1. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (July 15): If the latest trailer is any indication, the penultimate installment in the “Harry Potter” franchise promises to be the most epic yet. As Harry (Daniel Radcliffe) returns for his sixth year at Hogwarts, he learns more about Voldemort’s (Ralph Fiennes) past so he can gain the tools to defeat him. As paranoia about the impending war grows, Harry and his friends also start finding love. This film looks to balance comedy, drama and intense action sequences and has the potential to surpass “Prisoner of Azkaban” and become the best movie in the series so far.
2. Funny People (July 31): Based on the trailer for the latest film from director Judd Apatow, “Funny People” will still have its hilarious moments but will likely lean on the more dramatic side than “The 40-Year-Old Virgin” and “Knocked Up.” The film follows stand-up comedian George Simmons (Adam Sandler), who reevaluates his life and his relationships when he learns he has a terminal illness. Apatow mainstays Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann play George’s protégé and the girl that got away. Early buzz surrounding the film lauds it as potentially Oscar-worthy, so “Funny People” should please audiences and critics alike.
3. Away We Go (June 5): “Revolutionary Road” director Sam Mendes turns to more comedic fare than his typical films with this little movie about a couple expecting their first child who travel the country trying the find the perfect place to live. This should be a charming, feel-good film with a strong cast. “The Office’s” John Krasinski and “Saturday Night Live’s” Maya Rudolph star in the lead roles with strong supporting players in Allison Janney, Jeff Daniels and Maggie Gyllenhaal.
4. Up (May 29): It will be hard for Pixar to live up to the prestige of last summer’s “WALL-E,” but “Up,” the studio’s latest film, appears to be a fun and adventurous family-friendly comedy. The first movie from director Pete Docter since “Monsters, Inc.” tells the story of Carl Fredrickson (Edward Asner) who decides to see the world from the comfort of his own home by attaching thousands of balloons to his house. “Up” will be a very different from “WALL-E,” but with characters like Russell (Jordan Nagai), a boy scout who stows away with Carl, and Dug, a dog with a talking collar that translates his thoughts, this movie should still be a Pixar classic.
5. Taking Woodstock (August 14): This dramedy from “Brokeback Mountain” director Ang Lee should be a refreshing change from the slew of comedy and action blockbusters coming out this summer. “Taking Woodstock” is the true story of Elliot Tiber (Demetri Martin), who offers up his family’s motel and the surrounding land as the location for the Woodstock Festival of 1969. This movie offers viewers an interesting true story and a top-notch cast that includes Liev Schreiber (“Wolverine”), Emile Hirsch (“Into the Wild”) and Jeffrey Dean Morgan (“Watchmen”).
No comments:
Post a Comment