2014 Movies Summer Films Preview 25 Movies for Grownups
2014 Movies, Summer Films Preview, 25 Movies for Grownups Movies for Grownups
and costar in the true story of an aristocratic 18th-century British couple raising their mixed-race grandniece (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). It's a historically significant tale, because Wilkinson's character, Lord Mansfield, happened to be a high court judge who later played a big role in abolishing slavery in the British Empire. Read our and watch .
Open Road Films Jon Favreau (left) and John Leguziamo star in 'Chef.'
IFC Films From left: Sam Shepard, Michael C. Hall and Don Johnson star in "Cold in July."
Grownups This Movie Season Is for You
How many of these 25 promising picks will you see this summer
Let's declare this the Summer of the Grownup Movie. There's certainly no doubt about it in our minds. Just look at the uninspired batch of films is hoping will be the blockbusters among the precious youth audience: A remake plus more , and sequels. And , for crying out loud. On the other hand, we count no fewer than 25 movies aimed directly at the grownup movie audience. Not all of them will be gems, of course. But we're counting on a pretty high batting average from this promising list. Warner Bros. Pictures Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt star in "Edge of Tomorrow."JUNE
Edge of Tomorrow
Released: June 6 takes another stab at science fiction, this time as a futuristic warrior who, each time he gets killed in battle, enters a time loop that brings him back to the start of that fatal day so he won't make the same strategic mistakes twice. And you thought your job was a bummer. Read our Darko Entertainment Andre Benjamin (wearing red pants) stars in "Jimi All Is by My Side."Jimi All Is by My Side
Released: June 13 For years, the heirs of foiled attempts to make a film biography by refusing to grant rights to his music. Writer-director has solved that problem by focusing on the years before Jimi became famous, when he played mostly other people's songs. stars as the ill-fated star. Warner Bros. Pictures John Lloyd Young, Erich Bergen, Vincent Piazza and Michael Lomenda sing the hits of Frankie Valli in "Jersey Boys."Jersey Boys
Release date: June 20 isn't exactly a stranger to musicals — he sang the lead role in 1969's and even writes some of his own movie scores — but here's his first behind-the-camera song-and-dance show. Based on the play, it's the tuneful story of how Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons got their start. Radius-TWC Jamie Bell and Chris Evans star in "Snowpiercer."Snowpiercer
Release date: June 27 Total wild card here: A great cast (including , , and ) stars in this sci-fi flick about a postapocalyptic ice-age world where most of the survivors live on a round-the-world train powered by a perpetual motion engine. Sounds too weird to be good, but it's from the visionary Korean writer-director Joon-ho Bong, who's unleashed two positively chilling thrillers, and . Warner Bros. Pictures Susan Sarandon (left) plays Melissa McCarthy's grandmother in "Tammy."JULY
Tammy
Release date: July 2 Just put and next to each other and you have to laugh; cast them in a road picture and how can you lose? (McCarthy's hubby) wrote, directed and costars in the story of a socially inept woman (Melissa, natch) who takes an impromptu car trip with her equally profane, hard-drinking grandmother (Sarandon, not-so-natch). The Weinstein Company Keira Knightley stars in "Begin Again."Begin Again
Release date: July 4 With his breakthrough movie (2006), writer-director made us all want to quit our jobs and become street musicians. Now he's back with another story of musical redemption, this one set in . stars as a burned-out music biz exec who just might find new purpose in life, thanks to a struggling young newcomer, played by . Clay Enos/Clarius Entertainment Michael Douglas and Diane Keaton star in "And So It Goes."And So It Goes
Release date: July 11 Try to imagine a more classy couple than and . Hah! You can't! That's why we're looking forward to director 's new comedy, in which Douglas plays a businessman who finds himself saddled with a granddaughter he never knew. He enlists his neighbor (Keaton) to help brush up on his parenting skills. We're betting sparks will fly before you can say "." Kartemquin Films Film critics Gene Siskel (left) and Roger Ebert (right) star in documentary "Life Itself."Life Itself
Release date: July 11 Legendary film critic chronicled his own last days battling cancer in his inspiring book, , and here director () strives to capture that story in a documentary. A tall order, but through clips and interviews with such filmmaker friends as , and , James does his best to honor the ultimate film lover. Sony Pictures Classics Earl Lynn Nelson (left) and Paul Eenhoorn star in "Land Ho "Land Ho
Release date: July 11 A most unusual buddy picture follows two American ex-brothers-in-law ( and ) as they embark on a trip through . Against steaming lakes and thundering waterfalls, the two battle each other and their own personal demons, always with a sense of befuddled good humor. Lionsgate UK (Signing in from left) Aaron Paul, Imogen Poots, Toni Collette and Pierce Brosnan reconsider "A Long Way Down."A Long Way Down
Release date: July 11 Four suicidal strangers happen to meet on the same rooftop on , and decide to see if they can make it until Valentine's Day before doing themselves in. This is a feel-good comedy? If anyone can pull it off, stars and and writer (, ) can. Sony Pictures Classics Colin Firth and Emma Stone star in "Magic in the Moonlight."Magic in the Moonlight
Release date: July 25 Lately, has developed into one of our favorite tour guides. He's taken us to , , , and now the , where a Jazz-Age Englishman () arrives to unmask a supposedly crooked psychic. The typical large Allen cast includes , and . Universal Pictures Chadwick Boseman stars as James Brown in "Get On Up."AUGUST
Get On Up
Release date: Aug. 1 Admittedly, director , whose prettified view of Southern racism in drew some criticism, is an odd choice to direct this bio of the grittiest of soul men, . , who evoked the heart and soul of in , stars in the title role, so there's reason to think this will work. is Brown's mom and is his manager, Ben Bart. Dreamworks Manish Dayal and Helen Mirren star in "The Hundred Foot Journey."The Hundred-Foot Journey
Release date: Aug. 8 is the owner of a posh French restaurant who, when she hears an Indian eatery is opening a few steps away, loudly declares, "There goes the neighborhood!" It may sound dangerously twee, but fear not: Director (, , ) can be expected to add some spice to the sauce. The Weinstein Company Jeff Bridges (left) and Brenton Thwaites star in "The Giver."The Giver
Release date: Aug. 15 Based on the novel that has been a staple on middle school reading lists for 20 years, this dystopian adventure stars as the only person allowed to have memories of what life was like before society found a way to drug everyone into a state of mellowed-out torpor. is the kid who balks when he's appointed to succeed Bridges as "The Giver"; is the overlord who wants everyone to get along, even if it means chemically lobotomizing them. Lionsgate The cast of "The Expendables 3" includes some veterans as well as new faces.The Expendables 3
Release date: Aug. 15 If it's summer, it's time for the latest installment of the series that convinced that stars age 50-plus could still kick butt with the best of them. Franchise regulars , and are around; the newcomers include , , and . AARP Members The Weinstein Company Mickey Rourke stars in Frank Miller's "Sin City: A Dame to Kill For."Frank Miller s Sin City A Dame to Kill For
Release date: Aug. 22 Those who loved (if that's the word) 2005's — 's ultraviolent cinematic from hell — are rejoicing that the long-awaited sequel stars as the monstrous antihero Marv. Never mind Marv was barbecued in the state prison's electric chair (two massive and grotesque jolts, if you'll recall). We don't know how writer resurrects Marv, but , , and are along for the ride, as is Lady Gaga. Everett Collection Alfred Molina (left) and John Lithgow (right) star in "Love Is Strange."Love Is Strange
Release date: Aug. 22 and are two of our most exquisitely talented actors, capable of infusing nearly dialogue-less scenes with infinite meaning. As a who finally get to marry in — only to find circumstances forcing them to move apart — the stars get plenty of chances to create scenes of poignant intimacy. Roadside Attractions Jennifer Aniston stars in "Life of Crime."Life of Crime
Release date: Aug. 29 Two old prison mates (Yasiin Bey, who's better known as , and ) kidnap the trophy wife () of a wealthy businessman (). It should be an easy score; what could go wrong? Hint: Because Life of Crime is based on the book written by (, ), plenty. Fox Searchlight From left: Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Sarah Gadon star in Amma Asante's "Belle."MAY
Belle
Released: May 9and costar in the true story of an aristocratic 18th-century British couple raising their mixed-race grandniece (Gugu Mbatha-Raw). It's a historically significant tale, because Wilkinson's character, Lord Mansfield, happened to be a high court judge who later played a big role in abolishing slavery in the British Empire. Read our and watch .
Open Road Films Jon Favreau (left) and John Leguziamo star in 'Chef.'
Chef
Released: May 9 Writer-director-star () enlists an all-star cast to help tell the story of a talented chef (Favreau) who chucks the restaurant biz to open a food truck. Cast includes: , , , , and Read our and watch . Walt Disney Pictures Jon Hamm stars in "Million Dollar Arm."Million Dollar Arm
Released: May 16 Desperate to find a pool of untapped talent for , an agent () heads to India to enlist cricket players. With and . Read our and watch . Pictorial Press Ltd./Alamy Emma Thompson (in pink) and Pierce Brosnan (dark jacket) in "Love Punch."The Love Punch
Released: May 23 The mere prospect of spending a couple of hours with and , with those lilting voices and captivating looks, will sell us a ticket for this rom-com. They star as divorced spouses who reteam to recover their stolen . Read ourIFC Films From left: Sam Shepard, Michael C. Hall and Don Johnson star in "Cold in July."