Summer Releases 2013 Pt 2

Last week got away from me - apologies, but I'm back to continue with the preview of Summer Releases.

First let's look at something for the kids of all ages (that means you :-)

Despicable Me 2

I've not seen Despicable Me but friends with kids have raved about it. It's the story of how a Super-Villain named Gru ends up with three daughters, adopted from an orphanage who change his world. Watch the trailer on YouTube by clicking here.

Despicable Me 2 sees Gru recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help bring down the new Super-Villain in town - Eduardo.

This movie features Steve Carell as Gru (Bruce Almighty, Evan Almighty, Anchorman), going up against Benjamin Bratt's Eduardo (Demolition Man, Miss Congeniality, Catwoman), neither strangers to animated works - Carell the voice of Hammy from Over The Hedge and Bratt the voice of Manny from Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs.

Check out the trailer below to see why you and the kids will love it.

Due for release at the end of June.


Another one for the kids at the end of June will be  Monsters University.

Billy Crystal and John Goodman are back for the 2nd installment of Disney Pixar's Monsters Inc. franchise playing the lovable characters Mike and Sulley. This movie is a prequel telling the story of how Mike and Sulley met as teenagers back at Monsters University, and how their friendship had not always run smoothly due to them being such opposites.

This film should also be fun for the whole family have a look at the trailer here.

Okay - that's enough kiddie bits - onto the Sci-fi, which seems to be dominating the summer releases this year.

First Pacific Rim.

"To fight monsters we created monsters of our own"

Directed by another Hollywood heavyweight - Guillermo Del Toro (Blade II, Hellboy I & II, Pans Labyrinth) Pacific Rim is a monster movie with a difference. Set in the near future, humongous creatures begin to appear out of the Pacific Ocean, causing carnage, death and destruction on a huge scale. Desperate to find an effective defense the Jaeger project is formed - giant robots are constructed, and piloted by two people whose minds are melded and combine to run the enormous metal contraptions.

As the war rages on, former pilot Raleigh Becket and Mako Mori, a rookie are thrown in at the deep end as they are forced to take the helm of an out dated early model Jaeger and fight as part of Earth's last stand.

The film stars Charlie Hunnam (Queer As Folk, Green Street, Children of Men), Idris Elba (Luther, Thor, Prometheus), Rinko Kikuchi (Babel, Norwegian Wood) and Ron Perlman (Alien Ressurection, Enemy at the Gates, Blade II, Hellboy I & II) and will certainly feature others that you will know.

This film will be full of special effects and co written by Del Toro will be sure to have a clever and interesting story to accompany them. This ones out in July.

Elysium

Lastly for today is Elysium. Written and Directed by Neill Blomkamp best known for District 9, Elysium is a Sci-fi drama following Matt Damon as he once again gets to kick ass like he was Jason Bourne. The year is 2154 and the rich of the world now live on a luxury resort known as Elysium where nothing is too good for the elite. Meanwhile the rest of the world's population are left behind on a ruined Earth, in a bitter and desperate fight for survival. Damon's character, Max De Costa finds himself backed into a corner and forced to fight for his life, and for the freedom, and equality of all the people of Earth along with it.

It's not hard to see the social observations and statements that Blomkamp makes here - just as with District 9 - but even if that is not your thing you can still expect stunning visuals, fast paced, hard hitting action, amazing gadgets and vehicles and  a heartfelt, compelling story. Check out the trailer below.

Thanks for checking out my summer releases previews. There'll be more later in the year but for now let me know what films old or new you'd like me to review (my tip would be to pick something you haven't seen yet - I'll let you know if it's worth it or not with a full review.)

Till next time - take care and let me know what you've been watching over the summer so far.

Summer Releases 2013 Pt 1

Hey there film fans - Here's a quick look at some of my choicest picks of the summer releases.

First though I want to say that yes Iron Man 3 was as awesome as I suspected it would be. Hit me up and let me know what you thought.

First up is the movie that I have been waiting to see since I left the cinema having seen its predecessor.

Star Trek: Into Darkness

Why this movie will be fantastic?

Simple. Casting, direction and writing.

Cumberbitches and Pine-Nuts get to see their heroes battle it out, along with all the faves from the last movie Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Karl Urban, Anton Yelchin, John Cho, funny man Simon Pegg and another appearance from fans favourite Leonard Nimoy as Spock Prime. There isn't a weak link in the chain and all can be expected to give stellar performances.

Like Star Trek, Into Darkness is directed by J.J. Abrams and if you don't know your Hollywood heavyweights Abrams has been involved in projects such as the T.V. series Lost and movies like Armageddon, Mission Impossible III, Cloverfield, Super 8 and many more as a director, writer or producer. 

I can't stress enough that Star Trek and Into Darkness are not just for die hard Trekkies. The first was a creative, immersing, roller coaster ride of a movie and I would bet money on it that you will enjoy it. Go and see it - I certainly will be. 

And for the true Trekkies - The legend is reborn. Check out the trailer.

OUT THIS MONTH

Next - Kick-Ass 2

Another sequel - If you havn't seen the first you've got till JUNE to catch up. 

I didn't rush to see 2010's Kick-Ass (in fact I didn't see it till last year) but it was worth the wait as I'm sure this one will be too. Kick-Ass is the typical super hero story but with a funny twist. A regular high school nobody (played by the gorgeous Aaron Taylor-Johnson) decides to bring his comic book fantasy to life by donning a tight green suit and becoming the hero/vigilante Kick-Ass. It's a funny look at exploring the potential reality of super heroes and Kick-Ass 2 takes this further as more people take up the plight of fighting injustice and crime alongside Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl.

They've replaced Nicholas Cage with Jim Carrey for the father figure type role, which I'm already chuffed about, and should add to the laughs, but be warned it's not all fun and games. A super-villain is born. The movies use guns, knives, bad language, blood and people die - this isn't a family hero movie by a long shot. But I'm sure Kick-Ass 2 will have it all. Loads of laughs, action packed fight scenes, rippling abs and tight suits and a guaranteed smile on your face by the time the credits are rolling.

Have a look at the trailer. OUT IN JUNE.

Also out in June is After Earth starring Will and Jaden Smith.

For the second time Jaden stars alongside his dad as a father and son duo who have this time crash landed on a hostile planet. Young Kitai Raige (Jaden) must face a perilous mission in order to survive, using the lessons he's been taught and the guidance given to him by his father, Cypher (Will) in this unusual, futuristic coming of age, epic. This movie seems very I Am Legend meets Avatar with a sprinkling of last months Oblivion for good measure. But they were all pretty good and this is directed by one of my favorites M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, Unbreakable, Signs, Lady in the Water) so this will definitely be a must see.

Next is a movie also out in June (gonna be a busy month) This Is The End.

I know I'll be creating enemies when I say I'm just not that into the Hangover movies, but after years of Jackass, American Pies and Inbetweeners I got bored of the boys behaving badly bit and prefer to get my laughs without the use of any bodily fluids, animal murder and slapstick violence... she says, though there may be some of the above in this next movie lol.

This Is The End, not to be confused with Simon Pegg's The Worlds End (out later this year) is the story of Seth Rogen, playing himself, who takes Jay Baruchel, also himself to James Franco's celeb filled party up in the Hollywood hills. There are too many celebs to name drop but if you don't recognise at least one person in each scene then you obviously haven't been to the cinema's in at least a decade. As the party swings on catastrophic events begin to unfold and Rogen, Baruchel, Franco and some pals are forced to hold up in a house while they try to ride out the coming Apocalypse. 

This film sees the team behind Superbad, Pineapple Express and The Green Hornet reunite and is set to be something like a Jay and Silent Bob adventure crossed with Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny. Have a look at the trailer to see why I think it will be some silly, side-splitting fun. Be warned, strong language!

That's all I've got time for today but check in later this week for part 2 of Summer Releases 2013