Summer Blockbuster season is in full swing and it isn’t even summer yet. Last week had little to offer in the way of big movies but this week continues what Captain America: Civil War started. Once again I find myself not that into the weeks biggest offering but this week I may actually get to see my pick. Last week I had a dual pick of The Lobster and High-Rise, neither of which are playing anywhere around my home. This week, my pick is still a studio movie with a wide release, but just not the biggest one. Here are the movies coming out the week of May 20th.
Billiam’s Pick of the Week
The Nice Guys: Ah the 1970’s. Big mustaches, big cars, and hippies are slowly dying off. What more could you want? How about a movie starring Ryan Gosling (The Notebook, The Big Short) and Russell Crowe (Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind)? That’ll do! How about we put them in a movie written by Shane Black? He’s the writer behind the Lethal Weapon movies, Last Action Hero, Iron Man 3, and a personal favorite of mine, The Monster Squad. This movie is about two investigators who get wrapped up in a huge conspiracy while investigating the questionable suicide of a porn star. The trailer gave me the same vibes that Inherent Vice which makes sense because both are movies that take place in 1970’s Los Angeles and involves private eyes and conspiracies. This movie looks like a great action comedy that I will try very hard to see on opening night. The trailer below is for the main trailer, the “final” trailer shows parts of what I think is going to be the ending, so I wouldn’t watch that one. Check out this safer trailer and see if this is the movie for you.
The Angry Birds Movie: If you have any young children, this is the movie to see, though I wish you Godspeed. I liked the first game and a couple of the follow ups, but not nearly enough to warrant a movie. Of course I do realize that this movie is banking on kids dragging their parents to go see it but I’m not a lost boy and I did grow up (albeit just a little) so I tend to want more from my movies, even the animated ones. But who knows, I could be wrong and this could be fantastic. This could be like Kung Fu Panda which I though was going to be stupid but was actually moderately good. This movie has such a big cast that I won’t bother typing it all here, you can look it up on IMDB if you so choose. I believe this is to serve as a prequel to the games though the games have such a flimsy story I’m not sure if prequel is the right word.
Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising: I’m the first to admit when I’m wrong. When Neighbors came out I was certain it was going to be terrible. The turds at Metacritic would have you believe my initial assessment was correct, but a year back I had a chance to watch it and ended up laughing my butt off. It wasn’t the best movie by any means. It was just funny. The sequel looks like more of the first and you know what? I’m fine with that. That’s exactly what I want. I want a movie that I can sit back and have a good laugh. I may miss this one in theaters, but if I have a chance, I’m going to see it. Seth Rogan (Pineapple Express, The Interview), Rose Byrne (Insidious 1 and 2, X-Men: First Class), and Zac Efron (High School Musical, The Lucky One) all return for the sequel and I can’t wait to see them all on the same side. This time, the enemy is a sorority that’s moved in next door and is led by Chloe Grace Mortez (Kick-Ass 1 and 2). If the final product is anything like the trailers then I’d be ready for a slapstick heavy raunchy movie. I’m posting the official trailer below but both red-band trailers are on Youtube. You know how I know I’m old? I identify more with the parents and adults in movies.
Ma Ma: No, not the 2013 horror movie about the two kids found in the woods. This one is a foreign language film starring Penelope Cruz (Vanilla Sky, Vicky Cristina Barcelona) who plays a young(ish) mother who finds out she has cancer during her second pregnancy. The movie revolves around her “surge of newfound life” and making the best of what she has just in case she doesn’t make it. I believe Penelope Cruz is one of the best actors in Hollywood and I wish she got bigger roles. Sure, she’s had some good ones and even won an Oscar, but I want to see her in more. This film looks heavier than Dwayne Johnson’s free weights. I won’t see this in theaters even though it looks really good. But I’ll save it for a rainy day. Who knows, maybe I’ll bring back the Movie Night reviews and do this one.
Also Coming Out Week of May 20th
Weiner: This is a documentary about disgraced New Yourk congressman Anthony Weiner. Apparently he tried to become mayor of New York which seems like a fantastic idea. The main reason I won’t see this is because it doesn’t interest me but the second reason is I feel like I’d giggle every time someone says his name.
Holy Hell: Another documentary. This one is about a cult out of Hollywood that, get ready for this, eventually imploded. What? A cult failing? WHAAAAT? Get out! This looks like a feature length Dateline episode. I bet you it’s very interesting, but I’d rather watch The Angry Birds Movie in a packed theater. I can’t say that I’ll never watch it, but it’s not high up there on my list.