Five May-June 2012 Films I'd Like to See

Fueled by an explosive start to 2012, Hollywood dives headfirst into the summer season. Though the months of May and June will reunite us with Marvel superheroes, Agents J & K, animated zoo animals, an iconic Alien and the G.I. Joes, the biggest breakout hits of early summer may be original titles like Snow White and the Huntsman and Brave. We’ll not only see adaptations of comic books, TV shows, novels and Broadway shows, but also (yes) self-help books and board games. Box office titans Johnny Depp, Will Smith, Adam Sandler and Tom Cruise will test their starpower. And that’s just the first two months. There’s no way to know the actual quality of these films until they’re release dates, but here are five early summer films I’m most curious about:

+ The Avengers [Disney 5/4] – Poetically described by BoxOffice.com as “a superhero movie on steroids,” The Avengers represents a historic milestone: the first superhero ensemble film. With the expectation of Thor, I’ve admired Marvel’s other titles with Iron Man, Hulk and Captain America, thus am quite pumped for this event pic. Director and fantasy veteran Joss Whedon (who did ghostwriting on 2000’s X-Men) knows the genre cold, while the addition of the great Jeremy Renner, as Hawkeye, and Mark Ruffalo, taking over as Hulk, only increase the ante. Disney has been coy with the main storyline, but given the Marvel Universe, the possibilities are limitless. It’s like six superhero flicks rolled into one, and with great talent both in front of and behind the camera, I’d be disappointed if The Avengers isn’t one of the best superhero movies ever made.

+ Men in Black III [Sony 5/24] – 1997’s Men in Black was one the greatest sci-fi comedies ever, but 2002’s Men in Black II was a disappointment that sorely lacked the freshness of the original. However, the trailer for the third film, with its time travel storyline, has filled me with hope. Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones are still pitch perfect for J and K, and it as long screenwriter Etan Cohen (Tropic Thunder) and director Barry Sonnenfeld put in maximum effort, this should emerge a winner. With Josh Brolin (as a young Agent K), Emma Thompson, Alec Baldwin and Sharlto Copley joining the fun, I’m crossing my fingers for a clever and thrilling threequel that reminds us why we loved the 1997 smash so much.

+ Rock of Ages [Warner Bros. 6/15] – Director/choreographer Adam Shankman usually doesn’t win over too many critics (Bringing Down the House, Bedtime Stories), but his movie version of Hairspray (2007) was rambunctious fun that won over everyone. The man clearly knows musicals, so there’s strong reason to anticipate his adaptation of 2009’s Rock of Ages. The 80s rock extravaganza features Tom Cruise as a rock icon and an attractive supporting cast including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Paul Giammatti, Russell Brand and Mary J. Blige. Though many scoff at 80s music, I happen to have an unexplained affection for the decade of excess, and feel that confident that Rock of Ages will be a dazzling alternative to early summer’s explosion marathon.

+ Brave [Disney 6/22] – After unveiling their first ever misfire with last summer’s Cars 2, Pixar should return to greatness with Brave. This tale of a Scottish princess aspiring to blaze her own path stands as Pixar’s first film with a central female character. The trailers have been mysterious with story details, but that only makes it seem more appealing. John Lasseter’s genius studio has reinvented superhero epics (The Incredibles) and sci-fi parables (WALL-E), and I’m very curious for their take on a medieval legend. Unlike other CG toons, Pixar wisely places stories and characters ahead of 3D action, thus infusing their films with an eerie humanity. Next to new installments of DreamWorks’ Madagascar and Blue Sky’s Ice Age, I feel certain that the originality of Brave will stand as the summer’s top toon.

+ Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter [Fox 5/22] – For starters, Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter has the year’s best title by far. One of the best examples of the genre sparked by Pride and Prejudice with Zombies, Seth Grahame-Smith’s novel was thoroughly gripping and filled with fearsome beauty. The story of our 16th President battling a vampire uprising during the Civil War will undoubtedly repel many casual filmgoers, but I’m convinced director Tim Bekmanbetov (who made 2008’s snazzy actionfest Wanted) will create a damn-fine horror-thriller. Strange premise or not, this has the potential to be a gloriously gothic film that stands aside producer Tim Burton’s great Sleepy Hallow.

Enjoy the first half of your summer at the movies!