May Movies: Pirates 4, Thor, Hangover 2, & Kung Fu Panda 2....

[Mark Vader]

The month of May arrives and with it the start of a brand new Summer Season. The 2011 edition is set to break box office records, the question is, by how much? The year has been off to a slow start compared to 2010, with Fast Five finally giving studios and audiences something to cheer about. Now it's time for numerous sequels, superheroes and other tentpole titles with high testosterone to invade the multiplexes. Of course there will be a little bit of something for everyone.

 

Disney brings back Johnny Depp to continue their highly profitable live action series with "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides". After crossing paths with a woman from his past, Captain Jack Sparrow is swept aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard, on an unexpected mission to find the elusive fountain of youth. It's been four years since the last Pirates movie, and fans will be just as eager for this release. Also the series is taking a fresh course, leaving behind what happened in the first series completely behind, which some fans will be glad about. In the end people will just be glad to see Depp return to arguably the best character he's ever played. Also starring Geoffrey Rush, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, Stephen Graham & Gemma Ward.

 

Paramount flexes it's box office muscle,a s they have their hands on several major titles this summer. First off they continue their relationship with Marvel Studios as they move ahead with their remaining Avengers series by adding "Thor". The warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard by his father Odin for his arrogance and sent to Earth to live among humans. Falling in love with scientist Jane Foster teaches Thor much-needed lessons, and his new-found strength comes into play as a villain from his homeland sends dark forces toward Earth. Like "Iron Man" beforehand this superhero story is garnering high praise, as Paramount/Marvel continue to work toward their eventual "Avengers" movie. With only Captain America waiting in the wings, this will be a continuous fun ride. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Rene Russo, Ray Stevenson, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Idris Elba & Colm Feore. Directed by Kenneth Branagh.

 

Warner Bros. brings probably the riskiest sequel of the summer with "The Hangover 2". Right after the bachelor party in Las Vegas, Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu's wedding. Stu's plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch, however, goes seriously awry. The first move was an enormous success, as it proved that adult comedies could still attract audiences in a big way. The challenge here will be if people are eager to see a movie that might just be a carbon copy of the last one. Time will tell. Starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, Paul Giamatti, Mike Tyson, Jeffrey Tambor, Mason Lee, Jamie Chung, Nick Cassavetes, & Liam Neeson.

 

Paramount & Dreamworks bring along an animated sequel with "Kung Fu Panda 2". Po (voice of Black) and the Furious Five venture to China to battle a villain and uncover the secrets of Po's mysterious origins. No doubt there will be plenty of the same action and humor in this film as there was in the last. Family audiences should be pleased. Starring Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Gary Oldman, Michelle Yeoh, Dennis Haysbert, Victor Garber, & Jean-Claude Van Damme.

 

Attempting to find an audience, and box office cash, is the long delayed graphic novel movie, "Priest". A priest disobeys church law to track down the vampires who kidnapped his niece. This action/thriller is getting the 3D treatment, so studio Screen Gems is hoping for profit from a somewhat lower profile film. Being squeezed between Thor & Pirates, will make that a very difficult task. Starring Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Maggie Q, Karl Urban, Lilly Collins, Brad Dourif, Stephen Moyer & Christopher Plummer.

 

Not everything this month is all about superheroes, crude humor, and non-stop action. For people wanting things on the lighter side, these offerings might appeal to you. Interestingly enough, they all seem to fall around weddings.

 

Kristen Wiig stars in "Bridesmaids". Picked as her best friend's maid of honor, lovelorn and broke Annie looks to bluff her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals with an oddball group of bridesmaids. Also starring Maya Rudolph & Rose Byrne.

 

Kate Hudson & Ginnifer Goodwin star in "Something Borrowed". Friendships are trusted and secrets come to the surface when terminally single Rachel falls for Dex, her best friend Darcy's fiancé. Also starring Colin Egglesfield & John Krasinski.

 

Finally, in "Jumping the Broom". The wedding of Sabrina and Jason brings together her uptown family and his downtown folks over a revealing weekend in Martha's Vineyard. Starring Paula Patton, Laz Alonso & Angela Bassett.

 

Calendar with trailers:

 

5/6

"Thor": http://thor.marvel.com/

 

"Something Borrowed": http://somethingborrowedmovie.warnerbros.com/

 

"Jumping the Broom": http://www.jumpingthebroom-movie.com/

 

5/13

"Bridesmaids": http://www.bridesmaidsmovie.com/

 

"Priest": http://www.priest-themovie.com/

 

5/20

"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides": http://disney.go.com/pirates/

 

5/26

"The Hangover 2": http://hangoverpart2.warnerbros.com/index.html

 

5/27

"Kung Fu Panda 2": http://www.kungfupanda.com/

 

That's all for now. Independent Films will be posted later. Enjoy!

[CowgirlsFan]

The month of May arrives and with it the start of a brand new Summer Season. The 2011 edition is set to break box office records, the question is, by how much? The year has been off to a slow start compared to 2010, with Fast Five finally giving studios and audiences something to cheer about. Now it's time for numerous sequels, superheroes and other tentpole titles with high testosterone to invade the multiplexes. Of course there will be a little bit of something for everyone.

 

Disney brings back Johnny Depp to continue their highly profitable live action series with "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides". After crossing paths with a woman from his past, Captain Jack Sparrow is swept aboard the Queen Anne's Revenge, the ship of the formidable pirate Blackbeard, on an unexpected mission to find the elusive fountain of youth. It's been four years since the last Pirates movie, and fans will be just as eager for this release. Also the series is taking a fresh course, leaving behind what happened in the first series completely behind, which some fans will be glad about. In the end people will just be glad to see Depp return to arguably the best character he's ever played. Also starring Geoffrey Rush, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane, Stephen Graham & Gemma Ward.

 

Paramount flexes it's box office muscle,a s they have their hands on several major titles this summer. First off they continue their relationship with Marvel Studios as they move ahead with their remaining Avengers series by adding "Thor". The warrior Thor is cast out of the fantastic realm of Asgard by his father Odin for his arrogance and sent to Earth to live among humans. Falling in love with scientist Jane Foster teaches Thor much-needed lessons, and his new-found strength comes into play as a villain from his homeland sends dark forces toward Earth. Like "Iron Man" beforehand this superhero story is garnering high praise, as Paramount/Marvel continue to work toward their eventual "Avengers" movie. With only Captain America waiting in the wings, this will be a continuous fun ride. Starring Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman, Anthony Hopkins, Tom Hiddleston, Rene Russo, Ray Stevenson, Stellan Skarsgard, Kat Dennings, Idris Elba & Colm Feore. Directed by Kenneth Branagh.

 

Warner Bros. brings probably the riskiest sequel of the summer with "The Hangover 2". Right after the bachelor party in Las Vegas, Phil, Stu, Alan, and Doug jet to Thailand for Stu's wedding. Stu's plan for a subdued pre-wedding brunch, however, goes seriously awry. The first move was an enormous success, as it proved that adult comedies could still attract audiences in a big way. The challenge here will be if people are eager to see a movie that might just be a carbon copy of the last one. Time will tell. Starring Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms, Zach Galifianakis, Justin Bartha, Ken Jeong, Paul Giamatti, Mike Tyson, Jeffrey Tambor, Mason Lee, Jamie Chung, Nick Cassavetes, & Liam Neeson.

 

Paramount & Dreamworks bring along an animated sequel with "Kung Fu Panda 2". Po (voice of Black) and the Furious Five venture to China to battle a villain and uncover the secrets of Po's mysterious origins. No doubt there will be plenty of the same action and humor in this film as there was in the last. Family audiences should be pleased. Starring Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan, Seth Rogen, Dustin Hoffman, Lucy Liu, David Cross, Gary Oldman, Michelle Yeoh, Dennis Haysbert, Victor Garber, & Jean-Claude Van Damme.

 

Attempting to find an audience, and box office cash, is the long delayed graphic novel movie, "Priest". A priest disobeys church law to track down the vampires who kidnapped his niece. This action/thriller is getting the 3D treatment, so studio Screen Gems is hoping for profit from a somewhat lower profile film. Being squeezed between Thor & Pirates, will make that a very difficult task. Starring Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Maggie Q, Karl Urban, Lilly Collins, Brad Dourif, Stephen Moyer & Christopher Plummer.

 

Not everything this month is all about superheroes, crude humor, and non-stop action. For people wanting things on the lighter side, these offerings might appeal to you. Interestingly enough, they all seem to fall around weddings.

 

Kristen Wiig stars in "Bridesmaids". Picked as her best friend's maid of honor, lovelorn and broke Annie looks to bluff her way through the expensive and bizarre rituals with an oddball group of bridesmaids. Also starring Maya Rudolph & Rose Byrne.

 

Kate Hudson & Ginnifer Goodwin star in "Something Borrowed". Friendships are trusted and secrets come to the surface when terminally single Rachel falls for Dex, her best friend Darcy's fiancé. Also starring Colin Egglesfield & John Krasinski.

 

Finally, in "Jumping the Broom". The wedding of Sabrina and Jason brings together her uptown family and his downtown folks over a revealing weekend in Martha's Vineyard. Starring Paula Patton, Laz Alonso & Angela Bassett.

 

Calendar with trailers:

 

5/6

"Thor": http://thor.marvel.com/

 

"Something Borrowed": http://somethingborrowedmovie.warnerbros.com/

 

"Jumping the Broom": http://www.jumpingthebroom-movie.com/

 

5/13

"Bridesmaids": http://www.bridesmaidsmovie.com/

 

"Priest": http://www.priest-themovie.com/

 

5/20

"Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides": http://disney.go.com/pirates/

 

5/26

"The Hangover 2": http://hangoverpart2.warnerbros.com/index.html

 

5/27

"Kung Fu Panda 2": http://www.kungfupanda.com/

 

That's all for now. Independent Films will be posted later. Enjoy!

 

"Priest" should be a good one. This is'nt Christopher Plummers first experience with

a flim like this one. He had a very extended role in the mini series "The Thorne Birds" as a Priest

Edited May 6, 2011 by CowgirlsFan

[GoodBye]

Having a "Girl's night Out" tonight and seeing "Something Borrowed."

[Mark Vader]

BUMP

 

Here are this month's Independent films. Plenty of big name directors and actors make their mark as counter-programming this month

 

Brad Pitt, Sean Penn and director Terrence Malick bring us, "The Tree of Life". Follow Jack O'Brien from his upbringing in the 1950's Midwest, through his complicated relationship with his father, to his adult life in the modern world, as he seeks answers to the origins and meaning of life. Also starring Jessica Chastain.

 

Owen Wilson & Rachel McAdams star in the Woody Allen directed "Midnight in Paris". While in Paris, blocked writer Gil retreats from his fiancée and her parents and is drawn into a mysterious adventure rooted in the City of Lights' artistic history. Also starring Kathy Bates, Adrien Brody, Michael Sheen & Marion Cotillard.

 

Mel Gibson & Jodie Foster star and Foster directs "The Beaver". A troubled executive adopts a beaver hand-puppet as his sole means of communicating with his family and colleagues. Also starring Anton Yelchin, Cherry Jones & Jennifer Lawrence.

 

Will Ferrell stars in "Everything Must Go". After Nick Halsey loses his job, the rest of his life begins to crumble as his wife leaves him and he starts drinking again. Oddly enough, selling his worldly possessions on his front lawn with the help of two neighbors might be the key to his preservation. Also starring Rebecca Hall, Christopher Jordan Wallace & Laura Dern.

 

Keira Knightley and Sam Worthington star in "Last Night". When married couple Joanna and Michael spend a night apart, they each face temptation that could decide the fate of their relationship: Michael is out of town with a seductive co-worker, while Joanna encounters her ex, who has resurfaced in New York City. Also starring Eve Mendes & Guillaume Canet.

 

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is "Hesher". An anti-social loner takes up residence in a grief-stricken family's garage. Despite being an uninvited guest with anger issues and questionable habits, he becomes somewhat of a mentor to young TJ, who is dealing with issues of his own. Also starring Natalie Portman, Rainn Wilson, Piper Laurie & Devin Brochu.

 

Rutger Hauer is a "Hobo with a Shotgun". A transient looking for a fresh start in a new town instead finds himself in the middle of an urban wasteland run by a notorious crime boss and crooked cops. Fed up with the violence around him, he grabs hold of a pump-action shotgun and begins to dole out round after round of civilian justice.

 

Mickey Rourke, Megan Fox & Bill Murray star in "Passion Play". Down-and-out trumpet player Nate Pool meets Lily, an angelic creature working as a circus sideshow attraction. As they fall in love, the couple must stay one step ahead of the gangster who wants Lily for himself.

 

From director Roland Joffe comes, "There Be Dragons". As journalist Robert Torres investigates a book written by Opus Dei founder Josemaría Escrivá, he peels back the layers of a decades-old story involving Escrivá and Torres's father, Manolo -- childhood friends who were ideologically separated by the Spanish Civil War. Starring Dougray Scott, Charlie Cox, Wes Bentley & Olga Kurylenko.

 

In "Skateland", set in east Texas during the early 1980s, dramatic events force a 19-year-old skating rink manager to consider making changes to his otherwise comfortable life. Starring Shiloh Fernandez, Ashley Greene & Heath Freeman.

 

In "Go For It!", A talented but tough young woman growing up in Chicago is encouraged to pursue her dreams by enrolling at a formal dance school. Starring Aimee Garcia, Al Bandiero & Jossara Jinaro

 

In the documentary "Louder Than a Bomb", we follow four Chicago-area high school poetry teams as they prepare for and compete in the world's largest youth slam.

 

A pair of foreign films are released this month:

 

From China & Hong Kong comes, "City of Life and Death". As Japanese troops advance on Nanking in 1937, individuals on both sides of the conflict consider their fates as the Chinese capital begins to fall.

 

Finally from France comes the documentary "L'amour Fou", about the relationship between fashion designer Yves Saint-Laurent and his lover, Pierre Berge, and focused on the art auction Berge conducted in the wake of Saint-Laurent's passing.

 

Calendar with trailers.

 

Note: These dates are for Exclusive or Limited Release. These films may appear in your area at a later date.

 

5/6

"The Beaver": http://www.thebeaver-movie.com/

 

"Last Night": http://www.lastnightmovie.com/

 

"Hobo with a Shotgun": http://www.magnetreleasing.com/hobowithashotgun/ (NSFW)

 

"Passion Play": http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2334498073/

 

"There Be Dragons": http://dragonsresources.com/

 

5/13

"Hesher": http://www.hesherthemovie.com/

 

"Everything Must Go": http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi1960811801/

 

"Go For It!": http://www.goforitmovie.com/index.html

 

"Skateland": http://www.freemanfilm.com/skateland/

 

"L'amour fou": http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi2502270233/

 

"City of Life and Death": http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi845716761/

 

5/20

"Midnight in Paris": http://www.sonyclassics.com/midnightinparis/

 

"Louder Than a Bomb": http://www.louderthanabombfilm.com/

 

5/27

"The Tree of Life": http://www.foxsearchlight.com/thetreeoflife/

 

That's all for now. I'll have the June movies posted very soon. Enjoy!

[Bangarang]

Pirates 4 was bad. Hangover 2 was absolutely unbearable. Although, I did go into the movie with extremely low expectations and still thought it was pretty bad.

[ajzepp]

Mark, that Indy list looks to have some serious potential!

 

I saw Thor last week and really enjoyed it. For some reason, I felt this would not be received as well as some of the other superhero films, but I was wrong. Hemsworth did a great job, the story held my interest and the pacing of the film was good for a 2 hr flick. Just don't forget to stick around until after the credits for yet another Nick Fury sighting...this clip is a bit more revealing than what we saw at the end of Iron Man.

[shrader]

Mark, that Indy list looks to have some serious potential!

 

I saw Thor last week and really enjoyed it. For some reason, I felt this would not be received as well as some of the other superhero films, but I was wrong. Hemsworth did a great job, the story held my interest and the pacing of the film was good for a 2 hr flick. Just don't forget to stick around until after the credits for yet another Nick Fury sighting...this clip is a bit more revealing than what we saw at the end of Iron Man.

 

I saw it saturday and enjoyed it too. I wasn't too crazy for the beginning on the ice planet, but as soon as they got to earth it was far more entertaining. I liked the line at the end of the credits right before that scene that said "Thor will be back in the Avengers". I don't remember seeing something like that in movie credits since one of the Superman movies did it.

[ajzepp]

I saw it saturday and enjoyed it too. I wasn't too crazy for the beginning on the ice planet, but as soon as they got to earth it was far more entertaining. I liked the line at the end of the credits right before that scene that said "Thor will be back in the Avengers". I don't remember seeing something like that in movie credits since one of the Superman movies did it.

 

 

Wow, as soon I read what you wrote, I immediately had a memory of the film you're talking about. It was Superman II back in the early 80s. I saw it in the theater and I remember getting excited when I saw that line about Superman III. Talk about nostalgia!! lol

[paintmyhouse]

I don't think any of these movies look very good. Only one I might see at the theater is Pirates. I have heard Bridesmaids is funny. I bet it is finnier than Hangover 2 but I will find that out at Netflix time.

[shrader]

Wow, as soon I read what you wrote, I immediately had a memory of the film you're talking about. It was Superman II back in the early 80s. I saw it in the theater and I remember getting excited when I saw that line about Superman III. Talk about nostalgia!! lol

 

And if that's any indicator, the Avengers is really going to suck.

[ajzepp]

And if that's any indicator, the Avengers is really going to suck.

 

LOL, one of the great Richard Pryor's more dubious career decisions, for sure...although I used to have a mad crush on that blonde lady with the knockers

[UConn James]

Mark, that Indy list looks to have some serious potential!

 

I'm not one for Woody Allen movies, but the mention and some clips on "Ebert Presents..." sparked my interest in "Midnight in Paris." Even if it is Owen Wilson.

Edited June 1, 2011 by UConn James

[ajzepp]

I'm not one for Woody Allen movies, but the mention and some clips on "Ebert Presents..." sparked my interest in "Midnight in Paris." Even if it is Owen Wilson.

 

That was one of the films I took notice of, as well. Two of my favorite chick flick type films were set in Paris. Je t'aime Paris was a really great film set in Paris, and I consider the Before Sunset/Sunrise films two of the best chick flicks ever made. All three of those films were very smartly written and extremely well acted. I also loved the concept of a dialogue driven film where a romance takes shape in the setting of Paris. If all chick flicks were this good, I'd watch more of them lol.

 

Also, the Joseph Gordon-Levitt film looks to be very interesting, as well. This kid has become one of my favorite actors since he's hit the big screen. I first noticed that he was a "big boy" in a film called "The Lookout" from a few years ago. He really impressed me in that. Then there was a film called Killshot with Mickey Rourke and Diane Lane, and even though the film was just ok, his performance was FANTASTIC. Then you had another chick flick that was well written and well done in "500 Days of Summer". The kid has found his way on to my short list of great character actors, and if anyone hasn't seen him since his days on 3rd Rock, you guys should really check him out. He's an excellent actor. But anyway, the point is that I'm looking forward to this film "Hesher" that Mark listed...looks like another character driven film with potential

[UConn James]

I'm also wondering about "Everything Must Go." Ferrell really surprised me in "Stranger Than Fiction." The whole concept was great, totally absorbed me, and a big part of it was him breaking away from from his usual comedy stuff. I haven't watched the trailer yet, but sight unseen, this new one has a lot of potential.

Edited June 1, 2011 by UConn James

[ajzepp]

I'm also wondering about "Everything Must Go." Ferrell really surprised me in "Stranger Than Fiction." The whole concept was great, totally absorbed me, and a big part of it was him breaking away from from his usual comedy stuff. I haven't watched the trailer yet, but sight unseen, this new one has a lot of potential.

 

I just watched "Stranger thanFiction" again a few weeks ago...definitely agree about that film and his performance. I saw a trailer for Everything Must Go recently, but can't remember where. It definitely looked good, so can't wait to check it out. I think I'm one of the few people left who still find him hilarious in pretty much everything he does, lol, so definitely looking forward to another less-typical role for him.

[UConn James]

I just watched "Stranger thanFiction" again a few weeks ago...definitely agree about that film and his performance. I saw a trailer for Everything Must Go recently, but can't remember where. It definitely looked good, so can't wait to check it out. I think I'm one of the few people left who still find him hilarious in pretty much everything he does, lol, so definitely looking forward to another less-typical role for him.

 

OK, just watched the trailer. Gotta say that this looks similarly good. Definitely lots of comedy value there, but it's a different sort of comedy --- a wittier, dry humor --- that lives inside a drama, as opposed to being entirely comedic real estate where it's anything for a laugh. Based on what I've seen, Ferrell's better movies are ones in which he had no part in the ideation/pre-production/writing. "Everything Must Go" is based on a short story by Raymond Carver.

[ajzepp]

OK, just watched the trailer. Gotta say that this looks similarly good. Definitely lots of comedy value there, but it's a different sort of comedy --- a wittier, dry humor --- that lives inside a drama, as opposed to being entirely comedic real estate where it's anything for a laugh. Based on what I've seen, Ferrell's better movies are ones in which he had no part in the ideation/pre-production/writing. "Everything Must Go" is based on a short story by Raymond Carver.

 

Well said...looking forward to seeing this one for sure