Summer is the perfect season for studios to release their hit films. This is when people (particularly young adults and children) have more free time on their hands to travel, relax and yes, go to the movies.
So, when you’re not lying out by the beach or pool, or taking a road trip with your friends, make your way to the movies to see this year’s hottest summer flicks!
The Amazing Spider-Man 2
Release Date: May 2
The nerdy, awkward yet super witty Peter Parker (Andrew Garfield) is back, and this time he has a few more enemies to defeat. The Amazing Spider-Man was a smash hit among young adults, and with this second installment, fans are going to be excited to see the arachnid superhero take on Electro and Green Goblin on the big screen. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 will probably be Sony’s biggest summer hit this year, and when you go to the movies to see it, watch it in 3-D!
Neighbors
Release Date: May 9
As many of us have imagined, living next to a bunch of rowdy college students would really suck. This is a lesson learned in the new comedy Neighbors, starring Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne. Rogen and Byrne play a young couple welcoming in a baby girl. However, their blandly idyllic lives are disrupted when a fraternity, with Efron in charge, moves in next door. A war of sorts ensues, and if the cast, trailer and Efron’s biceps are any indicators whatsoever, this movie is going to be a hit.
Godzilla
Release Date: May 16
Godzilla is a science-fiction movie that tells a battle between nature’s most malevolent creature and humanity’s most powerful weapon: scientific technology. The giant lizard-dinosaur monster causes havoc after being hidden for half a century. The 1954 original Godzilla was a hit, but this 2014 reboot will have visually shocking effects. Plus, “Breaking Bad” favorite Bryan Cranston is starring in it, so hopefully the acting will be good, not cheesy.
Million Dollar Arm
Release Date: May 16
In this Disney film starring Jon Hamm (“Mad Men”), a down-on-his-luck sports agent on the verge of a huge break stages a contest to find the best pitchers out there in a country that has never really seen baseball before: India. Based on a true story, this cozy comedy will warm your heart.
X-Men: Days of Future Past
Release Date: May 23
Another prequel to the original X-Men trilogy is back and sure to excite any die-hard X-Men fans, despite all of the Bryan Singer controversy. In this film, the X-Men team send Wolverine back to the past to re-write history to stop the impending doom of humans and mutants. The returning cast includes Jennifer Lawrence, Evan Peters, Hugh Jackman, Halle Berry and Ellen Page.
Maleficent
Release Date: May 30
In keeping with the trend towards anti-heroism, Disney is retelling the story of Sleeping Beauty—this time from the point of view of its antagonist. It gives the back-story on what made Maleficent, played by the terrifying Angelina Jolie, just so evil. The film also stars Elle Fanning as Princess Aurora. If the wonderfully eerie trailer (featuring a well-placed Lana Del Rey song) is any indicator, this should be another huge hit for the studio.
A Million Ways to Die in the West
Release Date: May 30
When this trailer hit theaters, the audience could not stop laughing. And it doesn’t come as a surprise since Seth MacFarlane, who directed and was the voice for 2012’s Ted, is behind it. A Million Ways to Die in the West is a comedy that points out how people die in a variety of different ways in the wild, wild west—by angry drunks firing guns, shootouts, wild coyotes, terrible doctors and even mishaps at the fairs! So, when a scary-cat farmer (MacFarlane) is challenged to go up against a notorious gunslinger, he has to (well, first he has learn how to shoot a gun) muster up some courage and conquer his fear of death. Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Neil Patrick Harris and Sarah Silverman also star.
The Fault in Our Stars
Release Date: June 6
Hazel (Shailene Woodley) and Gus (Ansel Elgort) are two teenagers who fall in love after meeting at a cancer support group. As the teenagers continue their relationship, their two different conditions define how they should move forward and look towards the future. The movie is sure to be uplifting, inspiring and heartbreaking.
The Rover
Release Date: (Limited) June 13, (Nationwide) June 20
This film is set in a near-future dystopic Australia 10 years after the collapse of society. Eric (Guy Peirce) is wandering around the desert when a gang of bandits steals the last possession that means anything to him: his car. He then must enlist the help of one of the younger, more naïve members of the gang, played by a very dramatic Robert Pattinson, to get his car back. The backdrop of the rugged Outback landscape sets the tone of desperation nicely and allows the viewer to feel the desolation of this not-too-distant future. The Rover by no means is uplifting, but the film does seem to be saying something deep about the human condition.
22 Jump Street
Release Date: June 13
Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill are back as undercover cops, but this time they’ve “graduated” from high school and are posing as college students (yes!). After the release of the first movie, 21 Jump Street, fans have been dying to see how this rag-tag team can pull off another bust. Expect explosions, partying, drugs, sex and boring college classes. This sequel is sure to have you laughing just as hard as the first one did.
How to Train Your Dragon 2
Release Date: June 13
It has been about four years since the first How to Train Your Dragon movie hit theaters, and fans (young and old) just cannot get enough of this animated flick. The upcoming sequel revolves around Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and his dragon named Toothless as they go on high-flying adventures and strengthen their friendship. This time though, Hiccup and Toothless stumble upon a mysterious cave full of new wild dragons and a mysterious dragon rider. Now the duo has to protect their friends and their family from the impending threat. The success of films like Frozen, Despicable Me 2 and Rio 2 prove the animated movies are as cool as ever, so expect a large turnout for this film.
Jersey Boys
Release Date: June 20
Since this year (and really Hollywood in general now) is all about remakes and adaptations, it comes as no surprise that hit Broadway musical "Jersey Boys" is hitting the big screen. This one is curiously directed by Clint Eastwood and will star many of the members of the original Broadway cast. The Tony Award-winning musical told the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, one of the biggest pop groups of the ‘60s. So, regardless, the music has withstood the test of time and will surely be a crowd-pleaser.
Think Like a Man Too
Release Date: June 20
Think Like a Man Too returns with funny man Kevin Hart, Michael Ealy, Meagan Good, Regina Hall and more. Except this time, the couples are heading to Vegas to celebrate a wedding. The guys and the girls partake on some serious partying, battling over who can have more fun in Sin City. Although Hart’s talents will surely keep the audience smiling, the film itself doesn’t look as if it has as strong of a plot as the first one. Still, it’ll be a fun movie to see with friends if you just want a good laugh.
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Release Date: June 27
Transformers are back. In the fourth film of this live-action series, the Transformers, as usual, must carry out human beings’ great expectation: save planet Earth. However, this time Optimus Prime finds himself upset and questioning the goodness of mankind—can he stay strong? The franchise has gotten rid of the previous films’ main star, Shia LaBeouf, so it’ll be interesting to see which actors will standout in this action-packed flick.
Deliver Us from Evil
Release Date: July 2
If the hauntingly frightening trailer is any indication, Deliver Us from Evil is a horror film that will probably give you nightmares that will last for days. Eric Bana stars as a New York police officer who joins forces with a priest (Edgar Ramirez) to combat demonic possessions that are terrorizing the city. What makes this film even scarier is the fact that it’s inspired by the real-life cases officer Ralph Sarchie experienced. Eeek!
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Release Date: July 11
This sequel to the 2011 prequel of the 1968 original is another indicator that very little in cinema these days is original. That doesn’t, however, mean Dawn of the Planet of the Apes isn’t good storytelling, as demonstrated by the previous film in the series. This one bridges the gap, starting 10 years after the events of Rise of the Planet of the Apes, and begins with the idea that the human race has been wiped out entirely (spoiler alert: they aren’t). The two species are then brought close to a war that will determine the planet’s dominant species. The film stars Andy Serkis, Keri Russell and Gary Oldman. James Franco won't be a main character, but he is expected to make a cameo appearance.
Jupiter Ascending
Release Date: July 18
From the same Wachowski team that brought us The Matrix trilogy comes a new sci-fi adventure, starring Mila Kunis and the seemingly ubiquitous Channing Tatum. The film tells the story of Jupiter Jones (Kunis), who is apparently genetically predisposed to take over the universe. Details about the plot are currently unclear, but the trailer appears to be full of beautiful special effects.
The Purge: Anarchy
Release Date: July 18
This film focuses on a young couple whose car just broke down when the annual purge is about to commence. The couple has to learn how to survive in the streets without any help for the next 12 hours. This sequel to The Purge is not connected to the first storyline; instead, the writers just kept the same concept and changed up the characters. However, expect to experience that same eerie, disturbing, frightening feeling you dealt with in the first film.
Sex Tape
Release Date: July 25
Cameron Diaz and Jason Segel are playing a couple that has been married for 10 years with two kids. Sadly, their sex life hasn’t been exciting or surprising. So, the couple decides to film a sex tape of them trying out every sex position in the book, to see if they can spice up their love life. But, when the video uploads through the “cloud” and appears on the iPads the couple previously gave out to family members and friends, the two go on the hunt to collect every single iPad. Expect laughs, but also maybe a little bit of overacting.
Magic in the Moonlight
Release Date: July 25
Woody Allen has recently become a director known for his aesthetically pleasing films set in Europe (Midnight in Paris, Vicky Cristina Barcelona) with a comedic bent. His next offering, set in the south of France in the 1920’s, stars Colin Firth as a man brought down to help expose the lying ways of a young mystic played by Emma Stone. But, he ends up falling for her, and confusion ensues. The backdrop of luxury, warm weather and natural beauty should be undeniably wonderful. The real question is: how will audiences react to Allen's latest film in light of the recent pedophilia and abuse scandals that have been plaguing the director?
Hercules
Release Date: July 25
Another remake of Hercules is set to hit theaters this July, but with a totally different storyline. In this reboot, Hercules is offered an assignment to defeat a tyrannical warlord for the King of Thrace and his daughter. Starring Dwayne Johnson, Irina Shayk, John Hurt and Ian McShane, Hercules will either be a huge hit or a huge flop.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
Release Date: Aug. 8
No longer should these guys be considered as just four little comic cartoon characters. In the feature film Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the ninjutsu-trained reptiles become four great heroes who battle evil and prevent New York City, where crime, violent and fear have always run rampantly, from being destroyed. The storyline relates perfectly with American heroism and the typical scenario where good triumphs evil. However, the film will be more attractive than others with similar themes because of the characters’ funny, amusing personalities. In short, audiences will enjoy the film’s energy, as well as its humor.
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