2011 SUMMER PREVIEW

Today marks the 2nd anniversary of my blog, "I Luv Movies", so to celebrate, I am going to list some movies that are hitting theaters this summer that I am looking forward to seeing.

All of these U.S release dates are subject to change:

"BRIDESMAIDS"

Release Date: May 13. 2011

This appears to be a female version of the hit comedy, "The Hangover" (With the sequel to that film due in theaters this May 26) about two long-time friends (SNL's Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph) who have bonded over the years by both still being single but things turn upside down when one of them becomes engaged. Since there are ladies involved, I'm sure that the raunch will be of the sensitive variety. Fellow television stars, Rose Byrne ("Damages"), Melissa McCarthy ("Mike & Molly") and Jon Hamm ("Mad Men") round out the cast.



"TREE OF LIFE"

Release Date: May 27, 2011


I was completely sold on seeing this film based on the beautiful images of this trailer but after finding out that this is the long awaited new film by the great but seldom seen director, Terrence Malick, "Tree Of Life" has become a must-see for me. Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and Jessica Chastain (who will also appear this summer in "The Debt" and "The Help") star.




"X-MEN: FIRST CLASS"

Release Date: June 3, 2011

This is the film that I'm most looking forward to this summer. In this prequel to the previous X-Men films, set in the 1960's, tells the story of how Charles Xavier (James McEvoy) or Professor X and Erik Lehnsherr (Michael Fassbender) who will become Magneto,  join together a group of young mutants to fight a world threat and went from being close allies to eventually becoming battling enemies. January Jones, Rose Byrne, Nicholas Hoult, Oscar-nominee, Jennifer Lawrence and Kevin Bacon also appear in the film.





"GREEN LANTERN"

Release Date: June 17, 2011

Ryan Reynolds in a green skin-tight suit? I am SO there.

Based on the DC comic-book, Hal Jordan (Reynolds) is the first human-being selected to become part of the intergalactic Green Lantern corporation who protects the universe from evil doers such as Dr. Hector Hammond (Peter Sarsgaard) who wants to cause harm to Earth. Tim Robbins, Angela Bassett, Geoffrey Rush and "Gossip Girl"'s Blake Lively are along for the ride.



"BEGINNERS"

Release Date: June 3, 2011

Christopher Plummer plays a father who comes out as a gay man at the age of seventy-five and how this effects his relationship with his heterosexual son (Ewan McGregor). This comedy by writer/director Mike Mills is loosely based on his true-life experience.



"CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER"

Release Date: July 22, 2011

Set during World War II, Steve Rogers (Chris Evans), an army reject allows himself to be used in a secret experiment so he will be able to join the fight. It turns him from a ninety-eight pound weakling in to a muscle-bound fighting machine. Captain America is sent out to battle the Nazis and they send out their secret weapon, the Red Skull (Hugo Weaving). This is another film based on a Marvel comic book out this summer (along with "Thor", out May 6th) that also stars Derek Luke, Stanley Tucci and Tommy Lee Jones.




"CRAZY STUPID LOVE"

Release Date: July 29, 2011

This comedy about a suburban father (Steve Carell) who goes to a young playboy (Ryan Gosling) for advice after he discovers that his wife (Julianne Moore) has cheated on him. Emma Stone also stars and this is directed by the team of Glenn Ficarra and John Requa, who did one of my favorite films of last year, "I love You, Phillip Morris".





"FRIGHT NIGHT"

Release Date: August 19, 2011

I am not particularly a fan of horror films and I think I saw the 1985 campy version but I am very intrigued by the classy cast in this remake. A teenager (Anton Yelchin), his girlfriend (Imogen Poots, I LOVE her name) and his mother (Toni Collette) all discover that a vampire (Colin Farrell) has moved in next door and he knows that they know, so now there are in for a little trouble.





"THE HELP"

Release Date: August 12, 2011

The beloved novel by Kathryn Stockett  is now a film about the strained relationship between the African-American maids and their white female employers set in the 1950's in the South. The film features a great cast that includes Viola Davis, Emma Stone, Bryce Dallas Howard, Cicely Tyson, Allison Janney and Sissy Spacek.