Movies of the Month: July 2012

July is shaping up to be one of the biggest months all time at the box office. Mostly this is due to the conclusion of a certain trilogy of films featuring a caped crusader. The final installment of the Christopher Nolan-directed, Christian Bale-starring Batman films will undoubtedly be a huge hit and will rival the box office take of the other big hit of 2012, The Avengers, which currently sits at #3 all-time with ~$606 million (and counting). There’s big business in the bat. Fortunately for us, The Dark Knight Rises looks rather spectacular, so record-breaking box office success appears warranted.

But, July won’t be just a one-hit wonder. There are a few other films coming out in July that should provide plenty of entertainment and should do well at the box office too. A new Spider-Man film, a film by legendary director Oliver Stone, a new Ice Age film, and more are coming up for our entertainment.

Here is a preview of the major releases in July 2012, with a couple of limited release films to keep an eye on.

Week of July 6, 2012

The Amazing Spider-Man

The Plot: Mild mannered Peter Parker becomes Spider-Man and saves the day from the evil Lizard, all while romancing the cute Gwen Stacy.

Who’s in it? Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Rhys Ifans, Denis Leary, Martin Sheen, Sally Field

Ultimate Fate: I’ve been pretty down on the concept of a reboot of the Spider-Man franchise. We are only a few years removed from the last Spider-Man film, and to me it seems absurd to start the whole process over from the beginning. Granted, Spider-Man 3 wasn’t so good, and Tobey McGuire and the other stars of Sam Raimi’s trilogy can’t pretend to be teenagers forever. I do, however, doubt the need to start over with the origin again. We know who Spider-Man is, so why not just recast everyone and move on? I mean, if it works for James Bond or the Batman franchise, then why show the awkward teenage years of Peter Parker again? Alas, neither Marvel Studios nor appropriately named director Marc Webb consulted me about the pros and cons of a reboot before making The Amazing Spider-Man.

My negativity aside, early reviews on the new film say it isn’t terrible. Apparently, the relationship stuff between Peter and Gwen is handled well and some of the action scenes are well shot. There is some hope that The Amazing Spider-Man will be entertaining. But I think ‘not terrible’ is hardly what the producers and Marvel Studios were shooting for when they decided to start over with Spidey. If you like superhero films, or Spider-Man in particular, then ignore what I think and give it a shot.

Savages

The Plot: A couple of world-class pot growers in Southern California are rising stars in the burgeoning medicinal marijuana market. When a Mexican cartel kidnaps their girl and threatens to force them out, they fight back.

Who’s in it? Taylor Kitsch (hoping to avoid his third flop of 2012), Aaron Johnson, Blake Lively, Benicio Del Toro, Salma Hayek

Ultimate Fate: This film is directed by Oliver Stone, and it’s about drugs and organized crime. I would say it has a lot going for it. Given a solid cast (I don’t think Kitsch was the problem with John Carter or Battleship) and a story that is squarely in Stone’s wheelhouse, this has the potential to be excellent counter-programming for The Amazing Spider-Man.

Katy Perry: Part of Me

The Plot: A concert film/documentary about pop singer Katy Perry.

Who’s in it? Katy Perry, naturally

Ultimate Fate: Some of these concert film/documentary hybrids have been fairly popular. The Justin Bieber: Never Say Never film did very well at the theaters when it had it’s run last year. These sorts of films cater directly to the fans of the singers and are more like half concert, half self-promotion films than proper documentaries. Perry is one of the most popular pop songstresses going today, so there is definitely a fan base for this film. Fans will enjoy, but few others will be drawn in to the experience.

Where I’ll be this weekend: You guys can have the swinging spider. Oliver Stone has a new film back in theaters, so Savages is where I’ll be.

Week of July 13, 2012

Ice Age: Continental Drift

The Plot: Manny and the boys get separated from their wives and children and must go on an adventure across the high seas to reunite with them.

Who’s in it? The voices of Ray Romano, Denis Leary, John Leguizamo, Aziz Ansari, Queen Latifa

Ultimate Fate: The Ice Age films are essentially entertaining family dramas. Each of them is about building or reuniting with family, which is a universal and lovely theme. The ragtag, misfit group of prehistoric creatures are all cute and fun and share an unlikely camaraderie. The quality of these films has always been quite good, and they have all been very successful. There’s no reason to think this film will be any different from the rest. Expect a solid family film with this one.

Red Lights (limited)

The Plot: A cat-and-mouse tale of paranormal investigators who cross paths with a world-renowned psychic who seems to be able to read people’s minds. Is the doctor for real, or is he pulling an elaborate hoax?

Who’s in it? Sigourney Weaver, Robert De Niro, Cilian Murphy, Elisabeth Olsen

Ultimate Fate: A thriller staring Robert De Niro, Sigourney Weaver, and Cillian Murphy? About a supposed psychic and the investigators trying to decide if he’s real or not? It sounds like a pretty good setup to me. They certainly have the right cast of actors to pull off this concept, but it remains to be seen if the story is any good. A limited release with this group of actors make me wonder about the quality of the film.

Where I’ll be this weekend: I like sloths. To clarify, Sid the Sloth is a really fun and silly character who is one of the better parts of the Ice Age films. Plus, in this one, Sid apparently gets a girl! I’m down for some Ice Age: Continental Drift.

Week of July 20, 2012

The Dark Knight Rises

The Plot: Years after his encounter with The Joker, Batman faces off against Bane, perhaps his toughest foe yet. The thug Bane leads an uprising that threatens to destroy Gotham City, and it is up to Batman to save the day.

Who’s in it? Christian Bale, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Gary Oldman, Anne Hathaway, Morgan Freeman, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Marion Cotillard

Ultimate Fate: This is going to be good. Very, very good. The final film in the Christopher Nolan Batman film franchise will be a blockbuster among blockbusters. The previous Batman films under his watch have both been stellar, and all indications are that this one maintains that quality. I’m not sure what I can say about this one except that everyone and his brother will be seeing this film, and that we all will be entertained.

Where I’ll be this weekend: There’s only one major release this weekend, but it’s a biggie. The Dark Knight Rises all the way.

Week of July 27, 2012

The Watch

The Plot: A group of suburban dads set up a neighborhood watch to keep away boredom and somehow stumble upon an alien invasion plot.

Who’s in it? Ben Stiller, Vince Vaughn, Jonah Hill, Richard Ayoade

Ultimate Fate: The previews for this make it seem like a Middle-Aged Comics Gone Wild movie. In the trailers, all of the characters are completely off their chains, giving new meaning to the term, ‘over-the-top’. Vaughn’s character in particular is completely unhinged in his performance in this film. If you like aggressive comedy, then you should enjoy the film. We saw with Attack the Block last year that the concept of defending your neighborhood from alien invasion could be lots of fun. Here’s hoping that The Watch captures some of the charm from that film, which just missed my Top 10 of 2011 list.

Step Up Revolution

The Plot: The leader of a dance crew must save her neighborhood from a ruthless developer.

Who’s in it? Kathryn McCormick, Ryan Guzman, Stephen Boss, other people with fly moves

Ultimate Fate: This is a dance movie, so the actual story matters little here. It’s all about the moves. If this has good choreography, and these films tend to have what is best described as ‘outrageous’ choreography, then the kids who are into dancing will respond. It’s certainly not for everyone, but these films do have something of an audience and perform reliably.

Killer Joe (limited)

The Plot: A Texas cop moonlights as a killer-for-hire. When a couple can’t come up with his fee for a hit, their lives are on the line.

Who’s in it? Matthew McConaughey, Emile Hirsch, Thomas Haden Church

Ultimate Fate: If you get in trouble and want someone whacked, you better be able to pay the killer you hire. If you can’t, then he’s going to mess up your life. Cool premise. Apparently this is one violent film; it earned a NC-17 rating on the basis of its violence. McConaughey’s hit-man character doesn’t hold anything back and is as ruthless a killer as they come. His menacing performance has earned rave reviews on the festival circuit and apparently is one to watch.

Where I’ll be this weekend: I am curious to see just how charming and deadly McConaughey can be. He’s a solid actor, and he apparently shines in Killer Joe.

Movie of the Month: Several of these films should entertain, but there really is only one choice this month. The Dark Knight Rises caps off one of the best and most successful film franchises of all time. Can’t miss that.

Thanks for reading! I hope you found something to pique your interest at the cinema this month. Let me know which film(s) you're looking forward to in the comments below or on Twitter!