Summer Movies – May 2012

So May 2012 is approaching and so are some highly anticipated movies. Some that fans have been waiting for since…….well a really long time.

The Avengers – May 4, 2012

You know that calm before the storm people often talk about it? Well, stop for a moment and listen. Do you hear that?

That’s the looming anticipation as The Avengers release date nears.

This summer once again is seeing the release of a lot of big-budget spectacles, but probably none are as eagerly awaited by fans as Marvel Comics big-screen super team film The Avengers.

Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) and Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson)!

They’re all here and ready to do save Earth from Thor’s evil brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) who has set his destructive sights on it!

Now this sounds like a summer blockbuster! No matter how good or bad the film turns out, it will rake in mountains of cash. It’s pretty much critic-proof. Already walking in stores I see aisles full of Avengers toys. This is going to do well financially, will have superhero fans lining up to see it and that’s all they’ll be talking about.

Of course if this isn’t your thing you can always check out The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, a smaller British film starring Judi Dench, Maggie Smith and Tom Wilkinson, which will be going head to head with The Avengers. I think The Avengers will be getting more attention though.

But is The Avengers actually going to be any good???

Based on the trailer I thought it looked very promising. Naturally there’s some action-packed superhero spectacle, the actors all look great in their costumes, but more importantly it seems like there will be some conflicts that will create riffs within the team and in between the characters. This isn’t going to be a happy, agreeable cub scout group.

Director Joss Whedon (who’ve I’ve been a fan of since his Buffy the Vampire Series) directs and it looks and sounds that he’s not going to neglect the individual dynamics of our heroes who are forced to work together for a common goal….even if they may not like each other much.

My favorite line in the trailer – Bruce Banner saying “We’re not a team, we’re a time bomb.” (Awesome!)

I actually started to consider which superhero film is most highly awaited this year? I would say it’s a toss up between The Avengers and The Dark Knight Rises.

I have to give the edge to The Avengers though. We’re getting a lot of superheroes in one movie, this team up has been built up through the course of their individual films, this is brand new territory and it’s something that a lot of fans never thought would happen. The Dark Knight Rises everyone already expects to be good, but the Avengers has fans really hoping it will be. Boy I hope so.

Dark Shadows – May 11, 2012 

Tim Burton. Johnny Depp. Vampires. A comedic-thriller. What else could you want?

Burton brings his usual macabre talents to updating the cult-loved gothic soap opera with his favorite leading man. (how many films will this be they’ve done together? Eight I think….?) Depp plays a vampire who wakes after two centuries and tries to adapt to the year 1972 while protecting his descendents from the evil witch (Eva Green) who cursed him.

Burton alums Helena Bonham Carter and Michelle Pffeifer co-star, along with Jackie Earle Haley, Christopher Lee and Alice Cooper! This has all the makings to be a classic Burton film. The trailer looks pretty funny. But then again, I thought Burton taking a swing at updating Planet of the Apes seemed like a good idea, until I saw that movie. Maybe he should have used Depp in it….

The Dictator – May 16, 2012

Sasha Baron Cohen returns as a new outlandish character that will attempt to insult, embarrass and bask in the glory of political incorrect behavior. Following the huge success of Borat, Cohen returned with a big screen adventure for his character Bruno. That didn’t pan out so good. I thought it was pretty dismal actually.

Now he’s created a brand new character General Aladeen who travels to New York City, pisses on everything America holds dear and is adamant that democracy never comes to his country.

This time there’s no hidden cameras or faux documentary approach. It’s more a traditional movie format. Based on the trailer it looks to have some humorous scenes and some interesting actors involved (John C. Reilly, Ben Kingsley, Megan Fox???)

I love films that can make some audiences squirm in their seats and make them uncomfortable, while others will be howling with laughter. Could this be it or will it just result in a bunch of eye rolling?

I’m guessing it’s not going to reach the quality of Chaplin’s The Great Dictator or probably even Borat. The joke might wear thin after awhile, but it looks to have some decent laughs. The one thing I already love about the film is how Cohen in character dumped ashes all over Ryan Seacrest at the Oscars. Anytime anyone can embarrass Seacrest I’m a fan I’m a fan of theirs! Now that was funny!

Battleship – May 18, 2012

Liam Neeson continues his streak of accepting any movie he’s offered and will show up in Battleship.

I guess it’s based on the boardgame. Or maybe it’s just the same name….I don’t know what’s the connection. I don’t remember aliens being involved in the game. If someone in the movie says “you sunk my battleship” then I guess it’s based on the game.

I’m not sure what’s going on with movie. It looks to be the substitute Transformers movie for the summer. There are big robots and explosions and aliens stuff. I couldn’t figure out what was going on from the trailer.

I do know that amongst all the CGI battles there looks to be a bunch of one-dimensional, annoying characters running around though!

It just looks like one of those films where the purpose is to try to appease the moviegoers who like their movie screens filled with a lot of noise and ‘splosions. It’s really doesn’t look to be my thing.

What to Expect When You’re Expecting might offer up some more matronly entertainment. Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz and Elizabeth Banks take us through the ups and downs of pregnancy.

Based on the popular self-help book it looks like the perfect diversion or females who are tired of superheroes and ‘splosions. Again, it’s not my thing. I’ll check it out when I’m forced to by a female. The film already has one of my red flags though – Dennis Quaid is in it. I like the guy, but based on my movie-going history, generally a film with Quaid in it I won’t be liking.

Men In Black 3 – May 25, 2012

I was never a big fan of the Men In Black movies, or for Will Smith for that matter. So seeing that the series has returned has just left me feeling indifferent and shrugging my shoulders.

I will say that I think it’s a pretty great casting of Josh Brolin as a younger Tommy Lee Jones! Other than that it looks more of the same with Smith and Jones looking cool, encountering goofy aliens, getting into some over-the-top action and using some off the wall gadgets. Fans of the series will make it a big hit.

Moonrise Kingdom

Let’s give thanks that there is still room for quirky, smaller comedies. Wes Anderson’s newest looks to be another addition to his unique film catalog.

It’s summer 1965, a small New England island where two kids who are sweet on each other decide to run away, which kicks off a search for them by a scoutmaster (Edward Norton), a local sheriff (Bruce Willis) and the parents of the boy (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand).

I love Anderson and the style of his films. They may be a little too bizarre and strange for general audiences (like if you liked Jack and Jill, you probably are not a fan of Anderson’s work), but I always find them a treat. Some of his movies I’m not crazy about, but there’s always something interesting in them and make me feel like they’re worth my time.