Summer Movie Season 2023

It is now May, so it's time to look forward to one of my favorite seasons of the year: Summer movie season.

It used to be that Summer movie season would begin in June.  But then it became standard for the big movies to come out in May.  

I know as a cinephile I should be more interested in when the "important" movies come out just before the major awards.  But I think the movies of summer are pure cinema and tend to be the ones remembered long after people have forgotten the plot of whatever film won the Oscar for Best Picture.

Here is a list, with a few brief thoughts of my own, including on a scale of 1-5 stars my likelihood of seeing it in theaters (1 being “Not at all” 5 being “Cannot wait!”).


MAY 5

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3

While the second volume was not great, I enjoyed it.  And the good will from the first volume is still with me.  I am a sucker for conclusions to trilogies and I am very excited to see what happens.  I am tamping down my expectations, but I already have my tickets ready. (*****)

Love Again

Everything about this looks bad.  Nothing looks natural or fun. (*)

MAY 12

Knights of the Zodiac

Something about this movie feels like it is a high-budget fan film.  That isn't to say that what Hollywood is producing is much better, but there seems to be something missing from this movie (*)

Hypnotic

This should be right up my alley: a high concept heist movie staring Ben Affleck.  But I get the feeling the movie is going to be too clever for its own good.  (***)

MAY 19

Fast X

This will be the first Fast and Furious movie that I will see in the theater (not counting Hobbes and Shaw).  Only during the pandemic did I get caught up on this series.  To be sure, this does not look like it is the best of the series, but this is one of the last chances I will have to experience this franchise at the cinema.  (*****)




MAY 26
The Little Mermaid

While the music is timeless, I am kind of burned out on the live-action remakes of Disney classics.  There doesn't seem anything of value added to this remake.  (**)

JUNE 2

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse

I had low expectations for the first movie and I was blown away when I saw it.  I should be more excited for this movie, but there are some absolutely odd choices that are throwing me off a bit.  I'm not a fan of them making Miguel O'Hara a bad guy since I have nostalgic feelings about Spider-Man 2099.  But I trust the filmmakers enough to give them a shot (****)

Padre Pio

I am very curious about this movie, especially on the effect on Shia LaBeouf's spiritual life.  But after watching a clip of the saint dropping an f-bomb... I just don't know (**)

JUNE 16

The Flash

I have never been a fan of Ezra Miller as Barry Allen.  But they are adapting one of Geoff Johns' most impactful stories and Michael Keaton looks fantastic in his return to the role of Batman.  I am very curious to see how this will turn out (****)


Elemental

I should be way more excited for a PIXAR movie, but by now I think that the bloom is off the rose.  It doesn't look like this movie is bad, but I am a little gun shy because of the low quality of some of the movies they have releasing.

JUNE 23


No Hard Feelings

This trailer made me laugh way more than it should have.  It looks like it could be very raunchy, but I don't mind that as long as the jokes are funny.  I don't recall Jennifer Lawrence doing a slapstick comedy like this, and it is nice to see her stretch her range.  Based on what I've seen, she actually looks pretty funny (****)

JUNE 30

Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

If I'm honest, this looks worse than Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.  But I want to be there to see one of my childhood heroes one last time on the big screen.  Of course if they give him The Last Jedi treatment, I will definitely regret it. (****)


JULY 7

Joy Ride

As I just mentioned about No Hard Feelings, I don't mind raunchy comedies as long as the raunch is a replacement for actual humor.  Unfortunately, there doesn't seem much humor beyond the vulgarity and grossness of this film. (*)

JULY 14

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part I

Tom Cruise is riding high after Top Gun: Maverick.  On top of that, this series has only improved since Part 2.  I also like the fact that this is looking to reach back all the way back to the original movie.  Everything about this movie tells me that this will be a supremely entertaining movie with some stunning stunts.  I think this is going to be a such a fun time at the theater. (*****)



JULY 21

Barbie


Here is the thing that boggles me about this movie: it is a movie about a kids' product that is filled with adult jokes.  If this movie wanted to be a big hit, it would be a kids' movie.  But instead it seems strangely ironic and cynical.  This is a terrible idea for Mattel to hand over their intellectual property like this.  Maybe I'm wrong, though (**)


Oppenheimer

I will see any Christopher Nolan movie in the theater.  He has earned that much good will, even after the mediocre Tenet.  This is his biggest attempt to finally get an Oscar.  I'll be there opening night. (*****)


JULY 28
Haunted Mansion

While the trailer is funnier than I was expecting, it still isn't grabbing me as a "must see."  (**)




August 4
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem

This looks like the worst interpretation of TMNT that I have seen.  I have no desire to see it (*)

Meg 2: The Trench

The first one was some dumb fun.  I'm not sure I am interested enough to see this one in the theater. (**)



AUGUST 18

Blue Beetle

The trailer looks pretty good.  And I like the lead actor from Cobra Kai, so I will give this a shot, even though the trailer makes an inexplicable attack on the most popular DC hero (****)



Thoughts?