Credit: Disney Pixar Animation
Credit: 20th Century Fox
Credit: Sony Pictures Classics
Credit: Castle Rock Entertainment
School is out for summer, and with the onset of blistering Southern California heat and large blocks of free time, movie theaters offer students promises of air conditioning and affordable entertainment. And, while most students have the final Harry Potter film already on their calendar, here is a preview of some other films coming out this summer.
“Transformers: Dark of the Moon”
Directed by Michael Bay
Paramount Pictures
Starring Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel and Rosie Huntington-Whiteley
June 29
Audiences of “Transformers: Dark of the Moon” can expect many of the same things that the film’s two predecessors offered: state of the art special effects intertwined with herculean robots inspired by an ’80s Hasbro toy line. In this film, the Autobots find a Cybertronian spacecraft on the moon, initiating a race between them and the Decepticons to learn about its importance. Shia LaBeouf, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson and John Turturro return as their characters.
“Friends with Benefits”
Directed by Will Gluck
Castle Rock Entertainment
Starring Justin Timberlake and Mila Kunis
July 22
In a romantic comedy that appears to be eerily reminiscent of “No Strings Attached,” Dylan (Justin Timberlake) and Jamie (Mila Kunis) are two friends who, by adding sex to their friendship, become “friends with benefits” in the hopes that Hollywood romantic comedies’ portrayals of this kind of relationship are wrong. They soon discover, however, that becoming friends with benefits does, in fact, complicate their relationship.
“Beats, Rhymes & Life”
Directed by Michael Rapaport
Sony Pictures Classics
Starring Q-Tip, Phife Dawg, Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Jarobi White
July 8
Fans of the iconic hip-hop group, “A Tribe Called Quest,” will be pleased to exchange head nods and headphones for cinema seats and visual eats when the music documentary hits theaters in July. Michael Rapaport covers one of the most influential hip-hop groups of all time in this long-anticipated film that covers the group’s rise to commercial success, its 1998 break-up and its 2008 reunion. Behind-the-scenes footage gives audiences the chance to see that the group deals with complex issues that transcend the difficulties behind rhyme scheme and beat creation.
“Rise of the Planet of the Apes”
Directed by Rupert Wyatt
20th Century Fox
Starring James Franco, Freida Pinto and Andy Serkis
August 5
In this prequel to “Planet of the Apes,” Will Rodman (James Franco) experiments with genetic engineering and makes the discoveries that lead to the development of human-level intelligence in apes. Endowed with this intelligence, the primates become angry at their captivity and wage a war with humans for the role of supreme being on Earth.
“Cars 2″
Directed by John Lasseter
Disney Pixar Animation
Starring Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy
June 24
Pixar films typically enjoy critical and commercial success. However, it seemed that Pixar’s “Cars” did not fare extremely well with audiences when it came out. It was the less recognized family member within a realm of uncommonly successful siblings. The upcoming sequel, “Cars 2,” may seek to remedy this. Lightning McQueen (Owen Wilson) and tow truck Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) head to Japan and Europe to participate in an international Grand Prix. However, international espionage seizes Mater’s attention. He will have to choose between being a spy or helping Lightning McQueen with his racing endeavors.
Compiled by Andrew Bain and Spencer Pratt, A&E senior staff.