The summer’s best flicks

In the words of Sublime, “summer time, and the living’s easy…” and the best way to escape the heat is heading to theatres to see the latest blockbuster films. Highly-anticipated sequels, adaptations, and action flicks are all on the ticket for summer 2013.

Iron Man 3 kicked off the movie season on May 3, and since its premiere I’ve seen it twice—it’s just that good. Action, twisting plot, and Tony Stark’s ever-dashing sarcasm make Iron Man 3 the best of its series. Marvel fans have a lot to look forward to with a new Thor movie release this November, Captain America in 2014, and of course The Avengers 2 in 2015.

Next in the season is The Great Gatsby, which premiered May 10. Baz Luhrmann of Moulin Rouge! and Romeo + Juliet fame took on the classic tale of Jay Gatsby, with his own modern twist of spectacle and lights. The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite books, so I was skeptical that Leonardo DiCaprio can pull off the character that Robert Redford perfected. I thought it was a good film, but the modern soundtrack threw me off and I don’t think it was the Gatsby F. Scott Fiztgerald had intended.

Star Trek Into Darkness opens May 17, another sequel of an old franchise that’s sure to be a crowd pleaser. May 23 premieres The Hangover Part lll, which brings the wolfpack to Tijuana for another crazy (and forgotten) adventure. The cast says it’ll be the last of the series, and I can’t wait to see what limits they’ll push in this one.

Fast & Furious 6 hits theatres May 24, and the series has so many movies it’s like Now That’s What I Call Music! for racers. Vin Diesel is at it again, and it’ll be just as furious (and fast) as before.

Of course you can’t forget the comedies of summer 2013: The Internship with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson comes out June 7, followed by This is the End on June 12. I’m most excited for This is the End, with comedians Seth Rogen, James Franco, Jonah Hill, and many more as they try to survive the apocalypse. I’m sure it will be ridiculous, and I’m sure it will be hilarious.

This is the summer of superheroes. Christopher Nolan’s Man of Steel opens June 14, and with his Dark Knight, Batman Begins, and Inception past this is sure to be one of the best Superman movies yet.

Highly-anticipated Monsters University hits theatres June 21 as a prequel to Monsters, Inc. Pixar can do no wrong, and I will be just as excited to see “MU” as I was when I saw Monsters, Inc. 12 years ago. Grown Ups 2 premiers July 12, and although I miss Adam Sandler of yesteryear with Billy Madison and Big Daddy, his comedy doesn’t seem to have aged a bit.

What did I say about superheroes taking over the summer? The Wolverine comes out July 26, and Hugh Jackman will be back in full force with the sixth installment of the X-Men series.

So there you have it, summer 2013 is the season for sequels and action flicks. The movie industry may be running out of originals, but it will all be great nonetheless. Make sure to see the movies in 3D if possible, as many of them will have the upgraded movie enhancement. Grab a bag of popcorn, beat the heat, and put up your feet.