We had an early leap into summer movie-going with the release of Avengers: Age of Ultron last week, the first blockbuster of many rolling out in the next few months. The forecast? It's all about teamwork for our movie heroes, whether they're singing, stripping, or saving the world; there's safety (and box-office dollars) in numbers. Here's your guide to some of the juiciest picks of the season.
MAYPitch Perfect 2The Barden Bellas are looking for a repeat of their a cappella awesomeness, despite their overall team weirdness. Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow. From director Elizabeth Banks.
Mad Max: Fury RoadA Road Warrior (Tom Hardy) determined to survive alone comes to the aid of a group of escaped captive women (Charlize Theron among them) trying to cross the Wasteland and outrun a gang in this high-action, high-body-count post-apocalyptic thriller from George Miller, brainchild of all the Mad Max films.
TomorrowlandThere's another world out there, according to director Brad Bird, and it's up to a troubled teenage girl (Britt Robertson) and a secretive inventor (George Clooney) to make sense of it all. Screenplay by Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof.
San AndreasAs if you needed reminding that Vancouver is smack on a fault line, but here's search-and-rescue helicopter pilot Dwayne Johnson trying to pick up the pieces in L.A. and find his daughter after a giant quake hits.
JUNEEntourageWe've been watching Jeremy Piven in period-wear for too long (in Mr. Selfridge); it's time for the actor to wriggle back into those overpriced designer suits. A-list star Vincent Chase (Adrian Grenier) and his posse reunite to try and get Vince's
Hollywood movie made.
Saint LaurentStory of the mercurial designer's (Gaspard Ulliel) rise to fashion superstardom 1967-1976, and the personal price he paid for success.
Jurassic WorldThe park is open for business but genetic splicing behind the scenes has created a monster, even by dinosaur standards. It's up to on-site staffer Owen Grady (Chris Pratt) to change the mind of operations manager Claire (Bryce Dallas Howard), corral the deadly mutant dino and undo some of the damage that the island's scientists have done.
Inside OutConfirmation that you are hearing voices in your head comes courtesy of directors Pete Docter and Ronnie del Carmen, who spotlight five emotions - Joy (Amy Poehler), Fear (Bill Hader), Disgust (Mindy Kaling), Anger (Lewis Black) and Sadness
(Phyllis Smith) - that run rampant in a little girl's head.
Love and MercyStory of Beach Boys genius Brian Wilson (played by Paul Dano as his younger self; John Cusack as the older Wilson), highlighting the musician's work, his nervous breakdown, and his controversial therapy (Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth Banks also star).
PixelsAfter aliens misinterpret video game feeds as a declaration of war, it's up to '80s video champion (Adam Sandler) and his team (Josh Gad, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Monaghan) to take on Pac-Man and crew to save the planet.
JULYTerminator: GenisysJohn Connor (Jason Clarke) tries to mess with time by sending an officer (Jai Courtney) back to 1984 to save Sarah (Emilia Clarke). But the sergeant finds himself facing off against new enemies and with surprising allies (Arnold Schwarzenegger) as he tries to reset the clock.
Self/LessA dying billionaire (Ben Kingsley) undergoes a radical medical procedure that transfers his consciousness into the body of a young man (Ryan Reynolds). But, wouldn't
you know it: "immortality has its side effects".
Mr. HolmesThis is the world's greatest detective as you've never seen him before: in retirement, with his faculties failing, and with a bowler hat full of regrets. With only his housekeeper and her young son for company (Laura Linney, Milo Parker), Sherlock (Ian Mckellen) attempts to solve a case that has long eluded him.
Magic Mike XXLChanning Tatum, Joe Manganiello and Matt Bomer take off their clothes again. I hear there's a story, too.
Mission: Impossible, Rogue NationEthan Hunt (Tom Cruise) is back in the governmental bad books and is a fugitive on the run, while taking on a rogue agency known as the Syndicate. Jeremy Renner,
Simon Pegg, Alec Baldwin co-star.
SouthpawJake Gyllenhaal stars in this gritty drama about boxer Billy Hope, who loses
everything after tragedy strikes. Billy must get back to basics (with the help of Forrest Whitaker) to win back custody of his daughter. Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) directs; Rachel McAdams co-stars.
TrainwreckJudd Apatow directs this story about monogamy-hater Amy (Amy Schumer), who meets her match in a dorky sports doctor (Bill Hader) she's profiling for a men's magazine.
The GiftA chance encounter with an old high-school acquaintance (Joel Edgerton) reveals a decades-old secret, and nothing but trouble for married couple Robyn and Simon (Rebecca Hall and Jason Bateman) in this creepy thriller.
Ant-ManOn the big screen for the first time is Scott Lang aka Ant-Man (Paul Rudd), a
man with an amazing ability to shrink in size but retain super strength. Ant-Man must guard his mentor's (Michael Douglas) secrets from evil-doers in this Marvel adaptation.
AUGUSTSTRicki and the FlashMeryl Streep plays hard-rocking Ricki Randazzo, a guitarist who put her career before her family, but now she's back to make peace. From writer Diablo Cody and director Jonathan Demme, and co-starring Mamie Gunner, Kevin Kline and - '80s crush alert - Rick Springfield.
CriminalA special set of skills and memories from a deceased CIA agent are implanted into an unpredictable convict in the hopes that he can thwart a terror plot. Ryan Reynolds once again plays the human vessel (see Self/Less). Gary Oldman co-stars.
