July Movie Preview

Greetings fellow movie lovers. July has a lot to offer including what appears to be the biggest summer movie of the year, Pacific Rim. Which of the following are you looking forward to? Which ones will you be skipping? Be sure to comment or send us a mention on twitter, we would love to hear from you!

Despicable Me 2 – July 3

Remember those adorable minions from Despicable Me? It looks like they play a bigger role in the sequel that brings back an entertaining cast: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Russell Brand, Ken Jeong and Steve Coogan. Gru (Carell) is recruited by the Anti-Villain League to help fight off a new super villain. This looks hilarious!

The Lone Ranger – July 3

The Lone Ranger features Johnny Depp as “Tonto” and Armie Hammer as the title character. Considering it’s been twelve years since Depp was in a great live-action film (Blow), this one looks like a stinker! Do you like the Pirates franchise? Looks like it’s right up your alley!

 The Way, Way Back – July 5

This film has generated a lot of buzz since it’s premiere at Sundance this year. Nat Faxon and Jim Rash (Academy Winners “Best Original Screenplay” The Descendants) wrote the film and make their directorial debut. This movie looks like it’s laced with love, reality and a dash of that indie charm that wowed audiences with The Descendants. Sam Rockwell? Sign me up!

Grown Ups 2 – July 12

Adam Sandler, Kevin James, Chris Rock, David Spade, Salma Hayek, Maya Rudolph and Shaquille O’Neal?! Sandler has given up and is happy to mail it in with every Sandler film since Click (Funny People is Apatow and does not count!). If you see this movie theatrically, give your head a shake!

Pacific Rim – July 12

Guillermo del Toro with giant robots versus monsters? SIGN ME UP! This film received a huge response out of the teaser that played at Comic Con 2012. Planted in the middle of summer movie season this is setup for success.

Fruitvale Station – July 12

This film gained a ton of momentum after premiering at Sundance (Grand Jury Prize Winner). Fruitvale Station played at Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section and won the “Best First Film” Award. I’ll be honest I haven’t watched a trailer or read a synopsis. I saw the name, Michael B. Jordan and bought in right away. Jordan is well known for his role in the HBO Series, The Wire. He also did a fantastic job with the found-footage superhero film, Chronicle. It’s rumored that Jordan has been offered the role of Johnny Storm in the Fantastic Four reboot. This is a star on the rise!

Turbo – July 17

In this animated film Ryan Reynolds plays a garden snail hell-bent on becoming a racecar driver. An accident provides him with the speed he needs he pursues his dream. Let’s hope this is a bright spot in an otherwise forgettable year of animated films. (The Croods is the exception!)

The Conjuring – July 19

James Wan (Director) is one of the best genre filmmakers working today: Saw, Dead Silence, Insidious (Insidious 2 this Fall) and The Conjuring. This film looks scary!! Wan is taking over the Fast and Furious franchise. Let’s hope this is just another chapter in Wan’s impressive lineup of genre films. Please continue to make scary movies!!

Red 2 – July 19

A cast of older performers plays retired elite operatives from various organizations. Written by the Jon Hoeber/Erich Hoeber (Whiteout, Red, Battleship) this film shows little promise. I seem to be in the minority as Red became cliché and quite dull. We get it, old people shooting people is “funny.” It’s about as funny as films that use old people for shock humor/foul language.

R.I.P.D. – July 19

Ryan Reynolds and Jeff Bridges play a pair of undead police officers working for the “Rest In Peace Department.” Think, Men In Black but with Reynolds and Bridges. Can you e-mail me if you find a single person who is looking forward to this film?

Blackfish – July 19

Blackfish is a documentary about Tilikum, a killer whale that killed three individuals including SeaWorld’s top whale trainer. Blackfish was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at Sundance Film Festival and earns all discussion surrounding “Best Documentary of the Year.” We will post a full review within a few days, written by yours truly. It’s a shocking eye opener that stirs a ton of emotions. It’s sickening to witness the mishandling of killer whales. The stories are unreal.

Only God Forgives – July 19

Nicholas Winding Refn (Director/Writer) teams up with Ryan Gosling for a crime thriller set in Thailand. Only God Forgives received mixed reviews at Cannes Film Festival with whispers of “Best Lead Actress,” for Kristen Scott Thomas. Refn is among the best visual, stylish filmmakers working today. This film receives a limited release along with VOD. Scored by Cliff Martinez (Drive, Spring Breakers) this is a highly anticipated film.

The To-Do List – July 26

Audrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation, Safety Not Guaranteed) plays a young woman who feels the need to become more sexually experienced before going to college. A Google search reveals an “R” rating via IMDB. The trailer is hysterical! Plaza has her own kind of beauty, I cannot wait to see her playing the lead.

The Wolverine – July 26

The Wolverine is set in Japan where he must face an old enemy. It appears Wolverine is more vulnerable in this film, raising the stakes of the film. X-Men Origins: Wolverine put a foul taste in the collective mouth of audiences. As much as I appreciate James Mangold’s work (Walk the Line, 3:10 To Yuma) it would have been cool to see what Darren Aronofsky could have done with this film. We’ll never know!

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Adrian Charlie

Staff Film Critic

I'm from Victoria BC and love watching films from all corners of the world. I'm fascinated by interpreting films and connecting with other film lovers. I love sharp, clever dialogue (QT), beautifully shot films (The Thin Red Line) and a filmmaker who trusts the audience to put it all together and leave room for discussion (PTA).

Latest posts by Adrian Charlie (see all)

• Review: Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (2012) - July 6, 2013
• July Movie Preview - July 2, 2013
• Review: I Am Breathing (2013) - June 21, 2013