Summer movie season begins!

[tazber]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 7:04am

Another summer full of potential that will most likely be wasted come Labor Day.

But that doesn't mean I won't see all the crap Hollywood is throwing our way this summer (and some cool sounding indies as well).

Here are my most anticipated:

Iron Man 3 - I didn't really enjoy any of the Phase One Marvel movies but The Avengers changed all that. It was my favorite film of last summer and has got me psyched for Iron Man 3.

Kiss of the Damned - An homage to the 70s grind-house/soft core classic horror movies by Jean Rollin. This is like catnip to me.

The Great Gatsby - Baz does his thing with a modern classic. Fitzgerald's real life struggles in Hollywood would probably make a better movie, but Luhrmann has never made a movie (even Australia) that wasn't entertaining.

Sightseers - If you don't know who Ben Wheatley is then this is your chance to find out. This is his third film and it has won raves across the pond. Part road-trip, part Badlands style crime movie, and part droll comedy.

Stories We Tell - Sarah Polley has become a wonderful filmmaker. Her attention to the small details that say more than 10 pages of dialogue is put to use in a documentary about her own family.

The Hangover 3 - What can I say? Part 2 had me rolling.

Now You See Me - The trailer for this "magicians pull an impossible heist" movie have me intrigued.

The East - Brit Marking & Zal Batmanglij (The Sound of My Voice) are two of the most interesting people working in independent film. Bonus: it also stars Alexander Skarsgard.

This is the End - meta comedy about a bunch of famous actors/comedians playing a version of themselves hanging in James Franco's apartment on the the last night of the world. Probably going to disappoint, but I'm thinking the ab-libs and improv are going to be hilarious.

Berberian Sound Studio - think Blow Up only with recorded audio instead of photography (which i guess would be The Conversation). Starring Toby Jones who is always worth watching.

Monster's University - Who doesn't love these characters? Such a better idea than Cars 2.

Man of Steel - In truth I'm not really a Superman fan but this has gotten such gushing praise from advances screenings I'll probably see this anyway.

World War Z - Big budget zombie movie. 'Nuff said.

The Secret Revolution of Disco - I quote: Gloria Gaynor, Village People, Kool and the Gang, KC and the Sunshine Band and more appear in the documentary about the birth of disco in the ’70s and the part the music movement played in the liberation of gays, blacks and women.

Pacific Rim - GIANT ROBOTS FIGHT GIANT MONSTERS! I'm so there. In Imax 3-D.

Fruitvale Station - Sundance darling about the true case of Oscar Grant who was shot in the back by a police officer while being detained.

Kick-Ass 2 - More Hit Girl.

The World's End - Edgar Wright closes out his trilogy of comedies with Simon Pegg and Nick Frost with an epic Pub Crawl on the last night of the world (again).

So what are my fellow movie lovers looking forward to?

[all that jazz]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 7:34am

Honnestly, the only movie on that list I'm excited about is Gatsby. And I haven't been excited about a movie since Les Mis.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 8:07am

I'm ready for Star Trek: Into Darkness, Now You See Me, and Gatsby

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 8:28am

Taz, I saw the "Stories We Tell" trailer before Mud and was almost in tears. It looks so good and is now the movie I'm probably most excited for this summer.

Plus we get another installment with Hawke and Delpy in "Before Midnight."

I'm not a Superman fan either, but the word of mouth is too good to pass this up. Didn't Nolan kind of show doctor the film too?

Almodovar has a new movie called "I'm So Excited," and it's promised to be a screwball comedy- with an appearance by Penelope Cruz!!

Woody Allen is giving us another movie this summer too called "Blue Jasmine" with the ever brilliant Cate Blanchett.

[tazber]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 8:38am

Oooh! I forgot about Almadovar's new movie! That's a must see for me too.

Wynnie, I think I'm the only person who was under-whelmed by the Star Trek reboot. I'll catch the new one, but probably on BD.

[Wynbish]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 8:40am

I get that. I know several people who were underwhelmed and almost annoyed with the story and style of the first movie (so much lens flare!)

[suestorm]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 9:46am

i cant wait to see

Wolf of Wall Street with my girl Cristin Milioti.. oh yeah and that Leonardo de vinci caprio

World War Z, Zombie Goodness and Brad Pit tooo!

Posted: 5/1/13 at 9:57am

That Now You See Me trailer is mesmerizing. No idea what the movie is about but I think i want to keep it that way until i see it.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 10:13am

I want to see the Great Gatsby because I liked the book in high school. And Monster's University comes out on my birthday.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 10:21am

I'm more excited for STORIES WE TELL than anything else this year.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 10:38am

Joe, I thought Now You See Me looked interesting when I first saw the trailer months and months ago. Then they kept pushing back the release date and making new trailers.

I know that doesn't always mean it's a "troubled" film, but I've heard that test audiences weren't happy with things and they began tweaking the movie.

I'll still see it for Eisenberg, and hope the movie can live up the trailer.

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 10:46am

I really liked the book World War Z but it looks like the movie took a different direction that I'm not sure is going pay off. Plus the CGI in the trailers looks pretty terrible. But it's zombies so I'm sure I'll be there opening night.
I've very excited for Kiss Of The Damned and Great Gatsby but the rest of the this summer's line up has me "meh".

[HoldThatThought]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 10:58am

I'm looking forward to the standard fare: Iron Man 3, Star Trek: Into Darkness, World War Z, Pacific Rim, RIPD, Man of Steel, etc. Also want to see Kick-Ass 2 and check out some new indie films to add to my must see list.

Just thought I'd mention that if any of you have iPhones or iPads, Apple's Trailers app is great for a catching a glimpse of what's coming out and when.

Whizzer - thanks for the Woody Allen and Almodovar heads up!

[strummergirl]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 11:02am

Kick-Ass 2 looks like half the budget was eaten by the contracts of Moretz, Johnson, and Carrey.

World War Z looks like a butchering. I don't really care how much it cost or it is a disaster, because any studio that employs Marc Forster to do an action film is asking for a led balloon of a genre movie, it just is the source material in name only.

I liked Star Trek good and fine but Into Darkness looks very Nolan-fied and it is pretty obvious who Benedict Cumberbatch is and if the hook of 'who is he?' is a large portion of the movie I think Abrams needs to be slapped before he takes over Star Wars.

The World's End, not to be confused with This Is the End despite both being comedies by of friends about the same plot (yeesh, is this the new Super 8 vs. Attack the Block), caps off on the Three Colors Cornetto Trilogy by Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg, and Nick Frost.

Whizzer- My understanding is Christopher Nolan was not as involved. Jonathan Nolan and David Goyer, yes. Plus it looks very Grant Morrison to me (again, anybody who calls Superman boring never read his comics) which is a major plus.

Wolf on Wall Street is a November release. I cannot imagine Scorsese having a summer movie. That said, Malick apparently is again. The movie is still not officially titled yet and although the cast sounds great, it is still unknown how much screen time they all have.

My more anticipated:
Man of Steel
Pacific Rim
The Bling Ring
Fast and Furious 6
The World's End
The Spectacular Now- Really good word out of Sundance and SWSW about this teen movie.
Fruitvale Station- Also great word out of Sundance
Only God Forgives- In it for Kristen Scott Thomas
This is The End
Elysium- Though I am cautious if this is not just retreading territory for Blomkamp.
Byzantium- You don't think the could have been a vampire craze without Neil Jordan having another vampire movie, right?
Frances Ha- I oscillate on Noah Baumbach's work and that I have no idea how I'll react to this movie is actually probably the best perspective to be going in.
Before Midnight- Cuz Celine and Jesse forever.
Updated On: 5/1/13 at 11:02 AM

[HoldThatThought]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 11:11am

Strummer - are you referring to Malick's movie "To The Wonder" with Ben Affleck, Rachel Adams, Xavier Bardem? Release date was April 12th.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 11:21am

No, HoldThatThought. I already saw that movie before its wide(r) release. This is another movie of supposedly a few that he is actually doing post-production work on. It is unofficially called Knight of Cups, IIRC. It takes place in Austin, Texas. Ryan Gosling, Michael Fassbender, Rooney Mara, and Natalie Portman are all supposedly in it but again, never trust a casting list in a Malick film because he cuts a lot of parts out.

[HoldThatThought]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 11:55am

Oh, okay - I didn't realize he had another one coming out so soon.

[WhizzerMarvin]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 11:57am

strummergirl, What did you think of To The Wonder?

[bradwds]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 12:18pm

I'm really looking forward to Pacific Rim. I enjoy Guillermo del Toro's films. After watching the new trailer that went online on Monday, all I can say is "boat-slapped".
Pacific Rim trailer

[tazber]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 12:24pm

In terms of big budget extravaganzas Pacific Rim is definitely my most anticipated summer movie.

I just hope he doesn't lose the characters in all the massive destruction.

[strummergirl]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 1:24pm

Whizzer- I saw To The Wonder in-between a time I saw 2 movies with Malickian elements, Spring Breakers and Upstream Color, respectively. I already surprised people by liking Spring Breakers and let me also sell myself out that I also liked it more than To the Wonder and Upstream Color. Not to make the other movies look bad. I like To The Wonder. Upstream Color is fine but Shane Carruth as an actor, writer, and director leaves poor Amy Seimetz in the cold in making a believable couple and the movie just does not stay interesting after its first 20-30 minutes sans those surprisingly affecting pigs-- I cannot explain that properly. Wesley Morris in a review said the movie felt slightly autistic and whatever emotion from that movie came out of those pigs (seriously) and Amy Seimetz. Worth seeing if just because the first 20-30 minutes are incredibly effective sci-fi and body horror but I felt a little detached, though I know people who took to the movie on an emotional level.

Now back to To the Wonder, I like the idea Malick applied his ambition of Tree of Life to something small yet personal in To The Wonder. It's not a perfect movie, but I like that my issues were like say in the moment Rachel McAdams appears I am taking sides because I know it will not end well with Affleck's and Olga's characters. I am disconnected from that story because I am invested in the first story told. It's beautifully done, obviously. It is super Malick-y but it is a relatively short movie experience compared to his other works, but it is deeply personal and I feel like calling it minor and small is reductive. Worth seeing, definitely. Best movie he has ever done, absolutely not.

Updated On: 5/1/13 at 01:24 PM

[Wildcard]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 2:27pm

I'm looking forward to:

Iron Man 3 - I wasn't a fan of the last movie but I like the character so looking forward to this one.

The Great Gatsby - I'm not familiar with the book (never had to read it) but I love Baz's visual style. So for that alone, I'm excited for this movie.

Now You See Me - The trailer and the cast seems impressive

This is the End - Not a fan of James Franco but everything I've seen from this seems very funny

Man of Steel - This is the movie I'm most looking forward to. Big DC Comics fan and Henry fills Superman's tights nicely

World War Z - Wasn't a fan of the book but I love zombies. Either way it looks like a train wreck waiting to happen but I'm willing to give it a chance.

Pacific Rim - GIANT ROBOTS FIGHT GIANT MONSTERS! Plus Del Toro. A nice combo!

Kick-Ass 2 - Loved the first movie and I think the low budget look is part of its appeal.

[Jim Colyer]

Posted: 5/1/13 at 5:16pm

I'll see Man of Steel. That's automatic.

[best12bars]

Posted: 5/2/13 at 7:04am

Gatsby
Iron Man 3
The new Star Trek

The rest? Meh.

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 5/3/13 at 5:16pm

Is no one else excited for THE BLING RING?!