Avengers: Age of Ultron
Dir. Joss Whedon
May 1
Folks overseas got a head start on us here in the states and have already thrown wads of their hard-earned allowance money at movie theater employees so they can have a taste of Marvel‘s latest superhero confection, and now that Avengers: Age of Ultron has finally burst into U.S. theaters the only real question is how many box office records it will leave in its wake. Deadline reports Age of Ultron is expected to eclipse the massive $207.4 million opening of its predecessor — some estimates are as high as $230 million — en route to becoming one of the biggest movies of all-time. As much as I’ve grown tired of Marvel’s output, I can’t help but be excited at the prospect of peeping a new Joss Whedon joint, and I’ll do anything to get the sour taste of Guardians of the Galaxy out of my mouth.
From the synopsis, when Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth’s Mightiest Heroes are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans. Robert Downey Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, James Spader, and pretty much everyone who has ever been in a Marvel movie star.
Mad Max: Fury Road
Dir. George Miller
May 15
If I’m approaching Avengers: Age of Ultron with reservations, I’m bursting at the seams just waiting until I can feast my eyes on Mad Max: Fury Road. The long-awaited fourth film in the Mad Max franchise, Fury Road is the first such installment in 30 years, and it looks far and away like the most interesting ‘buster of the summer. Director George Miller claims the majority of the effects and stunts in the film are practical (new featurette below!), so whether it winds up worth the wait or a sloppy mess that never should have been made, Mad Max: Fury Road pretty much promises to be a batshit insane, adrenaline-fueled thrill ride. And with Tom Hardy in the lead role, all I can say is I’m ready. Let’s just hope it was worth the time, the money, and all those reshoots.
From the director of the original Mad Max trilogy, Mad Max: Fury Road centers on a man, troubled by his past, who wanders the desert alone until he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the wasteland. A warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane road war that follows. Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult, Zoe Kravitz, Adelaide Clemens, Riley Keough, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Megan Gale and Abbey Lee round out the cast.
Oh, and here’s a new featurette for you to sink your teeth into.
Slow West
Dir. John Maclean
May 15
When summer rolls around and we’re inundated with superheroes, sequels, computer-generated effects, and Melissa McCarthy comedies, it’s nice to find movies that step away from the typical summer mold. Be it a character-driven drama, a high-concept thriller, an indie comedy, or a traditional western, these movies are like finding shade in the desert. Perhaps I say that because I live in a desert, so a trip to the theater is a great way to spend an afternoon indoors and not pay for air conditioning, but I digress. Winner of the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize (Drama) at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, Slow West looks like another stunner from A24 on the heels of Locke, A Most Violent Year, and Ex Machina, among others. The boutique studio has fast become one of my favorites, and if it continues churning out films of this apparent caliber I’ll happily get in line to see ’em all.
Set at the end of the nineteenth century, John Maclean‘s feature directorial debut tells the tale of 16-year-old Jay Cavendish as he journeys across the American frontier in search of the woman he loves. He is joined by Silas, a mysterious traveler, and hotly pursued by an outlaw along the way. Michael Fassbender, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Rory McCann and Ben Mendelsohn star.
Tomorrowland
Dir. Brad Bird
May 22
Thus far in his career, director Brad Bird is batting a perfect 4-for-4. He gave us animated favorites The Iron Giant, The Incredibles, and Ratatouille, and then he segued into live-action filmmaking with Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, which is arguably my favorite installment in the acclaimed action franchise. It feels like a long time since I’ve seen a refreshing and worthwhile science fiction movie with a family-friendly PG rating, but Bird’s Tomorrowland appears as though it might fit the description. From the synopsis below Tomorrowland sounds — and based on the trailer, looks — like something Steven Spielberg would have made in the 1970s or 1980s, and as an avid fan of Spielberg circa that time, I’m on board. Now let’s see if Bird can stretch his hit streak to five.
Bound by a shared destiny, a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity and a former boy-genius inventor jaded by disillusionment embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space that exists in their collective memory as Tomorrowland. The film stars George Clooney, Hugh Laurie, Raffey Cassidy, Thomas Robinson, Britt Robertson, Judy Greer and Kathryn Hahn.
Aloha
Dir. Cameron Crowe
May 29
I don’t know what to think about or what to expect from Aloha. For a time it sounded like a dream project — Bradley Cooper and Emma Stone, starring opposite each other at last — but then those Sony e-mails leaked and well, let’s just say that when a studio executive proclaims she is “never starting a movie again when the script is ridiculous and we [all] know it,” it’s probably right to be wary. But I don’t know, I guess I’m hopeful Stone’s infinite charm and Cooper’s evolving abilities are enough to carry this one, even if it’s been a hot minute since I saw a Cameron Crowe picture I enjoyed. After Say Anything…, Jerry Maguire, and Almost Famous, Crowe stumbled a bit, but maybe Aloha will be the one to get him back on track. Then again, maybe not. At this point I’m mainly just curious if this film and not Judd Apatow‘s should be titled Trainwreck.
Aloha centers on a celebrated military contractor who returns to the site of his greatest career triumphs and re-connects with a long-ago love while unexpectedly falling for the hard-charging Air Force watchdog assigned to him. Rachel McAdams, Bill Murray, Danny McBride, Alec Baldwin, Edi Gathegi, Jay Baruchel and Jaeden Lieberher join Cooper and Stone in Crowe’s latest.
Well there you have it folks, a quick rundown of the May 2015 release slate, including five must-see films and five more you should consider checking out. May is just the beginning of the summer movie season, so while it looks a bit barren I hope June, July, and even August have a bit more to offer us, but I bet there are still at least a couple gems for us to unearth in this first month of the summer.
I’m about to close out this joint, so now I turn it over to you. Is there anything I’ve overlooked, or is there anything I’ve highlighted you aren’t interested in at all? Am I underestimating what May has to offer? Are you sick and tired of me asking you questions like this and simply looking for a way to get me to shut up? Sound off in the comments below and tell me which five films coming out over the course of the next month are ones you consider must-sees.
