Thank goodness for the reassuring embrace of summer movies. Sure, we complain out in the open about the lack of originality in Hollywood, the market saturation of subpar adaptations and uninspired sequels, but does that really stop us from seeing them anyway? Deep down we’re all hypocrites, and so without shame I am proud to present my list of the eleven films I cannot wait to see from now until August. Why eleven? Because it’s prime, just like my taste in movies.
- Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 – The sequel to one of the best movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe can’t come soon enough. Anything with Chris Pratt is worth watching anyway. You’re gonna see it anyway so what else is there left to say?
- Alien: Covenant – What better way to fill the obligatory big-budget summer horror movie void than with another prequel to the iconic sci-fi franchise? Who knows how it fits into the continuity of the other films in the series but with Ridley Scott back in the director’s chair we can only hope for more of the claustrophobic body-horror greatness its brought us over the decades.
- Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales – This is the latest entry to a hulking franchise whose best days were over long before 2017, or even 2007… But am I excited for a new Pirates movie with Johnny Depp back in the role that defined the actor for a generation of new fans? I mean yeah, I guess… You are too, right? Javier Bardem’s gonna be in it so that’s… something…
- Captain Underpants – The iconic Dav Pilkey comic/kids book series touched the soul and laugh boxes of prepubescent schoolchildren the nation over, so of course I’m looking forward to its animated debut on the big screen. With Kevin Hart, Ed Helms, and a supporting cast of famous funnymen and funnywomen, expectations are high, even if the trailer didn’t make it look that great.
- Wonder Woman –After some seriously underwhelming additions to the DCEU like last year’s Suicide Squad and Batman v. Superman, Wonder Woman looks like it may actually be a decent watch. Gal Gadot looks great in the role, the story seems compelling enough, the action looks… action-y, so that’s good. Let’s hope this is the one, DC. *fingers crossed*
- It Comes at Night – Sort of a wild card, a Jackson Wheeler hot take if you will. A lower budget, but all the same scary looking atmospheric horror flick starring Joel Edgerton and produced by A24, which is one of the hottest indie studios working today. If you’re feelin’ kinda crazy, enjoy a slow burning plot, and want to get spooked, give it a shot.
- Cars 3 – I know. I know. I know. It’s Cars. I get it. But it’s Pixar. I know Pixar’s been slipping lately and Cars 2 was the universally agreed-upon low point, but the trailer hooked me. Call it Stockholm Syndrome, but I trust the kings and queens of American animation. I’m willing to give it a shot.
- Baby Driver – Any fan of Edgar Wright, of his work on Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead, his tight hilarious dialogue, and frenetic camera work, you will likely be down to see Baby Driver his latest project about a young getaway driver who uses music to set up his unpredictable escape routes. Even if you don’t know the director give the trailer a watch.
- Spider Man: Homecoming – It’s Spider Man. It’s back with Marvel. All is right with the world.
- Dunkirk – It’s the guy who made the Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, Interstellar, Memento, The Prestige… Aren’t you a little interested to see what he does with World War II?
- The Hitman’s Bodyguard – Ryan Reynolds plays world’s best bodyguard. Samuel L. Jackson plays the world’s best assassin. The former has to protect the latter. Surely, this will be hilarious. The trailer makes me think so, anyway. The number of times the word “m*****f*****” will be said could be legendary.