My Summer Preview

Unlike my Spring and Fall lists, the Summer movies usually tend to be far more plentiful. Granted, most of them are popcorn fare, but who cares--entertainment is entertainment. For those who like to keep their movie watching a little high-class, I've thrown in a few indies as well.

Iron Man (May 2)
I've already seen it. For those who think I should review it, here you go:
See this movie. It kicked ass.

Redbelt (May 2)
Hanging out way below the radar is David Mamet's brilliant looking movie starring Chiwetel Ejiofor, who not only has a name that just rolls right off the tongue, but has acting chops that make me want to drool a little bit. You might have to catch this one on DVD if you're not living on one of the coasts, but if there's an art house theatre nearby, check for it.

Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian (May 16)
This is on my list mostly because I love The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, and also because I'm a sucker for fantasy films. At the moment, it's not doing so well in the box office, but it could be because all the kiddies aren't out of school yet.

Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull (May 22)
Definitely the most anticipated movie of the summer in my book, quite possibly the most anticipated of the year. (I don't know what's coming out this fall, so let's not jump the gun.) I do not care how old Harrison Ford is, I am still completely enthralled with the Indiana Jones franchise. After seeing the previews and reading the buzz, I know that this one will be more like Raiders and less like Temple of Doom. It better live up to the hype!

Sex and the City: the Movie (May 30)
I may be on pins and needles about a certain archaeologist, but I'm really excited about this long-awaited film as well. I'm ready for the crazy clothes, enviable shoes, and all the great cocktails Carrie, Samantha, Charlotte, and Miranda will bring. Men, stay at home, and catch this on DVD when no other man can see you. Ladies, I'll meet you at the theatre!

Mongol (June 6)
When this film came up in the Oscar nominees for Best Foreign Picture, I was already interested. After watching the trailer, I knew I had too see this biopic. I'm sure, as most foreign pictures do, it will only get a limited release, but if you like primitive action-packed films with subtitles, you might want to check it out.

The Promotion (June 6)
I'd like to pretend John C. Reilly can do no wrong, but the last time he and Jenna Fischer were on screen together, I was suffering through the uneven comedy Walk Hard. This time, though, Reilly is back to his indie roots, and he's brought along Fischer, Seann William Scott, and Lili Taylor. The Promotion is like The Good Girl meets...yeah, I don't know what it meets, but it is a lot like The Good Girl. It probably won't be spectacular, but it looks simple and quirky. Sometimes simple and quirky is all you need in a movie.

The Incredible Hulk (June 13)
The first time I heard about this movie, I thought to myself, "Edward Norton as Bruce Banner? Hmm, I don't know." Now that I've seen the previews, I'm a believer! This version of the Hulk looks sleeker, grittier, and much, much more like the movie Ang Lee should have made.

The Happening (June 13)
Unlike nearly everyone else on the planet, I liked M. Night Shyamalan's last film Lady in the Water. For those who preferred the likes of Signs, this movie should be more your speed. I'm still a little irked by Mark Wahlberg's stilted performance from the trailers, but the creep factor is still there. Let's just hope the 90-minute movie holds up to the 3-minute trailer.

Get Smart (June 20)
If there was anyone else in the world who could fill Don Adams' shoes better than Steve Carrell, I'd like to meet that man! This movie may have a little extra silly, but I think it will be a great homage to a great TV series.

Wall-E (June 27)
Pixar's annual outing looks adorable. I know the chances of me not liking it are slim to none. Not much else I can say!

Hancock (July 2)
Will Smith is a deadbeat superhero. Jason Bateman is his PR guy. Peter Berg (the director of Very Bad Things, Friday Night Lights, and The Kingdom) is in the director's seat. Three reasons that I'll be seeing this movie. Will Smith starring in a Fourth of July release--the reason everyone else will be seeing it.

The Wackness (July 3)
Ben Kingsley is a pot-smoking therapist who's dating Mary-Kate Olsen. I'm sure there's more plot to this movie than that, but I'm going to stay shallow and see it based solely on that fact.

Hellboy II: The Golden Army (July 11)
Yeah, I'm saying it. I want to see Hellboy II. How could I not?! Pan's Labyrinth was one of the most visually stunning movies I've ever seen, and from the previews, I can see Guillermo del Toro's visually styling all over Hellboy. He was obviously given a little more creative freedom the second time around. Plus, I had a great time watching the first one, so I think this one should be just as good if not better.

The Dark Knight (July 18)
I was captivated by the glimpse of Heath Ledger's Joker when the first teaser trailers were released, now it's bittersweet to see his last finished film on screen. I hope the release doesn't get overshadowed by his death because it looks like an amazing movie that deserves to stand on its own.

American Teen (July 25)
This documentary proves that all those WB dramas got something right about teen angst. It focuses on a group of seniors from a small-town Indiana high school. Each one fits perfectly into a stereotype. I missed it at the Nashville Film Festival, but from the excellent reviews and this tantalizing trailer, I don't plan on missing it a second time.

Pineapple Express (August 8)
Pineapple Express looks like Wes Anderson and Judd Apatow had a baby. It's stylized like a Wes Anderson movie, but has the wackiness of a Judd Apatow movie. All I know is that when I saw James Franco's foot stuck in the windshield of a police cruiser, I was completely sold.

Tropic Thunder (August 15)
Robert Downey, Jr. is playing a black man! Well, he's playing a white man who's playing a black man, but he's still playing a black man! After seeing Iron Man, I'm totally on the Robert Downey, Jr. bandwagon. Oh, and Ben Stiller and Jack Black also star in this partially-action, mostly-comedy movie.

Well, there you go. I'm sure there are some that aren't on the list that I'll end up seeing, but this is my must-see list. Hopefully I've given you a few extras that you hadn't thought about...or even heard of.

Enjoy the popcorn!