Generally speaking, the summer movie season runs from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Maybe May 1st to the beginning of September. Not coincidentally, this is the time frame we Americans consider "summer". But that's not the case anymore. The summer movie season starts earlier and earlier now. In 2014, Captain America: The Winter Solider was released on April 4th. The Hunger Games was released on March 23, 2012. It doesn't need to be the summer anymore for Hollywood to release a summer Blockbuster. But with that being said, here is my list of the 10 most anticipates summer movies of 2014. The time frame of movies being released may be the same, but the release of this post gets earlier and earlier.
10) Edge of Tomorrow
Release Date: June 6th
Directed By: Doug Liman
Starring: Tom Cruise & Emily Blunt
Excitement Level: 6
WHY I'M EXCITED: Because Tom Cruise really doesn't make bad movies. While Tom Cruise hasn't made a great movie since 2002's Minority Report, he hasn't made a bad (action) movie either. Films like Knight and Day, Oblivion, and Jack Reacher were at the very least worth renting. Doug Liman is the director of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the first Bourne movie (the best one IMHO), and Swingers. He doesn't make great movies, but he doesn't make bad ones either.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: The floor for Edge of Tomorrow might be high, but its ceiling is low. I don't know that anyone was clamoring for a science fiction Groundhog's Day, and I can't imagine people will be clamoring for one after this film's release. I don't see this being a huge phenomenon, but rather a solid rental, and that's not high praise for any film.
9) Lucy
Release Date: August 8th
Directed By: Luc Besson
Starring: Scarlett Johansson & Morgan Freeman
Excitement Level: 6
WHY I'M EXCITED: Luc Besson is a great director with a cool and unique vision. The Fifth Element and Leon: The Professional are excellent flicks and the Taken franchise is great. Scarlett Johansson is also becoming a bona fide action star with Lucy coming on the heals of her three Avengers flicks. It'll be refreshing to see a great action movie led by a female.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: Luc Besson has made some awesome films, but he's also made some duds as well. His most recent film, The Family, was just a waste of everyone's time. Also, this whole "humans only use 10% of their brain" Hollywood plot point could actually come across on screen just as annoying as it sounds.
8) A Million Ways To Die In The West
Release Date: May 30th
Directed By: Seth MacFarlane
Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Giovanni Ribisi, Neil Patrick Harris, & Sarah Silverman
Excitement Level: 7
WHY I'M EXCITED: Ted. Ted grossed over $215 million dollars and was the comedy break out hit of 2012. There's no reason A Million Ways To Die In The West can't be the same.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: It is Seth MacFarlene after all. He's not perfect. Just look at the last few years of Family Guy.
7) Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Release Date: July 11th
Directed By: Matt Reeves
Starring: Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, & Andy Serkis
Excitement Level: 7
WHY I'M EXCITED: Because Gary Oldman doesn't make bad movies and Rise of the Planet of the Apes was one of the best movies of 2011. Dawn looks like a completely different story while still keeping the same tones and atmosphere of the first one.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: Rupert Wyatt, the director of the original, isn't back this time around. Rise of the Planet of Apes is not a very good premise that happened to turn out splendidly. This isn't like a Marvel property where the stuff creates itself. This has to be done in the right hands. We'll see if Matt Reeves is up for the challenge.
6) Wish I Was Here
Release Date: July 25th
Directed By: Zach Braff
Starring: Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Josh Gad, & Mandy Patinkin
Excitement Level: 8
WHY I'M EXCITED: Garden State is a great movie. For some reason time has not been kind to it, and its been labeled a "crappy hipster flick". Wish I Was Here has the same feel and vibe as Garden State and Zach Braff looks like he's got a great feel for these types of films.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: Doing too much of the same thing is not necessarily a good thing. Directors, like musicians, have to reinvent themselves. If Wish I Was Here turns out to be just a crappier version of Garden State, then the film will be a giant let down.
5) Let's Be Cops
Release Date: August 13th
Directed By: Luke Greenfield
Starring: Jake Johnson & Damon Wayans Jr.
Excitement Level: 8
WHY I'M EXCITED: Because New Girl is too good not to have a full length movie! Just kidding, but Johnson and Wayans Jr. are really funny actors and their comedic stylings from New Girl look like they'll transfer beautifully into this movie. This is a story that's been done so many times before and I can tell you exactly what's going to happen to Ryan and Justin just by watching the trailer, but the jokes in between is what will really make this film.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: Dumb, predictable are by their very nature dumb. If all the funny parts of the movie are in the trailer, then Let's Be Cops is just a dumb, predictable, unfunny movie- which frankly is just like every movie streaming on Netflix.
4) Sin City: A Dame To Kill For
Release Date: August 22nd
Directed By: Robert Rodriguez & Frank Miller
Starring: Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, & Josh Brolin
Excitement Level: 8
WHY I'M EXCITED: I absolutely love 2005's Sin City. I think it's a work of brilliance. I have absolutely no idea why it took almost a decade to get its sequel; however, I think it's great that Miller and Rodriguez are back again. Plus, it stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt who is on a crazy good hot streak.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: Because it did take almost a decade to make a sequel. Plus, it stars Josh Brolin who is the king of great actors who star in terrible films.
3) 22 Jump Street
Release Date: June 13th
Directed By: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Starring: Jonah Hill & Channing Tatum
Excitement Level: 9
WHY I'M EXCITED: 21 Jump Street was surprisingly great. As Nick Offerman says in the trailer for this film, no one was expecting anything from the prequel, but it turned out to be a smash success. It didn't take itself too seriously, as Lord & Miller played it as a meta commentary of movies based upon TV shows. Lord & Miller's next film, The Lego Movie, also had the right mix of humor, story, and meta commentary, so there's no reason 22 Jump Street can't be the same.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: It's extremely easy for 22 Jump Street to pull a Hangover 2 and be the exact same movie as its prequel. It's also very difficult to make a comedy sequel, and very few good ones exist.
2) Neighbors
Release Date: May 9th
Directed By: Nicholas Stoller
Starring: Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, & Rose Byrne
Excitement Level: 10
WHY I'M EXCITED: Because this film looks freaking hysterical. The last Seth Rogen movie I thought looked great was This Is The End, and that turned out to be phenomenal. Not only is Seth Rogen the master of comedic films of the past ten years, but Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him To The Greek) knows hot to direct a comedic classic. This pairing should be excellent.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: It's not. Neighbors is going to be amaze-balls. Mark my word.
1) Guardians of the Galaxy
Release Date: August 1st
Directed By: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, & John C. Reily
Excitement Level: 10
WHY I'M EXCITED: Because I can't get enough of the trailer. It looks great. I was extremely skeptical of this entire story line, but then the trailer came along and washed away all doubt. Chris Pratt is going to be a bona fide movie star and he seems to have the perfect level of charm, charisma, and bad ass-ery to make this movie incredible.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: Despite how everyone in America can't stop sucking on Marvel's teet at the moment, I think they've only made two good films as of late- Iron Man and The Avengers. Iron Man's sequels, and the 2 Thor and Captain America movies were not very good. I don't care if Guardians gets released to a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, I'll need to see it to believe it.
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Release Date: June 6th
Directed By: Doug Liman
Starring: Tom Cruise & Emily Blunt
Excitement Level: 6
WHY I'M EXCITED: Because Tom Cruise really doesn't make bad movies. While Tom Cruise hasn't made a great movie since 2002's Minority Report, he hasn't made a bad (action) movie either. Films like Knight and Day, Oblivion, and Jack Reacher were at the very least worth renting. Doug Liman is the director of Mr. and Mrs. Smith, the first Bourne movie (the best one IMHO), and Swingers. He doesn't make great movies, but he doesn't make bad ones either.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: The floor for Edge of Tomorrow might be high, but its ceiling is low. I don't know that anyone was clamoring for a science fiction Groundhog's Day, and I can't imagine people will be clamoring for one after this film's release. I don't see this being a huge phenomenon, but rather a solid rental, and that's not high praise for any film.
Release Date: August 8th
Directed By: Luc Besson
Starring: Scarlett Johansson & Morgan Freeman
Excitement Level: 6
WHY I'M EXCITED: Luc Besson is a great director with a cool and unique vision. The Fifth Element and Leon: The Professional are excellent flicks and the Taken franchise is great. Scarlett Johansson is also becoming a bona fide action star with Lucy coming on the heals of her three Avengers flicks. It'll be refreshing to see a great action movie led by a female.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: Luc Besson has made some awesome films, but he's also made some duds as well. His most recent film, The Family, was just a waste of everyone's time. Also, this whole "humans only use 10% of their brain" Hollywood plot point could actually come across on screen just as annoying as it sounds.
8) A Million Ways To Die In The WestRelease Date: May 30th
Directed By: Seth MacFarlane
Starring: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Giovanni Ribisi, Neil Patrick Harris, & Sarah Silverman
Excitement Level: 7
WHY I'M EXCITED: Ted. Ted grossed over $215 million dollars and was the comedy break out hit of 2012. There's no reason A Million Ways To Die In The West can't be the same.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: It is Seth MacFarlene after all. He's not perfect. Just look at the last few years of Family Guy.
Release Date: July 11th
Directed By: Matt Reeves
Starring: Gary Oldman, Keri Russell, & Andy Serkis
Excitement Level: 7
WHY I'M EXCITED: Because Gary Oldman doesn't make bad movies and Rise of the Planet of the Apes was one of the best movies of 2011. Dawn looks like a completely different story while still keeping the same tones and atmosphere of the first one.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: Rupert Wyatt, the director of the original, isn't back this time around. Rise of the Planet of Apes is not a very good premise that happened to turn out splendidly. This isn't like a Marvel property where the stuff creates itself. This has to be done in the right hands. We'll see if Matt Reeves is up for the challenge.
Release Date: July 25th
Directed By: Zach Braff
Starring: Zach Braff, Kate Hudson, Josh Gad, & Mandy Patinkin
Excitement Level: 8
WHY I'M EXCITED: Garden State is a great movie. For some reason time has not been kind to it, and its been labeled a "crappy hipster flick". Wish I Was Here has the same feel and vibe as Garden State and Zach Braff looks like he's got a great feel for these types of films.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: Doing too much of the same thing is not necessarily a good thing. Directors, like musicians, have to reinvent themselves. If Wish I Was Here turns out to be just a crappier version of Garden State, then the film will be a giant let down.
Release Date: August 13th
Directed By: Luke Greenfield
Starring: Jake Johnson & Damon Wayans Jr.
Excitement Level: 8
WHY I'M EXCITED: Because New Girl is too good not to have a full length movie! Just kidding, but Johnson and Wayans Jr. are really funny actors and their comedic stylings from New Girl look like they'll transfer beautifully into this movie. This is a story that's been done so many times before and I can tell you exactly what's going to happen to Ryan and Justin just by watching the trailer, but the jokes in between is what will really make this film.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: Dumb, predictable are by their very nature dumb. If all the funny parts of the movie are in the trailer, then Let's Be Cops is just a dumb, predictable, unfunny movie- which frankly is just like every movie streaming on Netflix.
Release Date: August 22nd
Directed By: Robert Rodriguez & Frank Miller
Starring: Jessica Alba, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, & Josh Brolin
Excitement Level: 8
WHY I'M EXCITED: I absolutely love 2005's Sin City. I think it's a work of brilliance. I have absolutely no idea why it took almost a decade to get its sequel; however, I think it's great that Miller and Rodriguez are back again. Plus, it stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt who is on a crazy good hot streak.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: Because it did take almost a decade to make a sequel. Plus, it stars Josh Brolin who is the king of great actors who star in terrible films.
Release Date: June 13th
Directed By: Phil Lord & Christopher Miller
Starring: Jonah Hill & Channing Tatum
Excitement Level: 9
WHY I'M EXCITED: 21 Jump Street was surprisingly great. As Nick Offerman says in the trailer for this film, no one was expecting anything from the prequel, but it turned out to be a smash success. It didn't take itself too seriously, as Lord & Miller played it as a meta commentary of movies based upon TV shows. Lord & Miller's next film, The Lego Movie, also had the right mix of humor, story, and meta commentary, so there's no reason 22 Jump Street can't be the same.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: It's extremely easy for 22 Jump Street to pull a Hangover 2 and be the exact same movie as its prequel. It's also very difficult to make a comedy sequel, and very few good ones exist.
Release Date: May 9th
Directed By: Nicholas Stoller
Starring: Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Dave Franco, & Rose Byrne
Excitement Level: 10
WHY I'M EXCITED: Because this film looks freaking hysterical. The last Seth Rogen movie I thought looked great was This Is The End, and that turned out to be phenomenal. Not only is Seth Rogen the master of comedic films of the past ten years, but Nicholas Stoller (Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Get Him To The Greek) knows hot to direct a comedic classic. This pairing should be excellent.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: It's not. Neighbors is going to be amaze-balls. Mark my word.
Release Date: August 1st
Directed By: James Gunn
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, & John C. Reily
Excitement Level: 10
WHY I'M EXCITED: Because I can't get enough of the trailer. It looks great. I was extremely skeptical of this entire story line, but then the trailer came along and washed away all doubt. Chris Pratt is going to be a bona fide movie star and he seems to have the perfect level of charm, charisma, and bad ass-ery to make this movie incredible.
WHY IT COULD BE BAD: Despite how everyone in America can't stop sucking on Marvel's teet at the moment, I think they've only made two good films as of late- Iron Man and The Avengers. Iron Man's sequels, and the 2 Thor and Captain America movies were not very good. I don't care if Guardians gets released to a 100% Rotten Tomatoes score, I'll need to see it to believe it.
WHICH MOVIE ARE YOU MOST LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS SUMMER?
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