May 25 — “Solo: A Star Wars Story”
One thing’s for certain — Han won’t be flying solo in this one.
“Solo” follows the protagonist of the same name as he embarks on his first real journey of smuggling and discovery. Both Chewbacca and a young Lando Calrissian, played by Donald Glover, will accompany him on this 135-minute adventure.
Expect answers to some of the biggest, most burning questions in all of Star Wars. Who shot first? Does Chewie have a love interest? How many capes does Lando have? I’m sure at least one will be resolved.
While the film currently sits at 75 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, “Solo” is bound to make for a fun family afternoon, and is a necessary viewing for Star Wars fans.
June 1 — “Adrift”
Shailene Woodley hasn’t quite struck gold yet. The “Divergent” series and “The Fault in our Stars” aren’t exactly classics, but 2018 can be looked at as a fresh start.
“Adrift” is based on the true story of two sailors, Tami Oldham and Richard Sharp, who sail into a hurricane as they try to cross the ocean. After Richard is badly injured and they are stranded in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, Tami must figure out how to get to Hawaii.
The film is described as a “romance drama”, so tears will likely be shed, and I would be fairly worried about Richard’s fate.
June 8 —“Hereditary,” “Ocean’s 8”
This may be the first week with two heavy hitters, but I would only recommend taking children to one.
“Hereditary” premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival, and seems to be one of the creepiest horror movies in years. The plot details so far have been vague, only stating that after the Graham family matriarch dies, ancestral secrets begin to reveal themselves. The film currently sits at an approval rating of 100 percent on Rotten Tomatoes after 29 reviews, and is on track to make waves at the box office.
I’m still not sure about “Ocean’s 8.” The film has quite the star-studded cast, but why are the oceans getting smaller? Hopefully it’s not due to global warming. Regardless, fans of the originals should be on the lookout for plenty of references and throwbacks to the prior films. “After Deadpool 2,” don’t count on another Brad Pitt cameo.
June 15 — “The Incredibles 2,” “Tag”
“The Incredibles,” despite being released 14 years ago, remains one of the most entertaining, tight-knit, family-friendly superhero films. The sequel takes place seconds after the original’s ending, with the Parr family battling the Underminer.
With Elastigirl now the face of “supers,” Mr. Incredible is left to care of the children, particularly baby Jack-Jack, who is still developing new powers.
I’m a little confused about the film’s target audience, since the original demographic has now shifted from teens to those in their late 20s. However, people of all ages will be able to appreciate the film’s humor and “incredible” story.
“Tag” is based on a true story, but it just doesn’t seem possible. A group of friends play a month-long game of tag each year, and Jerry, played by Jeremy Renner, has never been tagged. Not once.
The only logical ending I can think of is Jerry finally being tagged, but at this point he seems to possess superhuman qualities. I can see this film secretly being a superhero origin story, maybe for The Flash. The only problem is that it seems far too enjoyable to be part of the DC Universe.
June 22 — “Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom”
How likely is it that a volcano erupts just after an island is evacuated? “Fallen Kingdom” asks the audience to turn off both their phones and their brains when watching this film, because just one is apparently not good enough.
Weaponized dinosaurs are back, but so is Chris Pratt, so the film is bound to at the very least be entertaining and filled with great CGI. At one point in the trailer, Pratt’s character seemingly outruns pyroclastic flow from the erupting volcano, which should be impossible. I’m sure he’ll somehow figure out a way to live. But at the end of the day, it’s a movie about dinosaurs, so none of that really matters.
June 29 — “Sicario: Day of the Soldado”
“Sicario” remains one of the most underrated crime films of all time. Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin and Benicio del Toro all give standout performances as they travel through Mexico to take down a drug cartel, and the cinematography and dark themes shine throughout.
While a different director is now at the helm, del Toro and Brolin will be reprising their roles as they travel back to Mexico. Del Toro’s character, Alejandro Gillick, is now the central protagonist as well, and his shady motivations and characteristics surely will take center stage.
Max Rothenberg can be reached at [email protected]