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

This Means War (2012)

When I heard about this film I was instantly excited. Read my last post and you will know I think Tom Hardy is yummy; full of British charm, yet an introverted intensity and an adorable smile - again Yummy! Couple that with the the gorgeous Chris Pine, who in my opinion is one of the most charismatic guys to come out of 'Tinseltown' since Will Smith and you've got my attention.

So two gorgeous leads (three including the lovely Reese Witherspoon), and all of them accomplished in their own right - Click link to see Tom Hardy's and Chris Pine's filmography's and if you haven't seen Hardy in Wuthering Heights yet check it out on Youtube Wuthering Heights 2009. For Pine's stand out performance you must see 2009's Star Trek where he plays a sexy young Captain James T. Kirk - but worry not, you needn't be a Trekky to enjoy this movie, it is an action packed blockbuster by all accounts -  but don't be fooled into thinking Pine can only do 'cool' and 'slick'. Pine is not afraid to do ugly, just see him as Darwin Tremor in Smokin' Aces (2006) and you'll see what I mean.

Pine as Darwin Tremor - Smokin' Aces.

But back to This Means War ...

So looking forward to seeing the guys looking sexy as hell I went to see the movie and the opening scenes did not disappoint. We see Pine and Hardy's characters FDR and Tuck perched on a helipad suited and booted for a covert mission at an elegant penthouse cocktail party.

Heeellloooo!

I wasn't expecting too much of this movie as a valentines release, but with the early action it had potential to be more than just a Rom-Com and actually be Rush Hour funny ... but alas this was not to be. There's nothing wrong with the film, unfortunately it seems to have been built on a formula that takes all the successful elements from other Rom-Com, action comedies and shoves them together. Two best friends, who are near opposites, leading to humorous conflicts, check. Two guys falling for the same girl, swear it won't come between them but it does, check. The complicated yet capable woman who can't decide between two very different guys, check - honestly the movie doesn't have anything we've not already seen in the TV show Friends.

Tuck (Hardy) is the sensitive, romantic, family man kinda guy, where FDR (Pine) is the slick, smooth talking, ladies man - think Martin Lawrence and Will Smith in Bad Boys and you'll get the picture. Reese Witherspoon is the romantic failure whose pushy/opinionated friend sets up an online dating profile for her (please note the total lack of originality), even down to Angela Basset being cast as the tough black Captain/boss - the first 20 odd minutes of this movie is a walking cliché!

But then something happened... Tuck (Hardy), on his first date with Lauren (Witherspoon) smiles and his sweet little eyes twinkle and I find myself willing to give the movie another chance to grip me.

The chemistry between Reese and the guys is totally believable and Reese gives a stable performance as Lauren, delivering the mix between a lady lost in her love life yet confident and organised in her professional life. Both Pine and Hardy also deliver stable performances, Pine plays the charismatic and charming spy to perfection and I find it hard to believe he's not a little like this in real life. Hardy is the typical wry, repressed Brit that American TV and film are used to portraying.

But despite decent performances I was too bored to care. If it hadn't been for the pretty faces I might well have taken a little nap.

After around 40 minutes the film had elicited only a few snickers and sniggers from me and a handful of quiet laughs from the rest of the audience. But gladly the "Recon" took the movie to the next level and it finally started to get a little funnier.

The film struggles to get the balance and mix of action and romance and comedy ... towards the end you will have started to forget that these guys are important spy agents involved in a supposedly huge case and as they jump back into the action, almost as an after thought we are again hit with a barrage of clichés which can work but seem cheesy in this movie (like the cliff-hanger in a car nearly dangling over the edge of a fatal drop, the unlikely hero and a shot that almost mirrors Bad Boy's famous movie poster.

Unfortunately this movie gets the thumbs down from me. There are no twists, it's completely predictable, the action scenes don't pack enough of a punch and other than two beautiful men this movie has little to offer. So instead of going to see this I'd advise you chuck in the DVD of Bad Boys, Rush Hour or There's Something About Mary and you'll be getting all the best bits from this movie and more.

When the DVD is released:

GIRLS: Chuck this movie on when hanging with your girlfriends - grab some wine and ooh and ah at the pretty people.

GUYS: Chuck this in for some browny points with the Mrs

In either case you wont be missing much if you talk through it or end up pashing on the sofa.