To everything, there is a season. Even movies.
As I wait for Awards Season to wind its way back around this fall, Summer Movie Season will fill in the space nicely. Over the next few months, I’ll pass on the epic action flicks, instead checking out Woody Allen’s latest, Sundance festival selections now hitting the big screen, and more.
Before I pulled together the full list, I was actually worried there wouldn’t be much to see this summer. As you can tell from the rest of this post, though, I should have no problem making the most of my MoviePass in the warm weather – and that’s just May! Read on for what I’ll be seeing this month, and keep an eye out for June, July and August, too.
MAY
BELLE (now playing) – this little out-of-nowhere indie has made quite a name for itself in just a couple weeks in theaters. For a film that didn’t make much of a splash when it premiered at TIFF, it’s garnered better-than-decent reviews and managed a decent take at the box office. Everybody loves a good period piece, indeed. Trailer here.
CHEF (now playing) – Jon Favreau is back in front of the camera in the film he also wrote/directed, about a trained chef who embarks on a food truck adventure with the help of some of his closest friends (including Scarlett Johansson, Robert Downey, Jr., Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo and Bobby Cannavale). Wholesomeness and wit ensue, if the trailer is any indication. My plan is to check this one out at Nitehawk Cinema one night – the perfect flick for dinner and a movie.
BENEATH THE HARVEST SKY (now playing) – I can actually cross this one off the list already, as I screened it late last year. Though driven by a strong central performance, the story of two friends chomping at the bit to get out of their small town never quite fulfills its premise. It’s out on a small self-release, on VOD and digital if you want to seek it out. Trailer here.
THE IMMIGRANT (now playing) – like BELLE, I didn’t expect much of this one, but it’s proven its mettle after just a couple weeks in theaters. Joaquin Phoenix and Marion Cotillard star in a turn-of-the-century epic around a young woman who finds her way through Ellis Island into the mean streets of NYC. Though the Weinsteins have effectively dumped this one off their promotional radar, I’ll still check it out. Trailer here.
FILTH (5/30) – I first saw this trailer for Filth several months ago, and it’s actually already been released in the UK and elsewhere. Finally hitting US screens, I don’t anticipate a huge response here – most audiences will get their James McAvoy exposure in his X-Men turn. But he’s got a lot more than that to offer, and I’m glad he’s got a gritty flick like this to stretch his resume a bit.
MALEFICENT (5/30) – it’s true, a few big releases will sneak their way onto my To See list, and this is one of them. I can appreciate a great transformation when I see one, and Ms. Jolie has done the heavy lifting for this one. I’m not sure it’s just right for Disney’s smallest audiences, but I’ll grab a large popcorn and settle in to be entertained. Trailer here.
NIGHT MOVES (5/30) – a well-cast suspense thriller? I’m game. (trailer)
WE ARE THE BEST! (5/30) – been seeing this one gain some buzz over the last few weeks, and it seems to be a festival favorite, too. Wanted to see it in Seattle, but time didn’t allow; will most certainly find the time for it when it gets a proper release at the end of the month. Trailer here.
