King Guide's Best Ten Films of 2012

Usually at the end of the calendar year film critics release their top ten list of the year's  best films. I would have posted my list but there were some films on to watch list that I had not gotten to. I have to admit 2012 was a great year for films. There were so many gems that came out. Now that the Oscars are about a week away here is my top ten.  

1.     Django Unchained

The highly anticipated Tarantino's revenge flick did not disappoint. It was filled with fantastic performances that were accompanied by a remarkable score. It was hilarious and horrific all at the same time. 

2.     Flight

Robert Zemeckis returns to live-action cinema with the thrilling Flight. Denzel Washington gives his finest performance to date. It is a damn shame that he remarkable performance is a bit of a whisper this award season. This compelling film will haunt you long after you finished watching it.

3.     Beasts of the Southern Wild

This tiny film that premiered at Sundance last year was a diamond in the rough. It was devastatingly beautiful.

4.     The Perks of Being a Wallflower

The second film to stomp all over my heart. Just an incredible coming of age story filled with funny and heartbreaking performances.

5.     The Avengers

Blockbusters usually skip on substance and overload on gimmicks.  The Avengers was one fun and smart hell of a ride. It put all other blockbusters to shame.

6.     21 Jump Street

The funniest film of the year was the biggest surprise for me.

7.     Silver Linings Playbook

It is not often that you find a smart romantic comedy that is well written with riveting performances.

8.     Life of Pi

The most visually striking film of the year is powered by the brilliant performance of Suraj Sharma and the wonderful direction of Ang Lee.

9.     Men in Black 3

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine that the final saga in the Men in Black series would make my top ten list. This wonderful surprise was hilarious and heartwarming.

10.  The Cabin in the Woods

The most original film that came out last year was a true love song to horror fans worldwide.

Honorable Mention: The Dark Knight Rises, Bernie, and Looper

Movies I have yet to watch but sure I would love: Argo, Lincoln, End of  Watch, Zero Dark Thirty, The Intouchables

Final Predictions

Unlike previous years the 85th Academy Award nominations will be announced prior to the airing of both the Golden Globes and SAG Awards. Those awards are always great indicators for which films will be nominated for the Oscars. Now most analysts have to look at what films were awarded by critics and what was nominated for the other big awards. Here are my predictions for big eight.

Best Picture
Lincoln
Zero Dark Thirty
Argo
Life of Pi
Silver Linings Playbook
Les Miserables
Django Unchained
Beasts of the Southern Wild
Moonrise Kingdom
Wild Cards: The Master, Skyfall and Flight

Best Director
Kathryn Bigelow- Zero Dark Thirty
Steven Spielberg- Lincoln
Ben Affleck- Argo
Ang Lee- Life of Pi
Quentin Tarantino- Django Unchained
Wild Cards: David O. Russel- Silver Linings Playbook, Tom Hooper- Les Miserables, Paul Thomas Anderson-The Master and Benh Zeitlin-Beasts of the Southern Wild

Best Actor
Daniel Day Lewis- Lincoln
Denzel Washington- Flight
Bradley Cooper- Silver Linings Playbook
Hugh Jackman- Les Miserables
Joaquin Phoenix- The Master
Wild Cards: John Hawkes- The Sessions

Best Actress
Jennifer Lawrence- Silver Linings Playbook
Jessica Chastain- Zero Dark Thirty
Marion Cotillard: Rust & Bone
Emannuelle Riva- Amour
Naomi Watts- The Impossible
Wild Cards: Quvenzhane Wallis- Beasts of the Southern Wild, Rachel Weisz- Deep Blue Sea

Best Supporting Actor
Tommy Lee Jones- Lincoln
Leonardo DiCaprio- Django Unchained
Phillip Seymour Hoffman- The Master
Alan Arkin-Argo
Robert De Niro- Silver Linings Playbook
Wild Cards: Christopher Waltz- Django Unchained, Javier Bardem- Skyfall, Matthew McConoughey- Magic Mike

Best Supporting Actress
Anne Hathaway- Les Miserables
Sally Field- Lincoln
Amy Adams- The Master
Helen Hunt- The Sessions
Nicole Kidman- The Paperboy
Wild Cards: Maggie Smith- The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, Ann Dowd- Compliance

Best Original Screenplay
Mark Boal- Zero Dark Thirty
Rian Johnson- Looper
Wes Anderson, Roman Coopola-Moonrise Kingdom
Quentin Tarantino- Django Unchained
 John Gatins-Flight,
Wild Cards:Michael Haneke- Amour

Best Adapted Screenplay
Tony Kushner- Lincoln
Chris Terrio- Argo
David O. Russel- Silver Linings Playbook
David Magee- Life of Pi
Stephen Chbosky- The Perks of Being a Wallflower
Wild Cards: Benh Zeitlin & Lucy Alibar- Beasts of the Southern Wild, Christopher Nolan & Jonathan Nolan- The Dark Knight Rises

Best Picture Frontrunners

Thanks to several critic awards and the announcement of both the Golden Globes and SAG Awards nominations, clear front-runners have emerged for the 2012 Oscar race. Leading the pack is the controversial  Zero Dark Thirty. Following close behind it are the critical acclaimed Lincoln and Argo. I believe that one of these three films will win the Best Picture trophy at this years' Oscars. They are too far ahead of the competition not to have it in the bag. You never know which way the academy will vote, they could go with Les Miserables. I am predicting that this year we will have ten Best Picture nominations because of the caliber of films that came out this year. I have composed a list of clear front-runners, most likely candidates and films that have a longer shot of receiving a nomination. This year the nominations will announced on January 10 before the Golden Globes air. I will make a revised list of my final Best Picture predictions.
Front-runners

• Zero Dark Thirty
• Lincoln
• Argo
• Les Miserables
• Life of Pi
• Silver Linings Playbook
• Django Unchained
• Beasts of the Southern Wild

Most Likely

• Moonrise Kingdom
• The Master
• Amour

Longer shots

• Flight
• Dark Knight Rises
• Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Anna Karenina

Starring: Keira Knightley, Jude Law and Aaron Taylor-Johnson
Directed by: Joe Wright
Written by: Tom Stoppard
Rating: 3.5/5 Unicorns

Joe Wright's Anna Karenina is the bold retelling of the classic Leo Tolstoy tale. Set in the late 19th century, the Russian aristocrat Anna Karenina( Keira Knightley) enters a life altering affair with Count Vronsky( Aaron Taylor Johnson). Jude Law plays the role of Karenin, her long suffering husband.

I have not quite seen a drama quite like Anna Karenina. It was as elaborate as a musical, choreographed as if it was a ballet and as theatrical as a opera. Many ways Joe Wright's Anna Karenina felt more like a play than a motion picture. It was filmed as a continuous play and I felt that this direction choice was unique. If  anything the art direction and costume design in this film was absolutely spectacular.  By the time the Academy Awards nominations are announced I expect that Anna Karenina will pick up nominations in these two categories. At first I was hesitant about the idea of Aaron Taylor Johnson playing the part of Count Vronsky. I was thoroughly impressed with his performance but not so much impressed with his mustache. I felt that the chemistry between him and Keira Knightley was believable. It was not scorching but I was convinced that they cared for one another.  I am certain this film will not play well with everyone but if you like to watch films that are visually stimulating Anna Karenina is a great choice.

Life of Pi

Starring: Suraj Sharma, Irrfan Khan, Rafe Spall, Adil Hussain, Tabu and Gerard Deparadieu

Directed by: Ang Lee

Written by: David Magee

Rating: 5/5 Unicorns

Based on the best selling novel written by Yann Martel, Life of Pi tells the remarkable survival story of Pi Patel( Suraj Sharma). After surviving a fatal shipwreck, Pi finds himself on a lifeboat in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with 450 pound Bengal Tiger named Richard Parker. 

The first time I watched the trailer for Life of Pi it immediately was on top of my must see list. Now that we are in Award Season, I have been hearing more praise for the film. It has been picking up nominations left and right. After watching the film over the weekend it lived up to all of my expectations. Life of Pi was the most visually stimulating film I have seen since Avatar. The cinematography in this film was simply out of this world. Its cinematography alone is a great reason to check out this film. Not to mention the visual effects were astounding. I had several awe moments while watching this film. I highly recommend that you catch it in 3D if you can. It is one of the few films that were made for 3D purposes and not converted to 3D better for revenue at the box office. 

Life of Pi is more than its cinematography and visual effects, it is also great story to watch. Ang Lee did a fantastic job bringing this much loved story to life. I was thoroughly impressed with Suraj Sharma who I felt keep the audiences thoroughly engaged with his portrayal as Pi. He is a bright future ahead of him. Not too many actors can do what he did in this film. The score of the film was fantastic as well. It made the significant moments in the film even more powerful. What I loved about the film is that it makes you think about life and yourself. It makes you think about your destiny and how much you can endure. It really boils down to being a  film about faith. You are left wondering what story to believe. Personally I have always believed in the stories that were inconceivable. How they used to say it in the 90's, this movie is deep son. 

Since the majority of the film takes place on a lifeboat its running time feels longer than it actually is. I have seen several movies that were longer than Life of Pi but because there was so much going on I did not feel the duration. The reason I did not deduct points from the rating is because the film was just beautiful. The more I thought about the film, the more I loved it. It leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling inside. In fact I look forward to watching the film for a second time. 

Moonrise Kingdom

Starring: Jared Gilman, Kara Hayward, Bruce Willis, Edward Norton, Bill Murray, Frances McDormand, Jason Schwartzman and Tilda Swinton
Directed by: Wes Anderson
Written by: Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola
Rating: 4/5 Unicorns

Two twelve years old( Jared Gilman and Kara Hayward) fall in love and run away as a violent storm approaches the tiny island. A various authorities including the local sheriff(Bruce Willis), Khaki Scout Leader(Edward Norton) and the girls lawyer parents (Bill Murray and Frances McDormand) try to track them down.

Moonrise Kingdom was one of the most original films I have seen in a longtime. I have not quite seen anything like it before. It was quirky, whimsical and endearing comedy. It  had one of the best narratives I have seen all year. The screenplay is fantastic and I truly believe Wes Anderson and Roman Coppola are the frontrunners for Best Original Screenplay. Wes Anderson directing style is purely unique in this film. I was fascinated by his directing choices. There would be a scene that at first I thought I didn't like then two seconds later I was completely enamored with it. It takes awhile to digest. The acting ensemble is out of this world. Two young leads are absolutely fantastic. They bring the innocence and intensity of first love to the screen brilliantly.

Moonrise Kingdom is not a film for everybody. The humor in the film is offbeat and the characters are quite eccentric. I admit that it is not my cup of tea but I recognize it as being a great film. It really is a rare gem of a film and I appreciate that. I think it is one of Wes Anderson's  best pictures. Once award season is over this film will be thoroughly decorated.

Silver Linings Playbook

Starring: Jennifer Lawrence, Bradley Cooper, Robert De Niro, Jackie Weaver, Chris Tucker, Julia Stiles, John Ortiz, Shea Whigham and Anupam Kher
Directed and Written by: David O. Russell
Rating: 5/5 Unicorns

After seeing his wife in the shower with another man Pat Solatano( Bradley Cooper) has a mental breakdown. It turns out that he has been suffering from bipolar disorder. As part of a plea bargain he spends eight months in a Baltimore mental institution and his wife receives a restraining order against him. He returns home to live with his Eagles loving father(Robert De Niro) and his devoted mother( Jackie Weaver). Pat is convinced that if he rebuilds his life that his wife will come back to him. He meets Tiffany( Jennifer Lawrence), a recent young widow who gives him much needed direction.

Silver Linings Playbook was spectacular. I absolutely loved this movie from start to finish. The entire cast gives tremendous performances. I have to say I was thoroughly impressed by Bradley Cooper's portrayal of Pat Solatano. It shows what can happen when an actor is given great material to work with. I have no doubt in my mind that he will be recognized for this groundbreaking performance. His chemistry with Jennifer Lawrence was explosive which was quite fitting for their characters. Jennifer Lawrence once again delivers a strong performance. She commands the screen, you can't keep your eyes off her. This girl will be going places, sometimes I forget she is 22 years old. She holds her own against the fabulous Robert De Niro and Jackie Weaver, which is difficult to do because both of them are so incredible in this film. Robert De Niro is on top of his game in his portrayal of a father who is struggling to form a connection with his son. You see the levels of guilt, hope and frustration he has with his son's situation.  The scene when he opens up to Pat was just beautiful. It was brilliant seeing Chris Tucker on the screen again. Overall one of the best acting ensembles this year.

What I love so much about this movie is one second you are laughing your butt off and the next you are wiping tears from your eyes. The change of emotion that can occur in one single scene is unprecedented  Somehow David O. Russel makes it work. It is a smart, funny, extremely well written  and charming film. Make sure you check out this film, I thoroughly recommend that you do.

The Race Begins

Now that the Thanksgiving festivities have drawn to a close, the race has officially began for the 2013 Award Season. If you go to any official film website, you will see several For Your Consideration ads. No one is more excited about award season than your own personal amateur film critic.As usual I am a little behind on viewing Oscar contenders but it is my goal to view as many films before the reveal of the  Oscar nominations. Brace yourself for several reviews coming in the next two months.

Several Oscar hopefuls made their way to multiplexes over the long weekend. Giving them plenty of time to be screened for the academy. Life of Pi is performing better than expected and Silver Linings Playbook has been enjoying a good expansion. Both films have received the all important stamped of  approval by critics and it appears that the audiences are warm to them as well. Much to my delight Flight is showing strong legs at the Box office and the Oscar favorite Lincoln is doing spectacular at the box office as well.

 Over the weekend the highly anticipated Les Miserables was screened for the first time in New York City. The response was electric. Audience members gave the film a standing ovation and there were tears all around. The film has officially become a Frontrunner for  Best Picture and Anne Hathaway has officially entered the race as the Frontrunner for Best Supporting Actress. Prior to the screening over the weekend Lincoln, Argo and The Silver Linings Playbook were the Frontrunners. I have a funny feeling that this Award season will be as eventful as ever. Make sure you keep your eyes open for my upcoming posts because there will be tons of Oscar goodies coming your way.

Flight

Starring: Denzel Washington, Bruce Greenwood, Kelly Reilly, Don Cheadle, John Goodman, Tamara Tunie and Melissa Leo
Written by: John Gatins
Directed by: Robert Zemeckis
Rating: 4.5/5 Unicorns

It is still very early on in the Oscar race but I have a sneaking suspicion that Denzel Washington will get a nomination for Flight, his performance was a real tour de force. I was not prepared to be knocked out of my seat by his performance but he was riveting. That is how you carry a film. Hands down one of his best performances in his career and the best performance by an actor I have seen all year. It  is still early on in the race but Denzel cannot be unrecognized for this phenomenal performance.

Flight follows the investigation into the miraculous landing of a flight  that was piloted by Whip Whitaker ( Denzel Washington), an alcoholic and cocaine addict. The impending plane crash in the beginning of film was terrifying. I want to point out that this is not an action flick but a character driven work of art. I cannot recall witnessing such a raw character as Whip Whitaker. He was so flawed but you felt deeply for him. You wanted him to make it and that is what is so incredible about this film. You go on this insane journey with him as he battles his personal demons. The movie is deep but at the same time hilarious a lot like life. John Goodman is hysterical in this film and Bruce Greenwood continues to be one of the most underrated actors in Hollywood. The scenes he had with Denzel and Don Cheadle were just perfection. I strongly recommend that you check out Flight. It will be a film that you will be talking about for days maybe even months.

Oscar Watch: Best Picture

Any film enthusiast knows the autumn is the beginning of award season. This is the time when the studios releases Academy Award hopefuls. Coming to a cinema near you are three films that I cannot wait to digest  These films are all early contenders for the Best Picture trophy at this year's Oscars. When the ceremony takes place we will see if these films make the final cut.

1.Life of Pi

2.Silver Linings Playbook




  3.Anna Karenina

The Rundown: Summer 2012

For my American readers I hope you had an incredible Labor Day Weekend. For my readers in Europe, I hope you had a wonderful weekend as well. Now that we are in the first week of September, summer is  officially over. Lets all take a deep breath to process that set of information.  I could go into detail about my love for the changing leaves, pumpkin spice lattes and apple cider but this is not the time for that. Instead I am going to give a rundown of what was hot and what flopped at the box office this summer.

In my Summer Movie Preview post, I predicted that three biggest films of the summer would be The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider-man. I must have been looking into the crystal ball because I was right on target with that one. I admit that it would not take a genius to figure that information out. The success of the first blockbuster of the summer The Avengers was surreal. I was excited about the film but I did not think it would draw the crowds it did. The upcoming sequels in the Marvel franchise will get a huge boost from the success of The Avengers.  In the wake of the success of The Avengers, many films failed to deliver huge audience turnout (specifically Battleship and Dark Shadows). Not until The Dark Knight Rises did we have our second bona fide blockbuster. What I did not see in my crystal ball was the runaway hit that Ted was. It was the fifth biggest hit of the summer. I believe that it found success because moviegoers were looking for a good laugh this summer. I admit when Ted came to life I was in complete ROFL mode.

Animated films continue to dominate at the box office. The biggest animated hit was Brave which was followed by Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted. Madagascar did something that is rare, it grossed more money than it predecessors. It can be debated that Ice Age: Continental Drift was a disappoint because it was the lowest grossing film in the franchise. However, Ice Age was on the biggest films overseas. It will also do really well on DVD and Blu-Ray. Several independent films saw success at the box office this summer as well. There was The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel(BEMH), Moonrise Kingdom, Beasts of the Southern Wild and The Intouchables to name a few. I still have not seen Beasts and BEMH but they are still high on my list. It warms my heart when independent films do well at the box office.

It seemed that the reboots were a hit and miss this summer. The Amazing Spider-man did do well but it still was not in the league of the Sam Raimi vehicle. The Bourne Legacy was off to a good start but I don't see this reboot going any further. In the long run it lacked the legs that the previous films had. Then there were those reboots like  the Total Recall that completely crashed and burned at the box office. Besides reboots it seems that ensemble pieces were having a hard time finding an audience. Rock of Ages and What to Expect When You're Expecting were pretty much duds at the box office. Even The Expendables 2 did not live up to the hype. Studios have to remember that the movie has got to be good. If you throw eye candy at us it won't distract us from a bad story unless the movie is Magic Mike. Just kidding Magic Mike was not a bad film but it was an ensemble film done right.

Will Smith proved that he still a movie star. I know you could argue that MIB 3 under-performed at the American Box Office but not only was the film the seventh highest grossing film of the summer but out-grossed it predecessors at the international box office.  Scandal aside Snow White and The Huntsman proved that audiences loved the idea of darker take on the fairy tale. Charlize Theron had another hit with Prometheus.

It would have been interesting to see how the GI Joe sequel would have done this summer but its release date was pushed to next year. Since 2012 is the year of Channing Tatum, I am pretty certain the movie would have been another success story for him. Now we will have to see how 10 Years does well this fall.

King's Guide:Fall Movie Preview

If you have been wondering what films will be released this fall, you stopped at the right place. I have composed a list of films that will be making their way to a cinema near you. Keep in mind these release dates are limited to the US only. If the film is a wide release for example Breaking Dawn, there is a good chance that it will be playing in your country as well. What films are you most looking forward to? The films that I am most looking forward to are in red.

September

• The Words
• Bachelorette- Limited Release
• 10 Years- Limited Release
• Can this year be the year of Channing Tatum? We will see with this release.
• Finding Nemo 3D
• Is it bad that I would go see this movie again? 
• Resident Evil: Retribution
• The Master- Limited Release
• Dredd 3D
• End of Watch
• House at the End of the Street
• Jennifer Lawrence stars in this thriller about a mother and daughter who move in next door to a house where a young girl murdered her parents.
• Trouble with the Curve
• Clint Eastwood stars as a baseball scout in his first film since Gran Torino. This film as stars Amy Adams and Justin Timberlake
• The Perks of Being a Wallflower- Limited Release
• The trailer looks wonderful for this film. I have a feeling that I would absolutely love this film.
• Hotel Transylvania
• Looper
• Joseph Gordon Levitt stars as a killer for a future mob that is assigned to kill his future self( Bruce Willis) 
• Won't Back Down

October

• Frakenweenie
• Pitch Perfect
• Taken 2
• The Paperboy- Limited Release
• Directed by Lee Daniels( Precious) and starring Zac Efron, Nicole Kidman and John Cusack 
• Argo
• Based on a true story of the operation to rescue six Americans during the Iranian revolution in 1979 It is directed by Ben Affleck( The Town, Gone Baby Gone)
• Seven Psychopaths
• Alex Cross
• Killing Them Softly
• Paranormal Activity 4
• Cloud Atlas
• The Big Wedding

November

• Flight
• Denzel Washington returns to the screens in this Robert Zemeckis( Forrest Gump) vehicle. 
• Wreck-It Ralph
• Skyfall
• Lincoln- Limited Release
• The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II
• The Twilight Saga comes to an end, twihards are in agony while film lovers rejoice
• Anna Karenina- Limited Release
• Directed by Joe Wright( Atonement, Pride & Prejudice) and starring Keira Knightley in the titled role. 
• Life of Pi
• Based on the Best selling novel and directed by the Academy Award winning Ang Lee( Brokeback Mountain) 
• Red Dawn
• Rise of the Guardians
• The Silver Linings Playbook

December

• The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey
• Peter Jackson returns for the prequel to the Lord of  Rings trilogy. 
• Les Miserables
• Zero Dark Thirty
• This is 40
• Quasi sequel to Knocked Up
• Jack Reacher
• Django Unchained
• Been waiting for this film for two years now. I know that Quentin Tarantino will not disappoint

Rent or Skip

Rent This: Another Earth

I cannot stress how beautiful this film was. It is not exciting or thrilling but a heartbreaking tale about healing after a tragedy against the backdrop of the recent discovery of another planet the exact replica of Earth. 

Rent This: We Need to Talk About Kevin

This film displays the nature vs. nurture debate brilliantly. Are monsters created or are they born? Tilda Swinton is fabulous in this uneasy drama. 

Rent This: Red State

Terrifying, hilarious and  unexpected. Definitely not a film for those who are easily offended.   

Skip This: Snow White and the Huntsman

I was really looking forward to watching this movie ever since I first saw the trailer. Unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations. It is not terrible but it is not epic either, it's just okay. Charlize Theron was amazing in this film. Kristen Stewart really did hold her own and was believable as the re-imagined Snow White. Chris Hemsworth was fantastic as usual. I suggest you catch it when it is available for rental.

Beasts Of The Southern Wild Trailer

Here is the trailer for the highly anticipated Grand Jury Prize Winning (Sundance Film Festival) and Official Selection: Un Certain Regard (Festival De Cannes) film Beasts of The Southern Wild. The cinematography of this film looks mesmerizing and the trailer left me speechless. Definitely an early contender for the Oscars next year. Here is the website for the film http://beastsofthesouthernwild.com/.

King's Guide: Summer Movie Preview

We are in May which is  the beginning of the Summer Movie Season. This is the trickiest time of the year for studio executives. This is the time when the studios release super expensive summer blockbusters that they hope won't bust. This year will see an unprecedented number of prequels, sequels and reboots. Some of the films released this summer will flop, others will be disappointments and a rare few will be box office surprises. After having  a disappointing month(April) at the box office, the Summer 2012 season is more than welcome. Wrath of The Titans and American Reunion both under performed. Not to mention of slew of lackluster releases as well. One of the highlights last month was Think Like A Man. Talk about exceeding expectations. Leading up to the Summer Movie Season, The Hunger Games and Dr. Seuss' The Lorax were the two biggest films of the year and both of them were box office smashes.  

I predict that  the three biggest films of the summer will be The Avengers, The Dark Knight Rises and The Amazing Spider-Man. Now with the numbers coming out that The Avengers topped $200 million this weekend in the US box office, it is already a bigger hit than the people in the industry predicted. It will be interesting to see if The Dark Knight Rises has a bigger opening weekend. I am curious to see how Battleship fares at the US Box office. I know that is doing well oversees but I am not sure if it will be successful here. I don't necessarily think it will bomb but I am not sure about its performance. Overall I think that fair number of films will be successful this summer. Below I have composed a list of films that will be released Summer 2012.

May

• The Avengers
• The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel( Limited Release)
• Dark Shadows
• Battleship
• The Dictator
• Hopefully this will perform more like Borat than Bruno
• What to Expect When You Are Expecting
• Moonrise Kingdom
• Men in Black III
• Will the public still be interested in seeing the men in black suit up one more time? Is Will Smith still the most bankable actor? I think the audience will come and Will Smith is still Will Smith. 

June

• Brave
• Snow White and the Huntsman
• Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted
• Prometheus
• I am so excited about this film I have lost the ability to think. Now the question is will this film have massive appeal? 
• Rock of Ages
• G.I. Joe: Retaliation
• Can The Rock and Bruce Willis revive this franchise? Looking at the trailer I think that is a strong possibility. 
• Magic Mike
• This movie will be the test to see if Channing Tatum is a true box office draw. He has been on fire this year with The Vow and 21 Jump Street. It opens the same day as his other vehicle G.I. Joe which means it has no chance at opening first at the box office. With the amount of eye candy in this film I don't see why it will have a problem getting an audience. 
• Tyler Perry's Madea's Witness Protection
• Ted
• Beasts of the Southern Wild( Limited Release)

July

• The Amazing Spider-Man
• Ice Age: Continental Drift
• The Dark Knight Rises
• The Watch
• Savages

August

• Total Recall
• The Bourne Legacy
• The reboot starring the fabulous Jeremy Renner
• The Expendables 2
• Sparkle
• Premium Rush