Summer Movies

It’s mid-May, we're all getting graduation invitations in the mail every day, and that can only mean one thing: Summer movie season is upon us! There are a lot of promising offerings on the docket as well. I realize there will be a lot of sequels and reboots, but I don’t mind. Many of their predecessors were HUGE! Take for instance the Pirates franchise. Johnny  is back in the Caribbean on stranger tides. The original Pirates has found a place on my all-time favorites list. I didn’t care much for the two sequels that followed but this summer’s forth installment promises to be a reboot, ditching Orlando and Kiera’s characters and focusing primarily on the true star of the show - Captain Jack Sparrow! 

Another reboot will be X-men: First Class. It’s more of a prequel than a sequel - demonstrating how the group of mutants got their start. The trailer reveals the setting is within the context of the 1960’s Kennedy era. It should make for a very interesting story line and James McAvoy (cast as Professor Charles Xavier) is one of my favorite actors. Can’t wait to see how the X-men deal with the Cuban missile crises. (Or start it?) 

One movie on the summer line up I’m really looking forward to is J.J. Abrams’ Super 8. Abrams is one of the most brilliant young directors out there and the preview for his latest film looks like he’s taken his cues straight out of the Spielberg catalog of movie making: Serving up extra-terrestrial mayhem in a stereo-typical midwest town. Should be fun! 

Superhero films will be out in full force with Green Lantern and Captan America making their debuts. I hope they are as entertaining as this month’s Thor. (I really like it!) Captan America was one of my favorite superheros when I was growing up and I’m really glad they are keeping the film within the context of World War II and the 1940’s. 

Another original offering that I really liked that stumbled with it’s successor was the Transformers films. They’re back this summer with another effort and I sure hope it will be as well thought out as the first one and not just all eye candy. 

Last but not least is a film I have mixed feelings about: Cowboys and Aliens. I know - The premise is ridiculous! (But intriguing!) One of the things that upset me most about last summer’s Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was the way they tried to sneak the inclusion of aliens in. (I felt betrayed.) At least Cowboys and Aliens are letting you know up front what to expect - So I’ll give it a try! 

I’d love to hear about the movies you’re looking forward to this summer and I hope to see you at the Theater!