Reel Facts & Opinions: The Year in Film 2014, Episode V

The Summer Movie Season of 2014 kicked off with its usual fare of superheroes, giant monsters, a few indie gems and lots of visual and sonic assaults. The second month of the season is much of the same, with a decent amount of thinking-man’s films to offer some balance.

It all re-starts with:

EDGE OF TOMORROW: Tom Cruise is stuck in a time-loop in this future sci-fi war flick. Emily Blunt (LOOPER) and Bill Paxton co-star. Directed by Doug Liman (MR. AND MRS. SMITH).

THE FAULT IN OUR STARS: This teenage-love story stars Shailene Woodley (THE DESCENDANTS) and is directed by Josh Boone.

HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON 2: A sequel to the 2010 animated surprise hit. Stars the voice talents of Gerard Butler (300), Jonah Hill, Kristen Wiig, and Djimon Hounsou.

22 JUMP STREET: A sequel to the 2012 surprise hit, 21 JUMP STREET. Jonah Hill and Channing Tatum reprise their roles as two idiot cops who now go undercover at a college to bust a drug ring.

THE ROVER: This gritty film is a follow-up to David Michod’s ANIMAL KINGDOM. Set in a world ten years after the collapse of society, it stars Guy Pearce and Robert Pattinson.

JERSEY BOYS: Clint Eastwood’s latest directorial effort gets an un-characteristic summer release. His adaptation of the Tony Award-winning musical stars Christopher Walken, John Lloyd Young, and Vincent Piazza.

THIRD PERSON: Three interlocking love stories involving three couples in three different cities. Stars Adrien Brody, Liam Neeson, Mila Kunis, James Franco, Olivia Wilde, Maria Bello, and Kim Basinger. Directed by Paul Haggis (CRASH).

TRANSFORMERS-AGE OF EXTINCTION: Michael Bay’s fourth adaptation of Hasbro’s popular toy-line of fighting robots. Stars Mark Wahlberg, Jack Reynor, Nicola Peltz, Stanley Tucci, and Kelsey Grammer.

SNOWPIERCER: Chris Evans (CAPTAIN AMERICA) goes for a dramatic role where members of humanity struggle to survive in an ice-covered world. Co-stars Jamie Bell, John Hurt, Tilda Swinton, Ed Harris, and Octavia Spencer (THE HELP).

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Next month, Episode VI looks at the month of July.