Summer is usually a pretty good season for movies. It is a time when studios release their most ass-kicking blockbusters and we fill up on popcorn and overdose on superheroes, action and comedy.
This summer is looking pretty good movie-wise. We have giant monsters, mutants, sci-fi, old men armed and kicking butt and a dame that is hot enough to kill for. And that is just the tip of the iceberg.
But not all movies are made equal. Check out our definitive guide to this summer’s film releases.
Not to be missed:
Godzilla (release date 16 May 2014)
Godzilla wreaks havoc, Breaking Bad’s Brian Cranston gets angsty and we all have fun watching a giant monster destroy stuff.
X-Men: Days of Futures Past (release date 23 May 2014)
The X-Men send everyone’s favourite mutant back in time to change history and prevent certain doom for both mutants and humans.
Should be fun to see the cigar-chewing one interacting with a young Professor X. This has the potential to be awesome, but if not done well it could be a bit of a confused mess. I hope that it lives up to expectation.
Maleficent (release date 30 May 2014)
The tale of what happened to harden Maleficent’s heart and curse Princess Aurora (Sleeping Beauty). Angelina Jolie stars in the title role and based on the trailer this is not one to be missed.
Transformers: Age of Extinction (release date 10 July)
A mechanic (Mark Whalberg) and his daughter make a discovery that brings down the Autobots, the Decepticons, and a paranoid government official on them.
This is the ultimate popcorn movie – even if it is terrible, it will be enjoyably bad. Plus, it has Dinobots…need I say more?
Guardians of the Galaxy (release date 1 August 2014)
In the far reaches of space, an American pilot named Peter Quill finds himself the object of a manhunt after stealing an orb coveted by the villainous Ronan.
This Marvel offering looks ace. The trailer is funny and it has a moody racoon voiced by Bradley Cooper. I think this will be lots of fun.
Sin City: A Dame To Kill For (release date 29 August 2014)
A hard boiled multi-story-lined tale about the citizens of Sin City.
I loved the first one and the trailer has set this follow up to be just as stylish (if not more so) and with a cast led by Eva Green it is definitely a film to get excited over.
Worth a trip to the cinema:
22 Jump Street (release date 6 June)
Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill star in the follow up to 21 Jump Street. And this time we get to see the freewheeling cops undercover at college. The high jinx, action and laughs sets this up as a pretty great date night movie. Can’t wait!
Jupiter Ascending (release date 25 July 2014)
In the future, a young destitute human woman gets targeted for assassination by the Queen of the Universe, and begins her destiny to finish the Queen’s reign.
Starring the lovely Mila Kunis, Channing Tatum and Sean Bean, this sci-fi looks epic. The future looks amazing and the scope and effects looks like it will be quite fantastic to watch on the big screen. Plus it is the brain child of the Wachowski siblings (the directors of the Matrix trilogy) so it is a good bet that it will be quality.
The Expendables 3
Stallone’s Barney leads the old gang along with a crew of younger and faster recruits to take on ruthless arms trader and original co-founder of the Expendables (Mel Gibson’s Stonebanks).
Wait for the DVD:
Edge of Tomorrow (release date 30 May)
Tom Cruise stars in yet another sci-fi. This one is a kind of groundhog day tale about a soldier stuck in a time loop whilst fighting aliens who with each repeat ups his skill.
Last year’s Oblivion was better than expected, and this one might be good. But it sounds a bit like a cross between Source Code and a video game I once played for several hours until I got so fed up and threw my controller across the room. That being said – Tom Cruise usually does sci-fi well, so I will be checking it out.
A Million Ways to Die in the West (release date 30 May 2014)
It stars Charlize Theron and Liam Neeson which warrants it a watch, but due to the standard of the rest of the movies this month, if you have to give one a miss so you can watch one of the others, this would be the one.
The Fault in our Stars (release date 20 June 2014)
Shailene Woodley (star of the upcoming movie Divergent) and Ansel Elgort star as two teens who meet and fall in love at a Cancer support group. It looks quirky, funny, sad, witty and a bit charming. But I prefer to watch my tearjerkers on the couch, rather than a cinema full of people. But that’s just me.
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (release date 17 July 2014)
Survivors of the simian plague trigger an all-out war between humanity and Caesar’s growing forces.
It stars Gary Oldman and Kerri Russell which is a plus. But in my mind, I think the Planet of the Apes movies are a bit overdone.
Looks like I’ll be in the cinema for most of the summer then!
