Summer Movie Preview 2013

The Lone Ranger

After such a long career, one has to expect some mediocrity from Johnny Depp. The Tourist, Rango, Dark Shadows and even the surprisingly bland Alice in Wonderland are all shining examples of this.  The good ol’ days of Edward Scissor Hands, Sweeny Todd, and Pirates of the Caribbean have long since passed, and the allure of Johnny Depp’s glory has all but faded away. Truth be told, Depp is desperately in need of something to salvage his deteriorating reputation. Nevertheless, with his newest flick The Lone Ranger coming out July 3rd; it seems highly unlikely he will accomplish that. Set in New Mexico, the story is loosely based off the old TV western series where John Reid (Armie Hammer) and a Native American named Tonto (Depp) go on adventures together battling injustice and corruption. While the plot itself is not terrible, it seems as if Disney is exploiting The Lone Ranger with too much cultural mocking. There also seems to be an awful lot of mythical spirit-warrior nonsense going on where Depp runs around playing his usual wild hipster-self, sporting eccentric makeup and yet another accent.  Still, it’s way too soon to condemn The Lone Ranger as a total disappointment, it might just pull through and surprise us all. – BLUE KAUFMAN

Star Trek

Director JJ Abrams is back and bigger than ever with the second film in the new Star Trek series, Into Darkness is set to hit theaters May 17.  Now that the Enterprise has returned to earth, they find a wicked force rooted within their own organization. Captain Kirk must then lead his team into the chaos so that they can capture a “one man weapon of mass destruction.”  After several delays in its release, a lot of skepticism has sparked over the films purported potholes and mystery villain. Still, impatient filmgoers continue to buzz with anticipation as the release date draws closer. The trailer looks nothing short of awesome; which is good news for Trekkies and Sci-Fi lovers alike. With the perfect balance of special effects, strong acting, action, and atmosphere Star Trek’s Into Darkness has the potential to be the most epic release of the year. But with thousands of fans expecting greatness, “Khan” it live up to its beloved predecessors? – BLUE KAUFMAN

Man of Steel

I am very open about my distaste for superhero remakes. These rehashes have polluted classic comic-book story lines and have plagued theaters all over the world with their excessive CGI and superficial action sequences.  However, with that being said, I firmly believe that if there is any character out there in need of a good reboot, it’s Superman.  Although, it has been quite some time since we’ve seen anything new involving this franchise, Superman has still prevailed as a major pop culture icon. This summer, the famous red and yellow “S” symbol will cease to be just an image when The Man of Steel is released on June 14.  While the first modern retelling of the Superman story is no doubt a daunting task, it seems as if Director Zack Snyder is doing everything right. The cast is excellent, the visuals appear brilliant and the script is bound to be impressive considering Christopher Nolan’s involvement in it (and so far the man has yet to make a bad movie.) It’s rumored that the story will explore Clark Kent’s beginning, while also revealing the magnitude of Superman’s strength in some killer action scenes. Overall, the film looks good enough to keep even Alex Ross smiling and in my opinion, Man of Steel might just be the best Superman movie yet. – BLUE KAUFMAN

Kick Ass 2

Kick-Ass completely changed the game for Superhero flicks.  Originally a short ultra violent comic series, this story follows Dave Lizewski, a geeky teenager who one day decides to put on a green jumpsuit and fight crime.  Soon, he is in over his head, as he gets involved with long-time, heavily armed vigilantes Big Daddy and Hit Girl. The original film, Kick-Ass was released in 2010, featuring a well-rounded cast of Aaron Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Nicholas Cage, and Chloe Moretz. Kick-Ass did a really fantastic job of recreating a comic book vibe, while still giving a fresh, new, spin on the same old vigilante stereotypes.  There are no powers in this story, just heavy artillery, and it’s teenage protagonist makes for a great high school, hormone-filled vibe.  Kick-Ass 2 is set for release on August 16th, where new heroes help original protagonists take down yet another kingpin turned super villain.  I expect more blood, guts, crude humor, and foul language from this sequel than I saw in the first movie, which was certainly a lot. Jim Carrey and Donald Faison are both playing new vigilantes, so that’s something to be psyched about.  Really, the original Kick-Ass, left a perfect set up for a sequel, this time, giving Christopher Mintz-Plasse an even more crucial role. – JEREMY HAAS

World War Z

World War Z is a post-zombie-apocalyptic horror film set for release on June 21st.  The movie is based on a book of the same name, which is widely acclaimed for it’s realistic take on what a zombie apocalypse would actually be like in modern times. Brad Pitt is the star of World War Z, which sweetens the deal.  The whole zombie pop culture outbreak may be getting redundant to some, but I love it.  The gory possibilities of a zombie apocalypse flick, equipped with modern technology and a well-respected cast are enough to excite any horror lover.  A big issue of adapting such an esteemed book for the screen is the huge shoes it has to fill.  Chances are, as with most every film based on a novel, original story fans will be disappointed.  I wouldn’t count on World War Z living up to the expectations of long time fans, but I do see it doing well as a fun film to watch. – JEREMY HAAS

Pacific Rim

From Guillermo Del Toro, the genius director who gave us Pan’s Labyrinth, Pacific Rim is a new Sci-Fi thriller that tells of an alien attack on Earth coming to theaters on July 12th.  To keep Earth from being completely destroyed by giant space monsters, giant robots are developed to fend them off.  Sounds awesome right?  It’s great that our technology has made it so that we, the people of wonderful capitalist America, can enjoy a near apocalypse from the comfort of cushioned chairs. I have a feeling that this movie, while filled with mindless explosions and huge robot/alien standoffs, is going to be more than just fun to watch.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s going to be extremely entertaining, but I also think Guillermo Del Toro has a few tricks up his sleeve that are going to make Pacific Rim cut a little deeper than just another dude-flick.  With impending apocalyptic tones, and complex looking characters, Pacific Rim may just give us the best of both worlds: crazy, wicked explosions and depth! – JEREMY HAAS

Iron Man 3

When Iron Man first came out in 2008, we were all in awe of Robert Downey Jr.’s performance and the story’s construction.  Even though Iron Man 2 was no doubt a disappointment, the series still managed to rocket-launch itself into success. Iron Man 3, the next movie will be released May 3. Stark finds his personal world being destroyed in fault of his enemy. Beginning his journey to find those who are responsible, he runs through a series of “tests” just to see how far he is willing to go to save those who he loves.  Expect a lot more action and a lot less drama than Iron Man 2 provided. Although it’s to soon to tell, judging from the trailer, Iron Man 3 looks promising. – VICTORIA ESTRADA

Monster University

Even though Monsters Inc. hasn’t been heard from in years, on June 21, the memories will come flashing back. Monsters University takes us back to Mike Wazowski and James P. Sullivan’s college days, where we see how things really “went down” when this inseparable pair first met. Shockingly, it wasn’t always the goofy and funny best friends we see in Monsters Inc. Monsters Inc. was without a doubt, one of the best Disney/ Pixar movies ever released. While Monsters University surely won’t be nearly as impressive Monsters Inc., the familiar character and childhood memories will definitely lure families back to theaters. – VICTORIA ESTRADA

Despicable Me 2

July 3^rd marks the date when the highly anticipated Despicable Me 2 hits theatres. Even though not much information has been released about this new movie besides a couple of cute trailers, we do know that a new villain will be joining this movie, known as Eduardo, who is played by Al Pacino. After watching the trailers, it’s obvious that Despicable Me 2 will probably induce twice as many laughs that Despicable Me did. However, even if the jokes do fall short, this movie, either way, will unquestionably be an entertaining film. With the animation, new characters, or just words of the Minions which nobody ever understands, Despicable Me 2 definitely looks enjoyable. – VICTORIA ESTRADA