Summer time is almost upon us and with that the rush of new blockbusters, tentpoles and a smattering of counter programming. I love summer because it is where you get your fix on big action, super hero movies, sci-fi extravaganzas and over the top comedies. Subtly is not often in great supply during these months and while there is always some manner of spectacle fatigue there are always some incredible thrill rides in store. This summer is shaping up to be huge with a metric ton of potentially high quality popcorn flicks waiting to be unleashed. It is kind of baffling to me that Furious 7 opened at the beginning to April instead of in the summer but the volume of high octane powerhouses likely made April 3 a more attractive option.  I always find these lists interesting at the end of the season to look back and see what I ended up liking and what sucked. There are always some risky entries and you never really know how things are going to turn out. I have included trailers and posters when available. Let me know what you think of the list in the comments below and leave your own lists as well. Here we go:

10. Straight Outta Compton (Aug 14)

I am not now nor have I ever been a big fan of gangsta rap or hip hop but it is really hard to watch the trailer for Straight Outta Compton and not get excited. Detailing the rise and fall of NWA and steeped in the politics and tension of late 80’s LA, Straight Outta Compton looks to be a bit of an antidote for the special effects overload in the run up to its August release.

 

9. Spy (June 5)

The newest comedy from writer/director Paul Feig, Spy finds star Melissa McCarthy as a CIA agent moving from the desk to the field with presumably wacky results. The set up seems pretty standard for a Spies Like Us sort of comedy but with a cast that includes Rose Byrne, Jason Statham, Jude Law, Morena Baccarin and Allison Janey and a strong trailer, I am pretty excited. Add to that the fact that Feig is pretty solid with McCarthy in particular and comedy in general and I am doubly so. There may be some added scrutiny here given the upcoming Ghostbusters reboot that Feig and McCarthy are doing and the field is crowded with spy pictures this year but all evidence points to this being another great turn from Feig and McCarthy.

 

8.Pixels (July 24)

When you say ‘New Adam Sandler’ comedy nowadays the response is often a groan or a shaken head. Sandler has a very spotty to  terrible track record for the past 10 years or so, give or take a few depending on how generous you are, and that is a real bummer. So on its face, Pixels has a pretty big strike against it right out of the gates. Add co-star Kevin James and you are pretty badly behind in the count. Chris Columbus isn’t the best news as far as director goes with a filmography that is decidedly so-so but Josh Gad and Peter Dinklage are super solid. So to stretch the baseball analogy farther than I should, Pixels has a full count and it could really go either way. The trailer looks solid so it is possible that it could be a homerun but it seems just as likely it could go down swinging. Either way I am anxious to find out.

 

7. Man From U.N.C.L.E. (Aug 14)

Another spy offering, this remake of the 60’s TV show offers up a 60’s flavor to differentiate itself from the spy pack with a CIA agent teaming up with a KGB agent to deal with some cold war goodness. I have never seen the original show but I am ready for some throwback material that should keep things fresh against the backdrop of all the more modern and high tech spy films we have this year. I am a big Guy Ritchie fan and seeing his take on this genre, particularly as a period piece, has me pretty excited. Add in Henry Cavill and Armie Hammer in the lead roles and I am very interested to see how it works out.

 

6. Trainwreck (July 17)

The new comedy by Judd Apatow, Trainwreck has the distinction of being the first feature that he did not write. In this case that honor goes to star Amy Schumer in her first major film role. The story follows a woman who is dead set against monogamy falling in love with a sports doctor about whom she is writing a story. This is another movie that could go either way as the premise is fairly standard romantic comedy material and it is Schumer’s first time leading a movie but on the other hand, Apatow is a solid director, Schumer is generally hilarious and the supporting cast, most notably Bill Hader, is strong. The trailer looks solid and while there has been a bit of backlash on Apatow of late, I am pretty excited for this one.

 

 

5. Jurassic World (June 12)

Another question mark for a lot of movie goers, Jurassic World could go either way. Some have questioned the CG in the trailer but I personally don’t think it looks bad and will most assuredly be better in the finished film. Colin Trevorrow, the director, is solid with the excellent Safety Not Guaranteed under his belt but how well he does with a big effects movie remains to be seen. The cast, led by Chris Pratt, is solid and the idea of a fully operational park that goes wrong sounds fresh enough to pan out. Whether or not the apparently trained Velociraptors work is anyone’s guess at this point but I remain hopeful for this one as I just would really like to see a good Jurassic Park movie again.

 

 

4. Ant Man (July 17)

Ant Man doesn’t have the best good will going into it given that fans were largely ruffled by original director and Ant Man spear head Edgar Wright departing, but last summer people doubted that a movie led by a talking raccoon and sentient tree creature could be successful. Director Peyton Reed’s track record is mixed and Ant Man as a character is not one of my favorites but this is Marvel we are talking about here. While some didn’t care for Thor Dark World and the latter two Iron Mans, I have enjoyed all of their films so far, to varying degrees, and I would be surprised if I didn’t enjoy this one. I am interested to see how Paul Rudd is as a super hero and it is always nice to see Michael Douglas in pretty much anything so I am hopeful and fairly confident that this one will pan out. I definitely isn’t automatic, however, and the will it or won’t it aspect is plenty intriguing in and of itself.

 

 

 

3. Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation (July 31)

I was already excited about this movie from Christopher McQuarrie’s involvement alone but the trailer really sealed the deal for me. Moved up from a Christmas release, Rogue Nation looks like it is upping the action and stunts, the majority of which star Tom Cruise did himself including hanging on to the outside of a flying plane, while still focusing on intrigue and spy stuff. As a series, Mission Impossible has been improving each time, if you ignore the second installment, and this one looks like it may manage to top Brad Bird’s excellent Ghost Protocol. Cruise and McQuarrie’s last collaboration, Jack Reacher, was terrific so I am beyond excited for this ones. The increased participation of Ving Rhames and the return of Jeremy Renner and Simon Pegg just sweeten the deal.

 

 

 

2. Mad Max Fury Road (May 15)

Full disclosure: I have not seen the Road Warrior or Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome. I plan to before this one comes out but, regardless, I am very much drawn to the heavy reliance on  practical effects. The trailer looks absolutely batshit crazy and I am excited that George Miller is back in the director’s chair so it isn’t going to be a watered down remake situation. Tom Hardy looks great in the lead and Nicholas Hoult and Charlize Theron are both solid as well. There isn’t really much else to say aside from it looks insane and I can’t wait to see it.

 

 

 

1. Avengers Age of Ultron (May 1)

One of the only ‘sure things’ on this list I will be absolutely gobsmacked if this was anything other than amazing at this point. All of the trailers have looked better and better and it appears to be firing on all cylinders. Joss Whedon has never disappointed me and I can’t imagine he would start now. I would feel a lot more tension here if Marvel hadn’t announced their upcoming slate which suggests that there are fairly limited possibilities of real stakes as far as characters go but it looks like it will be a game changer regardless. The more I have seen the more excited I have become. I am really glad this is kicking off the season on May 1st but at the same time I am a little worried about other movies this summer measuring up. Time will tell but I would be shocked if it isn’t great.

 

 

So that is the list. There are a lot on here that could go either way but regardless of how it turns out it will be an interesting summer for sure. Honorable mentions include Tomorrowland, Pitch Perfect 2 and San Andres. Again, let me know what you think and leave your own lists in the comments.