It's that time again - time to kick off the long sleeves and long Johns, show a little more skin, take in a little more sun, and then spend your time (and money) huddling into dark, air-conditioned theaters to enjoy summer's biggest and loudest movie offerings.
We thought 2012 was a monumental year (what with The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises, etc...) - but 2013 is shaping up to be and even better year, with big superhero tentpoles like Iron Man 3 and Man of Steel; action/sci-fi offerings like Elysium and Star Trek Into Darkness; popcorn flick sequels like Fast and Furious 6 and Hangover 3 - and even some promising genre flicks like The Conjuring or The Great Gatsby.
With so many films contending for your dollars, we've constructed a preview of what's on the docket for Summer 2013, and why you should check out each film (or not). Feel free to jump to any of the respective months of summer, or just hit "view all" for the complete list. You can also click any movie title for more info and previews of that film.
- May 2013 (This Page)
- June 2013
- July 2013
- August 2013
- View The Entire Summer
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MAY MOVIES
The Iceman
May 3rd
Mob hitman Richard Kuklinski achieved some mainstream fame, thanks to a two-part HBO documentary. Now Kuklinski (nickname "The Iceman") will have his story told in more dramatic fashion, in a new film from director Ariel Vromen (Rx). Man of Steel star Michael Shannon will play Kuklinski, Winona Ryder will play Kuklinski's battered wife, Deborah, and Avengers star Chris Evans will play Robert Pronge, a kindred serial killing spirit that The Iceman bonds with.
OUR TAKE: It's dark subject matter, for sure, but as the masses will learn later on in summer, watching Shannon at work is truly a captivating experience.
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Iron Man 3
May 3rd
Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) continues both his personal and technological evolution, following the world-changing events of The Avengers. When a maniacal terrorist known as The Mandarin (Ben Kingsley) targets Tony and those close to him, Stark must prove that the man inside the armor is as formidable as the armor itself.
OUR TAKE: Marvel Movies have officially become synonymous with the phrase "summer blockbusters." Get a ticket, and get ready to kick off the season right. Will it match the epicness of Avengers? Who knows. We're just hoping on an improvement over Iron Man 2.
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Aftershock
May 10th
Inglorious Basterds star Eli Roth stars as "Gringo," a man who heads to Chile to forget his divorce troubles. After hooking up with a group of fellow fun-seekers, things denigrate when a massive earthquake turns the area into an anarchist's paradise, full of savagery and death.
OUR TAKE: Roth is known best for his brand of sadistic horror (Hostel), and even though he's working under a team of Chilean filmmakers this time around, his signature brand of shock-horror seems to be imprinted all over this movie. If you dig that sort of thing, dive in.
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The Great Gatsby
May 10th
Young WWI veteran Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) enters the world of the New York upper-crust elite, wherein a mysterious and eccentric man named Jay Gatsby (Leo DiCaprio) rules the lavish party scene. When Gatsby falls for Daisy (Carey Mulligan), the wife of wealthy brute Tom Buchanan (Joel Edgerton), things take a turn for the tragic.
OUR TAKE: Soon to be known as "friend of high school students everywhere," writer/director Baz Luhrmann is once again making required reading palpable for the younger generation - the same way he did when he turned Shakespeare's lyrical ye olde English prose into the stylish love story, Romeo + Juliet. With Leo DiCaprio once again headlining the film, and Jay-Z masterminding the soundtrack, Gatsby will likely be a pop-culture fixation this summer.
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No One Lives
May 10th
A gang of ruthless highway killers kidnap a wealthy couple traveling cross country, only to shockingly discover that things are not what they seem, as they may have abducted someone much more deadly than they are.
Our Take: Hey, we were pleasantly surprised by the last WWE Studios thriller we saw (Halle Berry's The Call), and this looks like more of the same brand of B-movie horror-thriller entertainment. Luke Evans (Immortals) is becoming something of a big star, and looks like a captivating and brutal lead character.
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Peeples
May 10th
Drumline director Tina Gordon Chism is back with a film that many will likely label 'the black version of 'Meet the Parents.' The Office star Craig Robinson plays a man in love with Kerry Washington (Django Unchained), but must first win the approval of her bourgeois father, played by David Alan Grier. Hilarity and awkwardness ensue.
OUR TAKE: Romantic comedies led by African-American casts are still unfairly marginalized, but Think Like A Man proved that, despite discriminating tastes, "black movies" can still make a dent in the box office. Social politics aside, Peeples looks like it will be a fairly good time. Always good to see Grier back onscreen.
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Star Trek Into Darkness
May 17th
In this sequel to J.J. Abrams' franchise reboot, Captain Kirk (Chris Pine) sets out on a mission to apprehend a terrorist named John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), who has caused death and destruction to both Earth and Starfleet. However, Kirk's brash vendetta could end up putting the entire Enterprise crew at much greater risk than the young Captain ever planned on.
OUR TAKE: Since it's our Most Anticipated Film of 2013, you know we'll be in attendance. We have a sneaking suspicion that pretty much every other thrill-seeking summer moviegoer will be there, too.
(STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS TRAILER)
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Epic
May 24th
A teenager named Mary (voice of Amanda Seyfried) is shrunk down by some tiny forest creatures in order to join a battle against an evil that threatens both their world and ours. From the makers of Ice Age and Robots.
Our Take: 20th Century Fox scored a hit in the animated feature genre with the Ice Age franchise - but films like Robots weren't nearly as memorable the films from competing companies like Pixar and Dreamworks. Going with a title like "Epic" is also setup for a box office punchline, but with an all-star cast (which includes Christoph Waltz, Colin Farrell, Beyoncé, Steven Tyler and others) - and the fact that it's the only animated feature occupying the Memorial Day block - it could be a hit.
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Fast & Furious 6
May 24th
Dom Teretto (Vin Diesel) and his racing/robbing crew are approached by lawman Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) to help bring down a notorious European racing/robbing crew led by Owen Shaw (Luke Evans), whose ranks include... Letty? (Michelle Rodriguez). The Fast and the Furious gang working on the side of the law? It's happening!
OUR TAKE: Ever since part 4 we've recognized the extended lease on life this franchise has received - and unlike some, we were A-OK with Fast Five transitioning into a more standard action-heist format. Well, everyone should be happy with the level of vehicular mayhem seen in the "Fast 6" trailers - and that girl brawl between Rodriguez and MMA actress Gina Carano (Haywire) could be one of the best battles of the summer. Count us in.
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The Hangover Part III
May 24th
The story will be different this time, as Wolfpack members Stu (Ed Helms), Doug (Justin Bartha) and Phil (Bradley Cooper) try to help Alan (Zach Galifianakis) seek counseling following the death of his father. But when a gangster (John Goodman) takes Doug hostage, the Wolfpack must nab the infamous Chow (Ken Jeong) to make an exchange.
OUR TAKE: Hey, at least it's something (sort of) new, right? Take away the existence of Part II (or Part I, depending on your preference) and you still have a comedy franchise populated with fun characters and outrageous hijinks. And so far, Part III looks to have plenty of both.
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After Earth
May 31st
In a distant future, a father and son team (Will and Jaden Smith) crash-land on an Earth abandoned some 1,000 years prior. With the father injured, the son must venture out alone into a savage planet full of deadly beasts, in order to signal for help.
Our Take: Sci-fi is having a good year, but there's a lot riding on this film - primarily because it is the vision of "fallen from grace" director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense). The father-son Smith family team also has some viewers rolling their eyes - but so far, this film looks like one of Shyamalan's most intriguing visions to date. And, with script help from Book of Eli writer Gary Whitta, there could be actual sentiment built into all the twists and turns of the plot.
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Now You See Me
May 31st
FBI agents (Mélanie Laurent and Mark Ruffalo) track a team of illusionists (Jesse Eisenberg, Dave Franco, Isla Fisher and Woody Harrelson) who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.
Our Take: The trailers have been intriguing, but Incredible Hulk director Louis Leterrier is mostly known for making fluffy popcorn entertainment. And, with a big tease of a mystery like this film is dangling, the payoff better be epic.
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The Purge
May 31st
If on one night every year, you could commit any crime without facing consequences, what would you do? Over the course of a single night, a family will be tested to see how far they will go to protect themselves when the vicious outside world breaks into their home.
Our Take: The concept is deliciously sick, the cast - which includes Sinister star Ethan Hawke and Game of Thrones star Lena Headey - is talented and the thrills look, well, thrilling. The only worry we have is an overabundance of socio-political commentary, as evidenced in the trailer.
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Other May Movies
- Dead Man's Burden (5/3) - In this indie western, a wife and husband's scheme is complicated by the return of the wife's presumed-dead brother.
- Kiss of the Damned (5/3) - A beautiful vampire falls for a human writer, but when her mischievous sister arrives, the situation is pushed too far.
- Love Is All You Need (5/3) - Two "bruised souls" - whose respective children are about to marry - come to Italy for the wedding, meet and connect.
- What Maisie Knew (5/3) - A watchful child is shuffled between her neglectful parents, and forced to establish her own moral order to the world.
- Assault on Wall Street (5/10) - Uwe Boll is back with another violent fantasy, this time about a disgraced man (Dominic Purcell) who decides that shooting up Wall Street is the way to get payback.
- Black Rock (5/17) - Three childhood friends take a girls' weekend as adults, only to find themselves in a fight for survival.
- Before Midnight (5/24) - In this third chapter of Richard Linklater's love drama, we find Jesse (Ethan Hawke) and Celine (Julie Deply) still talking love almost two decades later (in both real-world and film time).
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JUNE MOVIES
The Internship
June 7th
Wedding Crashers duo Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson re-team for this comedy about two out-of-work, middle-aged men who are forced to compete against a bunch of geniuses half their age for an intership at Google.
Our Take: The Wedding Crashers chemistry certainly seems to be there, but the question is whether or not the story is as relatable (and/or funny). One thing's for sure, though: this is one of the longest Google ads you're likely to see all summer.
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Much Ado About Nothing
June 7th
In this Joss Whedon take on the Shakespeare classic, two pairs of lovers trade witty quips concerning their views on romance.
Our Take: Normally we don't go for Shakespeare in our summer blockbuster buffet, but Whedon's post-Avengers clout is strong. Will the geek idol now attract a more mainstream crowd? We'll soon find out.
(MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING TRAILER)
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This is the End
June 12th
In this comedy, James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Craig Robinson and Danny McBride play versions of themselves who get locked in a hilarious fight for survival after an apocalyptic event occurs during a party at Franco's house. Celebrity cameos ensue.
Our Take: Looks pretty hilarious to us (think Pineapple Express meets The Watch) - but it really depends on how you feel about the ensemble of comedic actors.
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The Bling Ring
June 14th
Soffia Coppola's (Lost In Translation) new film tells the true story of Nicki (Emma Watson) and her crew of friends, who ran a racket of robbing celebrity homes while the famous people were away.
Our Take: Aside from offering certain people the "bad girl" role they've wanted from Emma Watson, this film looks like yet another Sofia Coppola rumination on the world of celebrity and all its hollow trappings (see also: every film she makes). That's not to say it won't be a good time - but be prepared for something more artful and indie rather than mainstream crime-drama.
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Man of Steel
June 14th
In this re-imagining of Superman's origin, Kal-El, a very special son of Krypton, is sent to Earth where he is raised by human parents Martha (Diane Lane) and Jonathan (Kevin Costner) Kent. When he comes of age, Kal-El/Clark Kent (Henry Cavill) must decide what to do with his fantastic secret powers - even as a relentless reporter (Amy Adams) gets closer to exposing him to the world, and a threat from his homeworld (General Zod) threatens his adoptive one.
Our Take: It's been a big question long waiting to be answered, but recent marketing has us feeling that Man of Steel is going to be epic enough to do its titular character justice. Hopefully it is the perfect blend of story (from Dark Knight Trilogy writers Chris Nolan and David S. Goyer) and action (from 300 director Zack Snyder).
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Maniac
June 21st
In this remake of the 1980 William Lustig cult film, a psychologically-troubled mannequin shop owner named Frank (Elijah Wood) stalks young women around the city and murders them to collect their scalps. When Frank meets mannequin photographer Anna (Nora Arnezeder), he thinks he's finally found the answer to his mania. But how long can he keep the killer caged inside?
Our Take: You need look no further than Alexandre Aja's (The Hills Have Eyes) name in the credits (as writer and producer) to know that this film is going to be sick with a capital "S." By going with a first-person POV format, director Franck Khalfoun is forcing viewers right into the driver's seat of this psycho-sexual rampage. This one is surely NOT for the feint of heart.
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Monsters University
June 21st
In this Pixar prequel, we learn how Sully and Mike first met while attending the titular university - and their initial rivalry, which would eventually blossom into a life-long friendship.
Our Take: Generally we prefer our Pixar films to be new and original - and that's certainly true in this case. In a summer with so many promising movies, Pixar has strangely left us feeling cold. Still, if you like the first one... or just enjoy college-set humor...
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World War Z
June 21st
A U.N. employee (Brad Pitt) spans the globe in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, trying to find a cure for the pandemic that threatens mankind with extinction.
Our Take: This film bears little resemblance to the acclaimed source novel by Max Brooks, and the marketing campaign hasn't even bothered to explain that those questionable-looking CGI human tsunamis are actually hordes of zombies. Basically what we've seen is a generic "Brad Pitt in a race against time" thriller - and given the release date delays and other troubles behind the scenes, we wouldn't be surprised if World War Z had difficulty accomplishing anymore than that.
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Byzantium
June 28th
Two vampires masquerading as a mother (Gemma Arterton) and daughter (Saoirse Ronan) come to a small coastal town resort, seeking shelter. When the "younger" of the two falls for a local boy (Caleb Landry Jones), the revelation of their inhumanity brings up a dark past and dire consequences.
Our Take: Considering that it's coming from Neil Jordan (In Dreams, Interview with the Vampire) the results could be very hit or miss. With two hot actresses (in terms of both talent and appearance) headlining, and a story involving non-sparkling vampires, it will get some notice. However, with a script by Jane Eyre screenwriter Moira Buffini, expect more drama than horror.
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The Heat
June 28th
Uptight FBI special agent Sarah Ashburn (Sandra Bullock) is paired with testy Boston cop Shannon Mullins (Melissa McCarthy) in order to take down a ruthless drug lord. The hitch: neither woman has ever had a partner -- or a friend, for that matter.
Our Take: "From the director of 'Bridesmaids'" is a tagline that should clue you in on what sort of femme-raunch, buddy-cop comedy you're in for. If you don't like the loose, skit-like approach to movie comedy that Bridesmaids displayed, then perhaps the star power of Bullock and the red-hot McCarthy will be enough of a sell.
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White House Down
June 28th
Capitol Policeman John Cale (Channing Tatum) has just been denied his dream job with the Secret Service protecting President James Sawyer (Jamie Foxx). Not wanting to let down his little girl with the news, he takes her on a tour of the White House - just as the complex is overtaken by a heavily armed paramilitary group. Now, it's up to Cale to save the president, his daughter, and the country.
Our Take: Well, we've already seen this premise once this year with the surprisingly entertaining Olympus Has Fallen, but this 'Die Hard in The White House' movie has big names like Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx attached to it. Not to mention, this film is sort of what director Roland Emmerich (Independence Day) specializes in - so WHD could ultimately end up being the more popular of the 2013 copycat movies.
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Other June Movies
- Violet & Daisy (6/7) - Two teenage hit-girls (Alexis Bledel and Saoirse Ronan) are hired by a lonely, dying cancer patient (James Gandolfini) for an act of mercy - which inspires them to engage in some much-needed self-reflection.
- Wish You Were Here (6/7) - Four Friends go on a Cambodian holiday but only three return. As guilt and suspicion mount, the truth about what occurred on that horrific trip starts to come to light.
- Stuck in Love (6/14) - Three intertwining stories about a divorced novelist and his two children who are (respectively) struggling with the pains and mysteries of love.
- I'm So Excited! (6/28) - The new film by Pedro Almodóvar, about an airline flight in peril and the zany lengths the flight crew goes to in order to entertain the doomed passengers and make the most of their final moments.
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JULY MOVIES
Despicable Me 2
July 3rd
Gru is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help deal with a powerful new super criminal.
Our Take: The first Despicable Me was a surprising mix of heart and slapstick super villain hijinks - and this sequel looks to be giving us more of both. In the showdown between this film, Pixar's Monsters University and Fox's Epic, our money is on team Gru.
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The Lone Ranger
July 3rd
A masked hero (Armie Hammer) and his Native American companion, Tonto (Johnny Depp), fight injustice in the Old American West. This time, the threat comes from industrialist Latham Cole (Tom Wilkinson) – who utilizes the recent invention of railroad technology to carve a path of malevolence on his way to money and power.
Our Take: If director Gore Verbinski and his Pirates of the Caribbean star Johnny Depp have made this reboot anything like the first installment of that Disney theme park ride adaptation, then Ranger could be a winner - despite the long-chronicled troubled production that plagued it.
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Grown Ups 2
July 12th
After having the greatest time of his life three summers ago, Lenny (Adam Sandler), decides he wants to move his family back to his hometown and have them grow up with his gang of childhood friends and their kids. But between old bullies, new bullies, schizophrenic bus drivers, drunk cops on skis, psycho grade school girlfriends and 400 costumed party crashers, he finds out that sometimes crazy follows you.
Our Take: Look, if you liked the first one, then enjoy the second one. If the first one had you feeling embarrassed for its cast... well, this sequel has gone so far as to play the Taylor Lautner card.
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Pacific Rim
July 12th
Even with giant two-man piloted robots called "Jaegers" at their disposal, humanity stands on the brink of extinction thanks to "Kaiju," giant monsters that appeared from an inter-dimensional portal deep within the Pacific Ocean. An odd-pair of pilots and their obsolete Jaeger may be all the defense Earth has left.
Our Take: Hey, we'ere the sort of people who are instantly taken in by the thought of watching giant robots battle it out with giant monsters - but that's just us. Pacific Rim is still going to be a hard sell for the average moviegoer, who likely scoffs at its über-geeky premise, even with a respected name like Guillermo del Toro attached to it.
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The Conjuring
Based on a true story, Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.
Our Take: We predicted that Saw and Insidious director James Wan's homage to '70s and '80s horror flicks could end up being the horror movie hit of summer 2013. We're sticking to that.
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Only God Forgives
July 19th
Julian (Ryan Gosling), a drug-smuggler thriving in Bangkok's criminal underworld, sees his life get even more complicated when his mother (Kristin Scott Thomas) compels him to find and kill whoever is responsible for his brother's recent death.
Our Take: Nicolas Winding Refn and his Drive leading man Ryan Gosling are back with another violent crime-thriller featuring a poker-faced protagonist. If you liked Drive (like we did) then get ready for something even more dark and ambitious from Refn - otherwise, this is probably not going to be your cup of tea.
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R.I.P.D.
July 19th
A recently slain cop (Ryan Reynolds) joins a team of undead police officers - including his partner, an old western sheriff (Jeff Bridges) - working for the Rest in Peace Department while trying to find the man who murdered him.
Our Take: The immediate "Men In Black meets Ghostbusters" comparison isn't really throwing us off: At the very least, R.I.P.D. looks like good old-fashioned summer popcorn fun. Director Robert Schwentke turned an obscure comic book like RED into a box office hit - no reason to doubt that he'll do the same for this Peter Lenkov graphic novel.
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RED 2
July 19th
Frank Moses and his motley crew of retired assassins return for a second outing. This time the agency has an open contract on Frank, leading to more elite spy action/comedy.
Our Take: While the director of the first film has departed (to helm RED 2's box office competitor, R.I.P.D.), it's really the all-star cast - Bruce Willis Helen Mirren, John Malkovich - that's the draw, and they're all back for more. And with new additions like Anthony Hopkins and Catherine Zeta-Jones, this franchise is slowly morphing into a slightly classier version of The Expendables. Count us in.
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Turbo
July 19th
A freak accident might just help an everyday garden snail (voice Ryan Reynolds) achieve his biggest dream: winning the Indy 500.
Our Take: Besides Pixar, DreamWorks (Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon) is the studio we rely on for quality animated features that appeal to both old and young. That's why we're sincerely hoping that Turbo is something insightful, and not just Dreamworks' version of the Car$ franchise.
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The Wolverine
July 26th
Based on the highly regarded comic book arc, The Wolverine finds Logan (Hugh Jackman), the eternal warrior and outsider, in Japan. There, adamantium claws will clash with samurai steel as Logan confronts a mysterious figure from his past in an epic battle that will change him forever.
OUR TAKE: It already looks much better than the first film, but in a summer crowded with some impressive superhero blockbusters, it is facing stiff competition. Luckily for director James Mangold and Fox, fans of this sub-genre tend to see ALL the films on the docket. Will The Wolverine also manage to push the shared X-Men universe in a new and better direction? We're hoping.
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The Smurfs 2
July 31st
The Smurfs team up with their human friends to rescue Smurfette, who has been kidnapped by Gargamel since she knows a secret spell that can turn the evil sorcerer's newest creation - creatures called the Naughties - into real Smurfs.
Our Take: The kids laugh and cheer, while our own childhood continues to die slowly...
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Other July Movies
- The Way, Way Back (7/5) - A boy befriends a water-park employee (Sam Rockwell) who helps him man up against his mother's lover (Steve Carell).
- Girl Most Likely (7/19) - Imogene (Kristen Wiig) is a Manhattanite playwright plagued with insecurity, who attempts a fake suicide to get attention. The move lands her at home at the Jersey Shoe in the company her gambling addict mom (Annette Bening) and a host of colorful characters.
- Blue Jasmine (7/28) - Woody Allen's new film about a NY housewife's life crisis, starring Alec Baldwin, Cate Blanchett and Louis C.K.
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AUGUST MOVIES
2 Guns
August 2nd
A DEA agent (Mark Wahlberg) and an undercover Naval Intelligence officer (Denzel Washington) who have been tasked with investigating one another find they have been set up by the mob -- the very organization the two men believe they have been stealing money from.
Our Take: Meh, it's a generic summer action flick directed by the guy who made the B-movie thriller Contraband, starring two of the genre's current heavyweights. There are worse ways to kick off the August doldrums.
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300: Rise of an Empire
August 2nd
After its victory over Leonidas' 300, the Persian Army under the command of Xerxes marches south towards the major Greek city-states. The Democratic city of Athens, first on the path of Xerxes' army, bases its strength on its fleet, led by admiral Themistocles. Themistocles is forced to an unwilling alliance with the traditional rival of Athens, oligarchic Sparta, whose might lies with its superior infantry troops. But Xerxes still reigns supreme in numbers over sea and land.
Our Take: Instead of visionary director Zack Snyder at the helm of this interquel/sequel, we have the man who directed the flop that was Smart People. Sure, Snyder helped with the script, but it's based on recent work by comic book creator Frank Miller, which has not been great, lately. Don't be surprised if the magic is gone the second time around.
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Elysium
August 9th
Set in the year 2154, where the very wealthy live on a man-made space station while the rest of the population resides on a ruined Earth, a man takes on a mission that could bring equality to the polarized worlds.
Our Take: Director Neil Blomkamp shocked the world with his imagination and visual/storytelling prowess with District 9 - and this film looks like it's going to make total fools out of the studio execs who once stood in the way of Blomkamp directing the long-stalled Halo movie. One of our most anticipated of the summer, no doubt.
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Planes
August 9th
Dusty (Dane Cook) is a cropdusting plane who dreams of competing in a famous aerial race. The problem? He is hopelessly afraid of heights. With the support of his mentor Skipper (Stacy Keach) and a host of new friends, Dusty sets off to make his dreams come true.
Our Take: This is the official turning point where Disney animation tries its best to imitate the work of its branch studio, Pixar, without the general public taking notice. Will the level of quality be maintained across both studio divisons? Many would say the sight of Dane Cook in the starring voice role is a clear omen that it will not.
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We're the Millers
August 9th
A veteran pot dealer (Jason Sudeikis) creates a fake family (Jennifer Anistion and Emma Roberts) as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.
Our Take: Aniston and Sudeikis were golden in Horrible Bosses, and additions like Hangover star Ed Helms, Parks and Recreation star Nick Offerman and Kathryn Hahn (Hung) make this funny premise look like it will pay off. We might even get a surprising amount of heart to go along with the laughs.
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Kick-Ass 2
August 16th
The costumed high-school hero Kick-Ass (Aaron Johnson) joins with a group of normal citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) plots an act of revenge that will affect everyone Kick-Ass knows.
Our Take: Matthew Vaughn isn't directing this sequel to his cult-hit comic book adaptation, but from everything we've seen - including more of Chloe Moretz as that badass Hit-Girl and Jim Carrey looking especially loony as "Col. Stars and Stripes" - Kick-Ass 2 is going to deliver exactly what we loved about the first film.
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Paranoia
August 16th
An entry-level employee (Liam Hemsworth) at a powerful corporation finds himself occupying a corner office, but at a dangerous price: he must spy on his boss's (Gary Oldman) old mentor (Harrison Ford) to secure for him a multi-billion dollar advantage.
Our Take: This film has flown under the radar, but it's got a great cast - Oldman, Ford, Hemsworth, along with Amber Heard, Josh Holloway, Lucas Till and Richard Dreyfuss - and a competent director in Robert Luketic (21, Legally Blonde). A nice corporate thriller will be a welcome change of pace for the adult crowd... even if it falls slightly on the B-movie side of the line.
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Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters
August 16th
In order to restore their dying safe haven, Percy (Logan Lerman) and his friends embark on a quest to the Sea of Monsters to find the mythical Golden Fleece and stop an ancient evil from rising.
Our Take: The first installment was a fun enough young adult adventure, and with a bigger budget, the increased fame of its principal stars (Lerman, Alexandra Daddario and Brandon T. Jackson) and a geek-rousing appearance by Nathan Fillon, the second installment will likely deliver more of a good time.
(PERCY JACKSON: SEA OF MONSTERS TRAILER)
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The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones
August 21st
When her mom (Lena Headey) is attacked and taken from their home in New York City by a demon, a seemingly ordinary teenage girl, Clary Fray (Lily Collins), finds out truths about her past and bloodline on her quest to get her back, that changes her entire life.
Our Take: While we're not experts on this particular YA franchise of books (by author Cassandra Clare), but the concept certainly looks a lot more intriguing than Twilight (and even Disney's Sorcerer's Apprentice movie from a few years ago). The cast - including Jamie Campbell Bower and Jonathan Rhys Meyers - is pretty solid, and director Harald Zwart overcame some pretty long odds to make The Karate Kid remake worthwhile. We expect good things from this.
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The World's End
August 23rd
20 years after attempting an epic pub crawl, five childhood friends are convinced to stage an encore by mate Gary King (Simon Pegg), a 40-year old man trapped at the cigarette end of his teens, who drags his reluctant pals to their home town and once again attempts to reach the fabled pub, The World's End. As they attempt to reconcile the past and present, they realize the real struggle is for the future, not just theirs but humankind's.
Our Take: Edgar Wright's "Blood and Ice Cream" trilogy comes to an end with this film. We loved Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, and we expect to love The World's End just as much (if not more).
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You're Next
August 23rd
When the Davison family comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers soon learns that one of victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back.
Our Take: Having a feeling of Deja Vu? That's probably because you read the synopsis for the May release No One Lives, which (at least on paper) sounds like the exact same movie as this. Having seen director Adam Wingard's work in horror anthologies like V/H/S and ABCs of Death... we'd (literally) put our money on No One Lives.
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One Direction: This Is Us 3D
August 29th
An all-access pass to the British pop sensation One Direction live in concert.
Our Take: We just HAD to end with this. If the subject matter makes you cringe, you'll positively convulse when you hear that documentary superstar Morgan Spurlock (Super-Size Me, Greatest Movie Ever Sold) is the man behind the 3D camera. Oh Morgan...
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Other August Movies
- The To-Do List (8/16) - Feeling pressured to become more sexually experienced before she goes to college, Brandy Clark makes a list of things to accomplish before hitting campus in the fall.
- Closed Circuit (8/28) - Two ex-lovers, Martin (Eric Bana) and Claudia (Rebecca Hall), find their loyalties tested and their lives at risk when they are joined together on the defense team in a terrorism trial.
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[poll id="572"]
That's it for our Summer 2013 Movie Preview - Vote for your top 3 Most Anticipated films above and discuss the summer season in the comments!
Source: Fandango