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2016 Summer Movie Preview!

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HEROES & VILLAINS

Captain America: Civil War

Captain America: Civil War (May 6)

Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson. Directed by Joe Russo and Anthony Russo.

Captain America leads the charge against government control of superheroes, which pits him against his fellow Avenger Iron Man.

Thumbs up: Pretty much every Marvel movie superhero is in this!

Thumbs down: At some point, the sheer number of characters brings diminishing returns.

*****

X-Men: Apocalypse

X-Men: Apocalypse (May 27)

Jennifer Lawrence, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Oscar Isaac. Directed by Bryan Singer.

The mutant superheroes must defeat ancient supervillain Apocalypse (Isaac).

Thumbs up: Singer did a great job of bringing the X-Men together with Days of Future Past.

Thumbs down: It’s going to be hard to top that film’s epic scope.

*****

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (June 3)

Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Stephen Amell. Directed by Dave Green.

The Turtles return to face the evil Shredder, plus new villains Bebop, Rocksteady and Krang.

Thumbs up: The sequel to 2014’s TMNT reboot brings back more fan-favorite characters from the ’80s cartoon series.

Thumbs down: Those characters are some of the franchise’s most annoying elements.

*****

Warcraft (June 10)

Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster. Directed by Duncan Jones.

This fantasy epic about a war between humans and orcs is based on the incredibly popular online role-playing game World of Warcraft.

Thumbs up: Literally millions of people already love these characters and this world.

Thumbs down: That kind of pressure is hard to live up to.

*****

Independence Day: Resurgence (June 24)

Jeff Goldblum, Liam Hemsworth, Bill Pullman. Directed by Roland Emmerich.

The aliens who were defeated in 1996’s Independence Day return to take over Earth and wipe out humanity.

Thumbs up: Nearly the entire original cast (minus Will Smith) is back for another action-filled popcorn movie.

Thumbs down: After 20 years, did we really need a follow-up?

*****

The Legend of Tarzan (July 1)

Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Christoph Waltz. Directed by David Yates.

Edgar Rice Burroughs’ jungle warrior gets an effects-heavy action update.

Thumbs up: With so many advances in special effects, Tarzan’s animal allies look pretty amazing.

Thumbs down: A unique character with decades of history could become another generic action hero.

*****

Star Trek Beyond

Star Trek Beyond (July 22)

Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Idris Elba. Directed by Justin Lin.

The third movie in the rebooted Star Trek series pits the crew of the Enterprise against an unfamiliar and dangerous alien enemy.

Thumbs up: Co-star and renowned geek Simon Pegg co-wrote the script, and Elba should make for a fantastic alien villain.

Thumbs down: This series still doesn’t quite get the core appeal of Star Trek, downplaying the cerebral in favor of loud action.

*****

Jason Bourne (July 29)

Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Tommy Lee Jones. Directed by Paul Greengrass.

Unstoppable badass Jason Bourne returns to kick more people in the face, while questioning the meaning of his existence.

Thumbs up: After the disappointing The Bourne Legacy, it’s great to see Damon and Greengrass return to the super-spy series.

Thumbs down: Bourne had a nice sendoff with 2007’s The Bourne Ultimatum, so it’s kind of a shame to drag him out of retirement.

*****

Suicide Squad (August 5)

Margot Robbie, Will Smith, Jared Leto, Joel Kinnaman. Directed by David Ayer.

A team of degenerate supervillains is recruited by the government to go after an even bigger villain: the Joker (Leto).

Thumbs up: The latest DC superhero movie looks like a livelier change of pace from the leaden Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Thumbs down: DC has yet to figure out how to make its superhero movies actually fun to watch.

FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY

The Angry Birds Movie (May 20)

Voices of Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride. Directed by Clay Kaytis and Fergal Reilly.

The angry birds from the insidious mobile game are now the stars of an animated movie.

Thumbs up: It’s probably less annoying than watching someone play the game.

Thumbs down: But maybe not by much.

*****

Alice Through the Looking Glass

Alice Through the Looking Glass (May 27)

Mia Wasikowska, Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter. Directed by James Bobin.

In this sequel to the 2010 live-action Alice in Wonderland, Alice returns to Underland on a quest to save the Mad Hatter.

Thumbs up: Bobin directed the amusing 2011 Muppets movie, and might have a lighter touch than pervious Alice director Tim Burton.

Thumbs down: Making Depp’s grating Mad Hatter into an even more important character is a terrible idea.

*****

Finding Dory

Finding Dory (June 17)

Voices of Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Hayden Rolence. Directed by Andrew Stanton.

The undersea characters from Pixar’s Finding Nemo return, to help amnesiac fish Dory reunite with her family.

Thumbs up: Finding Nemo was one of Pixar’s best movies, and this sequel comes from original writer-director Stanton.

Thumbs down: Pixar has had an uneven track record in the past few years, including some unimpressive sequels.

*****

The BFG (July 1)

Ruby Barnhill, Mark Rylance, Rebecca Hall. Directed by Steven Spielberg.

The classic children’s novel by Roald Dahl, about a big friendly giant and the young girl he befriends, gets a big-screen adaptation.

Thumbs up: Spielberg has made some all-time great family films, and Dahl’s book has been beloved for decades.

Thumbs down: The live-action, CGI-enhanced version of the BFG looks more creepy than friendly.

*****

The Secret Life of Pets (July 8)

Voices of Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart. Directed by Chris Renaud.

An animated look at what pets are up to while their owners are away.

Thumbs up: Louis C.K. as a neurotic dog? Kevin Hart as a fluffy bunny? Sounds hilarious.

Thumbs down: Sounds like it has one joke.

*****

Ice Age: Collision Course

Ice Age: Collision Course (July 22)

Voices of Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo. Directed by Mike Thurmeier.

The fifth movie in the animated prehistoric series finds the main characters facing extinction as a meteor hurtles toward Earth.

Thumbs up: The Ice Age movies have grossed nearly $3 billion worldwide and are the second highest-grossing animated franchise of all time (behind Shrek).

Thumbs down: People have terrible taste.

*****

Nine Lives (August 5)

Kevin Spacey, Robbie Amell, Jennifer Garner. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld.

A self-centered business tycoon (Spacey) is magically trapped in the body of his family’s cat, Mr. Fuzzypants.

Thumbs up: Kevin Spacey … is … a … cat?

Thumbs down: This cannot be a real movie.

*****

Pete’s Dragon (August 12)

Oakes Fegley, Bryce Dallas Howard, Oona Laurence. Directed by David Lowery.

This remake of the 1977 Disney family movie tells the story of a young boy who befriends a dragon.

Thumbs up: Indie filmmaker Lowery (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints) is a bold choice to direct a family-friendly fantasy.

Thumbs down: Disney is not known for giving eccentric directors lots of leeway.

*****

Kubo and the Two Strings (August 19)

Voices of Art Parkinson, Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey. Directed by Travis Knight.

In ancient Japan, a young boy finds himself in the middle of a battle between gods and monsters.

Thumbs up: Stop-motion animation studio Laika has created some lovely movies, including Coraline and ParaNorman.

Thumbs down: This one comes from a first-time director who may not have as strong a creative vision.

MISCELLANEA

Now You See Me 2

Now You See Me 2 (June 10)

Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Daniel Radcliffe. Directed by Jon M. Chu.

The bank-robbing magicians return to pull off an even bigger heist.

Thumbs up: The combo of stage magic and bank robbery was an original, unique idea.

Thumbs down: Why is this movie not called Now You Don’t?

*****

Ben-Hur (August 19)

Jack Huston, Nazanin Boniadi, Morgan Freeman. Directed by Timur Bekmambetov.

A new adaptation of the 1880 novel about a Jewish man in ancient Rome changed by his encounters with Jesus Christ, previously made into a 1959 epic starring Charlton Heston.

Thumbs up: There’s nothing wrong with bringing a classic story to a new generation.

Thumbs down: It will be hard to top what is often considered one of the greatest movies of all time.

*****

Mechanic: Resurrection (August 26)

Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones. Directed by Dennis Gansel.

Statham returns as assassin Arthur Bishop, who’s pulled back into his old life when an enemy kidnaps his girlfriend.

Thumbs up: Nobody does stoic brutality like Jason Statham.

Thumbs down: Does anybody even remember the first Mechanic?

SERIOUS DRAMA

Money Monster (May 13)

George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Jack O’Connell. Directed by Jodie Foster.

A disgruntled investor takes a cable-TV financial-advice personality hostage live on the air.

Thumbs up: It looks both suspenseful and timely.

Thumbs down: It could be really heavy-handed in its social commentary.

*****

Me Before You

Me Before You (June 3)

Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Jenna Coleman. Directed by Thea Sharrock.

A young woman falls in love with the wealthy, paralyzed man she’s hired to look after.

Thumbs up: Even the trailer is a nonstop tearjerker.

Thumbs down: Even the trailer is a nonstop tearjerker.

*****

Free State of Jones (June 24)

Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Keri Russell. Directed by Gary Ross.

The true Civil War story of Mississippian Newton Knight, who fought against the Confederacy with fellow farmers and former slaves.

Thumbs up: It combines a serious historical account with action.

Thumbs down: The action might end up overtaking the history.

LAUGHING MATTERS

Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising (May 20)

Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, Zac Efron. Directed by Nicholas Stoller.

Suburban couple Mac and Kelly enlist the help of their former frat-boy neighbor to take down the obnoxious sorority that’s moved in next door.

Thumbs up: Rogen and Efron have an amusing mismatched-buddy chemistry.

Thumbs down: This is literally the same plot as the first movie, with a sorority swapped in for the fraternity.

*****

The Nice Guys (May 20)

Ryan Gosling, Russell Crowe, Matt Bomer. Directed by Shane Black.

A pair of bumbling private detectives in 1970s LA inadvertently uncover a conspiracy.

Thumbs up: The period detail and witty banter seem impeccably crafted.

Thumbs down: The ’70s pastiche could end up overly cutesy.

*****

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping

Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (June 3)

Andy Samberg, Imogen Poots, Tim Meadows. Directed by Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone.

A parody of pompous musical documentaries, starring Samberg as a former boy-bander.

Thumbs up: The first movie from The Lonely Island (Samberg, Schaffer and Taccone) looks like it captures their goofy, pop-culture-savvy charm.

Thumbs down: That charm has never had to carry more than a sketch or a music video.

*****

Central Intelligence

Central Intelligence (June 17)

Kevin Hart, Dwayne Johnson, Amy Ryan. Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber.

A CIA agent (Johnson) recruits his former high-school classmate (Hart), a timid accountant, for a secret mission.

Thumbs up: Hart and Johnson have strong comedic chemistry.

Thumbs down: Hart has done the buddy-comedy thing before with mostly underwhelming results.

*****

Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (July 8)

Zac Efron, Adam DeVine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza. Directed by Jake Szymanski.

Obnoxious brothers try to find respectable dates for their sister’s wedding, only to end up with a pair of equally obnoxious friends.

Thumbs up: This is a prime cast for a raunchy comedy.

Thumbs down: The last raunchy comedy Efron and Plaza starred in was Dirty Grandpa.

*****

Ghostbusters (July 15)

Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones. Directed by Paul Feig.

A remake of the 1984 sci-fi comedy about a team of misfits fighting the supernatural in New York City.

Thumbs up: Wiig, McCarthy and Feig all teamed up for the hilarious Bridesmaids, and Feig and McCarthy have made two solid action-comedies (The Heat and Spy) together.

Thumbs down: It would be great to see this talented cast in an original movie rather than yet another nostalgia-baiting remake.

*****

Bad Moms (July 29)

Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn. Directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore.

Three stressed-out moms let off steam.

Thumbs up: It’ll be fun to see these actresses cut loose.

Thumbs down: There better be more to it than hearing seemingly proper mothers using swear words.

*****

Sausage Party (August 12)

Voices of Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill. Directed by Greg Tiernan and Conrad Vernon.

A vulgar animated movie that’s definitely not for kids, starring Rogen as the voice of a sausage attempting to escape being eaten.

Thumbs up: This is really weird!

Thumbs down: This is really dumb!

*****

War Dogs (August 19)

Miles Teller, Jonah Hill, Ana de Armas. Directed by Todd Phillips.

Teller and Hill play two 20-something dudes who score a $300 million government arms contract, in this comedy based on a true story.

Thumbs up: It could be a clever social satire about American imperialism and gun-craziness.

Thumbs down: It comes from the director of Old School and The Hangover movies, not known as clever satires.

OH, THE HORROR

The Conjuring 2

The Conjuring 2 (June 10)

Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Frances O’Connor. Directed by James Wan.

Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren take on another haunted family home, this time in England.

Thumbs up: The first Conjuring had some seriously scary moments.

Thumbs down: It’s hard to replicate the same level of surprise and terror.

*****

The Shallows (June 24)

Blake Lively, Óscar Jaenada, Sedona Legge. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra.

A surfer finds herself stranded on a small island while a deadly shark circles around her.

Thumbs up: Sharks are inherently terrifying.

Thumbs down: Thanks to tons of terrible shark movies, sharks onscreen are not nearly as terrifying as they once were.

*****

The Purge: Election Year (July 1)

Frank Grillo, Elizabeth Mitchell, Mykelti Williamson. Directed by James DeMonaco.

It’s time once again for the annual Purge, the one day in dystopian future America when all crime is legal.

Thumbs up: This third movie expands the series’ scope again, focusing on a presidential candidate campaigning to eliminate the Purge.

Thumbs down: Are The Purge movies really the place to look for political commentary?

*****

Lights Out (July 22)

Teresa Palmer, Maria Bello, Billy Burke. Directed by David F. Sandberg.

A supernatural creature stalks people from the shadows.

Thumbs up: It’s based on a creepy 2013 short film that went viral online.

Thumbs down: A short film that lasts less than three minutes maybe isn’t the most solid basis for a feature-length movie.

Tags: Featured, Film
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