While many of you enjoyed barbecues, relaxed on the beach and watched fireworks, the rest of you die-hard movie fans got a jump start on the tremendous July movies theaters have in store for you. Below are just a few of the new releases coming your way.
The Legend of Tarzan (PG-13)
July 1 brought the debut of The Legend of Tarzan, directed by David Yates and starring Alexander Skarsgård, Margot Robbie, Samuel L. Jackson and Christoph Waltz. The movie is based on the character created by Edgar Rice Burroughs and begins with Tarzan, now living in England, going by his birth name of John Clayton, III, Lord of Greystoke, with his wife, Jane (Robbie). However, he is lured back to the jungle on the pretense of serving as an ambassador to study the activities of mining taking place in the Congo Free State. Waltz plays the evil Captain Leon Rom. A good film for the whole family.
The BFG (PG)
The first of the month also saw the premiere of The BFG or “Big Friendly Giant.” Directed by the extraordinary Steven Spielberg, Rebecca Hall, Mark Rylance, Bill Hader, Jermaine Clement and Ruby Barnhill lend their voices to brilliantly created characters. This tale follows Sophie, a good-hearted girl, who unexpectedly encounters The Big Friendly Giant, who is nothing like his threatening appearance. He is friendly, with a big heart, and has been exiled by his fellow giants because he won’t eat children like they do. They go on an adventure with comical and emotional results. A great fantasy film for all.
Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (R)
Directed by Jake Szymanski, Zac Efron is back with David Devine, Anna Kendrick and Aubrey Plaza when Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates comes out July 8. This uproarious, yet raunchy comedy follows the lives of the Stangle brothers, (Efron and Devine), in their often misguided, dangerous and foolhardy behavior that devastates many family events. Attempting to avoid a fiasco at their sister’s Hawaii wedding, their parents demand that they attend with dates.
Appearing on The Wendy Williams Show, starring Wendy Williams, they appeal to the viewers to find them respectable dates. Alice and Tatiana, played by Kendrick and Plaza, see this and decide this is their chance to get a free vacation to Hawaii. They are crude and unkempt, but go through lengths to transform into seemingly suitable girls. The escapades that ensue make it clear the boys may have met their match.
Ghostbusters (PG-13)
The long-awaited reboot of Ghostbusters debuts on July 15. Directed by Paul Feig, the film stars the hilarious quartet of Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. A paranormal researcher (McCarthy) studies untypical types of science, resulting in a lot of critics thinking her work is not legitimate. McKinnon portrays a nuclear engineer, Wiig a physicist and Jones a subway worker. They ban together to rid New York of a ghost epidemic that possesses humans. With McCarthy at the helm, it’s sure to be funny.
Star Trek Beyond (PG-13)
Trekkies rejoice as Star Trek Beyond hits theaters on July 22. Directed by Justin Lin, the film stars Chris Pine, Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto and Idris Elba. Unfortunately, Anton Yelchin, who played Pavel Checkov, died tragically in a horrible car accident prior to the release. This is the 13th film, but third installment in the reboot series starring Pine as Captain Kirk. The USS Enterprise crew are midway through their five-year mission when they confront a mysterious new enemy. They must band together to destroy them and escape unscathed.
Bad Moms (NR)
Bad Moms, directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore, who incidentally wrote the film, comes out on July 29. Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn, Christina Applegate and Jada Pinkett Smith star as fed-up moms who are sick of trying to be seamless. They rebel against the textbook moms and decide to go outside their comfort zones and party while ditching their normal responsibilities. This film is not yet rated but it looks to be a possible R rating.
So, escape the heat and head to your local movie theater. Get some popcorn and candy and sit back and relax. See you at the movies.
