Summer Movie Preview: May 2011

We apparently worship false gods. We adore sitting, enraptured, as mutants and other mysteries of nature battle it out for symbolic superiority (and no, we aren’t talking about an overly buff Vin Diesel taking on an equally muscled Dwayne Johnson for Brazilian back alley bragging rights). Robots rule our lazy, hazy summer days, their transformative powers perking up an otherwise aggressive assault on our senses, and every once in a while, a comedy/drama/kids film will walk by, gaining our interest before another caped crusader comes in to claim its territory. That’s right, it’s blockbuster time again, the annual cinematic assumption regarding what a majority of the mainstream movie-going public will enjoy come the next four months. Sure, it’s a gamble, and sometimes, the lows are more famous than the highs. One thing’s for sure, however, we won’t be seeing another Inception any time soon.

[read full introduction]

 

Director: Kenneth Branagh

Film: Thor

Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston, Stellan Skarsgård, Colm Feore, Ray Stevenson, Anthony Hopkins

MPAA rating: PG-13

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/t/thorposter.jpg

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6 May
Thor

Fans of ‘funny books’ have often believed that this particular Marvel hero would make a great big screen icon. Of course, technology and vision had to catch up with the comic book genre before that could happen. So when it was announced that Kenneth Branagh — he of superb Shakespeare adaptations like Henry V and Much Ado About Nothing — would helm the adaptation, visions of his less than Bard Frankenstein starting dancing in fans’ heads. Luckily advance word has been more than kind, meaning that the Avengers-based one-two punch of 2011 gets off with a successful swing. Now it’s up to Captain American to cap things off correctly.

 

Director: Luke Greenfield

Film: Something Borrowed

Cast: Kate Hudson, Ginnifer Goodwin, John Krasinski, Colin Egglesfield, Steve Howey

MPAA rating: PG-13

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/s/somethingborrowedposter.jpg

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6 May
Something Borrowed

Just when you think the Romantic Comedy can’t get any more strained or stupid comes this klutzy trailer featuring unspoken sentiments, friendships as bitter rivalries, and John Krasinski as the wise cracking Eve Arden voice of reason. Though it is based on a successful novel, one imagines more of the stupid same: more unrequited emotions covered up for the sake of a 90-minute narrative; more pathetic pandering to a demographic already overwhelmed by insipid stories of destined love; more shameless hard sell man/woman relationship insights; more reasons for Hollywood to stop making these mindless titles once and for all.

 

Director: Salim Akil

Film: Jumping the Broom

Cast: Laz Alonso, Paula Patton, Tasha Smith, Loretta Devine, Megan Good

MPAA rating: R

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/j/jumpingthebroomposter.jpg

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6 May
Jumping the Broom

Most African American filmmakers must wonder if there is life after Tyler Perry. Of course, when you look at lame excuses for ‘urban’ comedy like Lottery Ticket and Our Family Wedding, you can understand the concern. Still, TV writer/director (Soul Food, The Game) Salim Akil hopes to break convention with his first feature film. The notion of mismatched partners, whose parents come from equally unbalanced sides of the tracks is not new, but as long as the material stays nestled within realistic disparities (and not loud, lame stereotyping), we could begin to see some light at the end of the Madea- managed tunnel.

The Beaver and more

Director: Jodie Foster

Film: The Beaver

Cast: Mel Gibson, Jodie Foster, Anton Yelchin, Jennifer Lawrence

MPAA rating:

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/b/beaverposter.jpg

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6 May
The Beaver

Jodie Foster must still be wondering which of the moviemaking gods she angered. After passing on Steve Carrell and Jim Carrey, she chose old Maverick buddy Mel Gibson to play the role of a depressed toy company CEO who uses a discarded puppet to regain his grasp on reality. Then the aging star turned into a literal ‘Mad Max’ as his real life issues with baby mama Oksana turned into titanic TMZ fodder. Even now, months after the recorded message mayhem (and accompanying social commentary) Gibson still wears a stain that no amount of amazing acting can erase. Foster has her work cut out for her. If anyone can overcome such a stigma, she can… maybe.

 

Director: Massy Tadjedin

Film: Last Night

Cast: Keira Knightley, Sam Worthington, Eva Mendes, Guillaume Canet, Stephanie Romanov

MPAA rating: R

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/l/lastnightposter.jpg

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6 May
Last Night

In the ’70s, marital infidelity was all scandal and social meaning. In the ’80s, it was part of a post-modern punchline. In the ’90s, no one cared and the first part of the new millennium sees filmmakers unable to fully fathom the reasons behind such numerous vow violations. The arc ambiguity continues with this Keira Knightley/Sam Worthington effort which sees temptation tear apart a happy couple — or does it. Indeed, the main complaint about this otherwise intriguing indie effort is that nothing really happens and, in the end, nothing is really resolved. Sounds like reality. Also sounds like a movie of limited interest.

 

Director: Mitch Glazer

Film: Passion Play

Cast: Megan Fox, Mickey Rourke, Rhys Ifans, Bill Murray

MPAA rating: R

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/p/passionplayposter.jpg

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6 May
Passion Play

Since it’s rumored reputation as one of the worst movies of 2010 (begun at the Toronto Film Festival and carried over through the course of several reviews), many outside the festival circuit wondered if we’d ever get to see this total “trainwreck” of a film. Apparently, someone at Image Entertainment decided that a Summer savvy public was the perfect audience for a surreal fantasy involving a jazz musician (Mickey Rourke), a circus sideshow ‘bird woman’ (Megan Fox), and a villainous businessman who has it out for the both of them (Bill Murray). History suggests a howler. The trailer, sadly, seems to confirm it.

Hesher and more

Director: Paul Feig

Film: Bridesmaids

Cast: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Ellie Kemper, Melissa McCarthy, Chris O’Dowd

MPAA rating: R

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/b/bridesmaidsposter.jpg

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13 May
Bridesmaids

In the same month that Hollywood unleashes another Hangover on the nuptials-weary public, the gals get their chance to go gratuitous and gross-out with this female take on the pre-“I Do” tradition. The regular trailer fails to fully capture the anarchic approach taken here by star/co-screenwriter Kristen Wiig (which is evident in the raunchy “Red Band” version) and one has to admit that the premise is promising. Of course, women acting like drunken sexualized jerks may put some people off, but the chemistry among the cast – and the use of some clever character turns – suggests success.

 

Director: Scott Stewart

Film: Priest 3D

Cast: Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Maggie Q, Lily Collins, Karl Urban

MPAA rating: PG-13

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/p/priest3dposter.jpg

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13 May
Priest 3D

The fascination with genre-smashing creative combinations continues with this Paul Bettany vehicle that has been getting huge amounts of hype since it was announced back in 2005. Based on a popular Korean comic and centering on a religious order that battles vampires in a supernatural alternate universe, it’s truly had fanboys in a fever. Of course, if these obsessives would look at the talent behind the camera (Legion‘s Scott Stewart) and the delay to retool the 2D film for 3D (never a good sign), perhaps some of their joy would be dampened. One has to say, the film looks promising. Then again, this could be just another misguided monster mishmash with delusion of action grandeur.

 

Director: Spencer Susser

Film: Hesher

Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Natalie Portman, Rainn Wilson, Devin Brochu, Piper Laurie

MPAA rating: R

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/h/hesherposter.jpg

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13 May
Hesher

After breaking out of the child star mode than muddle his career early on, Joseph Gordon-Levitt has quickly become one of Hollywood’s breakout actors. His work with Christopher Nolan in Inception, his starring turn in the delightful (500) Days of Summer, and his memorable portrayals in Brick and The Lookout have readied him for a continuing relevancy in the limelight. Hesher seems to be his continuing reach for indie acceptance (though one imagines he barely needs it). From all accounts, it’s another formidable notch in what is rapidly becoming a preeminent personal — and professional — success story.

Everything Must Go and more…

Director: Dan Rush

Film: Everything Must Go

Cast: Will Ferrell, Rebecca Hall, Laura Dern, Stephen Root, Michael Pena

MPAA rating:

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/e/everythingmustgoposter.jpg

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13 May
Everything Must Go

Will Ferrell wants to have it both ways. He wants to be the darling of the ditz squad, making people laugh with his oversized and outrageous sense of wit and humor…and then there are moments like these, where he wants to play soft and serious as well as wild and crazy. This time around, writer/director Dan Rush has adapted a Raymond Carver story which involves a man in midlife crisis getting rid of all his possessions in an attempt to rediscover himself. As the trailer indicates, there are ample opportunities for laughs. But just like with previous efforts such as Stranger Than Fiction, Ferrell hopes to work both sides toward a single end. So far, so good.

 

Director: Carmen Marron

Film: Go For It?

Cast: Aimee Garcia, Al Bandiero, Jossara Jinaro, Gina Rodriguez, Louie Alegria

MPAA rating:

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/g/goforitposter.jpg

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13 May
Go For It?

It’s more street dance as salvation for a Mexican American adolescent in this otherwise cliche ridden ride through the Chicago Underground. The storyline surrounding disenfranchised hoofer Carmen and her desire to break out of her family’s cycle of poverty is perfectly preposterous, especially when hard work and an education are trumped by the standard audition to a prestigious performance academy. Toss in one too many quickly edited musical set-pieces and a disingenuous desire to champion even the most elusive of fame and fortune fantasies and you’ve got another heaping helping of Save the Last Dance/Step-Up stupidity.

 

Director: Justin Chadwick

Film: The 1st Grader

Cast: Jane Obinchu, Tony Kgoroge, Sam Feuer, Nick Reding, Oliver Litondo, Vusi Kunene

MPAA rating: PG

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/f/firstgraderposter.jpg

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13 May
The 1st Grader

When you hear the storyline – an 84 year old Kenyan (an ex-Mau Mau Freedom Fighter) takes on a different challenge has he battles to get the education he was denied in his youth – you can see how Hollywood would mishandle and hack apart the premise. Luckily, UK ace Justin Chadwick (The Other Boylen Girl) took on the challenge of bringing this true tale to life, and the results have been receiving heavy buzz for the last few months. Certainly there is a twee element to the truth, and many of the actual hardships faced by the characters have to be smoothed out for movie audiences, but this could be a contender come end of the year awards time.

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides and more…

Director: Tony Krantz

Film: Big Bang

Cast: Antonio Banderas, Sienna Guillory, Autumn Reeser, Snoop Dogg, James van der Beek, Bill Duke

MPAA rating: R

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/b/bigbangposter.jpg

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13 May
Big Bang

Antonio Banderas in a gritty neo-noir that features femme fatales, complicated conspiracies, murder, and the end of the world? Sounds like someone has been sipping a bit too much of the genre homage Kool-aid. Long time producer Tony Krantz (The PJs, South Beach, 24) steps behind the lens to bring this highly usual detective drama to life. Considering his other directorial efforts (the stilted Sublime, the obnoxious Otis), he doesn’t have the track record to inspire a lot of confidence. Similarly, Banderas has traded whatever Hollywood heat he had in the past for the antiseptic artificiality of his Tinseltown lifestyle and preoccupation with Puss ‘N’ Boots. Sounds like he’s still a bit misguided.

 

Director: Rob Marshall

Film: Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Cast: Johnny Depp, Penélope Cruz, Ian McShane, Geoffrey Rush, Kevin McNally, Richard Griffiths, Stephen Graham

MPAA rating: PG-13

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/p/pirates4poster.jpg

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20 May
Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

Granted, everyone involved in this once noble franchise should have seen this coming. Disney, never one to deny fan feverishness (or a dollar), was going to get Captain Jack Sparrow back on the high seas with or without original series helmer Gore Verbinski and star Johnny Depp. The former was replaced by middling talent Robb Marshall. The latter just couldn’t say “no” to the dough. There is a “trying too hard” element to the trailer that suggests an acknowledged artifice, but there’s nothing really wrong with playing the pure commerciality card once in a while. Here’s hoping that the next installment – and there will be one – starts actually trying again.

 

Director: Woody Allen

Film: Midnight in Paris

Cast: Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams, Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Carla Bruni, Marion Cotillard, Michael Sheen

MPAA rating: PG-13

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/m/midnightinparisposter.jpg

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20 May
Midnight in Paris

At this point, it appears Woody Allen is going to ride off into the cinematic sunset, convinced that he no longer has to pretend to play auteur. Instead, he will write his scripts, collect his casts, pick a locale, and shoot whatever he wants. In this case, he plays with the same uptight metropolitan RomCom angst, peppered with some fresh Parisian panache. Still, over the last decade, this once formidable filmmaking force has been completely unable to capture his past glories. Many won’t care – they’ll love everything he does. A more modern audience is probably starting to wonder how he earned such a reputation in the first place.

The Tree of Life and more…

 

Director: Todd Phillips

Film: The Hangover II

Cast: Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Jeffrey Tambor, Ken Jeong, Paul Giamatti

MPAA rating: R

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/news_art/h/hangover_2_the_hangover_part_2_poster-6.jpg

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27 May
The Hangover II

Deja vu never looked so promising as this revisit to the riotous Ruffie and reprobate genius from Todd Phillips. Of course, the issue with the first Hangover was both approach (it’s been mimicked a million times since) and that elusive lighting in a bottle bravado. Something about the new trailer suggests that we are going to get more of the same, and there’s really nothing wrong with that. But the old saying warns that familiarity breeds contempt, and nothing is more contemptible than a comedy that trades on past glories to milk the same material. Still – Zach Galifianakis and a monkey…

 

Director: Jennifer Yuh Nelson

Film: Kung Fu Panda 2

Cast: Jack Black, Dustin Hoffman, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Lucy Liu, Seth Rogen, David Cross, Randall Duk Kim, James Hong

MPAA rating: PG

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/blog_art/k/kungfupanda2poster.jpg

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27 May
Kung Fu Panda 2

The first outing for this likeable CG action comedy saw a slick combination of old school martial artistry (ala The Shaw Brothers) with the kind of kid friendly fun that makes this genre so problematic (and profitable). This time around, it looks like we’ll get even less of the Shaolin bent and more mindless anarchic eye candy. Still, one has to have faith in this fledgling franchise. The original didn’t look like a sure fire winner, and yet ended up one of 2008’s best. The only concerning element – the decision to put relative directing newbie Jennifer Yuh behind the lens.

 

Director: Terrence Malick

Film: The Tree of Life

Cast: Brad Pitt, Sean Penn, Jessica Chastain, Kari Matchett, Joanna Going, Kimberly Whalen, Jackson Hurst, Fiona Shaw

MPAA rating: R

Image: http://images.popmatters.com/news_art/t/tree_of_life_ver4.jpg

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27 May
Tree of Life

Every time a new Terrance Malick project (or potential project) is announced, film fans worldwide start to get excited. After all, in the 42 years he’s been directing, he’s made a grand total of five films. Five. Of course, when you consider he’s been responsible for such classics as Badlands and Days of Heaven, it’s not hard to feel a real sense of aesthetic anticipation. But the veil of secrecy surrounding this latest effort, a period piece about family and the meaning of existence, has truly got the faithful free associating. The various hints suggest something profound and unlike anything in his creative canon. Thankfully, the wait is nearly over.