel to Alien, looks absolutely amazing and is one of the most anticipated films the year. It features a wonderful cast, including Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, and Guy Pearce, and should blow all us geeks away.
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (June 8 ) – Around my house, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted is all my 4-year-old son cares about seeing this summer. From the 20-minute glimpse I got earlier this year, I already know it's going to be a winner with the kids all summer long.
Rock of Ages (June 15) – I've been dreading the day I would have to sit through a movie where Tom Cruise sports a mullet and sings. That day has come and it's called Rock of Ages.
Brave (June 22) – Last summer Pixar disappointed audiences with Cars 2. This summer they're making up for it with Brave, the story of a princess who sets out on her own instead of taking a prince. The animation looks brilliant, the story is fun, and it's a Pixar original so we all know it's going to be great.
G.I. Joe: Retaliation (June 29) – Bruce Willis and Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson are in it so it has to be better than the first G.I. Joe film. Right?
Take This Waltz (June 29) – Sarah Polley's Take This Waltz is the ultimate summer movie for us Torontonians. Not only is it set in our wonderful city during the summer, but it's also a great love story with a nice mix of comedy and sadness. Seth Rogen and Michelle Williams also deliver Oscar-worthy performances.
The Amazing Spider-Man (July 6) – I wasn't that happy with the news that Sam Raimi and Tobey Maguire were off the next Spider-Man film or that it would be a reboot of the character. But after watching the trailer and a few clips, I feel better about it. Andrew Garfield as Peter Parker/Spider-Man and Emma Stone as Gwen Stacey appear to work well together too.
Savages (July 6) – All I know about Savages is that it's directed by Oliver Stone, it's about pot growers battling Mexican drug cartels, and it's got a wild cast that includes Taylor Kitsch, Blake Lively, Benicio Del Toro, and Aaron Johnson. Sweet!
Ted (July 13) – From the creator of Family Guy. Need more? How about Mark Wahlberg plays a man who hangs out with a talking, walking, crude teddy bear. The trailer alone had me dying from laughter.
The Dark Knight Rises (July 20) – The first two films in Christopher Nolan's Batman series reinvented the character and turned Christian Bale into a bonafide superstar. The Dark Knight Rises, the third and supposedly last film in this series, looks like it will be more of the same awesomeness we've come to expect, especially with Tom Hardy as the villain Bane. But without the draw of the Joker it might have a hard time knocking The Avengers off its throne as the movie event of the year.
Total Recall (August 3) – I spoke with Colin Farrell while he was filming Total Recall in Toronto and he was genuinely excited to be part of this movie. Yes, it's a remake, but Farrell is a much better actor than Arnold Schwarzenegger ever was and with Len Wiserman in the director's chair you know you can expect some great action sequences. Add in Kate Beckinsale and Jessica Biel, and this should be one fun sci-fi ride.
The Bourne Legacy (August 3) – With Matt Damon out and Jeremy Renner in, The Bourne Legacy is going to need to ramp up its marketing campaign to get people interested in it. So far I'm not sold on it and I should be.
The Odd Life of Timothy Green (August 15) – Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton play a couple who can't have kids so they plant their wishes in their backyard and grow a boy. I'm guessing this is going to play with our hearts and get some tears flowing.
The Expendables 2 (August 17) – If you saw The Expendables and enjoyed it most likely you're going to want to see The Expendables 2. Not only is everyone from the first returning, but now Chuck Norris, Liam Hemsworth, and Jean-Claude Van Damme are in. Should be another cool homage to the '80s action genre.
Premium Rush (August 24) – Joseph Gordon-Levitt as a bike courier on the run from a dirty cop (Michael Shannon) in a movie with a title as cheesy as Premium Rush? How can this not be a fun B-grade flick to end the summer with?
The Possession (August 31) – It wouldn't be summer without a creepy horror movie in August. Produced by Sam Raimi and directed by the great Ole Bornedal (Deliver Us From Evil), The Possession is about a girl who buys a box at a garage sale only to find it carries something sinister inside. Spooky.
What are you looking forward to most this summer? Let us know in the comments below.
