Monthly Movie Preview – June 2012 No offense to people who like the month of June, but this might be the weakest month of the summer movie season. Especially with G.I. Joe: Retaliation going MIA from the month's slate, this one doesn't have the firepower of May (The Avengers, Men in Black 3), July (The Amazing Spider-Man, The Dark Knight Rises) or possibly even August (The Bourne Legacy, The Expendables 2).
Instead, this month looks to have some of the most random offerings of them all. Sure, Prometheus, Brave, and Rock of Ages are mixed in there, but so is another Tyler Perry movie (Madea's Witness Protection), Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, and yup, that Channing Tatum stripping movie Magic Mike. Oh, and a movie in which Mark Wahlberg hangs out with a raunchy teddy bear (Ted) for good measure. Add a Pixar movie on top, (Brave), and you've got June. Whether these movies leave a huge box office impact or not, there's certainly enough to hold us over until July engages in its full assault next month.
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June 1
Movie of the Week
Snow White and the Huntsman
The Stars: Kristen Stewart, Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Toby Jones The Plot: A burly warrior (Hemsworth) becomes the protector of young Snow White (Stewart) as they try to vanquish an evil queen (Theron). The Buzz: The opposing casting of Stewart v. Theron could make for some amusing movie fun, and maybe Hemsworth (Thor) can put some chutzpah in whatever big weapon he'll lug around. This story may not be in desperate need of yet another re-visioning (it already had one earlier this year), but maybe the different tone of Snow White and the Huntsman will chisel it into a unique creature. Plus, is Stewart v. Theron not a cat fight you'd want to see?
The Others:
Moonrise Kingdom - Bill Murray, Bruce Willis, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand Piranha 3DD - Danielle Panabaker, David Hasselhoff, Ving Rhames, Katrina Bowden
June 8
Movie of the Week
Prometheus
The Stars: Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Noomi Rapace The Plot: The fifth film in the Alien franchise. The Buzz: It's going to be in IMAX, in 3D, but most importantly, this Ridley Scott-directed Alien movie is going to be in theaters. This month's geek heavyweight is finally coming to the masses with a bunch of promo videos to boot (but don't ask me, I ain't seen nothin'.) Co-written by Damon Lindelof ("Lost"), this one is bound to leave people talking about it as much after as they do before even see it. And if we're lucky, this IMAX 3D experience might even be scary.
The Others:
Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted - Ben Stiller, Jada Pinkett Smith, David Schwimmer, Chris Rock Safety Not Guaranteed - Mark Duplass, Aubrey Plaza, Jake Johnson Bel Ami - Robert Pattinson, Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Christina Ricci Peace, Love, and Understanding - Jane Fonda, Catherine Keener, Elisabeth Olsen, Nat Wolff
June 15
Movie of the Week
Rock of Ages
The Stars: Tom Cruise, Alec Baldwin, Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Paul Giamatti The Plot: A cinematic adaptation of the famous Broadway musical, featuring a whole bunch of 80s hair metal. The Buzz: Though the stage production has garnered lots of praise (at least, it has got some gushing bus ads), it will be curious to see what a bunch of stars can do with this concept. Will it be more than just an inflated version of "Glee"? And how much will Tom Cruise be echoing his "Seduce and Destroy" persona from Magnolia? This movie sounds like a potential nightmare for those who are tired of hearing "Don't Stop Believing" in crowded bars on late nights.
The Others:
That's My Boy - Adam Sandler, Andy Sandberg, Leighton Meester, Susan Sarandon Your Sister's Sister - Mark Duplass, Emily Blunt, Rosemarie DeWitt, Mike Birbiglia Lola Versus - Greta Gerwig, Zoe Lister Jones, Hamish Linklater
June 22
Movie of the Week
Brave
The Stars: Kelly Macdonald, Billy Connolly, Emma Thompson, Julie Waters The Plot: The latest film from Pixar Animation Studios, Brave is about a young Scottish female archer in the country's Highlands. The Buzz: After years of making films with male leads, Brave seems to be Pixar's statement of breaking that habit, with some historic Scottish pizzazz to boot. This one doesn't have a high star caliber, but that hasn't stopped previous Pixar projects of the past. Also similar to those movies, it will be curious to see how the box office responds to this story, not to mention how Pixar will try to market this one. What are the chances this different type of story will be able to stand up next to Pixar's shinier moments?
The Others:
Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter - Benjamin Walker, Rufus Sewell, Dominic Cooper, Mary Elizabeth Winstead Seeing a Friend for the End of the World - Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Melinda Dillon, Melanie Lynskey, Patton Oswalt To Rome With Love - Woody Allen, Greta Gerwig, Jesse Eisenberg, Ellen Page, Roberto Benigni, Alec Baldwin, Penelope Cruz Dark Horse - Justin Bartha, Mia Farrow, Christopher Walken
June 29
Movie of the Week
Ted
The Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Seth McFarlane, Mila Kunis The Plot: A man receives his wish of having a talking teddy bear as a friend. The Buzz: With GI Joe: Retaliation leaving the summer rotation for March 2013, Ted has taken its place. This movie certainly promises to be one of the year's more unique comedies, considering its premise and apparently loaded R-rating. There's got to be some joy in story of watching Marky Mark goof around with a teddy bear, but at the same time, this being McFarlane's first feature film, it remains to be seen what he can pull off within the restrictions of live action.
The Others:
Magic Mike - Channing Tatum, Matthew McConaughey, Alex Pettyfer Madea's Witness Protection - Tyler Perry, Eugene Levy, Denise Richards, Tom Arnold Beasts of the Southern Wild - Quvenzhané Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly, Lowell Landes People Like Us - Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Pfeiffer, Olivia Wilde Take This Waltz - Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Sarah Silverman, Aaron Abrams