“Aladdin”
Cast: Will Smith, Naomi Scott, Mena Massoud, Marwan Kenzari
Synopsis: A street rat frees a genie from a lamp, granting all of his wishes and transforming himself into a charming prince in order to marry a beautiful princess. But soon, an evil sorcerer becomes hell-bent on securing the lamp for his own sinister purposes.
What You Need to Know: If they had to make a remake of the Disney favorite “Aladdin” (and considering the company’s go-for-broke cash cow approach to nostalgia, it was only a matter of time) they might’ve thought better than to bring in someone who wasn’t Guy Ritchie to helm the film. His trademark slow-motion style is on display in the trailers alone and while some of the most iconic scenes such as the “A Whole New World” sequence stays true to the original, the dissonance between Ritchie’s style and the shot for shot imitation of the animated classic is as jarring as the first look of the blue painted Will Smith. That being said, these live-action remakes have been huge crowdpleasers, and “Aladdin” will likely follow in the footsteps of “Beauty and the Beast” and “The Jungle Book” as a box office powerhouse and fan-favorite.
Release Date: May 17
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsDHIvLt-fE
“Booksmart”
Cast: Kaitlyn Dever, Beanie Feldstein, Billie Lourd, Skyler Gisondo
Synopsis: The story two academic superstars and best friends who, on the eve of their high school graduation, suddenly realize that they should have worked less and played more. Determined never to fall short of their peers, the girls set out on a mission to cram four years of fun into one night.
What You Need to Know: Relentlessly hilarious and heartfelt as well as being distinctly of the time, Olivia Wilde’s feature film debut heralds in a new, instant coming of age classic as well as a fresh behind the camera talent. Kaitlyn Dever and Beanie Feldstein are superb as the two best friends at the center of the film, delivering plenty of laughs without ever underselling the poignancy of their friendship. Premiering at SXSW, the comedy was met with enthusiastic reactions, already being touted as a coming of age film that manages to both enliven the genre while hitting some of the more familiar marks. Our critic who saw it wrote that the film “… is something just shy of a sensational masterpiece and miracle, a coming of age classic for the Thank U, Next Generation.”
Release Date: May 24
“Godzilla: King of Monsters”
Cast: Vera Farmiga, Ken Watanabe, Sally Hawkins, Kyle Chandler, Millie Bobby Brown
Synopsis: The new entry in the just-rebooted franchise follows the heroic efforts of the crypto-zoological agency Monarch as its members face off against a battery of god-sized monsters, including the mighty Godzilla, who collides with Mothra, Rodan, and his ultimate nemesis, the three-headed King Ghidorah. When these ancient super-species – thought to be mere myths – rise again, they all vie for supremacy, leaving humanity’s very existence hanging in the balance.
What You Need to Know: The odds haven’t often been in the favor of the loosely held up “Godzilla” franchise. With more bad takes than good, we keep waiting for the one that will truly blow us away and, when the first anticipated trailer dropped, it looked like “Godzilla: King of Monsters” may just be that. But with every new piece of marketing material, it’s hard not to worry that they’re leaning to heavy into the operatic scale, but the cast is so strong and visuals so immediately visceral it’s hard not to want the film by director Michael Dougherty to defy expectations.
Release Date: May 31
“Rocketman”
Cast: Taron Egerton, Jamie Bell, Richard Madden, Gemma Jones, Bryce Dallas Howard
Synopsis: The film tells the story of Elton John’s life, from his years as a prodigy at the Royal Academy of Music, through his influential and enduring musical partnership with Bernie Taupin as well as his struggles with depression, substance abuse, and acceptance of his sexual orientation.
What You Need to Know: After the announcement that the Dexter Fletcher–directed film would be making its premiere at this years Cannes Film Festival, the anticipation for the Elton John biopic has skyrocketed. Taron Egerton leads the cast and performs all of the songs himself, a stark difference to “Bohemian Rhapsody,” a comparison being made only due to Fletcher’s involvement in ‘Rhapsody’ when it came to reshoots and “Rocketman’s” willingness to be frank about Elton John’s sexuality (something that was grossly glossed over and poorly handled in “Bohemian Rhapsody”). The comparisons should stop there however because while there are no reactions yet at the very least the promotional materials are already more interesting, harkening back to an “Across the Universe” whimsical approach to the music opposed to your typical biopic.
Release Date: May 31
