Summer films to bring heated competition to box office

The past month or so of summer movies has been a weekly battle worthy of box office history. Movies such as “Man of Steel,” “Monsters University” and “World War Z” have performed beyond expectations, collaboratively breaking several records for the month of June, and redeeming the industry’s weak performance during the early year. But as always, some big budget films don’t make their intended impact, “After Earth,” “White House Down” and “The Lone Ranger” among the recent crop. Here’s a look at some of the most anticipated films fighting for the weekly crown in the months before fall quarter.

 

“Pacific Rim”
July 12
Warner Bros.

Guillermo del Toro, director of “Pan’s Labyrinth” and the “Hellboy” series, is well-known for his distinctive, surreal depictions of monsters on film. “Pacific Rim” appropriately features giant monsters, but not as the main characters of this particular story – those are giant robots. When mankind is on the brink of destruction from the Kaiju, large underwater creatures, two unlikely pilots (Charlie Hunnam and Rinko Kikuchi) are the last hope in fighting them off using an obsolete Jaeger, a “Transformers”-esque weapon, from the past. A great cast and an interesting screenplay by Travis Beacham (“Clash of the Titans”) make this a destructive summer movie to look for.

 

“Red 2”
July 19
Summit Entertainment

2010’s “Red,” based on the limited Wildstorm comic series, was a sleeper hit, receiving unanticipated positive reception for its stylish action and witty comedy. “Red 2” promises to bring back a lot of the fun the first film had, along with its unlikely team of operatives, including stars Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker and Helen Mirren. The film takes the group on a mission around the world when Frank Moses (Willis) is disturbed from his quiet, normal life with the threat of a nuclear device being armed in Russia. “Red 2” faces some tough box office competition, but is likely to find success in a time of flourishing comic book adaptations.

 

“R.I.P.D.”
July 19
Universal Pictures

“R.I.P.D.” has a fair amount going for and against it. “R.I.P.D” stands for the Rest in Peace Department, a supernatural group that dispatches cops to Earth to keep dead souls from causing havoc, forcing them to pass on to the afterlife. Two very different cops are paired together (Jeff Bridges and Ryan Reynolds) and must grudgingly work as a team to prevent a deadly plot that threatens the living world. With elements of “Men in Black” and “Red” abound, “R.I.P.D.” seems a bit repetitive for the genre. But with what is possibly the craziest storyline of the summer, it has just the right ingredients for a potential cult classic in the making.

 

“The Wolverine”
July 26
20th Century Fox

X-Men fans are cautious of “The Wolverine,” many being disappointed with the franchise’s last effort, “X-Men Origins: Wolverine.” However, with director James Mangold (“Walk the Line”) and screenwriter Christopher McQuarrie (“The Usual Suspects”) onboard, much of the promise of the first X-Men films have returned. “The Wolverine” sees Hugh Jackman as the titular character in Japan, fighting ninjas in samurai-style action. However, the true struggles he faces lie within the troubles of his past and the wear of his immortality. Following the storyline left off in “X-Men: The Last Stand,” “The Wolverine” has the potential to set the franchise back on its high-quality course.

 

“Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters”
Aug. 7
20th Century Fox

Much of the criticism that the first film, “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” received from fans of the book series resulted from the numerous changes made to the story’s plot. Early anticipation and reception of trailers for the sequel suggests “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters” has addressed this, among other problems, giving fans hope once more. As the son of Poseidon, Percy Jackson (Logan Lerman) goes on another adventure with his friends to save their home, Camp Half-Blood, by finding the Golden Fleece. Continuing the series’ play on Greek mythology with fun adventure and fantasy, fans and non-fans alike should look for “Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters” as a capable summer hit.

 

“Elysium”
Aug. 9
TriStar Pictures

“District 9” was hailed by many as a sci-fi masterpiece, with its technological innovation and emotionally original storyline. Director and screenwriter Neill Blomkamp and star Sharlto Copley return in “Elysium,” with Matt Damon and Jodie Foster in tow. Damon plays Max De Costa, a dying civilian on an overpopulated and damaged Earth, who must go to Elysium, a large upper-class space station looming above the planet, to survive. The people of Elysium, however, are protective of their lifestyle and anti-immigration laws, pitting their police forces against De Costa, who is trying to save both himself and his planet. “Elysium” holds enough sci-fi excitement and promise to make it a likely leading force in the August box office.

 

“Kick-Ass 2”
Aug. 16
Universal Pictures

The first “Kick-Ass” created a large fanbase for itself consisting of comic book fans and violence-seeking moviegoers alike with its inventive styles of gore and profanity. “Kick-Ass 2” will bring much of that back with Kick-Ass (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Hit-Girl (Chloë Grace Moretz), two teenage street heroes who are about to graduate high school. When the villainous Red Mist (Christopher Mintz-Plasse) rebrands himself as the world’s first supervillain, Kick-Ass and Hit-Girl struggle between joining forces with the thug hero Colonel Stars and Stripes (Jim Carrey) and the prospect of retirement. With an impressive cast and an abundance of crazy carnage, “Kick-Ass 2” is sure to ride its prequel’s success to further acclaim.

 

“Riddick”
Sept. 6
Universal Pictures

The two previous entries to the franchise, “Pitch Black” and “The Chronicles of Riddick,” have their own select group of fans and haters. “Riddick” is unlikely to change the opinions of either side, but is sure to satisfy the franchise’s fans. Nine years after the last film, Vin Diesel returns as Richard B. Riddick, who has been left to die on a deserted, seemingly lifeless planet. As bounty hunters and alien predators hunt down the ex-convict for his life, Riddick makes a vengeful attack to escape the destructive land and return to save his home planet. Whether it follows the quality standards of its franchise or not, the sci-fi action thrills of “Riddick” are sure to kick off September with a bang.

 

Animation Roundup

Three animated features are scheduled to make big hits at the box office in the coming months. “Turbo” (July 17) provides an interesting twist on racing with a garden snail named Turbo (Ryan Reynolds) who gains the power to travel at incredible speeds. “The Smurfs 2” (July 31) sees the return of the little blue characters from their 2011 blockbuster as the villainous Gargamel (Hank Azaria) creates the evil Naughties to capture the Smurfs’ essence. “Planes” (Aug. 9) is a spin-off of Pixar’s “Cars” in the high-flying world of aircraft as a small, height-fearing plane named Dusty (Dane Cook) dreams of becoming a top-notch air racer.

 

Comedy Roundup

Among the comedies releasing during the remainder of the summer are three stories of adults gone nuts. “Grown Ups 2” (July 12) sees the return of its ensemble comedian cast, featuring Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Kevin James and David Spade, gathering for fun on their kids’ last day of school. “We’re the Millers” (Aug. 7) presents pot dealer David Burke (Jason Sudeikis) who is forced to smuggle a shipment in from Mexico to pay off a stolen supply. “The World’s End” (Aug. 23) brings Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and director Edgar Wright together again in the final entry of the “Cornetto Trilogy,” in which five childhood friends try to accomplish the most dangerous pub crawl mankind has ever seen.