“The Amazing Spider-Man 2” (which was all right) dropped last week, summer movie season is officially upon us. Narrowing down which movies to preview from the abundance that will come out between May and August will be hard, but here are some to try.
‘Godzilla’ (May 16)
Though some feel that the King of the Monsters has packed on a few too many pounds, Godzilla, both the creature and the film, seem to have returned to fighting form. A cast consisting of the likes of Bryan Cranston, Sally Hawkins, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen brings star power, and the quality of the actors suggests they must have seen something in the script. Director Gareth Edwards, first and foremost a fan, has drawn inspiration from the original 1954 classic. Also, there are monsters other than Godzilla in this movie, meaning there’s bound to be a climactic showdown between the towering, screen-filling beasts. This film certainly has all the potential in the world to surpass “Super 8,” “Cloverfield” and “Pacific Rim,” the best modern-day monster movies we’ve seen thus far.
‘The Double’ (May 23, The Loft)
What’s better than one Jesse Eisenberg? Two Jesse Eisenbergs! In this black comedy from director Richard Ayoade, Simon James (Eisenberg) is an underappreciated employee in a faceless government organization. He’s not the most capable with women, nursing an unrequited love for copy room girl Hannah (Mia Wasikowska); however, James’ life takes a turn for the surreal when he gets a new co-worker: James Simon. Simon is James’ exact physical double, yet no one in the office seems to recognize the resemblance between the two. The concept seems like an heir apparent to Hitchcock, but infused with British humor. If you’re seeking something slightly off the beaten path of big and loud summer blockbusters, “The Double” should be both intriguing and funny.
‘The Fault In Our Stars’ (June 6)
Nerdfighters, rejoice! The adaptation of John Green’s young adult novel, which has spent 74 weeks on The New York Times’ Young Adult Best Seller List, finally arrives on the big screen. Hazel Grace Lancaster (Shailene Woodley) is a teen girl with cancer who meets Augustus Waters (Ansel Elgort), a teen boy with cancer, at Cancer Kid Support Group. Having read the book, I can attest that the story is steeped in humor and honesty. Woodley brings an inherent honesty to any role she inhabits and, this time, she has foregone all notions of standard Hollywood beauty, hooked up to a portable oxygen tank.
‘22 Jump Street’ (June 13)
The follow-up to 2012’s “21 Jump Street.” One of the trailers seems to wryly acknowledge how older actors are inexplicably cast as high schoolers, when Ice Cube’s Captain Dickson says Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum) look about 50 years old. Not to mention, this time they are going deep undercover at a college instead of a high school. The comedic, mismatched tandem of Hill and Tatum surprised a couple years back, and they seem to still have that great chemistry in the sequel. If it follows in the vein of the first film, part two should be a dynamite combination of self-referential humor, vulgarity and action.
‘As Above, So Below’ (Aug. 15)
This seems to be the only horror movie of the summer, and of this list, I am the most skeptical of this film. However, I am willing to give it a chance. The main draw of this film seems to be the unique setting. A group of explorers ventures below the streets of Paris into the infamous catacombs, where they encounter the grimly paranormal. The film is shot in the found-footage style popularized by “The Blair Witch Project” and the “Paranormal Activity” series, so there are no surprises there. The only trailer released thus far makes it look like a harrowing and gory experience.
