BLOCKBUSTER PARTY Here comes tHe annual parade of superHeroes, sequels and James franco BY BOB GRIMM • BGRIMM@ NEWSREVIEW.COM
EdgE of Tomorrow
THE AmAzing SpidEr-mAn 2
As
usual, there are plenty of films that have lots of things going boom or have comic book origins this coming blockbuster movie season. We’ll also be getting subjected to a massive number of sequels and, oddly enough, a large quantity of small films with James Franco in them. Those Franco films are, for the most part, too small to announce in this column, although I believe I mention a cameo somewhere in the following text. I’ve also noticed a fair number of comedies, and films with smaller price tags. Maybe Hollywood is starting to back off the big mega blockbuster after such busts as R.I.P.D. and The Lone Ranger last year. Sure the season has some big movies coming, but there seems to be quite a bit of cerebral fare on the way, too. Also, this year is definitely frontloaded. Most of the action will be finished with a month left in the summer. I won’t be surprised if some studios shift their dates to early September this year. Here’s a sampling of what’s to come. As you will see, I’m not very optimistic about some of these, most notably the one where the dude shoots webs and whines a lot.
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MAY 1, 2014
(May 2): I didn’t like the first Andrew Garfield, Sam Raimi-less incarnation of Spidey, and this one looks like it could fall victim to Raimi’s Spider-Man 3 problem of too many damned villains in one movie. I hope I’m wrong.
nEigHBorS (May 9): Seth Rogen and
Zac Efron square off in this promising comedy about a mild mannered couple (Rogen and Rose Byrne) being terrorized by new frat boy neighbors (Efron and Dave Franco). This is not a remake of the Dan Aykroyd-John Belushi comedy with the same name.
godzillA (May 16):
My most anticipated film this year. Based on the trailers, I love the look of this giant monster reboot. Director Gareth Edwards has an immersive style that puts you right in the action, as he proved with his low-budget Monsters. I’m also a big fan of Mr. Bryan Cranston, a.k.a. Walter White, who doesn’t seem as if he’s just taking a paycheck and barking at green screens. It looks like he’s taking the gig seriously, and this could be one of the greatest 3-D IMAX experiences ever! It could also totally suck.
million dollAr Arm (May 16): Mad Men’s Jon Hamm goes up against Godzilla, released the same week, in this one about a sports agent trying to find a pitcher in India. Good luck, pal.
x mEn: dAYS of fuTurE pAST
(May 23): Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) must save the world by traveling through time, enabling director Bryan Singer to combine some of the old and new X-Men casts. J.J. Abrams had nothing to do with this movie.
BlEndEd (May 23): Wow. Judging by
the tragically racist trailer for this Adam Sandler-goes-to-Africa movie, I can’t see how it will be any good. Drew Barrymore gets back with Sandler after the success of their 50 First Dates. I am growing increasingly impatient with Mr. Sandler. Come on, man, do something that isn’t completely inane. Heck, at least take the time to cover Henry Winkler with bees again in your next flick.
A million wAYS To diE in THE wEST (May 30): Seth
MacFarlane directs and gives himself his first feature film starring role as a man in the old West who can’t help but notice that it’s a place where anybody could die at any time. Charlize Theron, looking awfully cute in her cowgirl getup, costars. This looks like a blast.
mAlEficEnT (May 30): I run hot and
cold on Angelina Jolie. She looks super creepy as the famed Disney baddie. I’m not sure I want to look at those weird horns and freaky contacts for an entire movie. Hey, I’m allowed to be shallow sometimes.
(June 6): Tom Cruise dies again and again and again in this science fiction offering from director Doug Liman. Emily Blunt dies a lot too in a film that looks like a true mind screw.
How To TrAin Your drAgon 2 (June 13): Sequel to a big cartoon = Cash cow.
THE rovEr (June 13): Robert Pattinson and Guy Pearce star in this strange looking movie about a guy going after people who stole his car in the Australian outback. The guy who directed Animal Kingdom is making this one, so I’m intrigued.
22 Jump STrEET (June 13): Channing
Tatum and Jonah Hill reteam for another go at the undercover cop comedy. I hope Ice Cube curses a lot in this one, too.
JErSEY BoYS (June 20): Clint
Eastwood directs a musical about The Four Seasons and Frankie Valli. Sounds weird.
TrAnSformErS: AgE of ExTincTion (June 27): Shia
is out and Mark Wahlberg is in for Michael Bay’s fourth go at the robot trucks thing. I hate the other Transformers flicks, and I hate Bay, so I will probably hate this. Yes, I’m saying I will probably hate it before I see it, which I understand is an unprofessional thing for a film critic to do. Hey, I know myself, people, and I’m nothing if not honest, so leave me alone.
