Although June 21st is the first official day of summer, Hollywood sees differently. Because there are not enough days in the year to pack all of the explosive, sexy, fast-paced blockbusters in just one season, May has been championed as the unofficial beginnings of summer. We’ve seen some spectacular summer movie seasons before and we have had our stinkers. Starting with Iron Man 3, this summer promises to be one of the best in quite some time – I have a husband’s bulge just thinking about it. After the break, get a full taste of the movies you’ll be seeing in a theater near you this summer.

May

Iron Man 3 – May 3 – (Rated PG-13) 130 min – When Tony Stark’s world is torn apart by a formidable terrorist called the Mandarin, he starts an odyssey of rebuilding and retribution.

As the first film of Marvel Studios to follow The Avengers, there is a lot of weight on the shoulders of Iron Man 3 as to whether or not it and every other superhero in the this universe can maintain as a standalone film. Tons of great action is to be had in Iron Man 3, it has a lot of great humor, and it builds the world of Tony Stark very well. This is the perfect movie to start off the summer movie season. (Watch the trailer for Iron Man 3) (Read the spoiler-free review for Iron Man 3)

The Great Gatsby – May 10 – (Rated PG-13) 143 min – A Midwestern war veteran finds himself drawn to the past and lifestyle of his millionaire neighbor.

Tale as old as time. The Great Gatsby is one adaptation that has never been able to stick as a memorable cinematic experience. Director Baz Luhrmann (Moulin Rouge!) wants to change all of that with his stellar cast – Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire, and Joel Edgerton – and pristine set and costume designs. I don’t see any life coming from the characters seen in the previews. From what’s been shown, the world looks impeccable, but has Luhrmann overlooked story for visuals? (Watch the trailer for The Great Gatsby) (Read the Spoiler-Free Review for The Great Gatsby)

Tyler Perry Presents Peeples – May 10 – (Rated PG-13) – Sparks fly when Wade Walker crashes the Peeples annual reunion in the Hamptons to ask for their precious daughter Grace’s hand in marriage.

It’s a classic Meet the Parents story, and despite the horrible title, Peeples looks like the first movie Tyler Perry has envisioned that is potentially viewable for all demographics. And the reason why, Craig Robinson. Robinson has appeared in many Judd Apatow productions (Knocked Up; Pineapple Express) and he has also starred in The Office and Hot Tub Time Machine. He is a widely familiar face and could be less of a threat compared to a Madea movie or something like Temptation where none of the actors are well-known. Now having to suffer through David Alan Grier is another story.

Aftershock – May 10 – (Rated R) – In Chile, a group of travelers who are in an underground nightclub when a massive earthquake hits quickly learn that reaching the surface is just the beginning of their nightmare.

For Chilean native Nicolás López, teaming up with producer Eli Roth to director his first American horror debut is a big deal. Eli Roth has a great eye for these sort of things. From the campy Cabin Fever to the brutally dark Hostel, Roth has climbed the ranks as one of horror’s top darlings. Aftershock sounds like a wild ride, a truly chilling tale for any horror fans who want to see a more gruesome side of what happens after the wake of an earthquake.

Star Trek Into Darkness – May 17 – (Rated PG-13) 132 min – After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one man weapon of mass destruction.

As one of the most anticipated sequels of the year, everyone has their eyes set on Star Trek Into Darkness. Director J.J. Abrams has proven time and again that he is the master of suspense when it comes to holding his cards to the vest, and we still have no confirmation as to who Benedict Cumberbatch is playing. With the villain shrouded in mystery and with audiences enamored by the first film, Star Trek Into Darkness is setting itself up to be one of the most titillating adventures of the year. (Watch the trailer for Star Trek Into Darkness) (Read the spoiler-free review for Star Trek Into Darkness)

The Hangover Part III – May 24 – (Rated R) – This time, there’s no wedding. No bachelor party. What could go wrong, right? But when the Wolfpack hits the road, all bets are off.

After a surprising first hit and a not too hot sequel, are audiences ready for another Hangover? Bringing it back full circle, the gang returns to Vegas, but also stop off in Tijuana. Since John Goodman is playing the villain, I have high hopes that this movie will succeed. Director Todd Phillips hasn’t been on the greatest hot streak after Project X, but perhaps closing out this trilogy with a bang will remind us that this director brought us Old School.

Fast & Furious 6 – May 24 – (Not Yet Rated) 130 min – Agent Hobbs enlists the aid of Dom and team to help bring a rival gang, led by Owen Shaw, to justice. In exchange for clear records, they must put an end to their schemes, no matter how personal the cost.

You roll your eyes, but if you missed the Super Bowl trailer for Fast & Furious 6 than I an understand. I myself have only seen the first, second, and fourth films in this franchise, but am totally looking forward to the craziness that is Fast 6. By all accounts, this series of films should have died a long time ago; there is something about them that movie goers cling on to. I don’t know how they’ve been able to do it, but these movies seem to get better the further along the franchise goes. They’ve got a tank!

Epic – May 24 – (Rated PG) – A teenager finds herself transported to a deep forest setting where a battle between the forces of good and the forces of evil is taking place. She bands together with a rag-tag group characters in order to save their world — and ours.

The makers of Epic must have been in love with Ferngully and developed this film as a love letter in tribute. All of the visuals and CGI is beautiful, but a thug-talking snail with the voice of Aziz Ansari worries me. Most animated films can surprise me so I hold no grudges against their decision. Tone Loc voiced a character in Ferngully so the parallels continue. It should be a great time for kids and a very stunning 3D adventure. If it fails, then the movie’s title will be attacked hard.

Before Midnight – May 24 – (Rated R) 108 min – We meet Jesse and Celine nine years on in Greece. Almost two decades have passed since their first meeting on that train bound for Vienna.

For the ladies of the summer looking for romance, Richard Linklater has brought audiences his third film in the Before franchise. I’ve never seen Before Sunrise or Before Sunset, but I hear they are some of the most incredible romantic storytelling ever. The fact that each movie in this trilogy has come out 9 years after one another is one of the selling points for me and an intriguing tale for those hopeless romantics out there.

After Earth – May 31 – (Rated PG-13)  – A crash landing leaves Kitai Raige and his father Cypher stranded on Earth, 1,000 years after events forced humanity’s escape. With Cypher injured, Kitai must embark on a perilous journey to signal for help.

M. Night Shyamalan. Did you know he is the director behind After Earth? Maybe you did or maybe you didn’t, but the marketing team behind the movie doesn’t seem like they want you to know. If you check out any of the promotional pieces for After Earth, not a speck of Shamalamadingdong’s name appears anywhere. With all of that said, I think After Earth looks like a very adventurous film, bigger than anything the director has attempted before, and I’m excited to see where this story goes. Jaden and Will Smith star and their dynamic father-son match-up feels compelling so it also has that going for it.

Now You See Me – May 31 – (Rated PG-13) – Thriller FBI agents track a team of illusionists who pull off bank heists during their performances and reward their audiences with the money.

I find it rather hard for a studio and director to make audiences believe they are seeing performance magic on the big screen without the help of special effects. If done well, the magic seen on screen should captivate you in the moment of the story as if you were seeing the magic in real life. Now You See Me appears as a mix between Ocean’s Eleven and The Prestige, so this magical heist might be a jolly good show.

The Kings of Summer – May 31 – (Rated R) – Three teenage friends, in the ultimate act of independence, decide to spend their summer building a house in the woods and living off the land.

All young boys need a coming of age moment during the summer outside of school, and The Kings of Summer is here to capture the true essence of that moment. Indie dramas are a relaxing break in between the zany comedies and the high-octane action thrillers. At times we all need to settle down with a heartfelt summer drama, and this may be the perfect pallet cleanser before June. The Kings of Summer feels genuinely fun for all ages to relate to.

The Purge – May 31 – (Rated R) – If on one night every year, you could commit any crime without facing consequences, what would you do? Over the course of a single night, a family will be tested to see how far they will go to protect themselves when the vicious outside world breaks into their home.

The Purge sort of came out of nowhere. Directed and written by James DeMonaco, who wrote Jack and The Negotiator – two completely opposite pictures – The Purge looks like a completely balls to the wall horror thriller. Produced by Michael Bay and the Platinum Dunes horror remake crew (The Texas Chainssaw Massacre; The Amityville Horror), along with producer Jason Blum (Sinister; Insidious), we have a situation where this movie could either be good or bad. I can only wish that this movie will be as insane as the premise.

The East – May 31 – (Rated PG-13) 116 min – An operative for an elite private intelligence firm finds her priorities irrevocably changed after she is tasked with infiltrating an anarchist group known for executing covert attacks upon major corporations.

If you’ve seen Sound of My Voice and Another Earth you know what kind of power Brit Marling has become in the indie world. Recruiting talent such as Ellen Page and Alexander Skarsgård, The East is the biggest attempt Marling has ever produced as a mainstream feature. Shot in just 25 days, The East asks many big questions in today’s world of corporate greed. If you’re looking for a strong, tension-filled drama, check out this flick.

June

The Internship – June 7 – (Not Yet Rated) – Two salesmen whose careers have been torpedoed by the digital age find their way into a coveted internship at Google, where they must compete with a group of young, tech-savvy geniuses for a shot at employment.

Feeling like man-child comedies have been thrown to the wayside? Look no further than The Internship. Owen Wilson and Vince Vaughn are back together again since Wedding Crashers – not the same characters – hoping to work for Google. The blatant product placement alone is enough to choke on. It will be interesting to see whether these two can pull off the same dynamic level of humor as they had done in the past. Knowing that Vince Vaughn wrote the story isn’t helping its cause and neither is director Shawn Levy (Real Steel; Date Night; Night at the Museum).

Much Ado About Nothing – June 7 – (Rated PG-13) 107 min – A modern retelling of Shakespeare’s classic comedy about two pairs of lovers with different takes on romance and a way with words.

What did writer-director Joss Whedon want to do after he created one of the biggest blockbusters in cinematic history? Make an ode to Shakespeare of course. Much Ado About Nothing has gained a lot of praise on the film festival circuit and with Agent Coulson starring, how could we not enjoy this film? This may be a little too sharp for audiences to handle over the summer, but for those looking for a smart Shakespeare adaptation disguised as a modern black and white comedy than you’re in luck.

Man of Steel – June 14 – (Rated PG-13) 148 min – A young journalist is forced to confront his secret extraterrestrial heritage when Earth is invaded by members of his race.

A lot is riding on Zack Snyder to succeed with Man of Steel. If all goes well – judging by the buzz it will – we’ll see a future Justice League movie in the works. DC Comics and Warner Bros. have not had a successful run with their superheroes in film aside from Christopher Nolan and The Dark Knight trilogy, but Man of Steel presents itself strong enough to hopefully clean the slate. I want this movie to succeed so we can get Fox and Disney/Marvel to step up their game in healthy competition. (Watch the trailer for Man of Steel)

This is the End – June 14 – (Rated R) 107 min – While attending a party at James Franco’s house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities are faced with the apocalypse.

There is not a bone in my body that believes This is the End won’t be a smash hit. All of what has been shown thus far is absolutely hilarious and with the actors playing a degree of themselves it is impossible for it not to be a good time. The promotions are rather vague as to what the true terror is, but it feels like this will be a mishmash of different apocalyptic scenarios with our heroes dealing with the aftermath. I’m counting on this to be the funniest movie of the year.

The Bling Ring – June 14 – (Rated R) 95 min – Inspired by actual events, a group of fame-obsessed teenagers use the internet to track celebrities’ whereabouts in order to rob their homes.

Sophia Coppola is perfectly capable of telling stories about over privileged white women. The Bling Ring is no different. So this must be a good movie right? Emma Watson continues to expand her depth as an actress, and as a leading force in The Bling Ring I’m hoping for the best. The story doesn’t interest me as much compared to how well her performance will be.

Monsters University – June 21 – (Not Yet Rated) – A look at the relationship between Mike and Sulley during their days at Monsters University — when they weren’t necessarily the best of friends.

Already embarking on an early screening of this film, Monsters University is a return to form for Pixar. A few missed opportunities, but the budding relationship between Sully and Mike is an incredible story and a joyful experience. There are a few resemblances to Revenge of the Nerds, but this is its own movie. A lot of solid storytelling is done to build the well-known characters. And at moments you’ll be at the edge of your seat. It will be hard to wipe the smile off your face when you exit the theater. (Watch the trailer for Monsters University)

World War Z – June 21 – (Not Yet Rated) – United Nations employee Gerry Lane traverses the world in a race against time to stop the Zombie pandemic that is toppling armies and governments, and threatening to decimate humanity itself.

As widely popular as The Walking Dead is, nobody seems to be championing World War Z. And perhaps that is because of zombie wall. Nothing about this film looks rather exciting nor have they shown any reason for us to care or know what Brad Pitt is doing in the mess of all the zombie madness. This may be one you can save your money on for the many more movies this summer. (Watch the trailer for World War Z)

The Heat – June 28 – (Rated R) 117 min – Uptight FBI special agent Sarah Ashburn is paired with testy Boston cop Shannon Mullins in order to take down a ruthless drug lord. The hitch: neither woman has ever had a partner — or a friend for that matter.

Have we ridden the Bullock and McCarthy trains for too long? This is what we get when folks saw The Proposal too many unwarranted times and begged studios to give us more McCarthy – Identity Thief is atrocious. The only saving grace here is that these two actresses seem to work well off each other and hopefully the film plays that to its strength. Nothing in the trailers have revealed the true story behind this buddy cop film, but something tells me we’ve seen it before.

White House Down – June 28 – (Not Yet Rated) 137 min – While on a tour of the White House with his young daughter, a Capitol policeman springs into action to save his child and protect the president from a heavily armed group of paramilitary invaders.

If Olympus Has Fallen wasn’t enough for you this year, how about replacing Gerard Butler with Channing Tatum and making the president Jamie Foxx. Even though it is pretty close to the same ordeal, for some reason I’m intrigued as to what this film will choose to do differently. Will it have an outrageous MacGuffin the terrorists are after or will it be more toned down? I’m hoping for the same level of action but a bit more character and story development.

July

The Lone Ranger – July 5 – (Not Yet Rated) 135 min – Native American warrior Tonto recounts the untold tales that transformed John Reid, a man of the law, into a legend of justice.

For all intents and purposes, I respect the quality and remarkable world building Gore Verbinski and Jerry Bruckheimer were able capture in the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie. How they are able to do so with The Lone Ranger will be a true testament to the duos’ filmmaking capabilities. I’m far removed from the Johnny Depp bandwagon, but he always continues to surprise me, much like Jack Black. I am keeping my expectations low and my mind open for extraordinary possibilities.

Despicable Me 2 – July 5 – (Rated PG) – Gru is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help deal with a powerful new super criminal.

Despite not being a fan of the first film, I am really looking forward to Despicable Me 2. Something about this film grabbed my attention and I think it’s because I really want to like the world of spies and villains that has been created. Knowing how much the audiences loved the minions, I don’t want the movie to become too reliant on them with overly forced situational comedy. My biggest point I will be keeping an eye on is if the writers are able to expand on the relationship between Gru and the girls.

The Way, Way Back – July 5 – (Rated PG-13) 103 min – Over the course of his summer break, a teenager comes into his own thanks in part to the friendship he strikes up with one of the park’s managers.

Here we’ve got a little more mainstream coming of age film for teenage boys to relate to. The Way, Way Back pieces together a dramatic father-son-like triangle that could end up with brutal consequences between Carrell and Rockwell. As their follow up to The Descendants, we can expect to receive a fantastic screenplay by Jim Rash and Nat Faxon who are also co-directing. The way they were able to create realistic, emotional teenage angst with Shailene Woodley in The Descendants gives me hope that they have done the same with Liam James here.

Pacific Rim – July 12 – (Rated PG-13) – When an alien attack threatens the Earth’s existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace.

The winner for most over the top yet exciting story of the year goes to Pacific Rim. What better way to celebrate the summer than to have giant robots fight giant monsters? With director Guillermo del Toro (Hellboy; Pan’s Labyrinth), we can assume wonderful things will happen. This is del Toro’s largest movie to date. It will be interesting to see how he tackles such a behemoth and whether or not that will escalate him into greater future projects for DC or Marvel. (Watch the trailer for Pacific Rim)

Grown Ups 2 – July 12 – (Rated PG-13) 101 min – After moving his family back to his hometown to be with his friends and their kids, Lenny, finds out that between old bullies, new bullies, schizo bus drivers, drunk cops on skis, and 400 costumed party crashers sometimes crazy follows you.

Another year, another goofy Adam Sandler film. I don’t think he got the message in Funny People, but something has to be clicking in his mind with all the Razzies he’s been receiving lately. I’m not sure who asked for this movie or why, but we’re getting it and there’s nothing we can do about it. Sometimes I think Michael Bay and Adam Sandler place bets against each other to see who can infuse the most product placement in their films. If we can get a joke as remotely funny as “chocolate wasted” than this film won’t be a total waste.

V/H/S/2 – July 12 – (Rated R) 96 min – Searching for a missing student, two private investigators break into his house and find collection of VHS tapes. Viewing the horrific contents of each cassette, they realize there may be dark motives behind the student’s disappearance.

As much as I despised V/H/S, I found a sick pleasure in realizing that I actually enjoyed it. The more I thought back on how messed up it is, the more I grew to like it. For how many things it did wrong, it did twice as many things right. My body is ready for the sequel to last year’s horror anthology, ready to embrace this film like the bloody mess you see above. And unless my expectations are too high, I don’t believe I will leave as disappointed this time.

Red 2 – July 19 – (Not Yet Rated) – Retired black-ops CIA agent Frank Moses reunites his unlikely team of elite operatives for a global quest to track down a missing portable nuclear device.

Wasn’t too keen on Red, but Red 2 strikes me as something that will further the ludicrousy without adding so many overly complicated elements like the first film. The comedy sounds stronger, the action greater, and the chemistry between the legendary actors just as pleasurable. Even the story appears to be more fun by introducing Catherine Zeta-Jones, Byung-Hun Lee, and Anthony Hopkins. We’ll be lucky to have it this summer if owns up to what it’s selling.

R.I.P.D. – July 19 – (Rated PG-13) – A recently slain cop joins a team of undead police officers working for the Rest in Peace Department and tries to find the man who murdered him.

There are a lot of buddy cop movies this year, and who’s to blame them with how well 21 Jump Street did last year. R.I.P.D. is basically a knock-off Men In Black. And as much fun as MIB makes the alien world seem, I am looking forward to seeing R.I.P.D. do the same in the paranormal world. My biggest concern is how much my brain will be able to accept seeing Jeff Bridges as Marisa Miller.

The Conjuring – July 19 – (Rated R) 112 min – Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.

Fact: the MPAA gave The Conjuring an R rating not because it has too much violence, gore, or foul language, but because it was deemed too scary for a PG-13 rating. James Wan has become the master of horror in this century. We first encountered Wan with Saw, he grew up dramatically with Insidious and now The Conjuring. Ever since I discovered he would be delivering us a new original horror flick, I have been been waiting in painful anticipation. After last year’s miserable display of horror films, 2013 has been the most promising yet.

Turbo – July 19 – (Not Yet Rated) – A freak accident might just help an everyday garden snail achieve his biggest dream: winning the Indy 500.

DreamWorks had a hit with The Croods earlier this year, can they keep up the streak with Turbo? They must have really enjoyed working with Ryan Reynolds because he is back as the main character Theo, the garden snail, who dreams of becoming a race car driver. Reynolds has a great range of voice and appears well in animated pictures. I’m not so sure that this premise is the most exciting, but the voice cast is something to latch on to; Samuel L. Jackson, Paul Giamatti, Michael Peña, Luis Guzmán, Bill Hader, Richard Jenkins, Ken Jeong, Maya Rudolph, and Michelle Rodriguez.

The Wolverine – July 26 – (Not Yet Rated)  136 min – Wolverine makes a voyage to modern-day Japan, where he encounters an enemy from his past that will impact on his future.

Can Fox make up for X-Men Origins: Wolverine? Not a sequel to X-Men Origins: Wolverine, but rather a journey after X-Men: The Last Stand, we will see how far Fox is willing to destroy the canon of the X-Men comic universe for the sake of film. I would much rather have accepted Darren Aronofsky’s take on the Marvel Universe, but it wasn’t in the cards. My expectations are fairly low, so I gather things can only go up from here.

Blue Jasmine – July 26 – (Not Yet Rated) – Plot undisclosed

What would a year be without a Woody Allen flick? The director has become very hit or miss lately, and last year’s lackluster To Rome with Love was a bit of a downer after the surprisingly sweet Midnight in Paris. Per usual, putting together a wonderful cast – Cate Blanchett, Alex Baldwin, Sally Hawkins, Peter Sarsgaard, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Louis C.K. – we can only dream big for Woody until we know more about what Blue Jasmine is all about.

August

300: Rise of an Empire – August 2 – (Not Yet Rated) – The Greek general Themistocles battles an invading army of Persians under the mortal-turned-god, Xerxes.

August is jam-packed full of big blockbusters and why not start off the end of the summer movie season with a bang? Not directed, but rather produced by Zack Snyder this time, 300: Rise of an Empire comes to us seven years after the original. Will it feel the same without Snyder in the director’s seat? It’s been a long time in the making and it will be interesting to see how much audiences care about the Spartans and their quest to destroy Xerxes. What’s most appealing about Rise of an Empire is how the story will be told: before, during, and after the events of 300.

2 Guns – August 2 – (Not Yet Rated) – A DEA agent and an undercover Naval Intelligence officer who have been tasked with investigating one another find they have been set up by the mob — the very organization the two men believe they have been stealing money from.

To have Denzel Washington team up with Mark Wahlberg in a quite unusual buddy cop movie is enough to warrant a little intrigue. The trailer gives a little too much away, but the chemistry between Washington and Wahlberg feels well put together. There’s a decent cast – James Marsden, Paula Patton, Bill Paxton, and Edward James Olmos – but it’s the director Baltasar Kormákur that worries me. He directed Contraband and that wasn’t the most pleasing movie to sit through.

The Smurfs 2 – August 2 – (Not Yet Rated) – The Smurfs team up with their human friends to rescue Smurfette, who has been kidnapped by Gargamel since she knows a secret spell that can turn the evil sorcerer’s newest creation – creatures called the Naughties – into real Smurfs.

You’ve got to give a hand to those foreign box office ticket sales. I can’t explain what it is about The Smurfs that proves so fascinating overseas, but it is enough to pocket over $421 million – almost three times as much our domestic box office hauled. It’s never been clear as to why Gargamel wants to capture the Smurfs, and I don’t think we’ll ever find out the answer to that question anytime soon. Unless you like Robot Chicken!

The Spectacular Now – August 2 – (Not Yet Rated) – A hard-partying high school senior’s philosophy on life changes when he meets the not-so-typical “nice girl.”

There are four possible reasons why you could be excited for The Spectacular Now. Shailene Woodley stole your heart in The Descendants, you love her on The Secrete Life of the American Teenager, this movie is written by the duo who brought us (500) Days of Summer, or you’ve been following festival buzz and heard this is one of the best movies of the year. This is as close to a romantic comedy as you’re going to get here folks, so plan your date night accordingly. Miles Teller isn’t my favorite person, especially after 21 & Over, but I will give him a pass if he proves his worth.

Elysium – August 9 – (Not Yet Rated) – Set in the year 2154, where the very wealthy live on a man-made space station while the rest of the population resides on a ruined Earth, a man takes on a mission that could bring equality to the polarized worlds.

It has been too long since Neill Blomkamp followed up his hit success District 9. After debuting in Hollywood four years ago with a Oscar Best Picutre nominated film, the man has been a ghost. If Blomkamp has been working all this time on Elysium we can expect incredible things. Bringing Sharlto Copley back on board along with Matt Damon and Jodie Foster, Elysium has almost too much promise for it to go wrong.

Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters – August 9 – (Not Yet Rated) –  In order to restore their dying safe haven, the son of Poseidon and his friends embark on a quest to the Sea of Monsters to find the mythical Golden Fleece and to stop an ancient evil from rising.

Coming off from The Perks of Being a Wallflower, I can’t help but think that Logan Lerman can’t be too excited to return to the world of Percy Jackson after three years from the first movie. Now that we have the director of Hotel for Dogs and Diary of a Wimpy Kid we may get a better more likeable story; or maybe not. The action does seem to be amplified, but as we’ve learned from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, that doesn’t mean it’s a good thing.

Planes – August 9 – (Not Yet Rated) – Dusty is a cropdusting plane who dreams of competing in a famous aerial race. The problem? He is hopelessly afraid of heights. With the support of his mentor Skipper and a host of new friends, Dusty sets off to make his dreams come true.

Originally, the plan for Planes was to throw it straight to DVD, but now parents have the pleasure to throw more money at Disney with a theatrical release. There can’t be too much confidence from the studios, especially with the roster of voices they’ve been able to scrounge up – Val Kilmer, Cedric the Entertainer, Julia Louis-Drefus, Brad Garrett, Teri Hatcher, John Cleese, Dane Cook, Sinbad, and Gabriel Iglesias. Directed by the supervising-director of various King of the Hill episodes, I’m not too worried about this film lifting off for more sequels anytime soon.

We’re the Millers – August 9 – (Not Yet Rated) –A veteran pot dealer creates a fake family as part of his plan to move a huge shipment of weed into the U.S. from Mexico.

Jason Sudeikis irks me. I can’t stand the man in anything. Thankfully they cast Emma Roberts as well as Jennifer Aniston to play a hooker, which brings a little light at the end of the tunnel. But what really attracts me to this movie is the director, Rawson Marshall Thurber, who hasn’t been in the spotlight since Dodgeball. There are also a handful of writers behind this film that have come from The Hard Times of RJ Berger, Sex Drive, Hot Tub Time Machine, and Wedding Crashers. Gathering all of those writing credits, this has to be a comedy gold mine, right?

Kick-Ass 2 – August 16 – (Rated R) 113 min – The costumed high-school hero Kick-Ass joins with a group of normal citizens who have been inspired to fight crime in costume. Meanwhile, the Red Mist plots an act of revenge that will affect everyone Kick-Ass knows.

The long-awaited sequel to the smash hit Kick-Ass has finally been realized. Kick-Ass 2 is ready for action and brings forth Jim Carrey as Col. Stars and Stripes in replace of Nic Cage. I don’t trust director Jeff Wadlow (Cry_Wolf; Never Back Down) due to his lack of experience, but Matthew Vaughn and Mark Millar both have producing credits. I am crossing my fingers they saw something in Wadlow that proved he had what it takes to carry on a franchise that became so beloved. It better not ruin the integrity of the first film.

The To Do List – August 16 – (Rated R) – Feeling pressured to become more sexually experienced before she goes to college, Brandy Clark makes a list of things to accomplish before hitting campus in the fall.

Is Aubrey Plaza leading lady material? This will be a true test for the young actress to see how well she can stand up to the pressure with all eyes fixated on her. She has proven to be hysterical on Parks and Rec, but is a bit typecast as the straight-faced Negative Nancy. It will be fun to see her play something different. This will be Maggie Carey’s directorial debut; you may have seen some of her work on Funny or Die Presents – she also wrote the screenplay. If Aubrey cannot hold up on her own, the cast is pretty well stacked with Alia Shawkat, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, Rachel Bilson, Clark Gregg, Connie Britton, Andy Samberg, Bill Hader, and Donald Glover. Fun fact, this movie use to be called The Hand Job.

Paranoia – August 16 – (Not Yet Rated) – An entry-level employee at a powerful corporation finds himself occupying a corner office, but at a dangerous price: he must spy on his boss’s old mentor to secure for him a multi-billion dollar advantage.

From the director that brought you Legally Blonde, Monster in Law, The Ugly Truth, and Killers, Robert Luketic tackles the adaptation of Joseph Finder’s book of the same title, Paranoia. Luketic has never dipped his hands in the drama genre before and it will be fascinating to see what comes out of this. Starring Amber Heard, Harrison Ford, Liam Hemsworth, Josh Holloway, Gary Oldman, and Richard Dreyfuss, my curiosity level is at an all time medium to high.

Prince Avalanche – August 16 – (Not Yet Rated) 94 min – Two highway road workers spend the summer of 1988 away from their city lives. The isolated landscape becomes a place of misadventure as the men find themselves at odds with each other and the women they left behind.

2013 is the year of buddy films, whether they be cops or not. Stitching together Paul Rudd and Emile Hirsch sounds like a fantasy football draft, but the two have in fact been called together for Prince Avalanche. The duo appear to have a fun chemistry together, but coming from writer-director David Gordon Green (Pineapple Express; Your Highness; The Sitter), this movie could be hit or miss.

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones – August 23 – (Not Yet Rated) – When her mom is attacked and taken from their home in New York City by a demon, a seemingly ordinary teenage girl, Clary Fray, finds out truths about her past and bloodline on her quest to get her back, that changes her entire life.

City of Bones marks the final attempt this year at tween fantasy romance adaptations trying to force themselves in a place they do not belong. After The Host and Beautiful Creatures bombed miserably this year, I cannot see any glimmer of hope for The Mortal Instruments to continue on past the first book. It’s kind of a shame too because this one looks the most expensive. I have to give the marketing team credit, if there is any hint of romance in this movie, they don’t show it in the trailers.

The World’s End – August 23 – (Not Yet Rated) – Five friends who reunite in an attempt to top their epic pub crawl from 20 years earlier unwittingly become humankind’s only hope for survival.

The epic conclusion to Edgar Wright’s unofficial “Blood and Ice Cream Trilogy” is finally here. Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz are classics, and August cannot come soon enough. Bilbo himself, Martin Freeman, also stars alongside Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. Wright’s previous films have been whimsical journeys of friendship and trust, so this pub crawl at the end of the world shall be one to remember.

You’re Next – August 23 – (Rated R) 96 min – When the Davison family comes under attack during their wedding anniversary getaway, the gang of mysterious killers soon learns that one of victims harbors a secret talent for fighting back. 

Home invasion movies are the pinnacle of true terror. We don’t think it could happen to us and it is shocking to experience it in the theaters with how violent they can be. You’re Next has been on my radar for almost three years, and I’m happy to see it finally debut in theaters. Sharni Vinson showed us how well she can shake it in Step Up 4: Revolution and we’ll see how much she can mix it up here in a truly horrifying situation.

One Direction: This is Us 3D – August 30 – An all-access pass to the British pop sensation One Direction live in concert.

And what better way to cap off the summer than with a 3D concert movie featuring One Direction… enough said.

Give TTRC a Like on Facebook or Follow us on Twitter or Tumblr for more updates

All synopses courtesy of IMDB.com