Written By James Jones
If this weather is anything to go by, summer has well and truly arrived and what better way to celebrate the coming of scorching temperatures, blue skies and long days than to head indoors into a dark room with a bunch of strangers to watch the latest blockbuster. We’ve picked a few of the films to watch out for this summer…
Ant-Man (released 17th July)
It may be a rather strange choice for a superhero name, but the premise of Ant-Man certainly has potential. Con-man Scott Lang (played by Paul Rudd) must turn hero to pull of a heist, which will save planet Earth, aided by a suit which will reduce his size to that of an ant, but dramatically increase his strength. Choosing comedian Paul Rudd to play the lead in a superhero film might seem odd, but the trailer promises an action-packed romp with plenty of comedic moments. This tongue-in-cheek approach to the superhero genre (characterised by recent films such as Guardians of the Galaxy) has proved to be very successful and the balance between spectacle and self-aware humour in Ant-Man promises to be enjoyable.
Inside Out (24th July)
Critics have hailed the latest offering from Pixar as one of its very best. Inside Out demonstrates what Pixar excels at: producing family-orientated, imaginative films with real heart and emotional punch. When young Riley’s dad starts a new job in San Francisco, she is uprooted from all she knows and must navigate the challenges of a new city, home and school with the help of her emotions – Joy, Fear, Disgust, Anger and Sadness, who all live in the control centre in Riley’s mind. Featuring the vocal talents of the likes of Amy Poehler, Inside Out is, by all accounts, a funny and affecting animation which will delight adults and children alike.
Southpaw (24th July)
Two good looking leads. A gritty storyline. The directing energy of Antoine Fuqua. All of this comes together with explosive dynamism in this conventional boxing film which sees a young fighter (Jake Gyllenhaal) rise to the top of his game, just as his life begins to fall apart. The film may offer little in the way of innovation or subtly, but Gyllenhaal’s bulked-up and intense performance opposite Rachel McAdams promises to be satisfying and unflinching in equal measure. Southpaw, incidentally, was the last film to be scored by James Horner before his untimely death last month.
Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (30th July)
There’s something quite reassuring about a Mission: Impossible film. You know exactly what you’re going to get – exotic locations, stunning set pieces and Tom Cruise strutting about the joint in the manner of James Bond. The film’s poster features Cruise clinging to the side of a Boeing C-17 – an image which is sure to set the tone of Ethan Hunt’s latest outrageous battle with the bad guys. But, if we’ve learnt only one thing from the previous films: impossible, this mission ain’t.
Fantastic Four (6th August)
It has been 10 years (!) since the first Fantastic Four film hit our screens and now this Marvel franchise is set for a reboot. When four young outcasts teleport to an alternate and dangerous universe, their bodies undergo unimaginable and powerful transformations, giving the four special gifts which they must use to save Earth from a new enemy. Fantastic Four promises to be an exciting and visually-impressive blockbuster and its director, Josh Trank, has said that its tone will be Steven Spielberg meets Tim Burton. Sounds intriguing…
