Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Directed by: James Gunn
Produced by: Marvel Studios
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios
Starring: Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper, Michael Rooker, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Elizabeth Debicki, Chris Sullivan, Sean Gunn, Kurt Russell, Sylvester Stallone
Genre: Action, Sci-Fi, Comedy
Release date: May 5th, 2017
Run time: 136 minutes
Synopsis: Set to the backdrop of Awesome Mixtape #2, Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 continues the team’s adventures as they traverse the outer reaches of the cosmos. The Guardians must fight to keep their newfound family together as they unravel the mysteries of Peter Quill’s true parentage. Old foes become new allies and fan-favorite characters from the classic comics will come to our heroes’ aid as the Marvel cinematic universe continues to expand.
This is perhaps my most anticipated film of the year in a three-way tie alongside Wonder Woman and Star Wars Episode VIII: The Last Jedi, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 just has to be half as good as the first film to be a big hit. But considering what I have seen so far and what I have heard from people who have already seen the film, this looks to be a more than capable sequel and another notch on Marvel’s belt of hit films. I can’t wait until this Friday to check this one out.
King Arthur: Legend of the Sword
Directed by: Guy Ritchie
Produced by: Warner Bros Pictures
Distributed by: Warner Bros Pictures
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey, Djimon Hounsou, Aidan Gillen, Jude Law, Eric Bana
Genre: Action, Drama, Fantasy
Release date: May 12th, 2017
Run time: 126 minutes
Synopsis: When the child Arthur’s father is murdered, Vortigern, Arthur’s uncle, seizes the crown. Robbed of his birthright and with no idea who he truly is, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, his life is turned upside down and he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy…whether he likes it or not.
I am a sucker for the legend of King Arthur, and this new take on the character being helmed by Guy Ritchie looks to be fantastically amazing. Of course there is always the danger of the film being a bit to off-putting to purist of the story, but I am willing to let a bit of change for the purpose of being on film go by… as long as it is respectful of the source material.
The Wall
Directed by: Doug Liman
Produced by: Amazon Studios
Distributed by: Roadside Attractions
Starring: Aaron Taylor-Johnson, John Cena, Laith Nakli
Genre: Drama, Thriller, War
Release date: May 12th, 2017
Run time: 81 minutes
Synopsis: Two soldiers are pinned down by an Iraqi sniper, with nothing but a crumbling wall between them. Their fight becomes as much a battle of will and wits as it is of lethally accurate marksmanship.
I am a sucker for war films, and this thriller which focuses on two American soldiers pinned down by an enemy sniper looks breathtakingly exciting – especially given that the film seems to focus on only three characters for a majority of the film. But it has my attention and I am hoping that Aaron Taylor-Johnson and John Cena can deliver on the acting to make this film as poignant as it is being made out to be.
Alien: Covenant
Directed by: Ridley Scott
Produced by: 20th Century Fox
Distributed by: 20th Century Fox
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, Carmen Ejogo
Genre: Action, Thriller, Horror
Release date: May 19th, 2017
Run time: 123 minutes
Synopsis: Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, the crew of the colony ship Covenant discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world — whose sole inhabitant is the “synthetic” David, survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition.
Here’s hoping that Alien: Covenant is a way better film than Prometheus was. Of course, I didn’t mind Prometheus, it just wasn’t an Alien film. It had all the makings of a sci-fi thriller, but it lacked that feel that most Alien films have that make the audience cringe with anticipation and fear. Hey, at least Covenant has already shown a Xenomorph in the trailers, so it has that going for it.
Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales
Directed by: Joachim Rønning, Espen Sandberg
Produced by: Walt Disney Pictures
Distributed by: Walt Disney Studios
Starring: Johnny Depp, Javier Bardem, Brenton Thwaites, Kaya Scodelario, Kevin McNally, Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley
Genre: Action, Comedy, Fantasy
Release date: May 26th, 2017
Run time: 129 minutes
Synopsis: Thrust into an all-new adventure, a down-on-his-luck Captain Jack Sparrow finds the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazar, escape from the Devil’s Triangle bent on killing every pirate at sea—notably Jack. Jack’s only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth, a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry, a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifully small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has ever faced.
I’m probably setting myself up for a two-hour torture session here, but I am still willing to give the Pirates of a Caribbean series one more shot with Dead Men Tell No Tales – especially since this is rumored to be the final film in the franchise. Hopefully Depp and company can remind fans why they fell in love with this series in the first place by delivering the kind of action and comedy they deserve.
