Summer Movie Preview: May

As I'm sure you are well aware of by now, May is a BIG month for some of the most anticipated movies of the season. My guess is that over half of these potential blockbusters will easily gross over $200 million domestically throughout their respective theatrical runs. Hollywood studios are counting on it, opening weekend reports should be interesting.

There are seven nationwide releases that have really piqued my interest, so let's get started... shall we?

 Iron Man 3 (May 4) 

Kicking the summer off right with one of the most popular and profitable franchises in Marvel's history, and that's really saying something! To give some indication of its astronomical success, Robert Downey Jr. received nearly $50 million of the box office revenue for his role in The Avengers last year. No one else could've commanded such a deal, because his character was just that vital to the film's success. Iron Man returns to the big screen this summer, promising to deliver more technological thrills than ever before. We shall see, but the trailer above looks fantastic!

The Great Gatsby (May 10)

I never did get around to read the book, but there's something about this that intrigues me. Maybe it's the cinematography, the capable cast of characters, or the sophistication of the costumes and set design... in actuality I think it's the name recognition of a classic novel and everyone's building excitement. Hopefully one of my lady friends 'drags' me to see it with her, I certainly won't complain.

Star Trek: Into Darkness (May 17)

 

While I consider myself more of a Star Wars fan, JJ Abrams has reinvigorated a franchise in such a way that its appeal is now undeniable to a wider range of people... without turning off the die hard fans (the ultimate compliment). It's only fitting that he was chosen to do the same thing by Disney for the competition. This sequel appears to have upped the ante from a visual standpoint. The CGI-designed worlds are remarkable, and one can only assume that with what must be another fast-paced story... we're all in for a helluva ride!

Fast & Furious 6 (May 24)  

 

It bothers me that Universal has churned out six of these sequels in 12 years. That being said, it looks extremely entertaining... combining all the elements of a well-executed action movie. I may not be that excited about it, but I understand why others are. I probably won't see it in theaters, but that's only because I refuse to support Hollywood's lack of creativity. Someone could convince me otherwise, but I wouldn't suggest it on my own.

 
Hangover 3 (May 24) 

 

While I enjoyed the first two, despite the second one essentially being a carbon copy of the original... I don't have high hopes for this. I'm sure Galifianakis will be reason enough to see it, but I'll be disappointed if they use the same story-telling device again. What I want to see is a live action sequence of those slide shows, not another memory deficient search for what they did with an all too convenient final chapter. I doubt the screenwriters are that stupid, but that didn't stop them from just changing locales for the last one.

  
After Earth (May 31) 

 

M. Night Shyamalan's last chance to prove to studios that he's a competent enough writer/director to be trusted in the future with their money. He has the good fortune of being paired up with one of the most bankable actors in the world- Will Smith, who got his son Jaden a job too. I may sound cynical, but the trailer makes it look like a giant step in the right direction for Shyamalan. Based on what the reviews are, this could go either way... but I think it'll be one of the biggest flops of the summer from a box office standpoint.

 
Now You See Me (May 31) 

 

This came out of left field for me, and I am fascinated by it as a result. The storyline and plot twists look brilliant, unlike anything I've seen in awhile... especially for a heist film. I wouldn't say this is my most anticipated of the season or month for that matter, but I appreciate the effort it took to follow through on something that is seemingly new and different. Regardless of resulting quality, I hope it's successful so the studio system will feel the need to respect their consumers with more innovativation.

  
Up Next: June