Kicking off Marvel's second phase for superhero films, "Iron Man 3" stars Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow and Guy Pearce in what may be the last film starring the affable lead actor. The film came out nearly a month ago, but there's plenty of time to see it (again). While the film's light-hearted tone may have alienated some viewers, the tongue-in-cheek dialogue and astounding effects make it a must-see.
Whether you love or hate Baz Luhrmann's visual style, you have to admit "The Great Gatsby" is a feast for the eyes. Starring Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire, the glitzy take on the American classic is a glamorous way to spend two hours at the movie theater.
The sequel to J.J. Abrams' shiny 2009 "Star Trek" reboot was a hit among fans and casual viewers alike. The movie pits Captain Kirk (Chris Pine), Spock (Zachary Quinto) and the rest of the crew of the Enterprise against a rogue former Starfleet agent John Harrison (Benedict Cumberbatch), whose identity offers one of the biggest twists of the summer.
The third and final film in "The Hangover" series brings the "wolfpack" back to where it all started: Vegas. When Doug (Justin Bartha) is kidnapped by vengeful gangsters looking for Mr. Chow (Ken Jeong), Phil (Bradley Cooper), Stu (Ed Helms) and Alan (Zach Galifianakis) embark again on a wild, booze-filled adventure in order to save their friend.
In the sixth entry of this testosterone-fueled series, fugitive street racer Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel) is pulled out of retirement when DSS agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson) offers him and his crew full amnesty to help take down a mercenary organization. Dominic agrees when he sees the leader Owen Shaw (Luke Evans) has Letty Ortiz (Michelle Rodriguez), Dominic's supposedly dead former girlfriend. The movie promises even more action than before, with a much-hyped car chase with a tank.
Will Smith and son Jaden Smith star in "After Earth," a film that hopefully won't be another misstep by shaky director M. Night Shyamalan. Set in the post-apocalyptic future, the father and son duo are the sole survivors of a ship that crash lands on Earth. Separated and injured, the two must survive the perilous territory into which Earth has evolved.
Boasting one of the most impressive casts of the summer, "Now You See Me" is a crime caper with a twist. Starring Jesse Eisenberg, Woody Harrelson, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine and Morgan Freeman, "Now You See Me" tells the story of a group of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances and give the money to their audiences. They are pursued by an FBI agent (Ruffalo) and an Interpol detective (Melanie Laurent). The film looks to be fun, kitschy and light -- a nice reprieve from the heavy action films of the summer.
"The Purge" plays with a high concept idea that blends a dystopian plot with horror. Set in a futuristic America where the government sanctions an annual 12-hour period in which all criminal activity becomes legal, a couple (Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey) must protect themselves and their kids when a stranger breaks into their gated community.
An apocalypse comedy in which the stars all play themselves, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, Jay Baruchel, Craig Robinson and Danny McBride must face the destruction of the Earth after a party at Franco's house goes horribly wrong. The film looks to be equal parts ridiculous, raunchy and hilarious, taking the heavy-handed concept of doomsday and putting it in Hollywood's backyard.
"Man of Steel" may be the most anticipated superhero film of the summer. And it certainly has a lot going for it. Directed by the slow-mo aficionado Zack Snyder, penned by "The Dark Knight" screenwriter David S. Goyer and produced by Christopher Nolan, "Man of Steel" promises to reintroduce Superman as a gritty, realistic character whose powers make him the subject of human unease. In this film, he fights the similarly superpowered Zod (Michael Shannon), who threatens the very Earth that fears Superman.
Following this summer's pattern of apocalyptic movies, "World War Z" depicts a world in mass panic as a zombie pandemic threatens to wipe out all of humanity. Brad Pitt co-produces and stars as a United Nations employee who is sent across the world to try to stop the pandemic. Negative reactions to test screenings caused Pitt to reshoot 40 minutes, which could make this one of the costliest pictures of the year. The film is based on the hit 2006 novel by Max Brooks, son of Mel Brooks.
Channing Tatum and Jamie Foxx star in the second film that blows up the White House this summer (but really, who remembers "Olympus Has Fallen"?). Tatum stars as Capitol policeman John Cale, who is on a tour of the White House with his daughter when the building is attacked. Cale must save his daughter and the president (Foxx), and he must do it solo in true "Die Hard" fashion.
Directed by "Pirates of the Caribbean" helmer Gore Verbinski, "The Lone Ranger" is a blustery, Disney-fied take on the masked Old West crime fighter, the Lone Ranger. Featuring Johnny Depp in the questionable casting of the Lone Ranger's Native American sidekick Tonto and the dashing Armie Hammer as a youthful version of the American icon, "The Lone Ranger" looks to be a worthy successor to Disney's last blockbuster franchise.
Robots and aliens may have become a tired staple of the summer blockbuster, but "Pacific Rim" has one advantage over all the others: Guillermo del Toro. The "Pan's Labyrinth" director brings his art house fantasy influence to the action-packed "Pacific Rim," a futuristic film where humans use giant robots to battle monsters from the deep underground. The film stars Idris Elba, Ron Perlman, Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi.
The sequel to 2009's "X-Men Origins: Wolverine" forgoes further exploration of Wolverine's weighty origin story for a crisis of identity in modern day Japan. Wolverine loses his regenerative powers and is forced to confront killer samurai as well as his own inner demons.
"Elysium" is the highly anticipated second film of "District 9" director Neill Blomkamp, who once again delves into science fiction metaphors for the South African apartheid. Starring Matt Damon, Jodie Foster and Sharlto Copley, "Elysium" is set in a futuristic world in which the poor proletariat live in a corrupt and pollution-ridden Earth, while the rich live in a utopia known as Elysium. Max De Costa (Damon) embarks on a journey to infiltrate Elysium and bring equality to the worlds.
Simon Pegg and Nick Frost are back for the last film in their Three Flavors Cornetto trilogy, which started nine years ago with "Shaun of the Dead." "The World's End" (which is actually the name of a bar in the film) is a science fiction comedy that tells the story of five childhood friends who try to complete a legendary pub crawl, and subsequently discover that their town was taken over by aliens. Beer and belly laughs. Now that's a summer blockbuster.
