The Most Anticipated Movies of Summer 2017

Here we go, we're almost at that time: the Summer Movie Season of 2017. Now, I have to say that I hope (crossing my fingers) that this summer movie season is better than last year's because there were not many good blockbuster or popcorn movies that were offered to me or the audience and were met with disappointing results. However, it was easier than usual to come up with the batch of movies that I am excited for but it was a little harder to rank.

The only great and exciting fact is that there are a lot of superhero movies but also a lot of movies from good directors such as Matt Reeves, Christopher Nolan, Edgar Wright, Ridley Scott that will be put on the table for this summer. Anyway, let's get started. In recent years, usually, my most anticipated movie comes out in May. It is not going to happen this year, but it does come close.

10. Despicable Me 3 (Jun. 30)

I adored the first movie and I sort of liked its sequel. So, if they diminish the use of the Minions and retract them as supporting players and focus on Gru's mission and his three children, then I'm hoping it's like the first movie. However, this latest movie has an entertainingly funny villain who seems like he is stuck in the 1980s.

9. The Mummy (Jun. 9)

One of the last movies I needed was another remake of The Mummy. However, when I read that Tom Cruise was being cast in this monster movie and then I got a bit confused because he normally does not appear in horror-thriller movies. The only movie I can think of is Interview with the Vampire. But after watching the first few trailers, I thought that it could be a very entertaining action-horror-thriller movie that combines both Mission: Impossible and a monster movie. If this turns out to be solid, the Universal Monster Franchise will be set on course.

8. Atomic Blonde (Jul. 28)

VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED.

From one of the co-directors of John Wick, David Leitch has now made a bad-ass action movie with a bad-ass female character starring Charlize Theron who was in a great action movie, Mad Max: Fury Road and will be in an upcoming sequel: The Fate of the Furious. Her character, a top-level spy for MI6, unleashes her skills in pursuing some sort of threat. But it has a great cast with James McAvoy, John Goodman, Eddie Marsan, Sofia Boutella and Toby Jones. I can't wait for this movie.

7. Spider-Man: Homecoming (Jul. 7)

Here's the reason why I put this movie low on my anticipated movies list. I hope this will be good and this will be exciting because this is the Spider-Man I was waiting for with Tom Holland being cast as Peter Parker as he got screen-time in the last Captain America movie. However, along with Marvel Studios, Sony Pictures is producing this movie and that gets me worried a little bit because I know what they did with other Spider-Man movies. But, again, I like the high school feel and some of the cast such as Robert Downey Jr., Marisa Tomei, Zendaya, Donald Glover, Jacob Battalion and ironically, Michael Keaton as the villain.

6. Wonder Woman (Jun. 2)

I am also very excited for this movie but I am sliding it out of the top 5 just to be careful because, again, it is Warner Bros. and DC and the last time I got real excited about a DC movie, it was Suicide Squad. And, that was a mess and while it was entertaining to watch in the theater, I forgot about the movie a few hours later even though I loved Will Smith and Margot Robbie in their roles. I am still a little apprehensive about Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman because of her acting but when she commits to an action sequence or fight, she commits. I have my faith in director Patty Jenkins to make a very solid superhero film and a good chemistry between Gadot and Chris Pine.

5. Alien: Covenant (May 19)

I liked Prometheus despite some flaws in its storytelling. However, after watching the first few trailers, I was terrified and applauded director Ridley Scott's next project because the tone and vibe felt like a return to the Alien franchise. We also figure out what was going on from that previous movie with David and also the character played by Noomi Rapace. It has another strong cast as the movie's characters are divided by couple which was an interesting concept in the story starring Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Demián Bichir, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Justin Smollett and James Franco. I hope that this will be another scary movie.

4. Dunkirk (Jul. 21)

Director Christopher Nolan is back and is helming a different genre than his science-fiction movies and superhero movies and made the right movie to make his passion project with a war movie about the Dunkirk evacuation. Nolan cites this movie as more of a suspense about surviving than a war film with bloody aspects. The only nervous aspect is that this movie will be rated PG-13 because it will not be as realistic like Saving Private Ryan or Hacksaw Ridge. But, I'm not as nervous because he did make The Dark Knight, which is one of the darkest superhero movies ever and is one of the strongest PG-13 movies with the violence. However, I hope the journey and the action sequences will deliver.

3. Baby Driver (Jun. 28)

While looking at his filmography on IMDB, Director Edgar Wright has not made a bad movie and the Cornetto trilogy was entertaining and Scott Pilgrim vs. the World was fresh and fantastic. This movie has a little familiarity as it looks like a comical, crime version of Drive. But, this movie looks edgy and fast-paced with some interesting characters in the mix as to who will come out in top. It has one of the best casts of the summer with Ansel Elgort, Lily James, Kevin Spacey, Jon Hamm, Jon Bernthal and Jamie Foxx. I am pumped for this movie because this in my wheelhouse of fresh, action-packed and frantic-paced films that I like.

2. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5)

"What a bunch of a--holes!" The Guardians are back as director James Gunn is marketing this sequel as another fun Marvel joyride in space and that's what I liked about the first movie: the joyride and the chemistry between all five characters. Is it on the top of first-tier Marvel movies? No. But, I can argue that this is the most fun Marvel movie in its franchise. I am hoping the sequel is good but history has shown that Marvel sequels have been a bit worse than its predecessors: Iron Man 2 and Avengers: Age of Ultron. I hope it is in the conversation with Captain America: The Winter Soldier as one of the sequels that exceeds the first movie.

1. War for the Planet of the Apes (Jul. 14)

I liked Rise of the Planet of the Apes, I loved Dawn of the Planet of the Apes. And, if this movie ends on a solid or a great movie, this trilogy can be talked in a conversation regarding one of the best trilogies ever made. Director Matt Reeves is taking this movie after the events of the second movie as Caesar, again played effortlessly by Andy Serkis, tries to avenge his kind after suffering heavy losses with a war against humans. It will be exciting as I watch the apes be in combat against Woody Harrelson and his soldiers in the cold environment as that weather is the best atmosphere to have a dark story. Let's hope there are more apes in tanks and maybe apes on a helicopter as the vehicle of aviation draws fire on the humans.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (One more chance. May 26th)