With the release of Marvel's The Avengers, today marks the start of the summer movie season. Over the next four months, Hollywood will trot out close to 100 films for your approval, stacking them up each week like jetliners quietly awaiting takeoff.
Unless you have a box of unused theater gift cards lying around from the holidays, chances are you're not going to make the studio execs' year and see them all. I mean, you have taste, right? You can't be bamboozled into paying twelve bucks for a blatant Transformers remake conveniently named after an iconic board game? Right? Sure. You want to see fresh stuff, movies that entertain as well as endure. Well, I'm here to help. Below are five films that promise to do both (listed in order of release).
Moonrise Kingdom: Wes Anderson, the writer/director of Rushmore and The Royal Tenenbaums, returns with his first original film in five years. This one features Anderson vets Bill Murray and Jason Schwartzman and concerns two young kids who fall in love, run away together and send their small New England town into turmoil. Throw in Edward Norton, Francis McDormand, Tilda Swinton and Harvey Keitel and you've got the makings of another irreverent masterpiece. Anderson's films are like Norman Rockwell paintings fused with Peanuts TV specials. (May 25)
Prometheus: Ridley Scott's "don't call it an Alien prequel" sci-fi thriller follows a band of futuristic space explorers as they investigate a mysterious planet with ancient ties to Earth. One look at the trailer and you know we're going to get some face-hugging-induced terror circa 1979. With Scott returning to both the franchise and genre that made him a legend, get ready for one hell of a cinematic ride. (June 8)
Brave: I have to admit that Disney and Pixar's tale of a medieval Scottish princess who forges her own identity while saving her kingdom from a nefarious witch (I know, is there another kind? Sue me, I needed an adjective) doesn't look all that appealing to me. But I said the same thing about The Incredibles, Ratatouille and Up upon their release. It's pretty much a given: Pixar makes a movie, you go and fall in love with it. (June 22)
The Amazing Spider-Man: I enjoyed Sam Rami's first two Spidey films, hated the over-bloated third one and hoped the franchise was done, at least for another decade or so. Then Sony announces a hasty reboot; I roll my eyes until I hear the name Andrew Garfield. This guy is a dead-ringer for the Peter Parker found in the comics, not to mention one heck of great actor (Red Riding Trilogy, anyone?). Throw in the director of 500 Days of Summer, the wonderful Emma Stone and the Lizard as a villain and you've got my attention once again. (July 3)
The Dark Knight Rises: Seriously, if this film isn't at the top of your list this summer, you just don't like movies. Christopher Nolan wraps up his Caped Crusader crime trilogy in truly epic fashion as billionaire Bruce Wayne must resurrect his tarnished, long-dormant alter-ego to rescue Gotham City from the clutches of ruthless terrorist Bane. Won't surprise me if the final cut is close to three hours long. (July 20)
Here's five more that look promising: Dark Shadows (May 11), The Dictator (May 11), Rock of Ages (June 15), Total Recall (August 3) and The Campaign (August 10).
