JULY:
“No Sudden Move”
Steven Soderbergh’s “Let Them All Talk” was one of the more warm and welcome surprises of the 2020 holiday movie season, although the director’s latest, the period heist thriller “No Sudden Move,” sounds like it might very well find the prolific multihyphenate back in “Out Of Sight” or “The Limey” territory (one would certainly hope so, those movies rule). Even by the standards of a Soderbergh flick, this cast is insane – not only Don Cheadle and Benicio del Toro, but also Amy Seimetz, Jon Hamm, David Harbour, Ray Liotta, Kieran Culkin, Julia Fox, and others – and the fact that “Mosaic” scribe Ed Solomon has penned the screenplay certainly sweetens the deal. “No Sudden Move” unfolds in mid-’50s Detroit and centers on a band of small-time illegal operators who find themselves navigating the city’s underworld when a job goes belly-up. Honestly, we’ve been in for whatever Soderbergh wants to do for years now, but this one sounds like it could be his best in years… that’s if it’s as good as it sounds. (July 1, HBO Max)
“Summer Of Soul”
Questlove has gone from one of the founding members of the pioneering hip-hop outfit The Roots to a household name: he’s as likely to be a fixture on Jimmy Fallon’s show as he is to pop up at this year’s Oscar ceremony. The man born Ahmir Thompson has also acted in and written music for other people’s movies, although the Philly-based musical multihyphenate can now add “director” to his list of titles with this summer’s upcoming “Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised),” a documentary that takes an in-depth look at the six-week Harlem Cultural Festival of 1969, held in what is now known as Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem, New York. Prominent headliners included Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, B.B. King, and Sly and the Family Stone; our own Andrew Crump raved about the film in his A review out of Sundance, calling it “superb,” and a “chiefly an ecstatic moviegoing experience.” (Hulu, Searchlight Pictures)
“The Tomorrow War”
So, what if Chris Pratt is no longer everyone’s favorite famous Chris? If the box office receipts for the “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “Jurassic World” movies offer any evidence, there are plenty of people out there who love the guy. “The Tomorrow World” is Pratt’s next big tentpole outing: a time-travel adventure that Jennifer Salke, head of Amazon Studios, has called a “global event” and also an “action-packed sci-fi escape that will keep audiences on the edge of their seats.” “The Tomorrow War” is the feature-length debut of “Lego Movie” animation co-director Chris McKay and will tell the story of a band of time-travelers who journey into the past to warn of a terrible, coming war against hostile alien invaders. Pratt will play a family man who has to strap up and save humanity alongside the likes of Yvonne Strahovski, J.K. Simmons, Betty Gilpin, and surely more. (July 2, Amazon)
“Annette”
Every Leos Carax film is a sensorial experience first and foremost, be it the transcendent toxic romance of “The Lovers On The Bridge” or the out-of-body surreality of his last directorial effort, 2012’s “Holy Motors.” “Annette,” Carax’s return to the director’s chair after almost a decade, looks like it could be the loopiest and most go-for-broke Carax concoction to date, which is really saying something. It’s the director’s first English-language outing and will premiere as the opening night film of the 74th Cannes Film Festival, after some rumored speculation last year that the film would be ready in time for the 2020 edition of Cannes. “Annette” stars Adam Driver and Marion Cotillard as a Los Angeles-based showbiz couple whose newborn child, a mysterious girl named Annette, upends their lives in unexpected ways. The film, which features a screenplay and an original score penned by Sparks (who, between this and “The Sparks Brothers,” are having quite a year), will see a release via Prime Video later this summer. (July 6, Cannes Premiere, and should be out theatrically and on Amazon in a few weeks after that)
“Black Widow”
As of late, Marvel-heads have become accustomed to getting a fix of their preferred drug of choice via the Disney+ streaming service, where the likes of “WandaVision” and “The Falcon And The Winter Soldier” are still racking up views. So it may register as a shock to the system of those brave (hopefully vaccinated) souls who venture out to see “Black Widow” in a movie theater come July 2021. Marvel’s latest was another high-profile casualty of the 2020 COVID release fiasco, but its adrenalized, action-packed trailers suggest that the film may actually be worth the wait. As a character, Natasha Romanoff has always been more interesting as part of a duo or larger group, which is why we’re delighted to see the likes of Florence Pugh, Rachel Weisz, and David Harbour in the cast, even if the acting is never why you go to these movies in the first place. Either way, it’s a new Marvel movie! Get stoked, everyone! (July 9, Marvel)
“The French Dispatch”
Those of us who consider ourselves Wes Anderson fanatics have had to wait a very, very long time for “The French Dispatch,” which was originally supposed to be a high-profile summer 2020 release before being pushed all the way back to October and then being delayed indefinitely; it’s gotten to the point where many die-hard Wes-o-philes are wondering if they’ll ever see the film, or if the prospect of its existence is merely a teasing fever dream. Alas, “The French Dispatch” does exist, it looks terrific, and as many suspected, Anderson’s “love letter to journalists” will be making its hyped, long-rumored premiere at Cannes 2021, where it stands to be one of the more illustrious movies playing in competition. As for the film itself, it looks colorful, melancholic, bittersweet, daffy, a little mad: essentially, all the things you go to a Wes Anderson picture for. (Searchlight Pictures, Likely a Cannes Premiere, which likely means a theatrical release shortly thereafter)
“Ailey”
Before Barry Jenkins gives us his long-awaited, sure-to-be-great Alvin Ailey biopic, audiences are going to want to get familiar with the pioneering African-American dance choreographer, founder of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (which, by the way, he founded before he was thirty years old – and what are you doing with YOUR life?). The film will be comprised of both archival footage and talking head conversations with those who knew Ailey best: the effect will no doubt be a kaleidoscopic, entrancing portrait of a radical artist who utilized his medium of choice, dance, as a means through which to channel his most personal and revealing experiences. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Jamila Wignot (co-director of 2013’s “Town Hall”) and distributed by Neon, “Ailey” should provide a beautiful complimentary viewing experience to Jenkins’ upcoming feature undertaking, but will no doubt stand on its own just the same – much like Ailey’s work did in its time, and today. (July 16, Neon)
“Cinderella”
Kay Cannon instantly became one of our comedy directors to watch upon the release of her debut, 2018’s unreasonably fun gross-out sex romp “Blockers,” so we’re not in the least bit surprised that she landed a primo franchise gig for her next directorial outing. That’s right, folks: Cannon is the woman behind the re-imagining of the classic fairy tale “Cinderella,” and her new live-action interpretation is poised to be one of 2021’s splashier family-focused outings. Former Fifth Harmony singer Camila Cabello will step into the slippers of the beloved, titular princess, with a smashing supporting roster that includes the great Billie Porter as well as Pierce Brosnan, Idina Menzel, Minnie Driver, and Missy Elliott filling in the roles of assorted Kings, Queens, Princes and what-have-yous. We’re Team Cannon all the way over here at The Playlist, so you know we’ll be checking this one outcome in July. (July 16, Sony)
“The Night House”
David Bruckner’s “The Ritual” was a spooky British folk horror that deserved a bigger audience than the one it ultimately found. We’re hoping that Bruckner’s latest, the considerably more high-profile “The Night House,” sees the up-and-coming horror director making a successful leap to the big leagues. Bruckner certainly has a formidable partner in his lead, Rebecca Hall, who is poised to have a big year with her breakout Sundance drama “Passing.” Hall plays Beth, a woman mourning the death of her husband who comes to find that his spirit may still haunt the lake house where they once lived together. Honestly, this sounds like a fun twist on the age-old ghost story recipe and a potential indie crossover that could bridge the gulf that separates arthouse shockers from multiplex horror. (July 16, Searchlight)
“Old”
We gotta hand it to M. Night Shyamalan: he continues to do him, no matter how many slanderous fanboys he pisses off, and no matter how many middling reviews his movies get. We’re hoping that “Old” will be a return to peak form for the “Sixth Sense” director; its premise is certainly one of the more disturbing ones Shyamalan has cooked up in a minute. Picture this: a family absconds to an island getaway for a vacation, only to quickly learn that they are all aging rapidly and thus on a fast track towards the grave. Forget that a similar gimmick was utilized in last year’s “Wendy” and focus instead on the fact that “Old” is Vicky Krieps’ biggest showcase since “Phantom Thread” and that Gael Garcia Bernal, Alex Wolff, Eliza Scanlen, and Thomasin McKenzie join her in the cast. “Old” will also be the first Shyamalan work shot on film since his much-maligned “The Last Airbender,” as well as that rare movie that takes the director out of his beloved state of Pennsylvania. (July 23, Universal)
“The Green Knight”
There is a palpable sense of wonder and awe in the brief, tantalizing trailer for David Lowery’s “The Green Knight” that has had us looking forward to this wild-sounding Arthurian fantasy ever since it was scheduled to premiere at last year’s SXSW. Lowery is a filmmaker blessed with an enviably light touch – even his crime films, “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints” and “The Old Man And The Gun,” are punctuated by notes of whimsy and yearning – and the marketing for “The Green Knight” tells us that Lowery and the folks at A24 may just have another unconventional winner on their hands. Dev Patel leads the cast as Sir Gawain, the knight who embarks on a quest to confront the mythical, fearsome creature of the film’s title, and the actor heads an outstanding ensemble that includes Alicia Vikander, Joel Edgerton, Sean Harris, Barry Keoghan, and Ralph Ineson. (July 30, A24)
“Stillwater”
Apart from a handful of “13 Reasons Why” episodes and something that Disney+ released last year called “Timmy Failure: Mistakes Were Made,” Tom McCarthy has yet to release a proper theatrical follow-up to his riveting 2015 Best Picture winner, “Spotlight.” That follow-up, “Stillwater,” was originally slated for a November 2020 release, which suggests, despite the COVID-related delay, that distributors Focus Features have a considerable degree of faith in the project. The prestige film, which stars Matt Damon and features Abigail Breslin and Deanna Dunagan in supporting turns, is a wrongful-conviction narrative whose old-school premise hearkens back to the glory days of legal dramas like “Dead Man Walking” and “In The Name Of The Father.” If executed with panache, this formula could work in McCarthy’s favor and possibly see him returning to the Oscars come 2022. (July 30, Focus)
“The Last Letter From Your Lover”
Actress, film director, and screenwriter Augustine Frizzell made her debut in 2018 with the delightful stoner comedy “Never Goin’ Back” that A24 quickly snatched up. Her sophomore effort gets a big leg up from Netflix, who have also gifted her an amazing cast: Felicity Jones, Shailene Woodley, Callum Turner, Nabhaan Rizwan, Joe Alwyn, Ncuti Gatwa. Based on the novel by Jojo Moyes ‘Lover’ centers on a pair of interwoven stories set in the present and past, one about an ambitious journalist (Jones) who discovers a trove of secret love letters from 1965 and becomes determined to solve the mystery of the forbidden affair at their center. What she uncovers is the story of the wife of a wealthy industrialist (Woodley), an epic love story, and her own romance that starts to bloom simultaneously. (July TBD, Netflix)
The Rest Of July: Those with a thirst for stranger-than-fiction stories might be interested in Sonia Kennebeck’s “Enemies of the State,” a fascinating-sounding doc about an ordinary American family targeted by the U.S. government. Those of us who dearly miss the great Anthony Bourdain is going to make time for “Roadrunner: A Film About Anthony Bourdain,” who may do for the late, brilliant foodie/explorer/innovator what he did for Fred Rogers in his poignant documentary, “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” As far as Netflix viewing, there is “The Last Mercenary,” an action-comedy featuring the legendary Muscles from Brussels himself, Jean-Claude Van Damme, in a rare lead role, and also the intense, dark-sounding topical hijacking thriller, “Blood Red Sky.” Netflix also gives us Guillermo del Toro‘s “Trollhunters: Rise Of The Titans,” which should be a nice animated treat. Also, Sony Pictures‘ “Escape Plan 2,” with Taylor Russell and Logan Miller, is set for July 16.
Of course, since summer is still a prime ground for sequels, there is the already-infamous “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” whose WTF-wackadoodle trailer recently set the internet on fire (all we’re really saying is watch that one at your own risk, folks). Other sequels seeing a July 2021 release include “The Forever Purge” (yup, they’re still making those!), the latest from the “Hotel Transylvania: Transformania” franchise (those too, although at least those movies are fun for the little ones), and the forthcoming “G.I. Jones” spinoff, “Snake Eyes: G.I. Jones Origins” (we have to admit, when we first saw this title, we assumed this would be a remake of Brian De Palma’s slept-on 1998 thriller of the same name).