Stephanie Zacharek's 5 Most Anticipated Summer Movies of 2011
One of my least-favorite tasks is writing about movies I haven't seen yet: It means reviewing advertising and hype, which is hardly the same as reviewing an actual movie. Even so, I'm as susceptible as anyone to the siren song of the summer-movie trailer. Based on those seductive wisps of promise, these are the pictures I have the highest hopes for:
Priest, May 13
As he proved in Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, among other things, Paul Bettany is a marvelous actor. But nobody knows what to do with him. Until he starts getting better, smarter roles, I'm happy to see him as a man of the cloth kicking vampire ass.
Bad Teacher, June 24
Cameron Diaz is a crackerjack comic actress and a good sport -- maybe too much of a good sport, giving her all in lousy movies like Green Hornet and Knight and Day. But Bad Teacher -- also starring her ex, the sorely underappreciated Justin Timberlake -- looks pretty disreputable, and possibly fun. Maybe, just maybe, it's worthy of her.
Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2, July 15
Not every picture in the Harry Potter movie franchise has been equally satisfying, and everyone has his or her particular favorites. Mine happen to be Alfonso Cuarón's Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban and Mike Newell's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, but I also like David Yates' interpretations of the material. I'm curious to see how he rounds out the series, bringing this particular 11-year era to an end.
Cowboys and Aliens, July 29
It sure looks weird, or maybe not weird enough. But if Jon Favreau -- whose first Iron Man movie was one of the great surprises of 2008 -- wants to put Daniel Craig in a retro-futuristic western, I have reason to be optimistic.
The Debt, Aug 3
In this post-Nazi spy thriller, up-and-coming (and, from what we've seen so far, remarkably gifted) actress Jessica Chastain appears as a young version of Helen Mirren. If that's not intriguing casting, I don't know what is.
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Comments
Other than HP and C&A this is an incredibly dull list
Only really looking foward to HP. This summer really looks lame. Maybe I'll be plesantly surprised.
Also Cameron Diaz sucks.
Honest question: Is Timberlake underappreciated? I know about the tendency for critics to dismiss pop singers-turned-actors, but I thought the consensus was that Timberlake was really, really good in "The Social Network." No?
Sony needs to step up and release Attack The Block this summer.
(If they don't screw it up by showing it for free to everyone at ComicCon, I mean.)
Otherwise, Thor and Super 8 are the only movies I really care about checking out this summer.
"sorely underappreciated Justin Timberlake " is that supposed to be ironic? I guess it's a personal taste thing.
i think Stephanie is the ONLY one looking forward to Priest.
It looks like Stallone's Judge Dredd.
He got good remarks for that movie. But the general feeling is that, you either are a fan, or you want him to get the hell off the screen. I think he sucks eggs. Some people think he's charming. It's just a taste thing.
The only thing that's good is Harry Potter, the other ones look boring.
HP will be the biggest movie of the summer by far.
I thought Timberlake acted Jesse Eisenberg off the screen in that flick.
Super 8!
if anyone's been overappreciated his whole life, its justin timberlake
COWBOYS AND ALIENS reminds me of WILD WILD WEST...and that is NOT a good thing.
I love the trailer and posters for BAD TEACHER. Can't wait!
holy cow that is a terrible list