Your Geek Guide to 2011 Summer Movies Dylan Duarte May 20, 2011 Summer is almost here and, for the cinephiles among us, that’s a pretty exciting time. It’s the time of the year when all of the big blockbuster flicks hit theaters and 2011 is absolutely no exception. And not only is it shaping up to be a grand year for the overblown extravaganzas of the movie industry, but there’s plenty in store for geeks, too. A couple “geeky” movies have already passed us by. The alien buddy flick Paul didn’t do too bad with critics and Source Code was a ton of fun. And then there’s the critically-shredded Sucker Punch, and as far as Battle: L.A. is concerned, you didn’t miss much. Now, what constitutes a “geek” film is certainly a matter of opinion. If you disagree with any of my choices or think I unjustly left something out, feel free to leave a comment tearing me a new one. Let’s get to it. X-Men: First Class – June 3rd When this was first announced, I hated the idea. As details began to emerge, the idea began to grow on me. Now, after seeing several trailers, I absolutely can’t wait. I love that the film is set during the Bay of Pigs fiasco and I think Kevin Bacon makes a terrific Sebastian Shaw. Bring on the muties. Super 8 – June 10th J.J. Abrams is one of the few filmmakers that I have the utmost faith in. I’ve enjoyed everything he’s put his hands on so far, and while I was hoping Super 8 would be an all-out horror rather than something similar to E.T., I’m still fairly excited and definitely keeping an open mind. Green Lantern – June 17th Like X-Men, this is another no-brainer. I may be profiling, but I think that all comic book movies qualify as “geek” movies. To be honest, as much as I love Ryan Reynolds, I’m still not thrilled about him playing Hal Jordan. Jordan isn’t smirky and Reynolds is known for his smirk. However, I’ll let that slide due to the excellent casting of Mark Strong as Sinestro. Transformers: Dark of the Moon – July 1st I’m very much on the fence about the first Transformers film. It was a lot of goofy fun, but I’m still unconvinced that it was a quality film. Before I could make up my mind, Transformers 2 came along and showed the world that Michael Bay is losing his mind. He’s never been a great director (though I’ll always love The Rock), but the sheer insanity that was Transformers 2 has me pumped for Dark of the Moon. Captain America: The First Avenger – July 22nd If there’s room on this list for the X-Men and Green Lantern, there’s room for Cap. I like Chris Evans, but I was really unsure about his casting. However, recent trailers have me less worried. Captain America looks like a blast and, if nothing else, there’s one aspect of that’s guaranteed to be phenomenal – Hugo Weaving as Red Skull. Cowboys & Aliens – July 29th While I’d rather see him play James Bond, there’s no denying that this sci fi/western hybrid starring Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, and Olivia Wilde (among others) looks like it could be something special. Throw in Jon Favreau in the director’s seat and you’ve got me more than a little excited. Rise of the Planet of the Apes – August 5th I’ve never been a fan of this series. I don’t dislike it (though Burton’s remake was atrocious), I’ve just never had any real interest in it. At least, not until now. Rise of The Planet of the Apes looks like it could finally get me interested in those damn dirty apes. That’s just a sampling of what’s coming out this summer. If you have to anything to add (or argue), let us know! Share This With The World!
