Despite some overwhelming disappointments last summer i.e. the mind-bogglingly bad Transformers Revenge of the Fallen and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, it was still a great summer. It’s not too often that some of the year’s best films debut in summer: Inglourious Basterds, Up, Moon, The Hurt Locker, District 9, The Brother’s Bloom, World’s Greatest Dad, Drag Me to Hell, and 500 Days of Summer. And who could forget how solid Public Enemies, Star Trek, and even The Hangover were? Will this summer be up to par? Probably not, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a slew of films not to get your hopes up on. There will definitely be more than one great film this summer and while, like most summers, there’ll be more B-movies and lackluster ones, a few stand outs are worth the trash. Right?
Honorable Mentions: George A. Romero’s Survival of the Dead, The Kids Are All Right, and MacGruber.
15. The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (July 16th)
While the first National Treasure films aren’t particularly good or even much fun for that matter, this looks like the complete opposite. Apprentice looks like another Enchanted… except cooler. If there’s one film this summer to go down as the big surprise, it could very well be this one. From the impressive trailers to the nice buzz, it’s hard not to get a bit interested in this Nicolas Cage spectacle.
14. Jonah Hex (June 18th)
Jonah Hex is an awesome comic book character. He’s based on Clint Eastwood and if you’ve read the comics you’ll see the clear influence. While it seems pretty clear based on the trailer that this isn’t going to the best western it should be, it could still very well make for a fun action movie. Brolin will most likely, knowing how hot of a streak he is on right now, make for a perfect grungy Hex. It’s also got Michael Fassbender and Michael Shannon so, why shouldn’t we still maintain some optimism? The Jonah Hex fan in me is keeping hope…
13. Centurion (TBD)
Neil Marshall is starting to rise as a genre King. With Dog Soldiers, (the excellent) The Descent, and the far-more-enjoyable-than-most-would-claim Doomsday under his belt, Centurion may just put Marshall into that Carpenter-esque camp of genre directors. While the film won’t be getting the biggest release, it’s one that’ll definitely be worth seeking out on the big screen. From the looks of it, Marshall seemed to have made something that looks rather epic in scope.
12. The Other Guys (Aug. 6th)
If you’re not a fan of Will Ferrell’s shtick then you’re most likely not anticipating The Other Guys… but for us sane people, it’s one to be clamoring for. It’s Ferrell re-teaming with Adam McKay. The duo have already shown they make for a great pair with Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, and the hilariously mean-spirited Step Brothers. After those three films, it’s difficult to believe they’ll turn in an unfulfilling comedy.
11. Get Him to the Greek (June 4th)
Yes, Forgetting Sarah Marshall was excellent and while it’s difficult to tell whether or not this will be level with Marshall, it’ll still end up being one of the comedic highlights of the summer if not of the year. Russell Brand’s humor may be a bit too broad for my taste, but he’ll still provide plenty of quotable moments along with Jonah Hill. Expect a well above average comedy with Get Him to the Greek.
10. Leaves of Grass (TBD)
Leaves of Grass was supposed to come out this month but, thankfully, due to all the great buzz it landed a bigger distributor and also a wider release. If you haven’t heard of Leaves of Grass here are three things to know: it’s directed by Tim Blake Nelson, Edward Norton plays twins and Roger Ebert called it a masterpiece. Those points should make any film nerd ecstatic.
9. Iron Man 2 (May 7th)
Why isn’t Iron Man 2 in the final three or five for that matter? It’s not that an Iron Man sequel isn’t exciting, but there’s also a bit to worry about. More than one villain generally leads to a messy film. And Mickey Rourke? He seems to be hamming it up to a whole new level. How can you not be worried about a possibly lame antagonist? Despite that, the chances of Iron Man 2 not offering something worth watching summer movie is slim. Marvel knows what they’re doing. Based on early reviews it isn’t quite on level with the quite memorable first installment, but is still a worthy sequel. Note: I’ve already seen Iron Man 2, I won’t say what my thoughts are until my review, but I’ll say I don’t regret not having it too high up on the list.
8. Animal Kingdom (Aug. 13th)
I’m gaining a lot of trust in Blue Tongue Films. If you don’t know what Blue Tongue Films is, it’s an ensemble of filmmakers that you should be keeping an eye on. So far this year they’ve already delivered one of the year’s best with The Square. Will Animal Kingdom be another standout of the year? Based on the reviews out of Sundance, it will. It’s also got Guy Pearce, any film with his name on it I still leap to see– unless it’s something like Adam Sandler’s Bedtime Stories.
Correction: Animal Kingdom was originally represented on the list in a way that appeared to attribute the film as a production of Blue Tongue Films; however, TFS would like to point out that Porchlight Films is actually the production company responsible for Animal Kingdom while Blue Tongue Films is a creative collective of filmmakers responsible for the creative direction of the film. Thanks to Liz Watts of Porchlight Films for the clarification. — The Editors
7. Cyrus (July 9th)
This may not be on everyone’s radar like Iron Man 2, but (based on the reviews) it should be. It’s also got John C. Reilly facing off against Jonah Hill. While this won’t exactly be a straight up comedy, it’s got a bit more drama to it then the trailers are leading on, you can still expect plenty of hilarious interplay between Reilly and Hill. If you’re also a fan of the Duplass brothers, which you should be; then you’ll definitely be first in line for this.
6. Predators (July 9th)
It’s difficult to grasp the fact that this will be the first time in 23 years that a Predator will be featured in a cool and perhaps even good movie. After Predator 2 and the abominable AVP movies, it’s more than heartwarming to know that Stan Winston‘s wonderfully monstrous creation will once again be shown in a more favorable light. With Nimrod Antal at the helm and Robert Rodriguez producing, expect a fairly crazy and pleasant result.
5. Toy Story 3 (June 18th)
This is a no brainer. Is it going to be good? No chance it won’t be. Will it be able to stand amongst the first two excellent films? Difficult to answer, but we should all be thankful enough to see Buzz and Woody back on the big screen… and in 3D! If this uses 3D in the same way Up did then expect an intoxicating visual experience. These are characters we’ve all grown up with and we’ve all come to love. This is a welcoming reunion for all of us.
4. Robin Hood (May 14th)
Ridley Scott may be a bit more hit-and-miss nowadays, but the fact is, he’s still Ridley Scott. He’s responsible for two of the greatest films ever made: Alien and Blade Runner. He’s also a pro when it comes to films involving sword fighting and the hero’s journey story: Kingdom of Heaven: The Director’s Cut and Gladiator. While the first trailer was a bit underwhelming and on the cheesy side of things, it’s still impossible not to be excited for anything with Scott’s name on it.
3. Splice (June 4th)
The buzz out of Sundance is that Splice is truly insane. The trailer gave a peek into that insanity and the movie itself will most likely go even further, based on what’s been said. Vincenzo Natali‘s past films such as Cube and Cypher, two very good films in their own right, showed great promise. Splice seems to live up that potential. You also got two pros like Adrien Brody and Sarah Polley in there so at the very least expect some solid performances.
2. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (Aug. 13th)
Another no brainer. Even if this film had a terrible trailer and concept it wouldn’t matter. Why’s that? Because it’s Edgar Wright. Wright is one of the most exciting directors working today. Shaun of the Dead? Classic. Hot Fuzz? Maybe not Shaun of the Dead, but still excellent. And Spaced? Fantastic show. Scott Pilgrim vs. the World will most likely continue Wright’s road of success.
1. Inception (July 16th)
I’ll be the first person to admit I didn’t find The Dark Knight to be a masterpiece and simply just a great film. I’d also be the one to label Memento as Nolan’s masterpiece and he looks to be returning to that arena. While all of Nolan’s films have dealt with the psyche, this seems to do so the heaviest. It also looks to be his most ambitious and surreal. With a cast like that, an intriguing concept, and Nolan at the helm expect nothing shot of special.
What summer films are you most excited for?