Summer Movie Preview: Lots of action and lots of sequels
I’ll be off-grid backpacking in the Sierra Nevada for the next month and won’t see any movies until I return in August. Until then, here’s a summer movie preview of sorts, with a snapshot of what to expect at the box office in the coming weeks.
Comedy will have another chance in Vacation, Magic Mike XXL, Trainwreck (I’d put my money on this one or Dope, which has just been released), Paper Towns, and Ted 2. If you notice, three of the five are sequels; Hollywood is stuck in retread mode.
As far as dramas coming out in July, the selection is limited with the war dog story Max, and what looks to be a film that might enter Oscar contention, Southpaw (Gyllenhaal seldom disappoints).
Kid films, which are most successful when they also appeal to adults, have a few opportunities in the next month to impress us. Inside Out has just been released, and joining it will be Minions.
And finally, more action films. We’ve already seen a few come out – Avengers: Age of Ultron, Mad Max: Fury Road, San Andreas, and Jurassic World. And while the special effects of those spectacles were, well spectacular, nothing has risen to the level of Guardians of the Galaxy for originality and all-around rewatchability. July will give us a few more chances to find a summer surprise – Terminator Genisys, Ant-Man, Self/less, Pixels, and Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation. Again, Hollywood is showing it’s in recycle mode.
So enjoy the summer, escape the heat, and visit another world with a trip to theater. And watch for a new review from me in August.
About the Author
Leslie Erickson Leslie Erickson is an avid cinephile and bibliophile living in Sioux City. From September through May, when not watching films or reading, she teaches literature and writing at Western Iowa Tech Community College. In the summer, she spends her time hiking and backpacking through the wilderness in one or another of the western states, occasionally taking breaks in air-conditioned theaters to catch a new release.
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