So many so-called “blockbusters,” so little time. We’ve got suggestions of what you really should spend your hard-earned cash on this summer.
Maleficent (May 30)
Whether you’re a Anniston-Pitt fan or a super mature collegiette who’s so over fairytale movies, “Maleficent” is one you need to see this summer! Taking a new spin on the old classic “Sleeping Beauty,” the film explores the villain’s point of view and her motivations. Angelina Jolie has taken this character to a whole new level by creating a bewitching persona, demonstrated in all of the released trailers.
Maleficent has always been a notable villain in Disney’s vault, with a style unlike any other. In the upcoming film, we get to see Maleficent and Aurora interact more, creating an interesting dynamic between two enemies. Hollywood definitely hit the mark with casting for this movie, as Angelina portrays evil beauty wonderfully, and Elle Fanning has the perfect face for an innocent princess. There will also be a very attractive cutie from Australia, Brenton Thwaites, who plays the love interest for Aurora, if you’re into that kind of thing.
The Amazing Spider-Man 2 (In Theaters)
Super hero movies are a summer blockbuster staple, and this year is no different. As you probably know from the first round of Spidey movies in the early 2000s starring Tobey Maguire, the web-slinger is not your average super hero. Andrew Garfield’s portrayal of the witty teenager bitten by the super hero bug (literally) is much more charming and playful than Maguire’s version, and fits the comic character’s sleek and silly reputation.
Though sequels are almost never as good as the original, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” serves as an entertaining building block which prepares audiences for the third movie almost as much as it builds off of the first. Jamie Foxx plays sparkly baddie Electro, while Dane DeHaan will remind you of a young Leo in his floppy-haired, sly turn as Harry Osborn. The real magic here is between Peter Parker and his on-again-off-again love Gwen. The chemistry between Garfield and his real-life girlfriend Emma Stone is worth every cent of the ticket price.
Neighbors (In Theaters)
This movie shouldn’t need explaining, but we will explain away! What do you get when you put young sex symbols Zac Efron and Dave Franco into a frat house? Lots of hilarious (and shirtless) moments. Add in Rose Byrne and Seth Rogen as their next-door neighbors and you get a raucous movie experience. Ok, so you may not be walking out of the theater with lessons learned and a new moral compass, but you will leave it with cramped cheeks from smiling and laughing so much.
We’ll let you make the decision yourself, but now that Zac Efron has won awards for his shirtlessness (ok, so it was an MTV award, not a Pulitzer) and has moved past his bad-boy stage, we think this role may be enough to push him past his teen idol reputation. Now that James Franco’s been getting all weird (ok, weirder than usual) we think it’s safe to say that Dave has become our favorite Franco.
X-Men: Days of Future Past (May 23)
Jennifer Lawrence, Nicholas Hoult, James McAvoy, Ellen Page, Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, Halle Berry, Anna Paquin, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Peter Dinklage.
Even if you have never seen or heard of any part of the X-Men world in your entire life, chances are you know at least one of those names. With every Hollywood studio putting out their own super hero, ensemble-casted blockbuster bait every summer for the near future, there are bound to be some stinkers. This will not be one of them.
A gathering of all of the X-Men forces, this installment sees our favorite heroes from the first X-Men trilogy join their younger selves in a time-traveling fight to save their future. (What?!?) Plus, Lawrence and Hoult make their way back into the roles that had them fall in real-life love (and rekindled their flame post-breakup). Yay!
A Million Ways to Die in the West (May 30)
Even if you dislike “Family Guy” and other Seth MacFarlane shows, there is no denying his fabulous sense of humor and many talents. Singer, songwriter, Oscar host, screen writer, and voice artist, MacFarlane has so many skills that it’s a wonder it took this long for a big screen vehicle for him to arrive.
“A Million Ways to Die in the West” is based on the idea of just that: the West was an absurdly dangerous place, and MacFarlane exploits every possible calamity into a joke like a funny version of “Final Destination.” Starring MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Liam Neeson, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman, Neil Patrick Harris and Christopher Llyod as Doc. Brown, it’s unlikely this movie will be boring, to say the least.