Happy hot May weather, folks! This tip sheet is a bit delayed like last month’s, but for good reason. Live in Limbo visited the Toronto Screenwriting Conference again this year, and, boy, do we have goodies for you! We have our annual article and four (count them!) interviews with celebrity writers awaiting your listening ears very soon! For now, however, we shall settle some monthly business. There isn’t too much this month in terms of releases, but some of the titles worth mentioning are below. We say hello to the summer blockbuster, and we have two massive Marvel names to check out! Enjoy!
New Theatrical Releases:
Captain America: Civil War
Release Date: May 6th
Directors: Anthony Russo and Joe Russo (Captain America: The WInter Soldier, the upcoming Infinity War films)
Starring: The Avengers, except replace The Hulk and Thor with a snappy new incarnation of Spiderman.
IMDb Summary: Political interference in the Avengers’ activities causes a rift between former allies Captain America and Iron Man.
Why I Am So Excited: This film always meant more to me than Age of Ultron. This here is the actual Avengers film we all were waiting for. With huge buzz already, Civil War seems like a grand slam! Who am I kidding? You’ve already made up your mind. You didn’t need my recommendation to watch this. Well, let’s see who wins between the cap and the Stark, because this one’s going to affect the Marvel cinematic universe greatly.
Money Monster
Release Date: May 13th
Director: Jodie Foster (The Beaver, Home For the Holidays)
Starring: George Clooney, Julia Roberts, Dominic West, Jack O’Connell
IMDb Summary: Financial TV host Lee Gates and his producer Patty are put in an extreme situation when an irate investor takes over their studio.
Why I Am So Excited: Well, the trailer looked decent to say the least. However, Foster has a keen eye for interesting films with something to say. Perhaps the film itself can outweigh the typical-looking trailer? Nonetheless, Clooney, Roberts and West are all solid choices in anything they star in. This film can either be your common thriller full of typical tropes, or it can be a poignant megaphone when we need it. Let’s cross our fingers and hope the film can be better than the questionable name it bears!
The Lobster
Release Date: May 13th
Director: Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth)
Starring: Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Olivia Colman, Jessica Barden
IMDb Summary: In a dystopian near future, single people, according to the laws of The City, are taken to The Hotel, where they are obliged to find a romantic partner in forty-five days or are transformed into beasts and sent off into The Woods.
Why I Am So Excited: Lanthimos directed Dogtooth, and that film is as creative as it is virtually insane. The Lobster has sparked a lot of attention at festivals last year (including TIFF), and it’s seen as one of the indie darlings to watch out for this year. The concept is refreshing and the cast is definitely qualified. I’ve had my eye on this one for many months, and I cannot wait to finally watch this weird love story!
X Men: Apocalypse
Release Date: May 27th
Director: Bryan Singer (Most of the other X-Men films, The Usual Suspects)
Starring: Oscar Isaac, Michael Fassbender, Olivia Munn, Hugh Jackman, Jennifer Lawrence, Sophie Turner and so many other mutants.
IMDb Summary: With the emergence of the world’s first mutant, Apocalypse, the X-Men must unite to defeat his extinction level plan.
Why I Am So Excited: The last time we had an X-Men trilogy, we got bombarded by the juggernaut. Suffice to say, it didn’t end well. First Class gave us a breath of fresh air, and Days of Future Past took us home. Apocalypse has the potential to wrap up a Marvel series in a way like no other. I cannot wait to (hopefully) squeal about the newest X-Men films once more. Apocalypse and the newest Captain America, to me, is the real civil war, and I have my pick for who may win (yes, even with Civil War’s high praises already).
New On Blu-Ray:
Deadpool
Release Date: May 10th
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 83%
Director: Tim Miller (feature film debut)
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Morena Baccarin, T.J. Miller
IMDb Summary: A former Special Forces operative turned mercenary is subjected to a rogue experiment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers, adopting the alter ego Deadpool.
Why This is Worth Getting: There are two huge Marvel films in theatres this month, but let’s not forget the guano flinging psycho Deadpool. His film gets released shortly after the February theatrical run, so anyone who enjoyed the craziest comic book movie yet (and believe me many did with the box office smashings the film had) will enjoy the film once more. I just don’t want to be cut short by Deadpool like I was the last tip sheet I mentioned him. I’m wearing the brown pants while I type this to be safe.
Watch the Red Band Trailer (NSFW) Here!
The Witch
Release Date: May 17th
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 90%
Director: Robert Eggers (feature debut)
Starring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Kate Dickie, Ralph Ineson
IMDb Summary: A family in 1630s New England is torn apart by the forces of witchcraft, black magic and possession.
Why This is Worth Getting: This festival shocker took the world on again once it was released in theatres. The Witch has been considered one of the scariest films in years and has made a splash in a way we haven’t seen since The Ring or Paranormal Activity. All of this acclaim comes with a high 90% on Rotten Tomatoes. Check out the small film with a loud roar that everyone is talking about, and mark my words when I say that Robert Eggers is going to be huge in the near future.
Criterion Release of the Month:
Easy Rider
Release Date: Mary 3rd
Rotten Tomatoes Score: 88%
Director: Dennis Hopper (Out of the Blue)
Starring: Dennis Hopper, Peter Fonda, Jack Nicholson
IMDb Summary: Two counterculture bikers travel from Los Angeles to New Orleans in search of America.
Why This is Worth Getting: Directed by the late Dennis Hopper (best known as being focal points in Blue Velvet, Apocalypse Now and more), Easy Rider is a travel film that jumps out of the box. It rebels against the government and common filmmaking with its loud voice and bizarre sequences. Hear from the legend himself on one of the Criterion commentaries, and also check out the two documentaries featured and the essay by critic Matt Zoller Seitz. Easy Rider: reborn to be wild!
