By Jack Ryan, Senior Staff Writer
There's no time to waste, so here's a quick breakdown of every blockbuster, sequel, sleeper, and hidden gem you should consider seeing (or skipping) this summer.
What better way to kick back after a stressful finals week than with not one, but two of the most anticipated movies of the summer? May 15 features the return of the road warrior in "Mad Max: Fury Road," starring Tom Hardy as the titular badass. Let this be your humble narrator's early prediction for blockbuster of the summer. If you're looking for something less action-packed, look no further than "Pitch Perfect 2," in which the mere presence of Anna Kendrick is reason enough for a view.
From here, the forecast mostly calls for reboots and sequels to beloved franchises.
On June 5, "Entourage" gets the posse of Vince, Drama, Turtle and E back together one more time, with tons of guest appearances to boot. Chris Pratt is scheduled to continue his rise to superstardom in June 12's "Jurassic World," - and we all know the dinosaurs DEFINITELY won't escape in this one. Seth MacFarlane is slated to repeat some old "Family Guy" jokes as an inappropriate bear in "Ted 2," out on June 26. Don't be surprised if this one ends up flopping.
July opens with a bang - with "Terminator Genisys," and"Magic Mike XXL," on deck for release on the 1st. "Terminator" stars "Game of Thrones" vet Emilia Clarke and good old (emphasis on old) Arnie destroying everything in sight and creating some more confusing timelines. "Magic Mike XXL" continues the (semi-biographical) stories of Channing Tatum's male stripper character, but without the direct leadership of visionary director Steven Soderbergh.
July 24 might be the biggest release day of the summer, sporting the intense Jake Gyllenhaal boxing pic, "Southpaw," and the sleeper comedy of the summer, "Trainwreck," starring Amy Schumer. Adam Sandler and Woody Allen also make their annual rounds on the 24, with "Pixels," and "Irrational Man," respectively.
Closing out the big blockbusters are eccentric superhero flick "Ant Man," the newest addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe on July 17, and a youthful reboot of "Fantastic Four," starring Kate Mara and Miles Teller, on Aug. 7. Although they may not be as big budget as "Avengers," don't be surprised if these two end up being the best superhero movies of the summer.
In terms of family-friendly material, Disney starts with George Clooney in "Tomorrowland" on May 22. Then the animation front opens on June 19 with "Inside Out," Pixar's first original movie in almost three years, featuring voice-acting from beloved comedians Amy Poehler and Mindy Kaling.
If you're looking for smaller, more independent fare, you're in luck. May 29 features Bradley Cooper in "Aloha," a cute and quirky movie from the creator of "Jerry Maguire." June 5 finds Paul Dano and John Cusack reliving the life of troubled Beach Boys singer-songwriter Brian Wilson in "Love and Mercy." And "Dope," the movie I'm most excited to see this summer, has been getting rave reviews at film festivals countrywide and will definitely be worth seeking out on its June 19th release.
If you liked last year's young adult hit, "The Fault in Our Stars," there are two great options for you. "Me and Earl and the Dying Girl" is out June 12, and looks to be an unconventional play on the same general story as "TFIOS." And "Paper Towns," an adaptation of the John Green novel of the same name, comes out on July 24.
Closing out our preview is the traditional summer horror selection.
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"Insidious: Chapter 3" starts out the season on June 5, "Poltergeist" brings the 1982 classic to the present day on July 24, and "Sinister 2" tries for one final scare as summer winds to a close on Aug. 21.
As always, there's something for everyone at the movies this summer. I hope to see you all at the theater.
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