Remakes, silly comedies and an epic war escape hit theatres this summer.
SUMMER MOVIE PREVIEW
Mis sing are major movies of the much anticipated kind this summer with the possible exception of that web- slinger crime fighter from Midtown High. As usual, though, there are lots of light and lively animated motion pictures, some firefight crime stories and a few ladies-night-out R-rated cinematic parties.
Sequel adventures are in the mix, as well. So are a few remakes, a couple of silly comedies and a war story as an epic escape yarn. Throw in some thrillers and chillers and the popcorn-ready list is complete (with the understanding release dates are subject to change).
JUNE
CARS 3, OPENS FRIDAY
The pitch: Lightning McQueen (voiced by Owen Wilson) gears up for a new challenge with encouragement from slickster sponsor Mr. Sterling (Canadian Nathan Fillion). Hit or miss: More animated fun for fans of the anthropomorphic speedy riders. MY COUSIN RACHEL, OPENS FRIDAY The pitch: A naive young Englishman (Sam Claflin) becomes infatuated with his manipulative cousin (Rachel Weisz) which may lead to the loss of his inherited estate. Hit or miss: Who doesn’t love a good Daphne du Maurier cautionary tale? BEATRIZ AT DINNER, OPENS FRIDAY The pitch: An American billionaire cad (John Lithgow) faces off with a left wing Mexican immigrant masseuse ( Salma Hayek) at a fancy get-together. Hit or miss: Long live Lithgow doing his impersonation of a disingenuous Donald Trump type. ROUGH NIGHT, OPENS FRIDAY The pitch: Five friends, led by Scarlett Johansson, panic in a comedy way when a male stripper ends up dead at their bachelorette party. Hit or miss: Hoping for a Hangover minus Mike Tyson visions. TRANSFORMERS: THE LAST NIGHT, OPENS JUNE 23 The pitch: More of the same; meaning another special effects clatter and clash of the robot titans once best known as toys. Hit or miss: The fifth in the Michael Bay series confirms that nothing succeeds like another international success. THE HERO, OPENS JUNE 23 The pitch: Sam Elliott plays a version of himself in the study of an actor diagnosed with cancer trying to make amends before he goes. Hit or miss: For loyal Elliott fans. BABY DRIVER, OPENS JUNE 28 The pitch: Ansel Elgort plays a getaway driver coerced into a job destined to fail. With Jon Hamm, Kevin Spacey and Jamie Foxx.
Hit or miss: A shifty rock ‘ n’ roll crime entertainment might be difficult to resist. THE BEGUILED, OPENS JUNE 30
The pitch: Based the old Clint Eastwood Civil War thriller, the redo has Colin Farrell playing Eastwood’s wounded Union soldier holed up at a Virginia girl’s school. That’s when things take a turn for the unexpected helped along by Elle Fanning, Nicole Kidman and Kirsten Dunst.
Hit or miss: For her Beguiled efforts, Sofia Coppola picked up a best director award ( the second female) at the recent Cannes Film Festival — so there. THE HOUSE, OPENS JUNE 30
The pitch: Desperate for money, a middle class couple ( Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler) throw together an illegal casino in the basement of their suburban home.
Hit or miss: Consider it a Saturday Night Live skit on steroids. THE BIG SICK, OPENS JUNE 30
The pitch: Silicon Valley co- star and comic Kumail Nanjiani plays himself in the romantic comedy. The plot is based on his wife’s reallife health scare and the cultural clashes that occur between their families. Hit or miss: Diversity should rule the funny bone. DESPICABLE ME 3, OPENS JUNE 30 The pitch: Gru ( Steve Carell) discovers long lost brother Dru (also voiced by Carell) as new villain Balthazar Bratt (South Park’s Trey Parker) tries to overshadow Minions everywhere. Hit or miss: Surrender to the cute. JULY SPIDER- MAN: HOMECOMING, OPENS JULY 7 The pitch: Tom Holland impressed with his Spider-Man introduction in Captain America: Civil War. Now he’s a stand- alone with able assistance from Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.). Hit or miss: Spidey’s slinging for the fences. A GHOST STORY, OPENS JULY 7
The pitch: Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara play a couple getting by in a secluded home when spooky things start going bump in the night. Hit or miss: Most enjoy a good ‘Boo’. WAR FOR THE PLANET OF THE APES, OPENS JULY 14 The pitch: As special effects get better, the story veers as Caesar ( Andy Serkis) is on a path of revenge. Hit or miss: The appeal continues. VALERIAN AND THE CITY OF A THOUSAND PLANETS, OPENS JULY 21 The pitch: Based on the French scifi comic series Valérian and Laureline, the film version stars Dane DeHaan as Valerian and Cara Delevingne as Laureline. They are operatives trying save the City of a Thousand Planets, and the universe, from a dark force.
Hit or miss: Director Luc Besson happily returns to sci-fi fantasy after the success of 1997’s The Fifth Element. DUNKIRK, OPENS JULY 21
The pitch: Christopher Nolan goes from the Dark Knight superhero genre to war re-enacting. He frames the massive Second World War beach evacuation of Allied forces ( including Canadians, but minus Americans whose country hadn’t entered the war yet) from France to England.
Hit or miss: Harrowing yet likely triumphant in the re-telling. GIRLS TRIP, OPENS JULY 21
The pitch: Four longtime friends reunite in New Orleans for party 2.0. With Queen Latifah and Jada Pinkett Smith.
Hit or miss: This is the essence of good times. ATOMIC BLONDE, OPENS JULY 28 The pitch: Charlize Theron gets her punk spy on in the action flick based on a graphic novel. Hit or miss: Going undercover with Theron; it sounds intriguing. AN INCONVENIENT SEQUEL: TRUTH IS POWER, OPENS JULY 28 The pitch: Al Gore’s back after a decade of climate-change denial. Hit or miss: The truth is out there.
AUGUST
THE DARK TOWER, OPENS AUG. 4 The pitch: Stephen King’s horror fantasy makes it to the big screen with Idris Elba and Matthew McConaughey surrounded by fancy scare tactics. Hit or miss: How can it miss? DETROIT, OPENS AUG. 4 The pitch: Oscar- honoured Hurt Locker filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow re- imagines the 1967 black day in July when the city exploded into a devastating and destructive riot. Hit or miss: Either way, the past is worth remembering, not repeating. THE GLASS CASTLE, OPENS AUG. 11 The pitch: Brie Larson, Woody Harrelson and Naomi Watts star in the study of a dysfunctional family. Hit or miss: A daring profile is worth the effort. THE HITMAN’S BODYGUARD, OPENS AUG. 18 The pitch: Ryan Reynolds’ bodyguard tries to protect Samuel L. Jackson’s hitman from Gary Oldman’s villain. And it’s a comedy. Hit or miss: Scenery chewing should be irresistibly delicious. LOGAN LUCKY, OPENS AUG. 18 The pitch: Channing Tatum and Adam Driver plan a robbery during a NASCAR race in Steven Soderbergh’s back- from- retirement heist flick. Hit or miss: A flick with a wide demographic should take the checkered flag.