With May quickly drawing to a close this week, I'll use this opportunity to look forward at what we can expect for the rest of the summer, including the big blockbusters and the small films that might sneak up on us. I'll give you the top 10 movies worth looking forward to this summer as well as brief descriptions of why they're exciting.
TOP 10 MOVIES TO BE EXCITED FOR
10: The Conjuring 2
Horror sequels are not usually a safe investment for quality, but The Conjuring 2 might be one of the few exceptions. Conjuring 2 opens another real world case file and brings the Warren Siblings to London to investigate a family taunted by spirits. The original Conjuring is an inventive and unique horror movie, often breaking free from the cliches that dominate modern horror movies. The spinoff, Annabelle, however, fell right back into the cliches of jump scares and stupid protagonists. The proper sequel brings back director James Wan as well as Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel) and Patrick Wilson (Fargo) as the real-life Warren Siblings, famous 20th century paranormal investigators.
The trailers so far have been intense and intriguing, teasing another tense and haunting horror from mastermind James Wan. I am really excited to see how this movie turns out, but the uncertainty of horror sequels and the failure of Annabelle holds this movie back at the bottom of the list.
9: Warcraft
Based off the smash hit videogame franchise, Warcraft is an action fantasy epic that tells the story of a magic portal suddenly connecting the world of Humanity with the world of the orcs. As war wages and both species face impending doom, leaders must come together in a confrontation that will decide the fate of both worlds.
This movie may not seem enticing for some, but it marks a significant turning point in the industry. If Warcraft can work, videogame movies will inevitably take off, possibly spiking living into a form of adaptation that has failed so regularly. However if this movie fails, it will be one of the biggest nails in the coffin for videogames movies. With a big budget and popular source material, studios and fans alike are watching Warcraft to set the course for what could be the next breakout blockbusters.
8: Sausage Party
NSFW
"Dude, what if, like, food could, like, talk?" This thought probably flowed through the substance-fueled mind of Seth Rogan. Rogan didn't let the idea fade away though, because he turned it into the upcoming R-rated animated comedy, Sausage Party. In this comedy, a group of talking, anamorphic foods are bought from a grocery store and realize that coming home with humans isn't the Valhalla experience they expected when they watch their friends get chopped up, cooked, and eaten. After this realization, the food must work together to escape humanity before they become their next meal.
The trailer promoted a lot of reaction when it first dropped, mostly for the insanity of the premise and the profanity of the imagery. It ushered in plenty of laughs but also plenty of questions about just how the premise can hold up and if Rogan's fondness for crazy adult content can carry over into an animated format. We'll have to wait all the way until August 12th to find out if this movie will taste fresh or end up overcooked.
7: Secret Life of Pets
Animated movies come in many forms. This time it's in the form of talking pets with various conflicting personalities who are forced to get along in order to defend their blissfully ignorant owners from vengeful animals left abandoned. While it is not the most original premise, the trailers have caused genuine laughs from adults and children alike. The simple premise could be a doorway into relatable and cute comedy and visuals as well as a potentially significant message about the necessity of caring for and about the animals we live with.
With stars like Louis C.K.. Kevin Hart, and Ellie Kember, this comedy has the potential to capture the well-rounded family fun that animation strives for. Gather up the kids and grandparents and head to the theater on July 8th to see this movie for yourself.
6: Independence Day: Resurgence
One of the defining action films of the 90's is Independence Day where an alien race with far superior technology invades the United States on - you guessed it - The Fourth of July. 20 years later, humanity is ready to strike back as they have taken the technology left behind to create their own super-powered weapons, preparing for an all-out war. With most of the cast returning (minus leading man Will Smith, whose character supposedly killed off between the films) and promising action scenes in the trailers, this movie could end up being a popcorn hit of the summer for those desperate to overdose on adrenaline and nostalgia all at once. This year, we celebrate our Independence Day a little early on June 24th.
5: Free State of Jones
Matthew McConaughey's acting resurgence has dominated movies and TV alike for the last few years, and his American Civil War period drama could continue this praise. In Free State, McConaughey plays a Confederate soldier gone awol who leads a slave rebellion to establish an independent state free of slavery. The trailers show some intense imagery of a dark time in American history and tease a powerful cinematic experience.
While many social speakers are hoping for an end to slave movies, this could be a critical hit from a genre with mixed relevancy. McConaughey could help carry this small drama surrounded by blockbusters into a big hit for those looking for a break from massive action. The movie opens against Independence Day on June 24th.
4: Lights Out
James Wan horror hits twice on this list with Lights Out. The reason this fairly obscure horror movie has made it so high on the list is because of the short film it is based on. The original Lights Out is an independent short film which won several awards in 2013 and 2014. Running less than 3 minutes in length, this movie featured terrifying but simplistic imagery showing a woman facing off with a creature who is only visible when the lights are off. Horror director James Wan picked this short film up and turned it into a full length feature on the same basic premise.
Lights Out is a small horror project opening against two fairly large studio pushes, so it may not be a financial hit, but it has high potential to be one of the best horror films of the year from a director who understands the genre fluently. Lights Out will be keeping us up at night starting July 22nd.
3: Finding Dory
Everyone remembers Ellen's Dory from Finding Nemo, even if she does not remember much herself. In this long-awaited sequel over ten years in the making, Dory goes off on her own adventure of self discovery as she attempts to find her long-forgotten family on the other side of the ocean. Along for the swim are returning characters Marvin (Albert Brooks) and Nemo (Hayden Roylance) as well as new characters played by Idris Alba and Bill Hader. Pixar's sequels range from the incredible Toy Story 2 to the intolerable Cars 2, and hopefully Finding Dory can find it's place in the middle.
Finding Nemo was a huge hit when it was released, and Ellen has been pushing for a sequel since practically before the movie even came out. Ellen and fans have had their wish granted with Finding Dory, but can it live up to the dreams of the children-turned-adults who loved the original? And can it capture the imaginations of modern kids in a much different entertainment age? We'll have to just keep swimming until June 17th to find out.
2: Jason Bourne
Matt Damon is back in the lead role that redefined his career. This time, Bourne is back in action with his memories returned, but, as Alica Vikander's character tells him in the trailer, "Just because you remember everything, doesn't mean you know everything." Bourne's action-packed ride for answers seems to promise an exhilarating return to form for the franchise that slightly lost its way with Bourne Legacy back in 2012.
The trailers were intense and have earned some excitement from fans of the original Bourne trilogy. I'm hopeful that Paul Greengrass behind the camera and Matt Damon in front of it will be enough to return the action thriller to its roots when it races into theaters on July 22nd.
1: Suicide Squad
Many superhero movie fans feel upset after Batman v Superman let them down back in March. Others, however, maintain their positivity and excitement. All of these fans will be in theaters to see Suicide Squad, the off-the-wall team up movie that brings DC's biggest villains together to take on covert assignments from the government. This is a win-win situation, giving the government a group they can blame their mistakes on and the villains shorter prison sentences in exchange for successful missions.
The trailers have made headlines and heavily impressed audiences. Margot Robbie continues her climb into blockbusters with her take on Harley Quinn, but she has hard-hitting talent at her back with Will Smith as Deadshot and Jared Leto unleashing his infamously maniacal take on The Joker. The biggest draw for this movie relies on just how important it is for the future of the DC Universe. With Batman v Superman underperforming critical and financially and a big shakeup behind the scenes, Suicide Squad is the big chance Warner Brothers needs to push their franchise in the right direction. If done well, this could save public interest in the DCMU, but if done badly, this could bury DC and force them to pull backwards and shift their franchises tremendously.
This may not turn out to be the best or biggest movie of the summer, but it will inevitably be one of the most talked-about and important. The squad assembles on August 5th.
There's my list, now where is yours? Are you excited for these movies? What did I leave out that you can't wait for? Check back next week for a list of the movies you should be avoiding this summer.
If you like what you've read, you can read even more including movie and TV reviews on my Blogspot, The Film Fan Awakens. I recently reviewed Captain America Civil War and am reviewing Game of Thrones weekly.
You can also follow for instant updates on Facebook at Facebook.com/TheFilmFanAwakens and @FanFilmAwakens on Twitter. I'm Tristan Mayer from The Fan Film Awakens and thanks for reading!
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