The May 1 release of Avengers: Age of Ultron marks the “official” start of the 2015 Summer Movie Season and with that in mind, it’s only appropriate to offer up a look forward at what’s ahead over the next four months. What is ahead over the next four months? Well, a lot of movies that cost a lot of money with a few smaller features mixed in for good measure, and as much as some of us may lament the fact studios have become so franchise focused, it’s hard not to admit a desire to see some of these bigger features.
As a means of whittling down the flock of films arriving over the next several months I’ve chosen to take a look at my 20 most anticipated, which does mean there are bound to be some titles I probably ought to mention, but didn’t make the list for a variety of reasons. Some just don’t get me too jazzed, but yet I’ll happily walk into the theater to see what they’re all about or, with films such as Love & Mercy not making the list, though I have a genuine interest in giving it a look.
However, there are others that stand out for reasons ranging from curiosity due to the filmmakers, to the can’t-look-away factor due to an overall stench coming off them, making me think walking into the theater will be akin to gawking at a train wreck. That said, I thought I’d point a couple of these out.
First there’s Cameron Crowe‘s Aloha starring Bradley Cooper, Emma Stone, Rachel McAdams and many others. It was supposed to arrive last Christmas and was bounced to May of this year, never a good sign. Add to that Amy Pascal’s comments in one of the leaked Sony emails and, well, it’s hard to have much excitement despite the fact I think we all want Crowe to deliver.
Next is Fox’s Fantastic Four reboot, which just seems to be coming at a time when everyone is focused on heroes in spandex elsewhere. It seems there’s more excitement for the start of production on X-Men: Apocalypse than there is on the Aug. 7 release date of Fantastic Four. Fox is already planning a sequel (obviously), but this one just feels like a ho-hummer, despite a cast that includes Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan and Jamie Bell.
Guy Ritchie‘s The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (Aug. 14) was going to first be directed by Steven Soderbergh, originally with George Clooney starring, and then Bradley Cooper replacing him along with Joel Edgerton. Then that fell apart and Ritchie came on with Tom Cruise starring, but Cruise bounced to focus on Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation. Now we’ve got a cast headlined by Armie Hammer and Henry Cavill… meh. My only interest in it now is seeing Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina) and The Great Gatsby stand-out, Elizabeth Debicki.
Finally, there are two blockbusters I just can’t for the life of me muster any interest, though I will be first in line to see how they turn out — Jurassic World (June 12) and Terminator Genisys (July 1). Both look ridiculous, and I think it’s because we all know just how much money is being spent and just how much the studio is depending on these films to succeed so they can make more of them and make more money. However, that raises expectations. If a studio expects these things to reap hundreds of millions of dollars, isn’t it fair to expect they be good? And yet I have raptors running with Chris Pratt on a motorcycle and Arnold Schwarzenegger uttering the same tired lines? Taking that into consideration, expectations are low, which means I could be impressed… hopefully… maybe.
So, what is there to look forward to? There are some obvious ones you’re sure to expect on the following list of my 20 most anticipated, hopefully a couple you aren’t expecting and maybe one or two you haven’t heard of yet. Let’s dig in…
#20
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
June 12
It was one of the big hits at Sundance and now Fox Searchlight will hope to carve out a little indie space amid the blockbusters this summer for Me and Earl and the Dying Girl. Of course, my anticipation comes with some trepidation as the first line in the official synopsis sounds oh-so-Sundancey: “Greg Gaines (Thomas Mann) is an awkward, self-deprecating high school student determined to coast through his senior year as anonymously as possible.” Ugh, here’s to hoping the film doesn’t dwell on said “self-deprecation” or I may be checking out of this one early as my anticipation is solely on the enthusiasm of others at this point.
Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Starring: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Nick Offerman, Connie Britton, Molly Shannon, Jon Bernthal and Bobb’e J. Thompson
#19
Mr. Holmes
July 17
Mr. Holmes stars Ian McKellen as Sherlock Holmes, now 93, looking back on his life and eventually revisiting an old case. I expect this to be a reflective look at life with a fun and moving performance from McKellen. It most likely will serve as a soft lob down the middle, and more sweet than powerful or cerebral, but it’s a film I expect to enjoy based on McKellen’s involvement, playing an iconic fictional character with a bit of intrigue and personality all his own.
Directed by Bill Condon
Starring: Ian McKellen, Laura Linney, Hiroyuki Sanada, Roger Allam and Frances De La Tour
