The return of Marvel's superheroes, Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator, sexy male strippers and the adorable Minions are some of the things that moviegoers are looking forward to this coming season.
- Apr 23, 2015
AceShowbiz - Grab your popcorn for summer movie feast is about to begin! As the holiday season is approaching, tentpole movies are set to unspool to make your nights as eventful as your days. To anticipate the stream of big feature films, AceShowbiz is back with its annual Summer Movie Guide to help moviegoers pick which titles that suit their tastes.
The highly-anticipated "Avengers: Age of Ultron" and "The Fantastic Four" are promising high-octane actions, the long-awaited "Jurassic World" and horror flick "Insidious Chapter 3" are going to keep you pumped up after the sun sets, while comedies namely "Hot Pursuit" and "Ted 2" are here to generate laughs.
FOR ACTION JUNKIES
Superhero movies are identical with high-octane actions. This year, from Marvel alone there are "Avengers: Age of Ultron" (May 1), "Ant-Man" (July 17), and "The Fantastic Four" (August 7). In "The Avengers" sequel, Earth's Mightiest Heroes reassemble to fight off against diabolical villain Ulton, joined by new friends/foes Scarlet Witch and Quicksilver. Ant-Man is coming to meet fans' long demand with Paul Rudd as the goofy yet charming hero. The "Fantastic Four" remake brings back the band of superheroes which were recast with Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell taking on the roles.
Also returning with a fresh face is "Mad Max". The fourth entry in the franchise, "Mad Max: Fury Road" (May 15), has Tom Hardy replacing Mel Gibson in the title role. Judging from the previews, this post-apocalyptic movie is going to feature a lot of explosive and chase scenes set on a desert as Max and Furiosa (Charlize Theron) are running away from a rogue group who rules the land.
Another sequel/reboot to its own franchise, "Terminator Genisys" (July 1) has Arnold Schwarzenegger reprising his role as the titular character, who still has to protect Sarah Connor (Emilia Clarke). The twist is they are now facing off against Sarah's own son, John Connor (Jason Clarke), from the future.
Quite different from the above mentioned titles, "The Man from U.N.C.L.E" (August 14) is a spy movie starring Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer that mixes action and humor. A big-screen adaptation of the 1964 TV series of the same title, it comes from Guy Ritchie who is known for his previous works of similar genre like "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels" (1998) and two "Sherlock Holmes" movies.
Also recommended: "Big Game" (June 26), "Mission: Impossible Rogue Nation" (July 31), "Criminal" (August 21), "Hitman: Agent 47" (August 28)
FOR ADVENTUROUS SOULS
To accommodate those with wild imaginations, "Tomorrowland" (May 22) is here to take you to a place where everything is possible with science. Plot details of Tomorrowland are scarce except that it follows George Clooney and Britt Robertson's characters to an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory where their actions directly affect the world, promising spectacular visuals that will delight your visions.
In "Pixels" (July 24), classic video game comes to life when aliens misinterpret a message from NASA, containing video-feeds of arcade games, as a declaration of war. To beat aliens in the form of giant and three dimensional Pac-Man and Donkey Kong, Adam Sandler, Peter Dinklage and Josh Gad use technology similar to those used in games.
Meanwhile for younger audiences, DreamWorks presents "Minions" (July 10), which is a prequel/spin-off to the successful "Despicable Me". This time, the adorable titular characters are taking the center stage as the story follows them on their search for a new master.
Also recommended: "Beyond the Mask" (June 5)
FOR COMEDY ADDICTS
Holiday is never fun without laughs. With movies like "Hot Pursuit" (May 8) and "Spy" (June 5), you can expect humor from the silliness of ladies in action. The former is toplined by America's sweetheart Reese Witherspoon and the sexy Sofia Vergara as a police officer and as a person she must protect from criminals and dirty cops, respectively. In the latter movie, award-winning actress Melissa McCarthy with a bunch of experiences in comedy takes the lead role of a desk-bound CIA analyst sent on her first field mission.
Adult viewers who are keen on R-rated jokes, meanwhile, may prefer "Entourage" (June 3) or "Ted 2" (June 26). "Entourage" reunites the gang from the popular HBO series. With more than $100 million and his future at stake, Vince (Adrian Grenier) tries to prove he is capable of being a movie director. Ted also has a thing to prove in the sequel to the 2012 hit movie. Having married his girlfriend, he wants to have a kid, but to be a lawful father, he should be acknowledged as a human by a court of law.
On the other hand, "Pitch Perfect 2" (May 15) has the music and the great talent that are going to attract teenagers and youngsters alike. The Barden Bellas return with its original members Beca (Anna Kendrick) and Fat Amy (Rebel Wilson), with the addition of newbie Emily (Hailee Steinfeld). This time, they aim higher as they try to break the streak of no American team winner in World Championships of A Capella.
In charge of family entertainment, "Inside Out" (June 19) arrives with a fresh story about five emotions-Joy, Anger, Disgust, Fear and Sadness - inside a young girl who struggle to adjust to a new place, a new school and new friends in San Francisco. From Pixar, the studio that brought to you "Toy Story" and "Frozen (2013)" among other hit animated movies, "Inside Out" could be the start of a new successful franchise.
Also recommended: "Welcome to Me" (May 1), "Joe Dirt 2: Beautiful Loser" (July 16), "Masterminds" (August 7), "She's Funny That Way" (August 21)
FOR DRAMA LOVERS
Looking for inspirational stories? "Southpaw" (July 24) and "Straight Outta Compton" (August 14) will probably be the best choices. In sports drama "Southpaw", a retired boxer who lost his loved one and is going broke is returning to the world of boxing in an attempt to reunite with his daughter. Written by "Sons of Anarchy" creator Kurt Sutter, the film starring Jake Gyllenhaal is both gritty and touching. As for "Straight Outta Compton", it recreates the rise and fall of rap group N.W.A whose groundbreaking debut album redefined the direction of hip hop.
Girls, meanwhile, may not want to miss "Magic Mike XXL" (July 1). Channing Tatum, Joe Manganiello and Matthew Bomer have bulked up to reprise their roles as male strippers, who this time embark on a road trip from Tampa to Myrtle Beach for a stripping convention. For a touch of romance, there is "Trainwreck" (July 17) from acclaimed filmmaker Judd Apatow. Playing the main couple are the currently much-talked-about Amy Schumer and "Saturday Night Live" alum Bill Hader.
Also recommended: "Playing It Cool" (May 8), "Aloha" (May 29), "Infinitely Polar Bear" (June 19), "Max (2015)" (June 26), "Mr. Holmes" (July 17), "Paper Towns" (July 24), "Underdogs" (August 14)
FOR THRILL SEEKERS
These following titles in the last category are for those who never get enough of suspense. More than 10 years since the last installment, the Jurassic Park franchise is back with the fourth movie "Jurassic World" (June 12) that will take fans on a hellish journey in Isla Nublar. Theme park is now open for public and houses more kinds of dinosaurs, including a genetically modified hybrid mutant dinosaur known as Indominus rex that causes the terror. Chris Pratt, today's one of the most sought-after actors, and Bryce Dallas Howard headline this big-budgeted flick.
In another film, "San Andreas" (May 29), tough guy Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson proves how warm and reliable he can be as a father. When California is rocked by a devastating earthquake, his rescue-helicopter pilot character and his ex-wife race against time to save their estranged daughter in San Fransisco. Another father-to-daughter love is shown by Arnold Schwarzenegger in a spooky and devastating horror movie, "Maggie" (May 8). When his daughter (played by Abigail Breslin) gets infected by a disease that slowly turns her into a zombie, he fights against all odds to stay by her side during her transformation.
Not afraid of getting haunted, moviegoers can also choose "Insidious Chapter 3" (June 5), a third installment in the popular supernatural film series. The upcoming flick, however, will serve as a prequel to the first two films, revealing how gifted psychic Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye) reluctantly agrees to use her ability to contact the dead in order to help a teenage girl.
Also recommended: "Poltergeist" (May 22), "Selfless" (July 10), "The Vatican Tapes" (July 24), "Sinister 2" (August 21)
