2011 Summer Movie Preview: Part One

Check out Part 2 and Part 3 of the Summer Movie Preview.

The summer movie season is right around the corner, and before you know it we’ll be up to our necks in superheroes, pirates, aliens, and robots. With so many films coming out between May and August, things are bound to get pretty crazy, maybe even a little bit scary, at the box office. Many of you may find yourselves asking what mega-blockbusters are headed our way and, adversely, if there’s anything coming out that isn’t chock full of Bay-splosions. Well, fear not, faithful movie fans! Over the next few weeks I’ll be previewing some of this summer’s most-anticipated (and a few lesser-known) releases to get you into the movie-going mood. So sit back, relax, and get your popcorn craving on. It’s going to be a wild summer!

Scream 4 – April 15

Now, I am fully aware that the summer movie season doesn’t officially kick off until May, but I feel that this is one movie headed our way that deserves a little attention. Way back in 1996, horror icon Wes Craven and writer Kevin Williamson collaborated on a little project called Scream. The film took a stab (literally) at the entire horror film establishment, poking fun at the cliché moments and standard character types that seem to be in every scary movie since, well, the creation of the genre. Scream’s innovative style and clever writing turned it into an instant classic with many horror film buffs and it became required viewing at slumber parties and sleepovers everywhere. After two successful sequels that appeared to bring everyone left surviving full-circle, it seemed that the franchise had found as good a time as any to hang up the mask and knife. Now, 11 years after Scream 3, Craven, Williamson, and some familiar faces from the original movies have returned with a brand new vision for the series, with a planned fifth and sixth film to round out their new trilogy. Check out the trailer below:

Thor – May 6

The God of Thunder gets a much-anticipated big screen treatment by director Kenneth Branagh and stars Chris Hemsworth with Oscar winners Natalie Portman and Anthony Hopkins. Based on the Norse god as he appears in the Marvel Comics, the arrogant Thor (Hemsworth) finds himself banished from Asgard by his father Odin (Hopkins) and ends up on Earth, stripped of his powers. With the help of Jane Foster (Portman), he must rediscover himself and reclaim his hammer. With cameos by Samuel L. Jackson and others, Thor ties directly into the upcoming Joss Whedon Avengers film. Check out the trailer below:

Pirates of Caribbean: On Stranger Tides – May 20

When At World’s End came to a close, Captain Jack Sparrow was in a tiny boat with a piece of a map that revealed the location of the fabled Fountain of Youth. In Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, it seems that things pick up pretty close to where they left off. Jack is on the hunt for the fountain and is being pursued by his old rival Barbossa (Geoffrey Rush), now a privateer for the British Empire. Along the way he encounters a woman named Angelica (Penelope Cruz), daughter of the infamous pirate Blackbeard (Ian McShane). This film looks to recapture the spirit that made the first one great, abandoning the love story of Will and Elizabeth which, in my opinion, turned the second or third films sour. For a quick peek at some of the action, check out the trailer below:

Other Films Opening in May

Besides the two obvious blockbusters in Thor and Pirates of the Caribbean, there are several other movies opening in May that could turn out to be very satisfying.

Priest – May 13

Based on the popular Korean comic book of the same name, Priest stars Paul Bettany as a Warrior Priest in an alternate reality that wages war on vampires that have kidnapped his niece. Karl Urban of Lord of the Rings and Star Trek (2009) fame also stars. Check out the trailer below:

The Beaver – May 20

Directed by Jodi Foster and starring Mel Gibson, The Beaver is a comedy-drama about a depressed CEO of a toy company (Gibson) who resorts to using a beaver hand puppet to better communicate with his family. If there ever were an extremely early favorite to win Best Picture at next year’s Academy Awards, in my opinion, this would be it. Check out the trailer below:

The Hangover, Part II – May 26

While I wasn’t a fan of the first movie at all, I seem to be in a small minority, so those of you who enjoyed it will undoubtedly like the sequel as well. The original cast returns, with the addition of Liam Neeson and a slew of celebrity cameos just like the first film. In this film, the gang travels to Bangkok for Stu’s wedding. Check out the trailer below:

Kung Fu Panda 2 – May 26

Jack Black returns as Po in the sequel to the wildly popular Kung Fu Panda. The original cast of Dustin Hoffman, Jackie Chan, Angelina Jolie, Lucy Liu, and Seth Rogen return and features Michelle Yeoh, Gary Oldman, and Jean-Claude Van Damme as new additions. Po and the Furious Five join forces with another group of kung fu masters to face off against Lord Shen, an evil peacock who threatens to destroy all kung fu. Check out the trailer below:

Well folks, that’s it for now. I hope this little preview has whetted your movie appetite. Join me again next time for a look at June and July’s lineup, where we’ll have close encounters with some aliens and see what lies on the dark side of the moon. Until then, may your popcorn be plentiful and your soda never-ending.