Summer releases 2018
- by Alison Traynor
The summer of 2018 is shaping up to be a fantastic time for every film fan out there, whether you are a casual viewer or a dedicated cinephile. With a vast selection of films being released, from hugely hyped Hollywood blockbusters to lesser known arthouse indie films, there is plenty of promising cinema to anticipate.
Indulging in some nostalgia for your youth is a great way to fill your time over the summer holidays. Thankfully, Pixar have enabled us to do just that with the long awaited release of Incredibles 2 in June. Despite the fact that it has been fourteen years since the release of Incredibles (Do you feel old yet?), Incredibles 2 picks up where the last film left off, transporting us back to the days of our childhood. We get to revel in Elastigirl’s campaign for the return of superheroes, the various problems that Mr. Incredible suffers within his domestic role, the discovery of Jack-Jack’s superpower and most importantly, the family’s fight to defeat the villain Screenslaver. If this sequel in anything like its predecessor, it will prove to be, well, incredible.
May is going to be an exciting time for Star Wars fans, because it is then that Solo: A Star Wars Story, the eagerly anticipated second instalment of Star Wars anthology films and the follow-up to 2016’s Rogue One, is being released. Centring on a young Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) and his exploits with his sidekick, Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), it is a must-see for all of the Star Wars die-hards out there. With the combined talents of its prolific director Ron Howard and the star-studded cast that also includes Emilia Clarke, Woody Harrelson and Thandie Newton, this film will inevitably be an important addition to the Star Wars canon.
If you are looking for something a little darker to fill your summer days, Hereditary, which is due to be released in June, will do just that. This supernatural horror film has already been receiving rave reviews from critics and is being labelled the scariest film of the year. It stars horror veteran Toni Collette as a woman grieving the death of her mother while unravelling horrifying ancestral secrets that the bereavement has exposed. If the trailer is anything to go by, it will be a gloriously chilling watch and no self-respecting horror fan should miss it.
Love them or loathe them, it would be unthinkable to discuss the films of the summer without mentioning as high-profile a release as the sixth instalment of the Mission Impossible series. It arrives in cinemas in July in the shape of Christopher McQuarrie’s Mission: Impossible – Fallout. The formula appears to be similar to all of the other Mission Impossibles, with Ethan Hunt attempting to prevent a global catastrophe whilst simultaneously trying to avoid assassination, but there is something to be said for these tried and tested generic conventions. You certainly should not go in expecting anything particularly original or groundbreaking, but it will undoubtedly be an entertaining watch.
When considering the comedy-drama films that are to be released this summer, Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far on Foot, which is showing in cinemas in July, looks to be one of the finest. Based on a true story, Joaquin Phoenix plays John Callahan, an alcoholic slacker who suffers a life-changing accident which leaves him bound to a wheelchair. Reluctantly, he attempts sobriety and discovers the healing power of art with the help of his girlfriend (Rooney Mara) and sponsor (Jonah Hill). If director Gus Van Sant, who also created classics such as Good Will Hunting and Milk, lives up to his usual standard, this film will be outstanding.
If crime-thrillers are to your taste, then look no further than Sicario: Day of the Soldado, which is out in June. The sequel to the critically-acclaimed Sicario, it will be interesting to see whether this film meets the standard that was set by its director Denis Villeneuve, who was replaced by Stefano Sollima for this film. The plot revolves around the drug war at the Mexican border that has escalated to the point where terrorists are being transported by drug-cartels. To resolve this problem, the C.I.A. team up with an ex-hitman, played by Benicio Del Toro. If it serves no other purpose, its superfluity will at least counteract some of the inevitable boredom that results from the lengthy college summer break.
Another significant release is Ant-Man and the Wasp, a new Marvel film that will be gracing our cinema screens in August. Based on the characters Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd) and Hope van Dyne/Wasp (Evangeline Lilly) and set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, this film is a must-see for any fan of Marvel or the superhero genre in general. It has been described by the script-writers as more light-hearted and fun than other Marvel films, which should make it a perfect film to enhance our summers.
If the number of blockbusters that the summer is bringing are not your thing, then Leave No Trace may cater to your taste. This film will be released in June and is a subtle indie drama by Winter’s Bone director Debra Granik. It tells the tale of Will (Ben Foster) and his teenage daughter, Tom (Thomasin Harcourt McKenzie), who have lived in the forests of Oregon alone for years. A mistake results in them being put in social services and struggling to adjust to their new lifestyle, they are led to undertake an agonizing journey back to their woodland home. What more could you want from a heart-wrenching indie drama?