The summer movie season is about to begin very soon with a wide assortment of exciting new films for our viewing pleasure. There will be plenty to choose from and I’m going to once again place a spotlight on some of the upcoming features that have captured my attention:
All release dates are subject to change:
"TERMINAL"
Release date: May 11, 2018
Fresh off of her first Oscar nomination, Margot Robbie stars in the UK crime-thriller, "Terminal". The story follows two hit-men (Simon Pegg and Max Irons) who are assigned to an odd mission that puts them in to contact with a variety of strange individuals including a mysterious woman (Robbie) who may be more involved in their task than they realize. This is the feature directorial debut of Vaughn Stein who also wrote the screenplay.
"ON CHESIL BEACH"
Release date: May 18, 2018
Another recent Oscar nominee, Saoirse Ronan headlines this 1960's period drama, "On Chesil Beach". Adapted from the novel by Ian McEwan who also wrote the script, the film tells of a young newlywed couple, Edward (Billy Howle) and Florence (Ronan) who are spending their honeymoon at the southern England beach side of Chesil. While the couple are very much in love, they come from different backgrounds and share very different views on intimacy which threatens to tear their marriage apart. Dominic Cooke, who has had an extensive career directing for the English theater, makes his feature debut.
"HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS AT PARTIES"
Release date: May 25, 2018
John Cameron Mitchell is best known for creating and starring in the acclaimed Off-Broadway rock-musical, "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" and then later directing the 2001 film version. After following that up by directing two intriguing films; the non-simulated sex-dramedy, "Short Bus" from 2006 and a 2010 film adaption of David Lindsay-Abaire's Pulitzer Prize-winning play, "Rabbit Hole", Mitchell is finally back with his latest, "How To Talk To Girls At Parties", a sci-fi, romantic comedy loosely based on a short story by Neil Gaiman. The film takes place in 1977 London when punk-rock was just beginning to rage and Enn (Alex Sharp), a shy teen, goes to a party with the hope of meeting a lovely girl. And he does but Zan (Elle Fanning) is far from your average girl. It turns out she's with her colony visiting from another planet and decides to run off with Enn to discover this curious planet. Ruth Wilson and Nicole Kidman also star.
"HEREDITARY"
Release date: June 8, 2018
After creating a collection of well-received short films, writer/director, Ari Aster delivers his first full-length feature, "Hereditary". This creepy horror flick (which received plenty of buzz when it premiered at this year's Sundance Film Festival) stars Toni Collette as a woman who discovers some long-hidden, supernatural secrets about her ancestry after her mother passes away. This leads to her own family being threatened to inherit a terrifying fate unless she can find a way to stop it. Gabriel Byrne, Alex Wolff and Ann Dowd co-star.
"HOTEL ARTEMIS"
Release date: June 8, 2018
"Hotel Artemis", the feature debut by British writer/director, Drew Pearce, is not some swanky lodging but actually an exclusive hospital that only treats injured criminals, usually on the run. Set in the near future, this unusual establishment is run by the tough, no-nonsense manager called "The Nurse" and played by Jodie Foster in her first acting role since the 2013 sci-fi thriller, "Elysium". When a ruthless mob boss (Jeff Goldblum) arrives needing treatment after an attempt on his life, his presence causes a violent reaction among the other patients. This leads The Nurse to make a decision that will turn an already dangerous atmosphere in to an extremely deadly one. An impressive cast includes Sterling K. Brown, Brian Tyree Henry, Sofia Boutella, Zachary Quinto, Charlie Day and Dave Bautista.
"THE INCREDIBLES 2"
Release date: June 15, 2018
It has been fourteen years since we last saw the crime-fighting, super-powered family, The Incredibles and we are finally being treated to a follow-up of the animated hit. Brad Bird returns to write and direct (and provide the voice of fashion designer to the heroes, Edna Mode) "The Incredibles 2" which continues where we left off with the Parrs trying to live like a normal family. While Helen (Holly Hunter) spends the day fighting crime as Elastigirl, Bob (Craig T. Nelson) cares for their kids, Violet (Sarah Vowell), Dash (Huck Milner) and baby, Jack-Jack as a stay-at-home dad. There’s a new villain in town called the Underminer (John Ratzenberger) with a plan to destroy the world which brings the family together along with Frozone (Samuel L. Jackson) to stop him. Bob Odenkirk, Catherine Keener and Isabella Rossellini provide voices for some new characters.
"SUPERFLY"
Release date: June 15, 2018
"Superfly" was a 1972 blaxploitation crime-drama that was directed by Gordon Parks, Jr. and starred Ron O'Neal as a drug dealer trying to quit the business. Now Director X, who made his name in directing music videos, is remaking this classic film for a new generation. Moving the story out of Harlem and in to modern-day Atlanta, Trevor Jackson (from tv's "Grownish") is now playing Youngblood Priest. While this version follows the basic plot of the original, the focus here is on up-to-date action and thrills.
"ANT-MAN AND THE WASP"
Release date: July 6, 2018
Ant-Man, the Marvel comic-book character about a former petty thief turned super crime-fighter who can shrink to the size of an insect, was made in to a critical and box-office smash back in 2015. Paul Rudd, who played Scott Lang, and most of the supporting cast as well as director, Peyton Reed have returned for the inevitable sequel, "Ant-Man and the Wasp". Lang is given a new mission by Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), the inventor of the suit and former Ant-Man, to solve a mystery involving his past with the help of Pym's daughter, Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lily) who has taken on the name and costume of her mother, "The Wasp".
"THE WIFE"
Release date: August 3, 2018
"The Wife", an adaption of Meg Wolitzer's popular book, offers Glenn Close a long overdue, leading film role in far too many years. She plays Joan, the supportive spouse of professor Joe Castleman (Jonathan Pryce) who wins a Nobel Prize for literature. During the trip to Stockholm to accept the prize, Joan begins to reflect on how much she has sacrificed her own hopes and desires to remain a good wife. Veteran Swedish director, Björn Runge makes his English-language feature debut.
"CRAZY RICH ASIANS"
Release date: August 17, 2018
Based on the best-selling novel by Kevin Kwan, "Crazy Rich Asians" is a romantic-comedy about Rachel (Constance Wu of tv's "Fresh Off The Boat"), an American-born, Chinese professor who goes off to Singapore with her boyfriend, Nick (Henry Golding) for his best friend's wedding. But when they get there, she discovers that the seemingly modest, Nick is actually incredibly wealthy. Then Rachel has to not only deal with jealous women trying to knock her out of the way to steal her boyfriend but also face Nick's disapproving mother (Michelle Yeoh).
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