Although I dislike about 90 percent of wide releases nowadays, I still enjoy paging through the Entertainment Weekly summer movie preview and sifting out a few potential gems. Here are 10 summer movies I wouldn’t mind seeing (although I’ll have to track down some of them on DVD in the fall, including the first three on this list, which had limited releases).
“Hobo with a Shotgun” (May 6) — A movie-buff friend who saw this movie on its HD TV release described it as “crazy,” adding that it made “Machete” look like it was made by Disney. I consider that to be high praise for this fourth movie in the reinvigorated grindhouse genre (following 2007’s “Death Proof” and “Planet Terror” and last year’s “Machete”).
“Everything Must Go” (May 13) — Like when Jim Carrey and Adam Sandler went through their “serious movie” phases, Will Ferrell doesn’t have to prove his acting chops to me. Still, this story of a guy who seeks a fresh lease on life by selling all of his possessions in a yard sale looks like the perfect showcase for the actor’s less goofy side.
“Skateland” (May 13) — The trailer perfectly sets the tone for this early ’80s coming-of-age movie with its use of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros’ “40 Day Dream,” which is indeed a dreamy tune. EW’s review says “Skateland” feels like a prequel to 2009’s “Adventureland,” which suggests it lives up to the trailer’s promise.
“X-Men: First Class” (June 3) — I liked the first “X-Men” and the “Wolverine” movie, but not so much the second and third movies, which felt like toy commercials. “First Class” features a compelling trailer as it explores the early days of friends-turned-rivals Professor Xavier and Magneto; actors James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender appear to do a great job of channeling Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen. And, I admit, it’ll be fun to see younger versions of other mutants too.
“Super 8” (June 10) — The trailer doesn’t totally hook me, but I do appreciate how — unlike most modern films — it doesn’t give away the whole story. All we know is that some kids in the late ’70s capture a train crash on film while shooting their home movie. There’s a hint that director J.J. Abrams will be able to channel the innocence and wonder of the early work of Steven Spielberg, who is one of “Super 8’s” producers.
“Bad Teacher” (June 24) — As with 2003’s “Bad Santa,” the title says it all. The more I see the trailer, the more I think this movie will work where “Bad Santa” failed. The main difference is that Cameron Diaz is playing deliciously against-type so there will be room for surprises, whereas Billy Bob Thornton was playing his usual type of character, and the joke quickly wore thin.
“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2” (July 15) — The second half of Book 7 is my least favorite portion of the “Potter” saga because it’s filled with action scenes, and that’s not the strength of J.K. Rowling, who excels with dialogue, characters and light mysteries. I don’t really care for two hours of Harry grimacing and engaging in wand fights on film, either, but I’ll keep an open mind for a franchise that has earned its “must-see” status.
“Rise of the Planet of the Apes” (Aug. 5) — This appears to be a prequel to the 2001 Tim Burton “Planet of the Apes” remake, but its appeal runs deeper than simply being part of a major franchise. Rather, this film’s sci-fi hook comes from a scientist (James Franco) who accidentally creates an intelligent ape. A similar premise made for an amusing “Lone Gunmen” episode in 2001, and it should get a more serious take here.
“Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark” (Aug. 12) — This spring’s “Insidious” whetted my appetite for good, old-fashioned haunted-house flicks that play on childhood fears like attics, basements and the underside of beds, and this one also looks like it will deliver. Additionally, it will be nice to see Katie Holmes get a brief respite from being Tom Cruise’s wife and return to acting.
“Our Idiot Brother” (Aug. 26) — Paul Rudd, looking a bit like Jason Lee in “My Name is Earl,” plays a man-child who just can’t get it together. Rudd is good in everything, so the only question is if the script has the depth to make this a memorable classic or merely a diversion like 2006’s “You, Me and Dupree.” Certainly, the women playing his sisters — Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel and Emily Mortimer — give this film the suggestion of quality.
What films are you most looking forward to this summer? And what summer movies have you already seen and enjoyed? Share your comments below.
Comments
Like you, I rarely get up for theatrical releases anymore. Or at least not like I did when I was a kid, when every preview caught my eye and shuffled me to the theater bi-weekly. Maybe the movies were better or more original, or maybe I’m just sensationalizing the past. This year, though, has me believing in the Hollywood studios again. At first glance, I was like, meh. But now I’m singing a different tune.
Here are the movies that interest me most, with the must-see ones listed first.
30 Minutes or Less: Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari and Danny McBride – sign me up! Should be entertaining, and at the worse, mediocre but filled with some great one-liners.
Crazy, Stupid, Love: Besides Evan Almighty, Steve Carell has impressed me with his acting chops. Throw in likeable Emma Stone, Ryan Gosling and Julianne Moore and some real issues couples face, and it looks like a solid, adult romantic comedy.
Our Idiot Brother: Love Paul Rudd and may be way off, but this looks like it may have a little garden state and Little Miss Sunshine humor/glory in it.
Friends with Benefits: This is my darkhorse. Mila Kunis was that “I wish all girls were like that” figure in Forgetting Sarah Marshall and paired with Timberlake and a solid script, preview is hilarious, she’ll probably steal the show again.
Bad Teacher: Jason Segel’s my favorite actor, Justin Timberlake, who’s lighting it up on SNL’s digital shorts, is a good addition and Cameron Diaz is eye candy and humor rolled into one. Looks great.
Transformers: Dark of the Moon: Glad Megan Fox is gone and they’ve admitted the failures of the previous sequel. Gonna be a fun thriller.
X-Men: First Class: Heard only good things and this franchise needs a boost.
Super 8: The big names associated with this product are enough to hook me.
Cowboys and Aliens: Kind of campy, but sure to thrill on the big screen.
Horrible Bosses: Justin Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day looks like a dream team. Add in Kevin Spacey and some sex appeal in Jen Aniston, this has potential to be a funny flick.
Kung Fu Panda: Cheap fun. One to rent.
Hesher: This is my type of movie. Doesn’t know if it’s a comedy or drama. Could flop, but I’ll be sure to like it.
Everything Must Go: I thought Stranger Than Fiction was awful; I typically go for Will Ferrell in the comedic arena. But this kind of looks Punch Drunk Lovish, which is a compliment.
The Tree of Life: I think Brad Pitt is a grossly underrated actor, and from the look of this film, I think this has potential to deliver some food for thought.
Green Lantern: Mild interest. Not sure if Ryan Reynolds sinks or swims in this role.
The Change-Up: Cheap humor, but love Bateman and the preview delivered.# Posted By Seth Stringer | 6/3/11 4:12 PM
Good call on the cast for “30 Minutes or Less.” Apparently McBride’s not a sure thing, as “Your Highness” got bad reviews, but it’s hard to imagine Ansari from “Parks and Rec” being in a bad movie. “Crazy, Stupid, Love” might be the best movie of the summer; EW wrote an absolutely glowing preview story on it. Not a huge Carell fan, but I’d love to see him break free from Michael Scott and hit a home run; Stone is, of course, adorable in everything. Yes, “Friends with Benefits” has the Kunis Factor and “The Change-Up” has the Bateman Factor, so we can’t count those out just because they aren’t particularly original. “Horrible Bosses” is a good premise; it could be especially fun to see Aniston act against type. Have to disagree on “Transformers”; I hoped the first one would be so bad it was good, but it was just bad. The preview for “Cowboys and Aliens” unfortunately looks terrible. “Hesher” could be an interesting wild card. I’ve heard good things. “Kung Fu Panda” not my thing. “Tree of Life” and “Green Lantern” not really in my wheelhouse either. But generally, 2011 does indeed look like a step up from recent years.# Posted By John Hansen | 6/3/11 11:13 PM