The biggest film of last summer was Toy Story 3. What will hit the top of the charts this year? The Reel Guys have a look into their cinematic crystal ball and pick some favourites.
Richard Crouse: Mark, it’s the season of crash, boom, bang. Movies with the number two, three and four in their titles, and superheroes look likely to rule the summer, and as much as I enjoy a good popcorn movie, the prospect of being bludgeoned by Michael Bay for the next few months isn’t the most appealing thought I’ve had today.
Mark Breslin: Only our editor could force me to see a Michael Bay movie. I am looking forward to the next X-Men installment. It’s a franchise that keeps getting better, and this prequel, which takes place in the ’60s, seems to fuse real events (the Cuban Missile Crisis) with the sci-fi. Could be a potent combo. Richard, what are you looking forward to?
RC: The best summer movie trailer I’ve seen so far is for Cowboys and Aliens. I know it will be a loud ‘n’ proud summer flick, but I haven’t ever seen a sci-fi western since Westworld, and anything Daniel Craig does these days is worth laying eyes on. If director Jon Favreau makes this half as much fun as he did the first Iron Man movie, it’ll be a treat. Also, I love the name. So B-movie drive-in.
MB: Yes, the trailer looks like a lot of fun. Of course I’m a sucker for good sci- fi. Which brings me to my anticipation for Super 8, J.J. Abrams’ take on early Spielberg flicks like ET and Close Encounters; and what will surely be the best movie of the summer, Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
RC: Super 8 looks good to me as well. It looks like Stand By Me with aliens, but since J.J. Abrams keeps his plots under wraps I don’t know for sure. Love that. I’m also looking forward to the ape movie. I grew up on the originals, and even had the Aurora model kits when I was a kid. But on a more serious note, I really want to see the documentary Project Nim, a kind of real life Planet of the Apes about a chimpanzee raised by a New York City family in the 1970s. Anything other than the blockbusters that you’re looking forward to?
MB: Larry Crowne, the Tom Hanks/Julia Roberts vehicle about romance in the downward socially mobile set, looks intriguing, and Bad Teacher, the deliciously amoral Cameron Diaz comedy, appeals to me, but only if she’s really, really bad.
