Summertime is synonymous with a number of things, which includes, but is not limited to, beaches, barbecues and blockbusters movies. Beaches and barbecues will always be there, but unfortunately this summer’s movie lineup seems to consist of mostly unnecessary remakes, sequels and movies that will make you scratch your head and ask, “Why Hollywood, why?” But don’t worry, we’re here to help. We’ve compiled a short list of movies that you should definitely check out, movies that have potential and movies that should be avoided at all costs.
Movies to definitely check out:
“Micmacs” (May 28) – French auteur Jean-Pierre Jeunet, most famous for directing “Amelie,” returns with his irreverent and playful style of filmmaking. This imaginative film tells the story of a man and his friends who come up with an intricate plan to destroy two weapon manufacturers. This unique film appears to blend action with a revenge plot in order to create a fun and innovative comedy.
“Inception” (July 16) – Director Christopher Nolan’s follow-up to “The Dark Knight” is a mind-bending psychological thriller that gives a new twist to the classic heist film. The film is highly under-wraps as to what it is actually about, but from what we can gather Leonardo DiCaprio stars as a “dream thief” who plunges into the subconscious of people to steal their inner-most secrets. Sound confusing? We think so too, but the visuals seem to rival “The Matrix.”
“Toy Story 3” (June 18) – Let’s be honest, the movie we’re all looking forward to the most this summer is the latest Toy Story. We’ve admitted it, and you should too. It’s been 11 years since we last saw Woody and the gang, and in the third installment Andy is going off to college while the toys are left at a daycare. Pixar has consistently released high quality animated films, and this being their only franchise we have no reason to believe that it will be anything less than great.
Movies with some potential:
“Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time” (May 28) – Based on the popular video game by the same title, the “Prince of Persia” looks like it could be the fun, fast-paced action film of the summer. However, past video games-turned-films (such as “Silent Hill”) have been quite lackluster, so we’re hoping this one changes the pattern. The movie tells the story of a prince (Jake Gyllenhaal), who comes into possession of a dagger that helps him bend time and defeat his enemies.
“Get Him to the Greek” (June 4) – In our opinion, “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” was perhaps one of the funniest movies in recent memory. Building off its success, the team behind the film has made this spin-off that focuses on the character of Aldous Snow (Russell Brand). A record company intern (Jonah Hill) is assigned to bring the hard-partying rock star from London to L.A and shenanigans ensue. Although we loved Aldous as a supporting character, we’re curious to see if he can successfully carry a film.
“Splice” (June 4) – In this sci-fi thriller that stars Academy Award winner Adrien Brody, a pair of scientists attempt to clone humans by mixing their DNA with genetic hybrids of various animals. Of course, the experiment turns into a nightmare. The trailer reminds us of “Alien” and although “Splice” did well on the independent film festival circuit, we can’t help but feel like it could be just another generic horror film. We’ll have to wait and see.
Movies to Avoid:
“Robin Hood” (May 14) – From the director of “Gladiator,” starring Russell Crowe of “Gladiator,” with practically the same plot as “Gladiator,” comes “Robin Hood.”
“Sex and the City 2” (May 27) – Is anyone actually still interested in the sex lives of these privileged middle-aged women?
“Marmaduke” (June 8) – A live-action version of an unfunny comic.
“The A-Team” (June 11) – The A-Team without Mr. T as a main character? That’s like having “The Karate Kid” without Ralph Macchio…No thank you.
“The Karate Kid” (June 11) – All we can say is that we don’t happen to think Ralph Macchio was being sincere when he said that he thought this remake was a good idea. The original was fine!
“Jonah Hex” (June 18) – This film adaptation of the popular comic book stars Josh Brolin and Megan Fox. Whose idea was it to have a great actor like Brolin star opposite Megan Fox?
“The Twilight Saga: Eclipse” (June 30) – No comment.
“Predators” (July 9) – Yes, another Predator movie, and don’t let all the fancy actors distract you from that fact.
“Cats and Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore” (July 30) – According to Entertainment Weekly, “It’s been nearly a decade since the first ‘Cats and Dogs film.’” Don’t worry; we don’t remember the first one either.
“Step Up 3D” (Aug. 6) – I guess the profound plot and beautifully crafted dialogue of the first two films wasn’t enough. And we’re so thankful that this movie will make use of every cheap 3D trick in the book.
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