Your Summer-Movie Guide :20 Flicks Even Hotter Than the Weather Outside

Hollywood is working hard to get our butts into movie-theater seats this summer—and with a roster like this, it’s not going to be too difficult. Whether you want blockbusters featuring Superman or super man Will Smith, some of the best indie hits out of Sundance, or a hilarious lady comedy, there’s a movie for you. Right this way for insanely good entertainment.

After Earth (May 31)

This M. Night Shyamalan movie made the cut because of four words: Will and Jaden Smith. Take Pursuit of Happyness, add 10 years, scary monsters, and a father and son kicking butt together instead of solving Rubik’s Cubes, and Shyamalan may finally have a hit on his hands that doesn’t involve seeing dead people.

 

 

 

 

Much Ado About Nothing (June 7)

The Shakespeare rom-com is back, and this time it’s reimagined in modern day by The Avengers and Buffy the Vampire Slayer genius Joss Whedon.

This Is the End (June 12)

There have been a lot of movies about the end of the world lately, and most have been underwhelming. But how much fun will it be to watch our favorite raunchy comedy stars Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, James Franco, Danny McBride, and others battle over who gets the last bite of Cinnamon Toast Crunch? Um, that’s a problem we understand completely.

Man of Steel (June 14)

Batman and Spider-Man had their time, but 2013 is all about Superman. Starring a next-level-hot Henry Cavill and the always-brilliant Amy Adams as Lois Lane, Man of Steel is sure to show that Superman can get just as tough and gritty as any other superhero. Bonus: Christopher Nolan is a producer on the film, so by default, it has to be good.

The Bling Ring (June 14)

Let’s be honest, this is the most anticipated movie of the summer. Based on a real-life group of girls (and one guy) who were responsible for a string of robberies at the homes of Paris Hilton, Lindsay Lohan, and other celebs, this movie is the talk of Cannes—not to mention it has one of the best trailers of the year. Emma Watson stars as the anti-Hermione in a role based on bling-ring member Alexis Neiers, whom you may remember from the epic but short-lived E! series Pretty Wild

Monsters University (June 21)

We’re happy to report that the Monster’s Inc. crew is back, and now we get to see them in their most awkward transitional phase: college! Sulley and Mike are as opposite as they come, and we experience the backstory of how they go from hated rivals to BFFs.

World War Z (June 21)

It’s clearly the year (or years) for zombies, and this film is too intriguing to pass up. Adapted from the book and starring Brad Pitt, World War Z was pushed back six months due to rewrites and reshoots, but even if this trailer is all we have to judge the movie by, we’re in.

White House Down (June 28)

Channing Tatum as a cop who has to save President Jamie Foxx from bad guys? Consider us sold, if only for the images of Tatum in a tank top (or shirtless, please let him be shirtless).

The Heat (June 28)

Melissa McCarthy is hilarious. Sandra Bullock is hilarious. Put them together as a cop and an FBI agent with the director of Bridesmaids and we predict this will be the biggest comedy of the year.

Despicable Me 2 (July 3)

Steve Carell made our life by appearing in The Office series finale (we miss it already!), and now one of his other best characters is coming back to the big screen. There’s no way we’d miss this one.

Fruitvale Station (July 12)

If you’re one of those people who prefer intense dramas to flashy action flicks or bubbly comedies, this movie is definitely for you. Michael B. Jordan (a.k.a. Vince Howard from Friday Night Lights) stars as a man who was wrongfully shot to death by the police—based on real-life events from 2009. The movie was a runaway hit at Sundance, and there is already Oscar buzz.

Only God Forgives (July 19)

Ryan Gosling + the director of Drive (Nicolas Winding Refn) + an exotic Thailand locale = Do we need to say anything else?

Wolverine (July 26)

Hugh Jackman is back and angrier than ever. We never need a reason to see him in anything, but a chance to see a Wolverine prequel set in Japan, featuring a possible way for our favorite adamantium-clawed, immortal X-Man not be immortal anymore, is the icing on the cake.

Blue Jasmine (July 26)

It wouldn’t be summer without a Woody Allen movie. Not much is known about the plot for Allen’s latest venture, but with a cast including Cate Blanchett, Alec Baldwin, and Louis C.K., does it even matter?

The Spectacular Now (August 2)

Shailene Woodley wowed us in The Descendants, and she shows no signs of stopping now. This Sundance hit tells a touching story of two teenagers in the midst of graduating from high school and falling in love despite their different lives.


 

Elysium (August 9)

Matt Damon may not be Jason Bourne anymore, but it doesn’t mean he’s leaving the action world behind. Damon plays a down-on-his-luck man who hatches a plan to break into Elysium, a space habitat orbiting Earth where only the richest of the rich live. If it sounds confusing, that’s because it’s from the mind of District 9 director Neill Blomkamp.

 

The To-Do List (August 16)

Miss watching Parks and Recreation every Thursday? We do too, and that’s why we’ll be watching this truly R-rated comedy starring the wonderful Aubrey Plaza as an awkward girl who makes a list of activities she’d like to achieve before going to college. Activities of a, ahem, sexual nature.

 

 

The World’s End (August 23)

 

From the brilliant minds behind British gems Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, this third feature is all about five childhood friends who reunite to conquer a legendary pub crawl in their hometown—oh, and strange, alien-y events are occurring. The tagline says it all: “Good food. Fine ales. Total annihilation.”


 

The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (August 21)

 

YA novel fans, rejoice! The newest entry into The Hunger Games/Twilight world is here. Lily Collins plays a teenager who, after witnessing a murder, enters the world of Shadowhunters, half-angel and half-human warriors designed to kill demons. And, yes, of course, there’s a love triangle.

One Direction: This Is Us (August 30)

End the summer on a high note, literally: One Direction follows in the footsteps of their teen-idol brethren the Jonas Brothers and Justin Bieber with this documentary that gives their fans a complete look into their lives on and off the stage