Summer’s almost here, which means film studios will start rolling out the tentpoles.
“Guardians of the Galaxy 2” ushers in the onslaught Friday. And while blockbusters normally aren’t my thing (and neither are franchise sequels, for that matter), I can’t help but be excited for “Guardians 2.”
The original was surprisingly charming, thanks in large part to Chris Pratt (Peter Quill) and an animated extraterrestrial tree. And this time around that tree is tiny, thus even more endearing, and Kurt Russell, the king of charisma, has joined the cast as Quill’s dad. So it’s kind of impossible not to be pumped.
But perusing lists of other summer flicks, I found myself interested in a few other big-budget offerings. I don’t know if that means my tastes are changing or the content is getting better, but whatever the reason, here are few moneymakers that look promising:
— “Spider-Man: Homecoming” — July 6 — There’s no need for another Spider-Man movie, I realize. But after watching snippets of Tom Holland’s performance in trailers, I want to see this latest iteration anyway. While pretty much no one was on board for Andrew Garfield’s turn as the nerd-turned-superhero, I was never all that enamored with Tobey Maguire’s Spider-Man either. Holland, however, won me over right away. He seems to have an innate sweetness, to go along with the prerequisite awkwardness, that makes him stand out. And since Marvel is involved, the Avengers will also breathe some new life into what could have been just the same old retold origin story.
— “Dunkirk” — July 22 — If anyone can make a blockbuster worth watching, it’s Christopher Nolan. He’s conquered both superheroes and sci-fi. And for his latest project he’s taking on true life, with a film that focuses on one of World War II’s bloodiest battles. Familiar faces in Nolan’s film like Tom Hardy and Cillian Murphy will star alongside Mark Rylance, Kenneth Branagh and, of all people, Harry Styles.
— “Atomic Blonde” — July 28 — Whoever came up with the idea to cast Charlize Theron as an undercover M16 agent during the Cold War is a genius. Ever since she proved her action chops with her turn as Furiosa in “Mad Max,” I’ve wanted to see her in grittier roles. “Atomic Blonde” will give her plenty of chances to fight, but also showcase the sensuality for which she’s better known.
Lindsey Fleming is a writer/copy editor for The Dominion Post. Email her at lfleming@dominionpost.com.
