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The 20 Best Songs Written For Movies

Adam D'Arpino — Tue, 07 May 2013 14:00:37 +0000

Warner Bros.

Everyone seems just as pumped for the Jay-Z-produced soundtrack for "The Great Gatsby" as they are for the flick itself.

But before we look ahead at what The Hova has in store for what we can only imagine will be the coolest-ever soundtrack to something you were forced to read in high school, let's look back at some of the all-time great movie songs.

20. Three 6 Mafia: 'Hard Out Here For a Pimp' ('Hustle & Flow')

Three 6 Mafia took home the Oscar for Best Original Song for this jam that confirmed what we had all already suspected: Pimpin' ain't easy. Terrence Howard and Taryn Manning's performances in "Hustle & Flow" were stellar, but there's little doubt that Three 6 Mafia's Oscar appearance, combined with host Jon Stewart's verbal Oscar tally ("Three 6 Mafia 1, Martin Scorcese 0") is what everyone remembers most about the movie.

19. Ray Parker Jr.: 'Ghostbusters' ('Ghostbusters')

Hypnotically catchy beat or blatant ripoff? Well, probably both. After human '80s embodiment Huey Lewis passed on writing a song for "Ghostbusters," Ray Parker Jr. stepped in and delivered a tune that sounded suspiciously like Lewis' "I Want a New Drug." Lewis sued and the case was settled out of court. Either way, Ray Parker Jr.'s theme assured both then-present and future generations that whenever someone asked the question "Who you gonna call?" at least one hi-larious jokester would answer accordingly.

18. Henry Mancini & Johnny Mercer: 'Moon River' ('Breakfast at Tiffany's')

Since it was crooned by Audrey Hepburn in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," "Moon River" has been recorded by, well, pretty much everyone. But before it was the ubiquitous standard it is today, it was written by Johnny Mercer and Henry Mancini specifically to fit Hepburn's vocal range. "Moon River" is probably the third most memorable thing about the film, just trailing Hepburn's stunning beauty and Mickey Rooney's cringe-worthy portrayal of Mr. Yunioshi.

17. Simple Minds: 'Don't You (Forget About Me)' ('The Breakfast Club')

Simple Minds will forever be associated with "Don't You (Forget About Me)," perhaps the '80s-est '80s song of all time, made for the '80s-est '80s movie of all time, "The Breakfast Club." And the song will forever be associated with Judd Nelson's triumphant freeze-framed fist pump. Hey, if 1985-era Molly Ringwald was your new main squeeze, you'd be fist pumping, too.

16. Bruce Springsteen: 'The Wrestler' ('The Wrestler')

Just barely beating out "Streets of Philadelphia" for best Boss tune from a major motion picture, Springsteen's acoustic ditty for Mickey Rourke's comeback victory lap is quiet, melancholy and raw, just like Randy 'The Ram' Robinson himself.

15. Burt Bacharach and Hal David: 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' on my Head' ('Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid')

The happy-go-lucky "Raindrops" still seems a little out of place in a movie about 1890s train robbers, but it's hard to imagine "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" without it. Additional props to Bacharach and David for topping the charts with the song in 1970 — a time when delirious optimism wasn't all that groovy, man.

14. Kenny Loggins: 'Danger Zone' ('Top Gun')

While the "Top Gun" soundtrack delivered two synth-tastic hit songs, Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" is just a little too dentist-office-waiting-room-y for our purposes, so we'll go with "Danger Zone," the unrivaled anthem of cocky fighter pilots everywhere (RIP Goose). This one scores extra points for the out-of-nowhere sax solo at the end.

13. Survivor: 'Eye of the Tiger' ('Rocky III')

Before it was the go-to song for cliche montage parodies everywhere, "Eye of the Tiger" was the song for arguably the most famous montage of all time. Today, it still stands as the world's best tune to drink raw eggs and run up art museum steps to ... although we're not sure if we prefer the original or the "Team America: World Police" version.

12. Coolio: 'Gangsta's Paradise' ('Dangerous Minds')

It's probably fair to say that "Gangsta's Paradise" has outlasted "Dangerous Minds," the least hard movie about hard inner-city living to come out during the '90s. From the unforgettable synth beat to L.V.'s over-the-top delivery on the chorus and breakdown, "Gangsta's Paradise" is delicious mid-'90s rap goodness from top to bottom. The tune also notably inspired Weird Al to knock those smarmy Amish down a peg or two.

11. R. Kelly: 'I Believe I Can Fly' ('Space Jam')

Perhaps a little earnest for a movie about aliens playing basketball against wisecracking Looney Tunes characters and Michael Jordan, "I Believe I Can Fly" is still a total R. Kelly jam, and one of the choice songs for middle school graduations everywhere. Props to R. for advocating the power of positive thinking ten years before "The Secret" was on the shelves.

10. Radiohead: 'Exit Music (For A Film)' ('Romeo + Juliet')

Ah love, the loveliest of emotions. But Radiohead's opus "Exit Music (For a Film)" from Baz Luhrmann's "Romeo + Juliet" isn't about your average I-wanna-hold-your-hand type of love — we're talking I'll-poke-people's-eyes-out-if-people-even-glance-at-you crazy love, here. While the song probably isn't wedding-dance material, as a portrait of two lovesick puppies willing to kill to stay together, it fit "R + J" like a snug straightjacket.

9. The Bee Gees: 'Stayin' Alive' ('Saturday Night Fever')

"Stayin' Alive" is the ultimate callback to an era when clothes were tighter, voices were higher and facial hair was unironic. Really, as soon as the bassline drops you might as well be in the front seat of a DeLorean hurling towards 1977. The tune was a perfect theme for "Saturday Night Fever," a movie that is kinda about one young man's struggle to carve out an identity in New York City during the tumultuous '70s but is mostly just about John Travolta being really good at disco dancing.

8. Isaac Hayes: 'Theme From Shaft' ('Shaft')

Isaac Hayes doesn't so much sing on "Theme From Shaft" but rather simply describes in his inimitable Isaac Hayes voice the movie's titular character to a group of nameless, faceless, presumably sexy ladies who won't stand for his potty mouth. But that didn't stop "Shaft" from topping the charts in 1971, and it doesn't stop it from being the funkiest, sexiest, most blaxploitative song on this list.

7. Aimee Mann: 'Save Me' ('Magnolia')

Sparse, acoustic and gorgeous, "Save Me" was a perfect fit for Paul Thomas Anderson's oddball classic about regret, the power of coincidence and frogs' ability to totally mess up your weeknight plans.

6. Public Enemy: 'Fight the Power' ('Do the Right Thing')

Spike Lee commissioned "Fight the Power" for "Do The Right Thing," his 1989 drama about the lethal combination of racial tension and pressure cooker-esque New York City heat. The anti-authority anthem had a better fate than its boombox-blasting purveyor, Radio Raheem, later appearing on Public Enemy's "Fear of a Black Planet" in 1990 and continuing on as a battle cry against corruption to this day.

5. Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova: 'Falling Slowly' ('Once')

Written for "Once," the musical love story for people who are way too cool for musical love stories, "Falling Slowly" is just about as pretty as songs get. In the movie, Glen Hansard's character teaches the song to Marketa Irglova's character in a music store, foreshadowing their not-quite romance (but hey, at least she got a piano out of the deal). If your heart didn't inflate Grinch-style when they took home the Oscar for Best Song in 2008, someone needs to check your chest cavity, you heartless person, you.

4. Elliott Smith: 'Miss Misery' ('Good Will Hunting')

"Miss Misery" might not immediately come to mind when you think of "Good Will Hunting," but Elliott Smith's sparse waltz — every bit as bleak as you'd expect — is a beaut. The song also resulted in one the most unforgettable images in Oscar History: the demure, mostly unknown Smith standing on stage alongside Celine Dion and Trisha Yearwood as "My Heart Will Go On" (duh) was announced as the winner for Best Song. We promise you, "Miss Misery" is the better tune.

3. Paul McCartney: 'Live and Let Die' ('Live and Let Die')

You could argue about the merits of McCartney's solo output all day, but there's no debating the quality of "Live and Let Die," an epic tune and a damn good James Bond theme. Guns N' Roses' suped-up version offers up some serious Slash shredding, but we'll take the frenetic McCartney original any day. There's a whole mess of Bond songs that you could argue for here (most notably "Skyfall" and any of Shirley Bassey's contributions), but "Live and Let Die" reigns supreme.

2. Eminem: 'Lose Yourself' ('8 Mile')

Eminem was at the top of his game and looking to conquer the silver screen and the rap charts when "8 Mile" was released in 2002. With its stadium-ready beat and lyrics about facing pressure and battling your demons, "Lose Yourself" was destined to become a hip-hop classic and the battle cry of early '00s high school basketball teams everywhere. As usual, Em didn't skimp on the vivid verbal imagery, which included an unnecessarily specific description of what a stain on his shirt consisted of. (Spoiler Alert: it's spaghetti vomit.)

1. Simon and Garfunkel: 'Mrs. Robinson' ('The Graduate')

Originally about Eleanor Roosevelt, the song only became "Mrs. Robinson" after director Mike Nichols was able to convince Paul Simon to change the lyrics to suit "The Graduate," his film about cougardom and the malaise of young adulthood. Besides being a flat-out unforgettable slice of Americana, "Mrs. Robinson" also marked one of the first times a pop group penned a song for a Hollywood movie ... as well as one of the first instances of athlete name-dropping in music.

8 Summer Movie Face Swaps

NextMovie Staff — Thu, 02 May 2013 16:00:59 +0000

Is there any more truly disturbing or grotesque Internet sensation than the Face Swap? It makes for a relatively simple spell of Photoshop wizardry, and yet the results can plummet your subconsciousness into a bizarro nightmare world that looks like an Aphex Twin music video with movie stars.

As we certainly like spreading humor mixed with discomfort all to and fro, we've conjured a collection of Summer Movie Face Swaps guaranteed to make you laugh so that you may not cry (though you may do that as well later). Behold, and remember that once you take a look, you can never take that look back.

'Star Trek Into Darkness' (May 17)

'Now You See Me' (May 31)

'World War Z' (June 21)

'The Great Gatsby' (May 10)

'The Internship' (June 7)

'The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones' (Aug. 23)

'After Earth' (May 31)

'Iron Man Three' (May 3)

More NextMovie Originals

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2013 Summer Blockbusters Re-Imagined as Indies

NextMovie Staff — Tue, 30 Apr 2013 16:00:50 +0000

Summer movie season is once again upon us, as the likes of "Iron Man 3," "The Wolverine" and "Pacific Rim" are set to blow us through the back wall of the theater with their huge action sequences, top-notch special effects and occasional witty quips.

But blockbusters aren't the only kind of movies at the multiplex this summer; they share space alongside quieter, more critically acclaimed fare. And let's face it — inside every loud, attention-grabbing, big-budget action flick or raucous all-star comedy, there's a sensitive, modest indie just waiting to get out. Right?

With that in mind, we've once again reinvented 10 summer blockbusters as smaller, less explosion-heavy films. After all, it's not such a huge leap to see "Fast & Furious 6" as a twee road trip movie about a non-traditional family or "Man of Steel" as the ultimate tale of an outsider wandering the Earth in search of identity and purpose.

The 30 Movies You Need to Know About This Summer

Max Evry — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 14:00:37 +0000

Marvel Films

It's summer, summer, summertime, time to sit back and unwind, as The Fresh Prince once rhymed. Iron Man, Wolverine, Superman and Hit-Girl are suiting up and the AC is pumping as studios trot out their big guns, eager to put butts in the seats with big stars, bigger explosions and lots of numbers after titles.

That's right, nearly a third of our list is sequels, there's even more that didn't make it, and that doesn't even count the reboots and potential franchise-starters in store as we dive headfirst into our glistening pool of summer movie bliss.

30. 'The Internship'

Release Date: June 7
Starring: Vince Vaughn, Owen Wilson
The Scoop: Since 2005 we've been champing at the bit for "Wedding Crashers" duo Vaughn and Wilson to re-team, and now nearly a decade later they're back in … a 90-minute ad for Google? Well, the premise has them pegged as two older salesmen trying to prove their relevance in the digital age by BS-ing their way into a competitive internship at the web browser, where the Gen-Xers butt heads with Gen-Y.

29. 'The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones'

Release Date: Aug. 23
Starring: Lily Collins, Jamie Campbell Bower
The Scoop: Everyone's looking for next "Twilight," and this right here could be it. Collins stars as Clary Fray, an innocent young girl who gets swept up in a whole new world of magic and mysticism. Clary learns she is a half-human/half-angel hybrid known as a Shadowhunter and must do battle with all sorts of baddies, including Jonathan Rhys Meyers as the evil Valentine, who holds a major key to her past.

28. 'White House Down'

Release Date: June 28
Starring: Channing Tatum, Jamie Foxx, Maggie Gyllenhaal
The Scoop: Now that "Olympus Has Fallen" has fallen, it paves the way for director Roland Emmerich ("Independence Day") to do what he does best; namely, destroying the White House. This time around, instead of doing it with one shot of a laser beam, he's taking it apart brick by brick as terrorists invade 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. and Tatum's Capitol security guy is the only one who can get President Sawyer (Foxx) out of deep s**t.

27. 'Fast & Furious 6'

Release Date: May 24
Starring: Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriguez, Dwayne Johnson
The Scoop: They're back in the cars. This time it's personal? You bet. Dom (Diesel) learns that his perished lady love Letty (Rodriguez) is back from the dead (not in a zombie way) and working with a ruthless gang leader played by Luke Evans. Thusly, The Rock recruits the crew to take the bad guy down with the carrot of a full-pardon dangled as incentive.

26. 'Epic'

Release Date: May 24
Starring: Amanda Seyfried, Beyoncé Knowles, Josh Hutcherson, Colin Farrell
The Scoop: This is large-scale animated adventure from the creators of "Ice Age" offers a massive look at a micro world, where a young teen girl named Mary (Seyfried) gets downsized "Honey I Shrunk the Kids"-style and corralled into a huge battle between the good Leaf Men and evil Boggans. The film nearly jumped ship to Pixar before Fox changed their mind and decided to make it after all, so if this doesn't live up to its name there's gonna be a lot of explaining to do.

25. 'The Bling Ring'

Release Date: June 14
Starring: Emma Watson
The Scoop: Mischief managed indeed. "Harry Potter" star Watson is a girl gone wild as she and a gaggle of loosey-goosey teens decide to form a gang and rob their favorite celebrities, including Paris Hilton, who plays herself. Based on real girls who really robbed Hilton and other really shallow peeps, this will undoubtedly be another snapshot of wealthy excess from "Lost in Translation" Academy Award-winner Sofia Coppola.

24. '2 Guns'

Release Date: Aug. 2
Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Denzel Washington, Paula Patton
The Scoop: Wahlberg. Washington. Where do we sign up? The testosterone-infused pair play a couple undercovers unwittingly investigating each other, who discover they're actually being framed by the CIA in some elaborate scam. If we know our action movies, it's gonna take several wild shootouts and maybe a car chase or two to set things right.

23. 'We're the Millers'

Release Date: Aug. 9
Starring: Jennifer Aniston, Jason Sudeikis, Emma Roberts, Ed Helms
The Scoop: Sudeiekis and Aniston try to recapture some of that "Horrible Bosses" energy with this madcap comedy about a pot dealer who fabricates a family made up of a stripper, a homeless teen and a geeky British kid in order to bring a ton (actually two tons) of weed over the border. This is director Rawson Marshall Thurber's first comedy since 2004's hilarious "Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story," and might we say it's about high time he did another one.

22. 'Before Midnight'

Release Date: May 24
Starring: Ethan Hawke, Julie Delpy
The Scoop: Richard Linklater's other two "Before" movies chronicled cute couple Jesse and Celine as they met cute in Vienna and continued to talk cute nine years later. After another nine-year increment, they're still together and, yes, still cute. Now they have twin girls of their own, with Jesse still experiencing success as a writer while Celine contemplates a change. If early word is any indication, expect another unanimously-praised gab fest from modern masters of the art form.

21. 'After Earth'

Release Date: May 31
Starring: Will Smith, Jaden Smith
The Scoop: Okay, so the last time M. Night Shyamalan delved into fantasy territory we got "The Last Crapbender," but "After Earth" has one key element that enterprise didn't have: Will Smith. The Fresh Prince (when can we start calling him The Fresh King?) is the real mastermind behind this sci-fi adventure, co-writing and producing it and starring alongside real-life progeny Jaden as a father-son team who get stranded on a post-apocalyptic Earth covered head-to-toe with monsters.

20. 'Despicable Me 2'

Release Date: July 3
Starring: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Al Pacino
The Scoop: You wanted more adorable yellow Minions. You got 'em. It's Carell vs. Pacino as the former supervillain takes on a new nemesis in the form of Eduardo so he can say good night to the bad guy. The first "Despicable Me" was a delightful surprise, so let's hope they can deliver another one now that there are actual expectations ... not to mention lots of other animated competition.

19. 'R.I.P.D.'

Release Date: July 19
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jeff Bridges, Mary-Louise Parker, Kevin Bacon
The Scoop: Let the "Men in Black" comparisons begin! The trailer essentially plays out like "MiB" with ghosts, but Jeff Bridges' rootin' tootin' sheriff of the hereafter, Roy Pulsipher, is breakin' in his new partner Nick (Ryan Reynolds) in a most unexpected way: inhabiting the bodies of a hot chick and an old Chinese guy, respectively. Nice touch, boys.

18. 'The Hangover Part III'

Release Date: May 24
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms, Melissa McCarthy
The Scoop: The wolf pack is back again, and if you thought "Part II" was a carbon copy of the first one then let it be known that in "Part III" things are coming full circle. Yes, the gang is back in Vegas for a plot that involves a hunt for Ken Jeong's Leslie Chow in exchange for Justin Bartha's Doug, who's being held hostage this time around.

17. 'The Way, Way Back'

Release Date: July 5
Starring: AnnaSophia Robb, Steve Carell, Toni Collette, Sam Rockwell
The Scoop: Nat Faxon and Jim Rash deservedly earned an Oscar (and made fun of Angelina Jolie's dress) for "The Descendents," thus earning their right to make a movie of their own. First love is just one of the items on the menu as 14-year-old Duncan (Liam James) spends summer vacation with his mom and winds up being mentored by a wacky water park manager played by Rockwell.

16. 'Elysium'

Release Date: Aug. 9
Starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Alice Braga
The Scoop: Neill Blomkamp made his mark with the visionary sci-fi Apartheid parable "District 9" and looks to be making another statement about extreme social stratification with his sophomore effort. Damon plays a soldier who uses a special weaponized suit to attempt access to the title space station where the wealthy receive medical attention and luxury. Sounds like an exclusive spa worth fighting for.

15. 'The Lone Ranger'

Release Date: July 3
Starring: Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer
The Scoop: Whoa, kemosabe, this crazy-ass-looking western could either be fun on the bun … or "Wild Wild West Redux." Even though it's called "The Lone Ranger," this is most definitely Tonto's movie, with Johnny Depp trying to capture some of that Captain Jack lightning in a bottle again with help from original "Pirates" director Gore Verbinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer. They ride for justice ... and a bigger payday for the sequel.

14. 'The Spectacular Now'

Release Date: Aug. 2
Starring: Shailene Woodley, Miles Teller, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kyle Chandler
The Scoop: The always-charming Teller ("Project X") plays a high school senior who lives for the moment, but after the budding alcoholic gets dumped by his girlfriend he meets Aimee (Woodley), a nerdy nice girl who dreams about the future. Word out of Sundance has this pegged as a charming, John Hughes-esque tale of teen angst that could very well become the sleeper hit of the summer.

13. 'Now You See Me'

Release Date: May 31
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Morgan Freeman, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine
The Scoop: "The Prestige" couldn't do it, "The Illusionist" didn't cut it, and Penn & Teller definitely don't got it, so is this going to be the first movie to make magic actually seem cool and sexy? Eisenberg uses his brainy powers to magically steal money and give it out to his audience, unless Ruffalo can stop him (without Hulking out).

12. 'The Purge'

Release Date: May 31
Starring: Lena Headey, Ethan Hawke
The Scoop: After the stunning success of "Sinister," Hawke is on a horror jag, this time pairing with "Game of Thrones" beauty Headey as heads of a family that must protect themselves during a night when anyone can commit a crime consequence-free. That's a scary-ass premise, especially when dudes in creepy masks start banging down your door.

11. 'The World's End'

Release Date: Aug. 23
Starring: Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Rosamund Pike, Martin Freeman
The Scoop: Edgar Wright concludes his loose "Blood and Ice Cream" trilogy that began with "Shaun of the Dead" and continued with "Hot Fuzz." Pegg and Frost are childhood friends who reunite with a few other lads to recreate an epic pub crawl but get caught up in that whole apocalypse deal. Actually, we're not sure if that apocalypse is natural, biblical, robotic or alien as extreme secrecy shrouds the project, but considering this team has never let us down we don't know why they'd start now.

10. 'World War Z'

Release Date: June 21
Starring: Brad Pitt
The Scoop: It's the first epic zombie movie, and we do mean EPIC. You could have made twenty low-budget zombie movies for what this one cost, but for that price tag you get a shaggy-haired Brad Pitt as a UN guy globetrotting to find a cure for the zombie hordes that are toppling whole societies as they form into massive swarms we call "zombie globs." Gross. Based on the popular novel by Max Brooks, who's Mel's son ... but don't expect the zombies to suddenly burst into "Springtime For Hitler."

9. 'The Wolverine'

Release Date: July 26
Starring: Hugh Jackman, Famke Janssen, Will Yun Lee
The Scoop: After several false starts, including original director Darren Aronofsky dropping out, this stand-alone adventure finds Jackman's Logan arriving in Japan where an old friend offers to give him the gift of mortality. That's just in time for him to take on the entire Yakuza in a battle over the love of Mariko (Tao Okamoto), where he just may find his mutant healing powers handy. This adaptation of the classic Chris Claremont/Frank Miller story from the '80s has the distinct advantage of not possibly being any worse than the last Wolverine outing.

8. 'Kick-Ass 2'

Release Date: Aug. 16
Starring: Chloë Grace Moretz, Jim Carrey, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
The Scoop: The first "Kick-Ass" gave new meaning to the term "child endangerment," as every bad guy in that movie got endangered by Moretz's pint-sized assassin Hit-Girl. Now she and Dave (Taylor-Johnson) will join forces with underground crimefighters led by reformed mobster Colonel Stars and Stripes (Carrey) to battle an army of supervillains led by McLovin himself.

7. 'The Great Gatsby'

Release Date: May 10
Starring: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Joel Edgerton, Tobey Maguire
The Scoop: F. Scott Fitzgerald's time-honored literary masterpiece gets an MTV-friendly makeover as "Moulin Rouge!" helmer Baz Luhrmann goes hog-wild with his usual lavish sets and anachronistic soundtrack, courtesy of Jay-Z. This jazz age chronicle of new money clashing with old in the roaring '20s has DiCaprio's Gatsby trying to reignite the love he and Daisy Buchanan (Mulligan) once had, with a little help from Maguire's Nick Carraway.

6. 'Monsters University'

Release Date: June 21
Starring: John Goodman, Billy Crystal, Helen Mirren, Steve Buscemi
The Scoop: Pixar has made more than their fair share of sequels, with "Finding Dory" on the way, but this represents their first attempt at a prequel. This is perhaps Goodman and Crystal's only chance to play younger, thinner versions of themselves as Sulley and Mike embark on an intense curriculum as they frat, prank and scare their way through college. Big kegger at Monster House!

5. 'This Is the End'

Release Date: June 12
Starring: James Franco, Jonah Hill, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel, Danny McBride, Craig Robinson
The Scoop: It's the Apatow gang's "Avengers"-style team-up movie, as Franco, Rogen, et al. play themselves trapped in a Hollywood mansion as the Biblical apocalypse ravages the world. They're forced to fight over the last Milky Way bar, drink their own urine and survive some serious calamities, including having their supplies stolen by Emma Watson.

4. 'Star Trek Into Darkness'

Release Date: May 17
Starring: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Benedict Cumberbatch
The Scoop: Captain's Log, Stardate AWESOME. Kirk, Spock, McCoy and all the rest are back for another go-round in the lens flare-riddled universe of J.J. Abrams' "Star Trek." Unlike most previous "Trek"s, this one seems to emphasize Earth-bound action as John Harrison (Cumberbatch) enacts a catastrophic revenge scheme on the federation. Abrams swears up-and-down Harrison isn't Kahn, but do you honestly trust this guy? | Watch the trailer

3. 'Man of Steel'

Release Date: June 14
Starring: Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Russell Crowe
The Scoop: Ever since Richard Donner's 1978 take on the Last Son of Krypton we've been consistently let down by Superman on the big screen, but director Zack Snyder and producer Christopher Nolan are looking to end the big blue boy scout's losing streak with an epic modern re-imagining. Cavill's Clark Kent goes on a long, bearded spiritual journey before taking up the cape, with an intrepid/sexy Daily Planet reporter and an evil Kryptonian general both hot on his heels.

2. 'Pacific Rim'

Release Date: July 12
Starring: Charlie Hunnam, Idris Elba, Charlie Day
The Scoop: Guillermo del Toro is gonna layeth the smacketh DOWN this summer. It's mechas vs. kaijus, or robots vs. monsters for the layman, all on a scale never before dreamed of by fans of Japanese "Godzilla" movies. Early word says this could be the next "Star Wars," or simply the $150-million-dollar version of a deranged little boy playing with his toys in the bathtub. Either way, we're there.

1. 'Iron Man 3'

Release Date: May 3
Starring: Robert Downey Jr., Guy Pearce, Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle
The Scoop: Okay, maybe we've seen this movie already and maybe we haven't, but just maybe it will rock your rocket boots off. It seems this time around Tony Stark has to go mano-a-mano with his most fearsome foe yet, the Mandarin (Ben Kingsley), all while trying to figure out where he stands in the eternal triangle between himself, Pepper Potts (Paltrow) and those many lovely suits of armor of his.

The Runners-Up:

MAY
Michael Shannon plays real-life contract killer/mass murderer/family man Richard Kuklinski in "The Iceman" (May 3); Craig Robinson gets a rare starring role as a dude trying to impress his fiancé's family in "Peeples" (May 10); Greta Gerwig does the Noah Baumbach two-step as an enthusiastic hipster in "Frances Ha" (May 17); and three quirky boys run away and build their own lair in the woods in "The Kings of Summer" (May 31).

JUNE
Joss Whedon does the Bard proud with his modern-dress Shakespeare adaptation "Much Ado About Nothing" (June 7); Sandra Bulloch and Melissa McCarthy play good cop/psycho cop in "The Heat" (June 28); Pedro Almadovar sets his latest farce aboard a doomed airplane in "I'm So Excited" (June 28); and Saoirse Ronan and Gemma Arterton make a "Twilight" for smart people in vampire flick "Byzantium" (June 28).

JULY
Adam Sandler and his buddies use the term "grown up" loosely in "Grown Ups 2" (July 12); Bruce Willis and his geriatric pals lock and load for "Red 2" (July 19); real-life paranormal investigators The Warrens are called in to reckon with "The Conjuring" (July 19); Ryan Gosling bangs guys up in Bangkok's underworld in "Only God Forgives" (July 19); and Woody Allen brings us more neurotic delights with "Blue Jasmine" (July 26).

AUGUST
More Spartans means more greased-up abs in "300: Rise of an Empire" (Aug. 2); "Disney's Planes" (Aug. 9) cashes in on whatever dollars they left on the table after "Cars"; the fantasy gravy train keeps rolling on as we set sail for "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters" (Aug. 9) and Aubrey Plaza has a lot of sex on the agenda in "The To Do List" (Aug 16). Finally, it's not looking good for you (if you're the killers) in the late-summer horror revenge-fest "You're Next" (Aug. 23).

Summer Movies Poll: Most Anticipated 2013 Summer Movie

NextMovie Staff — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 12:00:11 +0000

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Summer Movies Poll: Worst Movie

NextMovie Staff — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:00:33 +0000

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Summer Movies Poll: Biggest Disappointment

NextMovie Staff — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 12:00:09 +0000

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Summer Movies Poll: Biggest Surprise

NextMovie Staff — Sun, 26 Aug 2012 12:00:42 +0000

Warner Bros. / Paramount / Sony

NEXT: What was the biggest disappointment of the summer? >>

PREVIOUS: What was the best indie movie of the summer? <<

Summer Movies Poll: Best Indie

NextMovie Staff — Sat, 25 Aug 2012 12:00:37 +0000

FilmDistrict / Focus Features / Fox Searchlight

NEXT: What was the biggest surprise this summer? >>

PREVIOUS: What was this summer's best action movie? <<

Summer Movies Poll: Best Action

NextMovie Staff — Fri, 24 Aug 2012 12:00:17 +0000

NEXT: What was the best indie movie of the summer? >>

PREVIOUS: What was the best comedy movie of the summer? <<

This poll will close on Aug. 30, 2012, at 12 p.m. ET

Summer Movies Poll: Best Comedy

NextMovie Staff — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 12:00:11 +0000

Focus Features / Universal / Paramount

NEXT: What was the best action movie of the summer? >>

PREVIOUS: Who was the standout female this summer? <<

This poll will close on Aug. 30, 2012, at 12 p.m. ET

Summer Movies Poll: Standout Female Star

NextMovie Staff — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 12:00:59 +0000

Sony / Warner Bros. / Universal

NEXT: What was the best comedy movie of the summer? >>

PREVIOUS: Who was the standout male this summer? <<

This poll will close on Aug. 30, 2012, at 12 p.m. ET

Summer Movies Poll: Standout Male Star

NextMovie Staff — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 12:00:59 +0000

Warner Bros. / Warner Bros. / Sony

NEXT: Who was the standout female star of the summer? >>

PREVIOUS: What was the best movie of the summer? <<

This poll will close on Aug. 30, 2012, at 12 p.m. ET

Summer Poll: What Was Your Favorite Movie?

NextMovie Staff — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 12:00:45 +0000

Warner Bros. / Marvel Studios / Universal

The summer movie season is over, and over the past four months, we've witnessed some high-flying action, raunchy comedies and indies bursting into the spotlight. Whether you're a fan of superheroes, enjoy a shirtless Channing Tatum or prefer foul-mouthed teddy bears, there was something for everyone in theaters this summer.

So which movie lived up to the hype and delivered all the thrills and chills, laughs and gasps, tears and cheers you were hoping for this summer? Let us know which of summer's best movies you think reigned supreme — then come back every day to vote in a brand-new poll.

NEXT: Who was the standout male star of the summer? >>

This poll will close on Aug. 30, 2012, at 12 p.m. ET

15 Breakout Stars to Watch This Summer

Chase Whale — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 16:00:00 +0000

View Gallery »

There are a lot of things to avoid this summer: blistering sun, bug spray, sweating, sunburns, broken air conditioning, puka shell necklaces. Thankfully, heaven can be found indoors, in a movie theater, with functional air conditioning, popcorn and 90+ minutes of pure cinematic bliss.

This summer Hollywood is giving us a lot of "popcorn flicks" to look forward to: a "Spider-Man" reboot, "Men in Black III," a second "G.I. Joe" movie and "Battleship," to name a few. Among all of these big movies are 15 up-and-coming stars who will be heating up the summer. Some of these are people you've seen on TV, and some you've heard on the radio. All of them are quickly on the rise to silver-screen stardom.

Summer Movies Poll: Most Ass-Kicking Avenger

NextMovie Staff — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:00:38 +0000

Marvel (3)

PREVIOUS: What will be summer's best animated movie? >>

This poll will close on May 2 at 12 p.m. ET

The 20 Sexiest Men of Summer 2012

Elisabeth Rappe — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:00:58 +0000

View Gallery »

Summer isn't just the season for blockbusters. It's also the time of beefcakes. Oh sure, good-looking men abound in movies all year, but there's something about the hottest months that really brings them out, takes off their shirts, and makes them run, leap, and roll in slow motion.

This year seems especially easy on the eyes. We have the usual slate of superheroes (all of whom look fantastic in their capes and codpieces), soldiers and assassins, but with the extra spice of an android, a vampire, a medieval warrior, and a whole stable of male strippers. Any one of those is enough to make the season, but the combination is enough to make you glad theaters are air conditioned.

For now, here's a preview of summer's sexiest men to keep you feeling the heat until May and beyond.

Summer Movies Poll: Best Animated Movie

NextMovie Staff — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 12:00:58 +0000

PREVIOUS: Who will be summer's best villain? >>

This poll will close on May 2 at 12 p.m. ET

The 20 Sexiest Women of Summer 2012

Daniel Hubschman — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 16:00:56 +0000

View Gallery »

What would a blockbuster be without a damsel in distress to save, or a femme fatale to fight? A whole lot less fabulous, that's what.

Throughout the world, the summer movies season is synonymous with chiseled male champions braving larger-than-life adventures. But judging by the crop of broad comedies and action extravaganzas being offered up in the coming months, it looks like the ladies may give their A-list counterparts of the opposite sex a run for their money.

Have a look at 20 starlets who are going to steal the cinematic spotlight.

Summer Movies Poll: Best Villain

NextMovie Staff — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 12:00:02 +0000

Marvel / Warner Bros. / Universal

PREVIOUS: What will be summer's best non-action movie? >>

This poll will close on May 2 at 12 p.m. ET

8 Summer Movies Starring the Cast of 'Twilight'

Ryan McKee — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 19:00:55 +0000

Columbia Pictures / Universal

There are roughly seven months until our next (and final) Twi-hard fix, with "Breaking Dawn - Part 2" dropping in November. I don't write that to bum you out. It's more of an embrace-the-day statement. Appreciate these seven months of build-up because in all likelihood, these will be your last (unless you've already started obsessing over "The Hunger Games").

That said, let's get excited for summer movies season -- the season that's no longer just about blockbusters and indies that aren't good enough for award season (although it's still mostly that). When it comes to summer films starring "Twilight" actors, we're lucky enough to get two apiece from Kristen Stewart and Robert Pattinson; and these hot months will also feature appearances from Dakota Fanning, Ashley Greene, "Eclipse" alumnus Xavier Samuel and my imaginary girlfriend Anna Kendrick.

Half of them look like solid films, too. The other half, well, let's be honest, as a sucker for "Twilight" actors, I'm still going to support them. And why not? I need something to beat the heat, and nobody wants to see me shirtless at the pool.

Kristen Stewart

Universal

As I mentioned above, KStew has two offerings for this summer, and they're coming hot and heavy, one right after another. First will be the long-awaited adaptation of Jack Kerouac's seminal novel "On The Road," dropping on May 23. I don't simply mean it's "long-awaited" because it's been in development for two years and Twi-hards have been itching to see Stewart as a crazy teenage '40s beatnik. Hollywood has been trying to adapt the book, in one form or another, since 1957. Why has it been so difficult? It's not exactly a "clean" story arc, giving directors license to get way too artsy with it. Don't get your hopes up too much. Let's just focus on the joy of seeing KStew getting sweaty dancing to jazz, man.

If "On The Road" does disappoint, you have "Snow White and the Huntsman" around the corner on June 1, and that seems highly likely to be awesome. Stewart couldn't have played her cards much better: a notable indie dropping right before a shoo-in summer blockbuster. She'll dominate the movie press for at least those two weeks.

Robert Pattinson

Columbia Pictures

Like his lady, R.Pattz also has an upcoming art-house film and a larger budget film. "Bel Ami," coming on June 8, is based on an 1885 French novel by Guy de Maupassant and, despite costarring Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas and Christina Ricci, looks about as boring as it sounds. But I get why Pattinson signed on. He needs to do everything in his power to go beyond Edward.

His larger-budget film, "Cosmopolis," debuts next month at Cannes and, for my money, is the most intriguing movie on this list. It's by no means a guaranteed blockbuster like "Snow White," but it has the most dark-horse potential to be an awards winner and a cult classic. Directed by David Cronenberg ("A History of Violence," "Eastern Promises") and based on a Don DeLillo novel, it's the best chance Pattinson has to break the Edward typecasting.

Anna Kendrick

Lionsgate

While I'm not going to crunch the numbers, it's likely Kendrick will be the "Twilight" cast member who gets the most work in Hollywood. That's why it's no surprise Kendrick appears in May 18's "What to Expect When You're Expecting," since the studio tried to squeeze as many marketable names as it could in this ensemble cast. She plays Rosie, a character "who reunites with an old flame and fellow food-truck owner and becomes pregnant." Other than that, I can't tell you more than the film's omnipresent marketing has already done.

Dakota Fanning

Getty Images

It appears as if Dakota is finally ready to step up and start being the critical darling everyone has wanted her to be since "I Am Sam" in 2001. While I don't think "Now Is Good" will win her any awards, it's a step in the right direction. She plays a girl dying of leukemia who compiles a bucket list. Topping the list is her desire to lose her virginity. Okay, I'm listening. Costarring actor Jeremy Irvine from "War Horse," the film definitely has potential. Look for it May 25.

Ashley Greene

Warner Bros.

Getting into late summer, we have Greene starring in the horror/thriller "The Apparition" on August 24. Isn't this what we expected Greene to be, a hot girl in medium-budget thrillers? She seems to have all the parts for it. She's great-looking with average-at-best acting chops. I could give you the movie's plotline here, but don't you already know what it's about? It's supernatural, it's scary and it'll open decently its first weekend and then fade away.

Xavier Samuel

Getty Images

While most of you will already be back in school by September 6, I'm still counting it as summer, especially since the Xavier Samuel vehicle "Bait" has all the elements of summer's typical no-thought, fun-time thrillers. A freak tsunami traps shoppers at a coastal Australian supermarket inside the building ... along with a pack of tiger sharks. Of course! Why didn't Alfred Hitchcock think of that?

Confessions of a (Male) Twi-Hard is a "Twilight" humor column by Ryan McKee that publishes every other week on NextMovie. Read Ryan’s introductory post here or follow him on Twitter.

Summer Movies Poll: Best Non-Action Movie

NextMovie Staff — Tue, 24 Apr 2012 12:00:51 +0000

Warner Bros. (2) / Lionsgate

PREVIOUS: What will be summer's best sequel? >>

This poll will close on May 2 at 12 p.m. ET

The Complete 2012 Summer Movie Photo Gallery

NextMovie Staff — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 17:00:19 +0000

View Gallery »

We could just make you a list of all the great movies coming out this summer, but where's the fun in that?

Instead, we've put together a full gallery of images from all — yes, all — the movies we're dying to see (trust us, picking 30 was harder than you think). And they're all in chronological order so you can plan your whole summer with it.

Now don't say we never gave you anything.

The Top 30 Must-See Summer Movies of 2012

Max Evry — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:00:12 +0000

Columbia Pictures / Warner Bros.

'Tis the season for massive explosions and people running from them.

Summer movies are coming, and iconic superheroes will dominate as "Dark Knight Rises," "Avengers," and "The Amazing Spider-Man" duke it out for box office supremacy, while the sci-fi derby includes fresh takes on the "Alien" saga ("Prometheus") and Philip K. Dick ("Total Recall"), plus a return visit to MIB headquarters.

Of course, it's not all grenades and gunshots. Just see a shirtless Tom Cruise in "Rock of Ages" and everythingless Channing Tatum in "Magic Mike" representing for the ladies this summer.

We count down the biggest and best blockbusters for beating the summer heat.

30. 'Battleship'

Universal

Release Date: May 18
Starring: Taylor Kitsch, Liam Neeson, Rihanna
The Scoop: "John Carter" sank, but this feature version of the perennial Hasbro board game may be just the ticket to keep Taylor Kitsch's career afloat. The decision to go sci-fi with invading aliens as the heavies is clearly the filmmakers' attempt to capitalize on the success of "Transformers," but with costars Liam Neeson and singer Rihanna in tow, this could be one unsinkable "Battleship." | Watch the trailer

29. 'Bel Ami'

Magnolia Pictures

Release Date: June 8
Starring: Robert Pattinson, Uma Thurman, Kristin Scott Thomas, Christina Ricci
The Scoop: R.Pattz is a beautiful friend indeed to the many lovely ladies in this 19th-century romp. The "Twilight" superstar plays Georges Duroy, a French libertine using his cunning and sexuality to broker his way from one powerful woman's bed to another. Based on the novel by Guy de Maupassant, this one's sure to get the more literary-minded audience's home fires burning. | Watch the trailer

28. 'Sparkle'

TriStar

Release Date: Aug 17
Starring: Whitney Houston, Jordin Sparks, Derek Luke, Cee Lo Green
The Scoop: Whitney Houston's swan song is a remake of the 1970s cult classic, which she adored as a child. The late singer was set for a big-time comeback, including a soundtrack produced by R. Kelly, before her tragic death in February. Houston and "American Idol" winner Jordin Sparks are "Giving Him Something He Can Feel," and audiences will be floored. | Watch the trailer

27. 'The Expendables 2'

Lionsgate

Release Date: Aug 17
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Dolph Lundgren, Chuck Norris, Terry Crews, Randy Couture, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger
The Scoop: A second helping of brawny, gun-totin' geezers was inevitable after the mighty $275 million haul their pyrotechnics brought in two years ago. Stallone has ceded the director's chair to Simon West ("Tomb Raider," "Con Air") but returns as writer and star, playing mercenary Barney Ross, who leads his team into a trap in which one of them gets whacked. They recruit new members Billy the Kid (Liam Hemsworth) and Maggie (Yu Nan) to get some of that sweet, tasty revenge we like so much. | Watch the trailer

26. 'What to Expect When You’re Expecting'

Liongate

Release Date: May 18
Starring: Jennifer Lopez, Cameron Diaz, Elizabeth Banks, Anna Kendrick, Brooklyn Decker
The Scoop: The go-to chick flick of the summer is based on the classic baby manual and follows five couples as they navigate the ups, downs and hormones of pregnancy. Oh, and don't worry, guys, because Dennis Quaid, Chris Rock, Thomas Lennon, Rob Huebel and Matthew Morrison will be on hand for some much-needed bro time. | Watch the trailer

25. 'G.I. Joe: Retaliation'

Paramount

Release Date: June 29
Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Channing Tatum, Bruce Willis, Adrianne Palicki
The Scoop: Because one just wasn't enough. The Joes are back, but this time those Cobra scumbags have hatched a scheme to get their kung fu grip on the White House and eliminate America's last line of defense. Tatum returns as Duke, but it's Johnson as Roadblock and Willis as the original "Joe" who are running the show this time around. Did we mention ninjas swordfighting off a cliff face? POW! | Watch the trailer

24. 'People Like Us'

DreamWorks

Release Date: June 29
Starring: Chris Pine, Elizabeth Banks, Michelle Pfeiffer, Olivia Wilde, Mark Duplass, Jon Favreau
The Scoop: You might know the name Alex Kurtzman as one of the kings of franchise screenwriting with "Transformers," "Mission: Impossible" and "Star Trek" under his belt. Instead of making a splashy debut as a director, he wrote this grounded drama (along with partner Roberto Orci) about a man named Sam (Pine) who has to deliver $150,000 to a 30-year-old alcoholic sister he's never met. He encounters her troubled 12-year-old son and probably learns something about himself, too.

23. 'Katy Perry: Part of Me'

Getty Images

Release Date: July 5
Starring: Katy Perry
The Scoop: This concert documentary chronicles the life of the world's biggest female pop star, from her humble beginnings as a gospel singer to when she kissed a girl and liked it. If you really want to have fun, try hopping back and forth between the theater showing this film and another one showing ex-hubby Russell Brand's "Rock of Ages." | Watch the trailer

22. 'Seeking a Friend for the End of the World'

Focus Features

Release Date: June 22
Starring: Steve Carell, Keira Knightley, Adam Brody, Derek Luke, Connie Britton
The Scoop: Here's a perfect 2012 comedy for the Mayan-minded. With an impending asteroid about to smush the Earth into a pancake, a man teams up with a neighbor to road-trip across an apocalyptic U.S. and reunite with his childhood sweetheart. We'd never have thought to cast Carell opposite Knightley, but that unlikely chemistry might just prove magical, especially given the unconventional nature of the script. | Watch the trailer

21. 'ParaNorman'

Focus Features

Release Date: Aug 17
Starring: (voices) Casey Affleck, Jeff Garlin, John Goodman, Anna Kendrick, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
The Scoop: From the 3-D stop-motion geniuses at Laika -- the very patient animators who brought us "Coraline" -- comes this slab of spooky fun revolving around an outcast kid named Norman Babcock (Kodi Smit-McPhee), who communicates with the dead to protect his sleepy New England town from a horde of ghosts, witches and zombies. The trailers are awesome, with some incredible puppet animation and a hilarious "Monster House" vibe to the story.

Also Check Out: Summer Movie Polls

20. 'Men in Black 3'

Columbia Pictures

Release Date: May 21
Starring: Will Smith, Tommy Lee Jones, Josh Brolin, Emma Thompson, Alice Eve
The Scoop: Call it cautious optimism, but despite some clunky-looking effects and tales of production woes (delays, unfinished scripts), we're still amped to see Will and Tommy back in black. With Josh Brolin doing a so-dead-on-it's-scary Tommy Lee Jones impersonation as a '60s-era Agent K, this will indeed be like walking into a time machine. | Watch the trailer

19. 'To Rome With Love'

Sony Pictures Classics

Release Date: June 22
Starring: Woody Allen, Alec Baldwin, Roberto Benigni, Penélope Cruz, Judy Davis, Jesse Eisenberg, Greta Gerwig, Ellen Page
The Scoop: Woody Allen made box office magic with last summer's "Midnight in Paris," so let's see if he can strike gold twice in a row. The Woodman continues his globetrotting (London, Barcelona, France) with this trip to the boot of Europe as famous Italians (Benigni) mix with American tourists (Baldwin, Eisenberg, Page) in four interconnected comedic vignettes. Throw in an Academy Award-winning Spaniard (Cruz) and Allen himself, and you've got yourself a heaping plate of laughs al dente.

18. 'Magic Mike'

Warner Bros.

Release Date: June 29
Starring: Channing Tatum, Alex Pettyfer, Matthew McConaughey, Joe Manganiello, Matt Bomer
The Scoop: Oscar-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody ("Juno") remarked on an episode of "WTF with Marc Maron" that when she released her stripping memoir, it resulted in criticism and controversy, and she wondered if this film -- based on Channing Tatum's teen experiences takin' it all off in Tampa, Florida -- would bring the "21 Jump Street" star equal scorn. Only one way to find out, as Steven Soderbergh directs a beefcake wonderland eager to please. Tatum is, to put this tastefully, the Jedi stripping master, while Pettyfer is his Padawan disciple, and the ladies should look forward to some red-hot "lightsabers." | Watch the trailer

17. 'Moonrise Kingdom'

Focus Features

Release Date: May 25
Starring: Bruce Willis, Bill Murray, Edward Norton, Frances McDormand, Tilda Swinton, Jason Schwartzman
The Scoop: With Ed Norton as a cigarette-smoking Boy Scout troop leader, Bruce Willis as a sheriff with translucent glasses and Bill Murray as a disenchanted father, this couldn't be anything but a standard-issue Wes Anderson affair. The director of "The Royal Tenenbaums" always has something delightfully eccentric up his corduroy sleeves, and his tale of two young kids in a runaway romance will not disappoint. | Watch the trailer

16. 'Rock of Ages'

Warner Bros.

Release Date: June 15
Starring: Julianne Hough, Diego Boneta, Russell Brand, Paul Giamatti, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Malin Akerman, Mary J. Blige, Alec Baldwin, Tom Cruise
The Scoop: Tom Cruise likes his old-time rock 'n' roll Bon Jovi-style as he belts out "Wanted Dead Or Alive." Word on the street is Cruise brings down the house, but for backup you've got pros Russell Brand and Mary J. Blige waiting in the wings to make sure this Broadway musical takes it to the next level. Adam Shankman ("Hairspray") directs. | Watch the trailer

Keep Reading: Top 30 Must-See Summer Movies of 2012 (15 - 1) >>

Summer Movies Poll: Best Sequel

NextMovie Staff — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 12:00:34 +0000

Columbia Pictures / Paramount / Warner Bros.

PREVIOUS: Who will be summer's most badass dude? >>

This poll will close on May 2 at 12 p.m.

Summer Movies Poll: Most Badass Dude

NextMovie Staff — Sun, 22 Apr 2012 12:00:01 +0000

Marvel / Columbia Pictures / Universal

PREVIOUS: Who will be summer's most badass babe? >>

This poll will close on May 2 at 12 p.m.

Summer Movies Poll: Most Badass Babe

NextMovie Staff — Sat, 21 Apr 2012 12:00:17 +0000

Disney (2) / Universal

PREVIOUS: What will be the funniest comedy of the summer? >>

This poll will close on May 2 at 12 p.m.

Summer Movies Poll: Funniest Comedy

NextMovie Staff — Fri, 20 Apr 2012 12:00:16 +0000

20th Century Fox / Universal / Paramount

PREVIOUS: What summer movie are you most excited about? >>

This poll will close on May 2 at 12 p.m.

Summer Poll: Which Movie Are You Most Excited About?

NextMovie Staff — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 12:00:52 +0000

Summer Movies Poll 2012: Best Movie

There's a lot coming up in 2012, with nothing bigger than this summer's slate of blockbuster movies ... well, unless you count a presidential election, the Olympics and the possible end of the world.

Okay, fine, so maybe this summer movie season is only the fourth biggest thing about 2012, but it's still pretty darn huge, with a near-unprecedented lineup of all-star superhero movies, long-awaited sequels, fairy tale reimaginings and bold franchise reboots.

Which movies have you ready to laugh, cry, gasp and swoon this summer? Let us know which of this summer's big movies you're most excited to see -- then come back every day to vote in a brand-new poll.

This poll will close on May 2 at 12 p.m.

'Harry Potter' Leads End of Summer Poll Winners

Scott Harris — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 10:01:24 +0000

Warner Bros.

The people have spoken and, if there was ever really any doubt, it's now official: This was the summer of "Harry Potter."

The final results of our huge End of Summer polls are in and with more than 25,000 votes cast, "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" easily walked away with the title of your favorite movie of the summer, earning more votes than the rest of the field combined.

Helping lead "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" to its crushing win (its final tally of 59.8 percent dwarfed the 15.1 percent of runner-up "X-Men: First Class")? The fateful lip lock between Ron and Hermione, which 49 percent of you chose as your favorite moment from "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2;" Ron's mom calling Bellatrix Lestrange a beyotch came in second with 25.5 percent of the vote.

While "Harry Potter"'s win should come as no shock, there were some surprises, most obviously in the "biggest surprise" category (duh). "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" took home that title by a score of 40.8 percent to 23 percent for second place finisher "Bridesmaids."

Paramount

And the results of our favorite superhero movie of the summer poll was also a bit of an upset, with "Captain America" holding off the critically acclaimed band of mutants from "X-Men: First Class" by a razor thin margin of 39.5 percent to 38.6 percent.

Not a surprise? The fact that "Green Lantern" only earned a paltry 4.6 percent of that vote, which helps explain why the film also earned the dubious distinction of biggest disappointment of the summer with an overwhelming 41 percent of the vote. Coming in second in that poll? "The Hangover Part II," which seems to have been a love it or hate it kind of flick. Despite being so disappointing to some of you, "The Hangover Part II" still won the poll for best comedy of the summer, squeaking past "Bridesmaids" by only half of one percent.

Other results: Kristen Wiig edged out Molly McCarthy for the title of best "Bridesmaid," "Crazy, Stupid, Love." was your favorite Emma Stone sighting of the summer, Chris Evans sported the best abs and Mila Kunis topped Olivia Wilde as the hottest hottie in an especially sultry summer.

And lastly, we got a sneak peek of next year's results, because if the tally for our most anticipated film of 2012 vote is any indication, there's no doubt which movie will be taking over now that "Harry Potter" is history: An overwhelming 76 percent of the voters picked "Snow White and the Huntsman" as the most exciting movie of next summer.

Here are the full results:

What was your favorite movie of the summer?
59.8% - "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2"
15.1% - "X-Men: First Class"
14.3% - "Rise of the Planet of the Apes"
5.8% - "Bridesmaids"
5.0% - "Super 8"

Who was the hottest babe in theaters this summer?
31.3% - Mila Kunis in "Friends With Benefits"
27.6% - Olivia Wilde in "The Change-Up" and "Cowboys & Aliens"
21.1% - Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in "Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon"
11.0% - Blake Lively in "Green Lantern
9.1% - Jennifer Lawrence in "X-Men: First Class"

Who had the best abs in theaters this summer?
31.5% - Chris Evans in "Captain America: The First Avenger"
24.7% - Jason Momoa in "Conan the Barbarian"
16.4% - Chris Hemsworth in "Thor"
16.1% - Ryan Gosling in "Crazy, Stupid, Love."
11.3% - Ryan Reynolds in "Green Lantern"

Which was the biggest disappointment of the summer?
41.0% - "Green Lantern"
18.7% - "The Hangover Part 2"
13.5% - "Cowboys & Aliens"
13.4% - "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides"
13.4% - "Cars 2"

What was your favorite superhero movie?
39.5% - "Captain America: The First Avenger"
38.6% - "X-Men: First Class"
17.4% - "Thor"
4.6% - "Green Lantern"

What was your favorite comedy?
35.2% - "The Hangover Part 2"
34.7% - "Bridesmaids"
18.2% - "Horrible Bosses"
6.9% - "Crazy, Stupid, Love."
5.0% - "Bad Teacher"

Which movie was biggest surprise of the summer?
40.8% - "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" - Apes rule the critics and the box office
23.0% - "Bridesmaids" - Ladies are funny, too
16.3% - "The Smurfs" - Blue = Green, as in cold, hard cash
10.2% - "Glee: The 3D Concert Movie" - TV's biggest hit is one of movie's biggest bombs
9.7% - "Midnight in Paris" - Woody Allen tops himself

Which was your favorite moment in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2?"
49.0% - Ron and Hermione finally kiss
25.5% - Molly Weasley calls Bellatrix Lestrange a bitch
12.8% - Neville tells Voldemort who's who and what's what
6.9% - The epilogue
5.9% - Harry kills Voldemort

Who is your favorite "Bridesmaid?"
42.3% - Kristen Wiig
41.4% - Melissa McCarthy
9.9% - Rose Byrne
3.6% - Wendi McLendon-Covey
2.7% - Ellie Kemper

Which was your favorite Emma Stone sighting this summer?
47.8% - "Crazy, Stupid, Love."
26.1% - "The Help"
16.3% - Photos, trailers and appearances promoting "The Amazing Spider-Man"
9.8% - "Friends With Benefits"

Which of next summer's big movies are you most looking forward to seeing?
76.1% - "Snow White and the Huntsman"
9.3% - "The Dark Knight Rises
8.5% - "The Amazing Spider-Man"
3.5% - "The Avengers"
1.5% - "Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter"
1.1% - "Dark Shadows"

End of Summer Poll: 2012 Summer Movies

NextMovie Staff — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:00:53 +0000

20th Century Fox / Sony / Universal

PREVIOUS: What was your favorite Emma Stone sighting of the summer? >>

Poll closes Aug. 29 at 11 p.m. ET

End of Summer Poll: Favorite Emma Stone Sighting

NextMovie Staff — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 12:00:18 +0000

DreamWorks/Warner Bros./Sony

PREVIOUS: Who was your favorite "Bridesmaid"? >>

Poll closes Aug. 29 at 11 p.m. ET

End of Summer Poll: Favorite 'Bridesmaid'

NextMovie Staff — Sat, 27 Aug 2011 12:00:34 +0000

Universal

PREVIOUS: What was your favorite moment in "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2"? >>

Poll closes Aug. 29 at 11 p.m. ET

End of Summer Poll: Favorite 'Harry Potter' Moment

NextMovie Staff — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 12:00:33 +0000

Warner Bros.

PREVIOUS: What was the summer's biggest surprise? >>

Poll closes Aug. 29 at 11 p.m. ET

End of Summer Poll: Biggest Surprise

NextMovie Staff — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:00:22 +0000

Fox / Sony Pictures Classics / Columbia

PREVIOUS: What was the best comedy of the summer? >>

Poll closes Aug. 29 at 11 p.m. ET

End of Summer Poll: Best Comedy

NextMovie Staff — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 12:00:28 +0000

Warner Bros. (2)/Universal

PREVIOUS: What was the best superhero movie of the summer? >>

Poll closes Aug. 29 at 11 p.m. ET

End of Summer Poll: Best Superhero Movie

NextMovie Staff — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 12:00:47 +0000

Paramount/20th Century Fox/Paramount

PREVIOUS: What was the most disappointing movie of the summer? >>

Poll closes Aug. 29 at 11 p.m. ET

End of Summer Poll: Most Disappointing Movie

NextMovie Staff — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 12:00:40 +0000

Universal/Warner Bros./Disney

PREVIOUS: Who had the best abs this summer? >>

Poll closes Aug. 29 at 11 p.m. ET

End of Summer Poll: Best Abs

NextMovie Staff — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 12:00:55 +0000

Paramount (2)/Lionsgate

PREVIOUS: Who was the hottest babe of the summer? >>

Poll closes Aug. 29 at 11 p.m. ET

End of Summer Poll: Hottest Babe

NextMovie Staff — Sat, 20 Aug 2011 12:00:24 +0000

Paramount/Universal/Warner Bros.

PREVIOUS: What was the best movie of the summer? >>

Poll closes Aug. 29 at 11 p.m. ET

End of Summer Poll: Best Movie

NextMovie Staff — Fri, 19 Aug 2011 12:00:19 +0000

Warner Bros./Universal/20th Century Fox

We hate to break it to you, but we're approaching the end of summer... which means an end to 100-degree days (whew), summer vacations (boo) and summer movies (double boo).

It's been an interesting season, dominated by blockbuster sequels ("Harry Potter," "Pirates," "The Hangover"), yet dotted with newbie surprises ("Bridesmaids," "Super 8"), promising reboots ("Rise of the Planet of the Apes," "X-Men: First Class") and indie successes ("Midnight in Paris").

Now's your chance to weigh in on the summer's hits and misses. What did you love this summer? What didn't you love? What made you laugh, cry, drool, ask for your money back? We'll be asking a question every day for the next 11 days -- because it's 2011, naturally -- so come vote in our daily poll and join us in paying one last tribute to the summer movies season of 2011.

MORE END OF SUMMER POLLS:

What was your favorite 'Harry Potter' moment? >>
What was the biggest surprise? >>
What was the best comedy? >>
What was the best superhero movie? >>
What was the most disappointing movie? >>
Who had the best abs this summer? >>
Who was the hottest babe of the summer? >>

Poll closes Aug. 29 at 11 p.m. ET

Summer Movie Poll Results: You Really Love Johnny Depp

NextMovie Staff — Fri, 06 May 2011 21:45:03 +0000

Disney

We knew you liked Johnny Depp -- really, who doesn't? -- but we didn't predict you liked him this much.

When we launched our Summer Movie Mega-Poll a few weeks ago, we hoped to get to the bottom of some really important issues, like what movie you're most looking forward to this summer and who's sexier, Ryan Reynolds or Chris Evans. What we found was that you really love that Depp guy. He topped that sexiest list -- beating both Reynolds and Evans -- and proved the main reason you're going to see "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides."

But Depp's not the only one who made an impact. The magic man himself, Harry Potter, also fared rather well.

Without further ado, here are the full results of our summer movie poll. Thanks to all for playing!

• The summer movie people are most excited about is "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2," which won with 47% of the votes, followed by "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (20%), "The Hangover Part 2" (19%), "Super 8" (7%) and "Cowboys & Aliens" (7%).

Paramount

• People were rather conflicted as to which superhero movie would kick the most butt, but in the end, only one hero could reign supreme. 28% said "Captain America: The First Avenger," while 27% opted for "X-Men: First Class." 25% chose "Thor," leaving 20% holding out hope for "Green Lantern."

• Readers think "The Hangover Part 2" will be the funniest movie of the summer by a landslide 66%. "Bridesmaids" followed with 11%, then "Bad Teacher" (10%), "Horrible Bosses" (7%) and "Friends With Benefits" (6%).

• "Kung Fu Panda 2" appears to be the kids' movie most grown-ups want to see, earning 37% of the votes and besting "Cars 2" (27%), "The Smurfs" (19%), "Winnie the Pooh" (11%) and "Mr. Popper's Penguins" (6%).

• Johnny Depp makes for the sexiest action hero of summer for "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" with 30% of the votes, ahead of "The Green Lantern"'s Ryan Reynolds (27%), "Thor"'s Chris Hemsworth (22%), "Captain America"'s Chris Evans (15%) and "Conan the Barbarian"'s Jason Momoa (6%).

Getty Images

• Blake Lively (in "The Green Lantern") and Mila Kunis (in "Friends With Benefits") duked it out for the sexiest woman of summer with 30.71% and 30.31% of the votes, respectively. Trailing behind are Jennifer Lawrence in "X-Men: First Class" (19%), Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (15%) and Maggie Q in "Priest" (5%).

• In "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," more than half our voters are looking forward to seeing more Captain Jack Sparrow (57%). After that, they're excited about Penelope Cruz (20%), Ian McShane as Blackbeard (10%), hot mermaids (8%) and zombie pirates (5%).

• It's official! People are going to miss Megan Fox in the latest "Transformers" movie. 35% of readers claim she's the reason they saw the first two movies, while 27% have already forgotten about her because they're so excited to see Rosie Huntington-Whiteley. 38% claim they just see the movies for the sexy robots. Yeah, right.

• Most people only plan to see "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2" in theaters once. 49% of 'em, in fact. 31% are plotting a midnight viewing and several more visits to the theater while 20% reveal they will be counting down until they can see "Captain America" instead.

• 62% of voters think "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2" will top the summer box office. 17% would bet on "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides," while "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" trailed behind with 13% and "Captain America: The First Avenger" and "Cars 2" each only garnered 4% of the votes.

15 Breakout Stars to Bet on This Summer

Max Evry — Fri, 06 May 2011 12:00:06 +0000

Paramount

The summer movie season is here, and that means one thing: AIR CONDITIONING!!! Also, we get to watch some cool movies with our air conditioning ticket.

There will be some familiar if not downright iconic faces to greet us there, but who's not looking to make some new friends? Lucky for us Hollywood is dishing out a promising group of cinematic newcomers who just might have made the leap to stardom by the time school's back in session -- including two sons, one daughter and one cousin of pop culture royalty.

Here's a list of actors on the cusp of becoming big-time screen idols.

Chris Hemsworth

Starring In: "Thor" (May 6)
Summer Heat: You may have already read our ranking of how Marvel's "Thor" stacks up to the one from "Adventures in Babysitting," but how will it fare against the blockbuster competition in one of the biggest movie summers in recent memory? If that giant friggin' hammer has anything to say about it, pretty good. Even without the great notices Hemsworth's been getting in the early reviews, he's in the unusually lucky position of getting to prove himself as Thor again in th"Avengers" (currently film), whether or not the God of Thunder's solo film captures lightning in a bottle.

Paramount

Colin Egglesfield

Starring In: "Something Borrowed" (May 6)
Summer Heat: This former model and "All My Children" superstar is finally crawling his way out of the soaps and onto the big screen with a headlining role in "Something Borrowed." In the new rom-com he plays the fiancé of Kate Hudson, the one who her best friend Ginnifer Goodwin "accidentally" sleeps with after a drunken night. Happens. Whenever you see a poster with mega-familiar faces and then catch yourself saying, "What's a 'Colin Egglesfield?'" that usually means this dude just might have the goods.

Warner Bros.

Melissa McCarthy

Starring In: "Bridesmaids" (May 13)
Summer Heat: This adorable star of the CBS sitcom "Mike & Molly" just might be this summer's Zach Galifianakis since she clearly plays the wild card character in "Bridesmaids." Like Zach's Alan Garner in "The Hangover," McCarthy's aggressive, belching Megan has already stolen the trailer for Judd Apatow's attempt to bring raunch to the fairer sex. Best known as Sookie St. James on "Gilmore Girls" as well as being an alumni of comedy troupe The Groundlings, she gets bonus points for being the actual cousin of Jenny McCarthy.

Universal

Ellie Kemper

Starring In: "Bridesmaids" (May 13)
Summer Heat: Another stand-out of that crazy lineup of bridesmaids is Kemper, a prominent member of the New York sketch comedy scene who gained fans as Erin Hannon, the perky replacement for Pam's front desk job on "The Office." Before that Kemper managed nearly 20 million views on YouTube for the Derrick Comedy sketch "Blowjob Girl," in which she displayed a lack of finesse performing the title act on a fella. Her "Bridesmaids" character Becca looks to continue Kemper's tradition of the naïve, so-upbeat-they're-scary persona.

Universal

Lily Collins

Starring In: "Priest" (May 13)
Summer Heat: Featured as one of our 25 Breakout Stars to Watch for in 2011, one of the best Phil Collins releases in decades is the iconic singer's 22-year-old daughter Lily. An actress-model-columnist, Collins caught us in our "Blind Side" opposite Sandra Bullock, and will star in two big productions next year, "Mortal Instruments" and "Odd Thomas." In the meantime, you can worship her in "Priest" as the title character's niece who gets kidnapped by vampires, thus causing Paul Bettany's badass man of the cloth to go all "Taken" on the bloodsuckers.

Screen Gems

Christopher Jordan Wallace

Starring In: "Everything Must Go" (May 13)
Summer Heat: This son of the late legendary rapper Biggie made a big splash in a small role playing his own father (at a young age) in 2009's "Notorious," but is now co-starring opposite a seriously B.I.G. star: Will Ferrell. In "Everything Must Go," Ferrell plays a down-on-his-luck dude who sets up camp on his lawn selling all his possessions. He befriends a young neighborhood boy named Kenny Loftus, played by the 16-year-old Wallace, in what looks to be a sympathetic, semi-serious turn for both of them.

Roadside Attractions

Sam Claflin

Starring In: "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (May 18)
Summer Heat: If you've seen some of the larger posters for "Pirates" floating around you may have noticed a striking gentleman holding a mermaid and asked yourself, "who's this chap where Orlando Bloom used to be?" That's Claflin as Phillip Swift, a young missionary who falls for a mermaid named Syrena (Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey) during his voyage with Johnny Depp's Captain Jack. Expect his career to be in full bloom, especially after just landing the part of the Prince in "Snow White and the Huntsman."

Disney

Gemma Ward

Starring In: "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (May 18)
Summer Heat: One of the top It-girl models on planet Earth, this otherwordly Australian has been bit by the acting bug, the side effects of which appear to be her million-dollar legs turning into a fish tail. You see, Ward features in Johnny Depp's latest pirate fling as a mermaid, but perhaps not the kind with a seashell bra that sings "Part of Your World." These mermaids are more of the "seduce men then drag them to their deaths at the bottom of the ocean" variety. Sexy.

Disney

Mason Lee

Starring In: "The Hangover Part II" (May 26)
Summer Heat: What the hell has the Wolfpack done with Ang Lee's son? This "Hangover" features Stu getting married, and after another wild night with the boys in Bangkok, he loses his fiancé's little bro Teddy, played by Mason Lee. Mason made his film debut as a toddler in papa Ang's 1993 classic "The Wedding Banquet," but this is his first high-profile gig. If his fate is anything like Justin Bartha's in the original, it might not equal a lot of screentime, but it doesn't hurt to have the entire plot revolve around finding your character, which could also prove an excellent audition if they decide to make a "Where's Waldo" movie.

Michael Fassbender

Starring In: "X-Men: First Class" (June 3)
Summer Heat: We always thought Fassbender had a magnetic personality, but this is ridic. After taking on Persians ("300") and Nazis ("Inglourious Basterds"), the German-Irish actor with some of the leading-est leading man looks in the biz is moving forward to the '60s where he'll take on a new enemy: prejudice against mutants. Also, Cubans and Kevin Bacon. Unlike those other two hit films, we have an inkling his character Magneto might just survive this ordeal in prequel country. With Fassbender as the raging yang to James McAvoy's yin, Erik and Professor X are not yet enemies, so expect great chemistry and an X-tra nice new trilogy if all goes well.

Fox

Joel Courtney

Starring In: "Super 8" (June 10)
Summer Heat: In a summer deluged with sequels and comics adaptations, leave it to filmdom's own P.T. Barnum, J.J. Abrams, to add the spice of mystery to the mix with "Super 8." Despite some extended footage screened for reporters, the film and its central creature or force is still shrouded in C.I.A.-level confidentiality. Equally unknown is 15-year-old lead actor Courtney, who makes his film debut as the heroic leader of a team of 1970s kids making an amateur zombie film in Ohio when all hell breaks loose as a… something or other… unleashes chaos.

Paramount

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Starring In: "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (Jul. 1)
Summer Heat: Is it even possible to follow-up the crazy-hot force of nature that is Megan Fox? How about with FHM's "World's Sexiest Woman?" Okay, no complaints. Between babes and cars, incendiary filmmaker Michael Bay knows curves, which Rosie has definitely got, but can the Victoria's Secret model act? Since we know the "Transformers" formula by now (robots, explosions, Shia), it's fair to say this ain't exactly an Ibsen play, so we'll leave it to the next director to mine those talents after all the hoopla over the rock 'em sock 'em battlebot trilogy ends.

Paramount

Matthew Lewis

Starring In: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2" (Jul. 15)
Summer Heat: Hogwarts most gifted young Herbologist, Neville Longbottom, has been played quietly sublime by Lewis for the entire decade-long run of "Harry Potter" in cinemas. For the final chapter, Lewis will finally get his chance to shine as an integral part of the battle between Good and He Whose Name Must Not Be Spoken. He'll reform Dumbledore's army, take care of the last Horcrux, and… hey, we're not telling.

Warner Bros.

Hayley Atwell

Starring In: "Captain America: The First Avenger" (Jul. 22)
Summer Heat: This doll-faced Brit has been making our heart skip several beats as a corset queen in chamber pieces like "The Duchess" and "Brideshead Revisited." Now Atwell will finally see how we do things America-style as Cap's WWII babe-in-arms Peggy Carter, and by "arms" we mean that girl knows her way around a pistol. In the original Stan Lee/Jack Kirby comics Captain America was always moping around in present-day regretting the loss of Carter, and with Atwell in the role that emotion shouldn't be too hard to muster for star Chris Evans.

Paramount

Jason Momoa

Starring In: "Conan the Barbarian" (Aug. 19)
Summer Heat: We knew Momoa had the whole "ripped and grim" thing down pat from production stills, but with the brand-spanking new trailer we can finally see him in action as Robert E. Howard's deadly Cimmerian. One word: DAMN. Whether you think the movie itself looks like a rollicking sword and sorcery adventure or a CG-filled heavy metal album cover come to life (we're not sure either of those are bad), Hawaiian Momoa seems poised to obliterate three-decade-old memories of Schwarzenegger in the role. As long as he crushes his enemies, sees them driven before him, and hears the lamentation of their women, we're good.

Lionsgate

The Complete Summer Movie Photo Flipbook

Breanne L. Heldman — Thu, 05 May 2011 16:00:47 +0000

We could just make you a list of all the great movies coming out this summer, but where's the fun in that?

Instead, we've put together a full gallery of images from all -- yes, all -- the movies we're dying to see (trust us, picking 25 was harder than you think). And they're all in order so you can plan your whole summer with it.

Now don't say we never gave you anything.

View Gallery »

The 15 Sexiest Women of Summer

Matt Patches — Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:40 +0000

Disney

Temperatures are rising, movies are packed to the brim with explosions and the biggest names and faces grace the cineplexes for a solid three months. It's summer and that means things are getting hot.

This year's blockbuster slate is no exception to the time honored tradition of featuring the sexiest, young actresses in Hollywood making cinematic magic while barely batting an eyelash. Here are 15 shining starlets who should have no problem keeping your attention in-between car chases and fist fights.

Natalie Portman

Starring in: "Thor" (May 6)
Summer Heat: Portman is an attractive young lady, but it's not all looks -- the girl graduated from Harvard and she has the brains to prove it. So it's no surprise that the "Black Swan" Oscar-winner is making her foray into the world of comic book movies by playing Jane Foster, scientist and norse God skeptic, in Marvel's tentpole "Thor."

Paramount

Maggie Q

Starring in: "Priest" (May 13)
Summer Heat: The "Nikita" star is no stranger to the summer movie spectrum: she's previously brought her smooth moves and signature brand of leggy ass-kicking to films like "Mission: Impossible 3" and "Live Free or Die Hard," and it never fails to entertain. Now, Maggie Q returns with "Priest," where she'll be preaching the good word (of punching bad guys in the face). Obviously, the "Q" stands for... a "Q" word that means hot lady action hero, which we might be worth making up just for her.

Screen Gems

Rose Byrne

Starring in: "Bridesmaids" (May 13), "X-Men: First Class" (June 3)
Summer Heat: Byrne proved she could bring the funny in last summer's "Get Him to the Greek," and now she's part of the the elite team of lady comics assembled for the raunchy "Bridesmaids." Byrne plays the primp and proper Helen, but the movie is anything but -- few actresses could pull off the gros- out humor in "Bridesmaids" and still come out looking good.

Universal

Penelope Cruz

Starring in: "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (May 20)
Summer Heat: Whipping up a fourth installment of "Pirates of the Caribbean" without the main cast is no easy task, but Penelope Cruz shoudn't have a problem filling Keira Knightley's corset. The Spanish actress joins Johnny Depp as Angelica, Jack Sparrow's love interest and partner in his search for the Fountain of Youth. Not that she needs it.

Disney

Jamie Chung

Starring in: "The Hangover Part II" (May 26)
Summer Heat: Chung is the latest bride-to-be that will have to deal with the drunken misadventures of Phil, Stu and Alan, The Wolfpack from the original "Hangover." Fresh from her own beat'em-up adventure in Zack Snyder's "Sucker Punch," Chung gets to flex a comedy muscle alongside some of the fastest wordslingers in the West (Hollywood) as Stu's love interest. Hopefully she looks just as adorable when she's screaming at her future hubby to get his butt to the altar.

Warner Bros.

Jennifer Lawrence

Starring in: "The Beaver" (May 20), "X-Men: First Class" (June 3)
Summer Heat: What a 2011 it's been for Jennifer Lawrence: she was nominated for an Oscar for her work in "Winter's Bone," her movie "Like Crazy" was a hit at Sundance, she's been cast as the lead in "The Hunger Games" and she has not one, but two movies opening this summer! In "X-Men: First Class," Lawrence takes over the role of Mystique, originally played by Rebecca Romijn. We imagine she'll look just as good in blue paint.

Fox

January Jones

Starring in: "X-Men: First Class" (June 3)
Summer Heat: In comic books, Emma Frost is a stunning blonde psychic who manipulates and trumps her opponents using her sharp wit and curvy body almost as much as she does her super powers. Fitting then that "Mad Men" star January Jones will bring the character to life on the big screen in "X-Men: First Class," as she's been winning us over with those same powers for years. Can't imagine it's too hard for her to read people's minds either.

Fox

Blake Lively

Starring in: "Green Lantern" (June 17)
Summer Heat: With all the space aliens, intergalactic wars and giant-foreheaded madmen, it can be easy to overlook Blake Lively in "Green Lantern," one of the few characters who isn't decked out in prosthetics or CG bodysuits. It's 100 percent-pure Blake, which is what you want when you have someone as enchanting as the "Gossip Girl" star. But don't count her out of the action -- her character Carol Ferris is a test pilot just like Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds) and she'll be keeping up with the speedster every step of the way.

Warner Bros.

Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

Starring in: "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (July 1)
Summer Heat: Other than a few Victoria Secret TV specials, "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" will be Rosie Huntington-Whiteley's first stab at acting -- and you don't need many details on the movie to know it'll be an explosive debut. Michael Bay treats his ladies right (the first two installments made Megan Fox a worldwide sex symbol), but Huntington-Whiteley has her work cut out for her navigating the ongoing war between shape-shifting robots. Hopefully she exchanged her heels for running shoes!

Paramount

Emma Watson

Starring in: "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II" (July 15)
Summer Heat: She's grown from nerdy bookworm to full-fledged starlett, and now we only have one more round of "Potter" with Emma Watson's multifaceted Hermione Granger. Judging from the first glimpses of the film, "Deathly Hallows: Part II" is going to put the wizarding trio through even crazier and more dangerous situations, but as Watson has proved in the past, there's no reason she can't cast deadly spells while looking simply dashing.

Warner Bros.

Mila Kunis

Starring in: "Friends With Benefits" (July 22)
Summer Heat: Mila Kunis talking dirty and hooking up with Justin Timberlake. Sounds good to us. The "Black Swan" star returns to her roots (don't forget she's a "That '70s Show" vet and "Family Guy" regular) while exploiting her good looks for this sex comedy that doesn't look to skirt around some of the more uncomfortable (read: hilarious) situations that arise when relationships start forming.

Screen Gems

Sofia Vergara

Starring in: "The Smurfs" (July 29)
Summer Heat: Easily the breakout star of the Emmy-winning "Modern Family," Sofía Vergara has simultaneously left us chuckling and picking our jaws off the floor from her combo of comedy and allure. She's the complete package and she'll be flaunting it all this summer in the live-action adaptation of the kids cartoon "The Smurfs." Thankfully, she plays a real person in the movie -- rather than being committed to a tiny blue animated creature.

Columbia

Olivia Wilde

Starring in: "Cowboys and Aliens" (July 29), "The Change-Up" (August 5)
Summer Heat: Wilde escapes the computer world of "TRON: Legacy" for two projects that let her be a little more like herself. That is, not made of pixels and incredibly attractive. "Cowboys and Aliens" sees the "House" actress fighting extraterrestrials alongside Daniel Craig, while "The Change-Up" is a straight-up R-rated comedy with Jason Bateman and Ryan Reynolds. Two wildly different projects with one Wilde leading lady.

Universal

Emma Stone

Starring in: "Crazy, Stupid, Love." (July 29), "Friends With Benefits" (July 22), "The Help" (August 12)
Summer Heat: Emma Stone will be dominating 2012 in the new "Spider-Man" reboot, but this summer she'll bring a little heart to the array of epic visuals and blasting sounds. For fans of the actress who need convincing she's the next great romantic lead, you can catch her (and be subsequently absorbed by her) romancing Ryan Gosling in "Crazy, Stupid, Love.," while her wit will be on full display in the adaptation of the bestseller "The Help." Oh, and she's also in "Friends With Benefits." Amazingly, the world could still use more Emma Stone.

Warner Bros.

Freida Pinto

Starring in: "Rise of the Planet of the Apes" (August 5)
Summer Heat: The Indian actress has been slipping in to lower-budget, dramatic roles since her debut "Slumdog Millionaire" took home Best Picture at the 2009 Oscars, but this summer she'll charge into the world of blockbusters with "Rise of the Planet of the Apes." A welcome change of pace from the usual monotone talent pool in Hollywood, Pinto should have no problem being the best-looking thing on screen -- forget the monkeys, she's co-starring with James Franco.

Fox

The 15 Sexiest Men of Summer

Sandie Angulo Chen — Thu, 05 May 2011 00:00:39 +0000

Warner Bros.

Every summer, moviegoers flock to theaters to fill up on concessions and witness explosive action sequences, envelope-pushing comedies, and plenty of sexy eye candy.

Whether you're into the perfectly sculpted, old-school handsome, broody young things, or smart-and-sexy types, chances are there's a gorgeous and talented man of summer for you. Meet the 15 sexiest men of summer movies.

Chris Hemsworth

Starring In: "Thor" (May 6)
Summer Heat: We proclaim Hemsworth the blond of summer. His impressive golden mane tops an even more impressive body in the season's first big-budget adventure. The Aussie wonder (who gained 20 pounds to play the beefy titular Norse god) first wowed audiences as Captain James T. Kirk's courageous father in the opening sequence of "Star Trek." After a two-year wait, moviegoers can finally see Hemsworth headline a movie, and the wait'll be worth it.

Paramount

Jon Hamm

Starring In: "Bridesmaids" (May 13)
Summer Heat: Whether he's playing a dashing but troubled '60s ad exec on AMC's "Mad Men," a beautiful but clueless doctor on NBC's "30 Rock" or a sexy but unlikable egomaniac in Paul Feig's funny-ladies comedy "Bridesmaids," Hamm is always irresistible. We love his tall, dark, and handsome looks and his resemblance to Old Hollywood leading men such as Clark Gable and Cary Grant, but we adore his willingness to poke fun at himself in supporting comedic roles.

Universal

Cam Gigandet

Starring In: "Priest" (May 13)
Summer Heat: In a supernatural thriller also starring Paul Bettany, Karl Urban and Stephen Moyer, it's hard to pick just one example of sexiness, but we have to go with Cam Gigandet, whose perpetually half-lidded gaze, exceptionally ripped body and cocksure posture make the model look like David Beckham's just-as-hot younger brother. Best known as James the Bella-hungry vampire in "Twilight," Gigandet is sure to make new fans as a vampire slayer trying to save his kidnapped girlfriend, Lily Collins.

Screen Gems

Johnny Depp

Starring In: "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" (May 20)
Summer Heat: At 47, he’s the oldest actor on our list, but with Depp, there's absolutely no expiration date to sex appeal. Boozy, womanizing, and sharp-tongued, Depp's Captain Jack Sparrow is everything we've come to love about Depp's compelling persona. He's roguishly charming, fabulously dressed; if only his raised eyebrow were inviting you to be his private wench for the night. Combining humor with hotness, Depp’s the only reason we’re "Yo ho ho-ing" at Disney's high-seas franchise for a fourth time.

Disney

Bradley Cooper

Starring In: "The Hangover Part II" (May 26)
Summer Heat: We first fell for the Coop in 2001 when he played Jennifer Garner's adorable best guy-pal Will Tippin on "Alias." Ten years later, he keeps getting better. From his Matthew McConaughey-rivaling chest and perfectly mussed hair to his constantly stubbly chin and breathtaking smile, there's a reason Cooper has risen to living sex-god status. In the raucous "Hangover" sequel, Cooper isn't likely to show off his romantic side, but he sure looks pretty shirtless and suntanned.

Warner Bros.

Brad Pitt

Starring In: "The Tree of Life" (May 27)
Summer Heat: Terrence Malick's epic visual treatises on humanity aren't the kind of movies that provide the visual eye candy we'd love to see in a Pitt flick. But what else can we expect from an actor who has purposely tried to draw attention away from his beauty and to his art instead? It doesn't matter if we get swoony love scenes a la "Benjamin Button" or a disciplinarian '50s father in "Tree of Life" -- regardless of his roles, Pitt is always one of the sexiest men in Hollywood (possibly Earth).

Fox

Michael Fassbender

Starring In: "X-Men: First Class" (June 3)
Summer Heat: He's half-Irish, half-German and all sexy. If he looks familiar, you probably saw him practice his German as the undercover British officer in Tarantino's "Inglourious Basterds," recite Brontë as Mr. Rochester in "Jane Eyre," or throw a spear as Stelios, one of the six-pack-sporting Spartans in "300." But we think the versatile, bedroom-eyed actor will catapult to super-stardom when he debuts as the younger (and hunkier) mutant leader Magneto in the long-awaited "X-Men" prequel. Then no one will deny his magnetism.

Fox

James McAvoy

Starring In: "X-Men: First Class" (June 3)
Summer Heat: With his crooked smile and piercing blue eyes, McAvoy joins Gerard Butler as the sexiest Scotsman in Hollywood since Sean Connery, and he's got an impressive number of on-screen pulls to prove it. He's taken Keira Knightley against a wall ("Atonement"); romanced Anne Hathaway ("Becoming Jane") and even scored with the holy grail of hotness herself, Angelina Jolie ("Wanted"). In "X-Men" he's the young Professor Xavier; if he could really read minds, he'd blush to discover what a smart-and-smoldering hottie we consider him.

Fox

Ryan Reynolds

Starring In: "Green Lantern" (June 17), "The Changeup" (Aug. 5)
Summer Heat: Excuse us a moment while we daydream about Ryan Reynolds'… talent. OK, we’re back, and yes we think Reynolds has it going on: He's a really hot comedian (as opposed to hot-for-a-comedian) with the body of an action star and the range of a character actor. This summer we get back-to-back Reynolds: first "The Green Lantern" opposite Blake Lively and then the body-swapping comedy "The Change-Up" with fellow funnyman Jason Bateman. Both offer physical evidence of Reynolds' awesomeness.

Warner Bros.

Justin Timberlake

Starring In: "Bad Teacher," "Friends With Benefits" (June 24)
Summer Heat: Was there every any doubt the man responsible for bringing sexy back would make the cut? One of Hollywood's best singers-turned-actors, JT is truly a Triple Threat. After last year's scene-stealing turn in "The Social Network," we wouldn't be surprised if he winds up on the EGOT list one day. In the meantime, we can all delight in JT's upcoming comedic roles -- as cougar-prey to (his real-life ex) Cameron Diaz in "Bad Teacher," and as Mila Kunis' no-strings-attached sex buddy in "Friends With Benefits."

Screen Gems

Tyrese Gibson

Starring In: "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (July 1)
Summer Heat: Some models transition to acting looking dazed and confused (if pretty) on-screen. Not so with Tyrese, who has successfully managed to pop up in 15 films playing more than just a pretty face. He's bald; he's beautiful; and he's definitely badass in the third "Transformers." When he and Josh Duhamel are on the screen, it's easy to forget the movie's really about Shia LaBeouf and a bunch of aliens that turn into GM cars.

Paramount

Josh Duhamel

Starring In: "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" (July 1)
Summer Heat: Most men would look ugly standing anywhere near co-star Tyrese, but Duhamel's Major William Lennox actually doubles the hotness factor (we do love men in uniform). Duhamel has been melting fans' hearts since his prime-time premiere on the casino drama "Las Vegas" in 2003, and it's no secret why -- the 6'3" North Dakotan is also a former model. Off-screen, he's married to leggy front-woman Fergie, but on-screen his devilish grin, broad shoulders and taut bod belong to us all.

Paramount

Chris Evans

Starring In: "Captain America" (July 22)
Summer Heat: A superhero alum, Evans played the fiery and overconfident Johnny Storm in two "Fantastic Four" movies. But after a decade of almost breaking into the industry’s A-list, the super-fine guy-next-door seems poised to finally make it with his high-profile role as the genetically enhanced Steve Rogers -- "Captain America." He certainly looks up to the task of depicting a patriotic avenger, and we can’t wait to see him start kicking Nazi butt in the WWII-set saga.

Paramount

Ryan Gosling

Starring In: "Crazy, Stupid, Love." (July 29)
Summer Heat: The Oscar-nominated, chameleonic Gosling is always ready to morph into his characters, from lanky crack addicts ("Half Nelson") to pudgy introverts ("Lars and the Real Girl"). But there's no doubt that the default Gosling is quite the heartthrob. In the upcoming comedy "Crazy, Stupid, Love.," his physical gifts are on full display (watch the trailer -- we promise you'll hit replay), as he reintroduces a newly separated Steve Carell to the world of dating. Rule one: Looking like Gosling is always a plus.

Warner Bros.

Jason Momoa

Starring In: "Conan the Barbarian" (Aug. 19)
Summer Heat: He's not a household name... yet, but like the legendary Arnold Schwarzenegger circa 1982, we're certain this finely chiseled 6'4" warrior will turn heads with his towering strength, sword-wielding prowess and exotic good looks in director Marcus Nispel's reboot of the scantily clad comic-book hero's nomadic adventures. Some of us have already taken notice of the imposing Hawaiian model-turned-actor thanks to his powerful, physically enthralling performance as a horse (and princess) mounting warlord in HBO's new epic series "Game of Thrones."

Lionsgate

MC Hammer Reviews 'Thor'

NextMovie Staff — Wed, 04 May 2011 16:00:30 +0000

Getty Images

We've had a lot of fun since kicking off our Rappers Review Movies series, whether it was involving some of the industry's most respected lyricists (Sean Price, Talib Kweli, Phaorahe Monch) or finding perfect nominal pairings (Lil Mama reviewing "Big Momma's House 3," Insane Clown Posse reviewing "Water for Elephants").

But this one, folks, is a movie-rapper match made in heaven. MC Hammer, the hip-hop legend far too legit to ever quit, represented NextMovie at the Hollywood premiere of "Thor" –starring Chris Hemsworth as the original hammer-wielder -- and gave us his take on summer's first big blockbuster.

The Summer Movie Mega-Poll

NextMovie Staff — Tue, 03 May 2011 18:00:00 +0000

We're not sure about you, but we can't wait for the weather to get hotter and the movies to get cooler.

And this summer's lineup is so cool, we can't even decide what we're most excited about. Instead, we're leaving that decision to you. Behold, our Summer Movie Mega-Poll...

Warner Bros.

Which summer movie are you most excited about?online surveys

Paramount

Which superhero movie will kick the most butt?online survey

Warner Bros.

Sony

Which kids' movie do you actually want to see?customer surveys

Paramount

Who makes for the sexiest action hero?customer surveys

Warner Bros.

Who's gonna be the hottest woman of summer?survey software

Disney

The part of "Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides" I'm most looking forward to is...Market Research

Paramount

Will you miss Megan Fox in the latest "Transformers" movie?customer surveys

Warner Bros.

How many times will you see "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2" in theaters?online surveys

Disney

Summer's biggest box office hit will be...survey software

(Originally published on April 18, 2011, at 2 p.m. ET)

Our 25 Most Anticipated Movies This Summer

Scott Harris — Mon, 02 May 2011 12:00:19 +0000

Paramount

Ah, summertime. For us, that means two things: great cookouts and awesome movies. But since this isn't nexthotdog.com (though we would totally bookmark that site if it existed), we're focusing our energy of all the terrific sequels, blockbusters, superheroes and comedies that are poised to make this one of the best summers in years.

In fact, we're so focused that we've evaluated and ranked every single movie coming out over the next few months so we can better prioritize our moviegoing time. The result? Our list of the 25 Most Anticipated Movies of the Summer. Enjoy -- and pass the relish.

25. 'The Change-Up'

Relativity Media

Release Date: Aug. 5
Starring: Jason Bateman, Ryan Reynolds, Olivia Wilde
The Scoop: Hollywood has been making body-switching films for years -- think "Freaky Friday" or "18 Again" or, you know, "Body Switch" -- but never quite like this one. Here's the distinctly adult premise behind "The Change-Up:" A married guy (Jason Bateman) switches bodies with his swinging single buddy (Ryan Reynolds) so he can hopefully have an affair with a clueless co-worker. The potential for both laughs and lawsuits is off the chart, but with a cast that also includes "TRON: Legacy's" Olivia Wilde, we're on board either way. | Watch the trailer.

24. 'Fright Night'

Dreamworks

Release Date: Aug. 19
Starring: Anton Yelchin, Colin Farrell, David Tennant, Christopher Mintz-Plasse
The Scoop: We're not usually a fan of remakes, especially when the original is already a beloved cult classic like 1984's "Fright Night," but this time we're making an exception thanks to the totally rad cast. Anton Yelchin ("Star Trek") plays a horror buff who, realizing that his neighbor (Colin Farrell!) is a vampire, turns to his friend (Christopher Mintz-Plasse!) and a vampire expert (David Tennant!!!) for help. We're dying for a clever and fun horror film and with a cast like this, it looks like "Fright Night" is a film we can really sink our teeth into.

23. 'Bad Teacher'

Columbia

Release Date: June 17
Starring: Cameron Diaz, Lucy Punch, Justin Timberlake, Jason Segel
The Scoop: How much Justin Timberlake can you handle? Well, if you're like us, the answer is "a whole heck of a lot," which is good considering J.T. has not one but two rom-coms coming out just five days apart this July (see #14 for the other). Even weirder? He's starring opposite his ex-girlfriend, Cameron Diaz, in this one: Diaz and Lucy Punch play two teachers making a romantic play for the same guy -- that's Timberlake -- who also happens to be one of their co-workers. A healthy workplace environment, both on and off screen? No. A healthy comedy environment? Heck yeah. We can't wait to see what Timberlake pulls out of his joke box this time. | Watch the trailer.

22. 'Kung Fu Panda 2'

Dreamworks

Release Date: May 26
Starring: Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Jackie Chan
The Scoop: Generally speaking, being called a fat panda is usually considered to be an insult, albeit a really weird one. But if you're Jack Black, it's nothing but a compliment considering that the first "Kung-Fu Panda" earned eleventy bajillion dollars worldwide en route to becoming a surprise smash hit. Angelina Jolie and Jackie Chan are also back to lend this madcap martial arts crowdpleaser some major star power. Amidst all the bombast and explosions of the usual summer fare, we're glad that there's at least one film we can enjoy with the whole family. | Watch the trailer.

21. 'Priest'

Screen Gems

Release Date: May 13
Starring: Paul Bettany, Cam Gigandet, Maggie Q
The Scoop: If you're a hardcore devotee of offbeat Korean sci-fi manga -- and really, who isn't -- then you already know all about the new big-budget comic book adaptation "Priest." For everyone else, here's the dilly: Paul Bettany plays a priest in a post-apocalyptic world where the apocalyptic part was caused by a giant war against vampires. When some of them return, Bettany drops his vow of silence and renews his vow of ass-kicking in a quest to rescue his niece from certain, undead doom. In your face, "Twilight." | Watch the trailer.

20. '30 Minutes or Less'

Columbia

Release Date: Aug. 12
Starring: Jesse Eisenberg, Aziz Ansari, Danny McBride, Nick Swardson
The Scoop: Here's the set up for the new comedy from the offbeat team of Jesse Eisenberg and Danny McBride: Eisenberg plays a pizza delivery guy who is kidnapped by a creep (McBride) and forced to rob a bank with a bomb strapped to his chest. Not everyone is laughing, of course -- some critics feel it's in somewhat poor taste considering it's based on a true story that left the pizza delivery guy dead after the bomb blew his head off -- but when Hollywood wants to make comedy omelets, eggs must die, you know? We're mainly psyched to see Eisenberg reunited with his "Zombieland" director, Ruben Fleischer; one way or another, it should be memorable. | Watch the trailer.

19. 'Larry Crowne'

Universal

Release Date: July 1
Starring: Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Bryan Cranston
The Scoop: After 2007's underrated dramedy "Charlie Wilson's War" went into the tank, we despaired at ever getting the chance to see the dream team of Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts together again. Now, though, they're not only together again, but this time around they have what seems to be a more topical and accessible storyline in "Larry Crowne." Hanks play the titular hero, a regular guy who gets laid off due to the tough economy and goes back to school; Roberts is the jaded teacher who gets pulled out of her rut as a result. We're digging it. And hey, you know what they say: second time's the charm. | Watch the trailer.

18. 'Horrible Bosses'

New Line

Release Date: July 8
Starring: Jason Bateman, Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis
The Scoop: Quick disclaimer: We usually don't find murder to be funny. It's just gauche, you know? But we're going to make an exception for "Horrible Bosses," which tells the story of three oppressed workers who decide to improve their lot in life by whacking each other's bosses. The clincher? As funny as the employees are (Jason Bateman, Jason Sudeikis and Charlie Day), the employers are even more awesome (seriously, Colin Farrell, Kevin Spacey and Jennifer Aniston?!). Just one word of warning: Do not, under any circumstances, try this at home.

17. 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes'

Fox

Release Date: Aug. 5
Starring: James Franco, Andy Serkis, Freida Pinto
The Scoop: At this point, it's pretty clear that James Franco can do anything: act, write, paint, host the Oscars (Okay that last one may have been a stretch). Heck, he's probably a really good chef, too. But this summer, Franco is going to add a new position to his resume: monkey wrangler. And what a monkey -- Andy Serkis, who rose to fame playing the CGI construct Gollum in "The Lord of the Ring," co-stars as a primate who gains self-awareness and leads his fellow animals on an anti-humanity revolution. When you think about it, it's almost incredible that the "Planet of the Apes" franchise is still going strong more than 40 years after it began, but with talent like this, who knows. They might still be making these films when the apes really do take over. | Watch the trailer.

16. 'The Smurfs'

Columbia

Release Date: Aug. 3
Starring: Neil Patrick Harris, Hank Azaria, Katy Perry, Sofia Vergara
The Scoop: Smurfs are the original little blue pill: They can perk up even the most deflated film fan. And now they're coming to life in a blend of live action and animation featuring Neil Patrick Harris as a regular guy whose life gets turned upside down when a passel of Smurfs lands in his lap. Add in the always excellent Hank Azaria as the ultimate embodiment of evil, Sauron Gargamel, and there's just one thing left to say: "The Smurfs" is going to be smurfing smurfy. | Watch the trailer.

15. 'Green Lantern'

Warner Bros.

Release Date: June 17
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Blake Lively, Peter Sarsgaard
The Scoop: DC Comics and Warner Bros. look to copy Marvel's "Iron Man" success by unveiling their own second banana franchise, "Green Lantern." The latest superhero gig for Ryan Reynolds ("Blade: Trinity," "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," etc.) finds his legendary abs decked out in emerald when a dying alien cop appoints him the new sheriff of the solar system. Take that, "Cowboys & Aliens." Of course, Peter Sarsgaard has something to say about it, due to the fact that his brain has mutated to gigantic, evil proportions, but hey -- we're sure it's nothing a green energy construct in the shape of a boxing glove can't solve. | Watch the trailer.

14. 'Friends With Benefits'

Screen Gems

Release Date: July 22
Starring: Mila Kunis, Justin Timberlake, Patricia Clarkson
The Scoop: "Black Swan's" Mila Kunis stars opposite Justin Timblerlake in a film about two friends who start having casual sex with each other -- and then things stop being quite so casual. If this sounds familiar, it might be because "Black Swan's" Natalie Portman also starred in a movie (opposite Kunis' "That 70's Show" co-star Ashton Kutcher) earlier this year (called "No Strings Attached") with the exact same plot. Despite this eerie coincidence, though, we're really looking forward to seeing the on-screen chemistry between Timberlake and Kunis, who smolder throughout the enticing trailer. Now if only we could get Portman's "Black Swan" dancing double to film her own derivative rom-com alongside Wilmer Valderrama… | Watch the trailer.

13. 'The Help'

Dreamworks

Release Date: Aug. 12
Starring: Emma Stone, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Cicely Tyson, Bryce Dallas Howard, Sissy Spacek
The Scoop: Great books are frequently turned into movies, but often those films fall far short of expectations. And then there's "The Help," which looks poised to explode that trend completely thanks to a fantastic cast headlined by some of the best actresses in Hollywood, including Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Sissy Spacek and one of the hottest young stars alive, Emma Stone. Coming out in August, "The Help" is the perfect transition between summer and award season. | Watch the trailer.

12. 'Cars 2'

Disney

Release Date: June 24
Starring: Owen Wilson, Michael Keaton, Michael Caine, Larry the Cable Guy
The Scoop: You know how hipster pundits like to snark that "Cars" is the worst Pixar movie? Well, that's like saying that "Water Lilies" is the worst Monet painting. And considering Pixar's recent track record of turning out sequels that are as good or arguably even better than the originals (see: "Toy Story 3"), we have high hopes for "Cars 2," which brings back Owen Wilson and Larry the Cable Guy as automotive buddies Lightning McQueen and Tow Mater and adds the legendary Michael Caine as British spy car Finn McMissile. All the fun of "Cars" but with a high speed, action-packed tale of international intrigue? Life in the fast lane just keeps getting better for Pixar fans. | Watch the trailer.

11. 'Crazy, Stupid, Love'

Warner Bros.

Release Date: July 29
Starring: Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling, Julianne Moore, Emma Stone
The Scoop: There are rom-coms and then there are comedies that also have romance in them. "Crazy, Stupid, Love" falls into the latter category, thanks in part to the presence of Steve Carell, who here looks to extend his range beyond mere comedy and into the realm of honest-to-god emotion. And how does he do that? Well, he's a dude whose marriage -- to the always excellent Julianne Moore -- is on the rocks, big time. So he turns to a pal (Ryan Gosling for help getting back in the game, not realizing that said pal is himself on the hooks of a heartbreaker (Emma Stone, you guys!). If there's one thing we know about rom-coms, it's that they live and die on the strength of their casts -- and for "Crazy, Stupid, Love" that means crazy stupid awesome. | Watch the trailer.

10. 'Transformers: Dark of the Moon'

Paramount

Release Date: July 1
Starring: Shia LaBeouf, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel
The Scoop: Let's be real for a minute: "Transformers 2" was kind of crap. We're not hating, we're just giving tough love to a franchise that we expected more from. And based on the sweet trailers for "Transformers: Dark of the Moon," it looks like those expectations are about to be met, as Michael Bay ups the ante once more, this time dumping Megan Fox in favor of supermodel Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and bringing back Shia LaBeouf for his third tussle with the evil Decepticons. We're going to go out on a limb and predict that "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" won't just make you forget "Transformers 2" -- it will end up being the best film in the trilogy. You heard it here first. | Watch the trailer.

9. 'Bridesmaids'

Universal

Release Date: May 13
Starring: Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Rose Byrne, Jon Hamm
The Scoop: Remember "The Hangover?" Well, for the last few months, buzz has been building around the idea that "Bridesmaids" is basically "The Hangover" with ladies. And oh, what a group of ladies, as "Bridesmaids" -- which, as you might expect, is about a gang of gal pals gathering for a wedding -- features "SNL" alums Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph alongside talents like Rose Byrne and Melissa McCarthy. And, oh yeah, Jon Hamm is in it. We've got a feeling that by the end of the summer, "The Hangover' is going to be known as the male version of "Bridesmaids." | Watch the trailer.

8. 'X-Men: First Class'

20th Century Fox

Release Date: June 3
Starring: James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence, Kevin Bacon
The Scoop: From its earliest comic book days, the true heart of the "X-Men" franchise has been the ideological struggle between Professor Charles Xavier and his more militant opposite, Magneto. "X-Men: First Class," which turns back the clock to the days when the two were best buddies, aims to explain how their paths diverged, while also giving Hollywood the chance to reboot the series with fresh-faced new superstars like James McAvoy and Jennifer Lawrence. Could this be the start of an all-new, all-different trilogy? Our mutant senses are pointing towards yes. | Watch the trailer.

7. 'The Hangover Part II'

Warner Bros.

Release Date: May 26
Starring: Bradley Cooper, Zach Galifianakis, Ed Helms
The Scoop: One of the best things about the surprise smash hit "Hangover" was just that -- it was a surprise. So will the sequel be as funny now that everyone knows what the schtick is? Well, considering that this time around the action takes place in the wild streets of Bangkok, with a monkey as one of the main characters, we know one thing for sure: The cast and crew of "The Hangover Part II" can't be accused of not trying. And since that cast still includes the one-man Wolf Pack himself, Zach Galifianakis, we're betting that the sequel is going to be even funnier than the original. | Watch the trailer.

6. 'Thor'

Paramount

Release Date: May 6
Starring: Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman
The Scoop: We admit it: When we first heard about Marvel's plans to adapt "Thor" for the big screen, we were a bit skeptical. But then we starting seeing the posters, the trailers and the interviews and we became instant converts to the church of Odin. Director Kenneth Branagh, no stranger to epics himself (see: "Henry V," "Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets") has put together an all-star supporting cast (Oscars winners Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman, just for starters) and found the perfect leading man -- or is that leading god -- in Chris Hemsworth. So can Marvel recreate the surprise success of "Iron Man?" They say that lightning never strike twice, but when the god of thunder is involved, all bets are off. | Watch the trailer.

5. 'Cowboys & Aliens'

Universal

Release Date: July 29
Starring: Daniel Craig, Harrison Ford, Olivia Wilde
The Scoop: The premise is so simple and elegant you likely did a massive facepalm as soon as you heard the title: "Cowboys and Aliens." Why the hell hasn't anyone come up with this before? Well, the important thing is that they came up with it now and "Iron Man" director Jon Favreau is on the cusp of becoming the definitive master of the modern popcorn flick. Daniel Craig as an amnesiac cowboy with a mysterious connection to the alien invaders? Harrison Ford -- Han Solo himself -- as a grumpy cowpoke looking for a piece of Craig's hide? Not to mention the fact that the trailer is great and "TRON: Legacy's" Olivia Wilde adds even more heat to an already blazing lineup? Ticket, you have just been sold. | Watch the trailer.

4. Captain America: The First Avenger'

Marvel Studios

Release Date: July 22
Starring: Chris Evans, Hugo Weaving, Samuel L. Jackson
The Scoop: Before the first footage of "Captain America: The First Avenger" was released, the question on everyone's mind was whether audiences would buy Chris Evans as yet another superhero (following "The Fantastic Four," "The Losers," "Scott Pilgrim vs. the World," hell, he was even in "TMNT"), much less the paragon of American ideals that is Captain America. Once the first commercials and trailers came out, though, the question became less about Chris Evans and more about how the heck any of us were going to survive until July 22 without literally exploding from excitement. Add in the fact that the film will likely be the last puzzle piece to set up next year's mega-crossover "The Avengers" and you've got the superhero film event of the year. | Watch the trailer.

3. 'Super 8'

Paramount

Release Date: June 10
Starring: Elle Fanning, Amanda Michalka, Kyle Chandler
The Scoop: The marketing campaign was impressive: With little more than a few secretive comments, some mysterious footage and a lot of word-of-mouth buzz, "Super 8" became one of the most talked about films of the year. And the pedigree behind "Super 8" is even more impressive: Steven Spielberg produced it and J.J. Abrams both wrote and directed it. But the most impressive thing about "Super 8" and its tale of kids shooting a movie who accidentally film a train wreck (that may or may not involve aliens) is the timeless combination of childhood nostalgia and ass-kicking action. Summer break never looked this cool. | Watch the trailer.

2. 'Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides'

Disney

Release Date: May 20
Starring: Johnny Depp, Penelope Cruz, Ian McShane
The Scoop: Here's the bad news: You're only going to see Keira Knightley and Orlando Bloom if they happen to buy tickets at the same theater. But the good news is, that means there's more room for new characters -- such as Penelope Cruz's femme fatale and Ian McShane's nefarious Blackbeard -- and new horizons like London and Florida. And most important of all, Johnny Depp is back as Captain Jack Sparrow, braided back hair and all, as he searches for the Fountain of Youth. He may not find it, but it's clear this franchise is rejuvenated once again. | Watch the trailer.

1. 'Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows - Part 2'

Warner Bros.

Release Date: July 15
Starring: Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint, Ralph Fiennes
The Scoop: A lot has happened in the last 14 years. Wars have been fought. Disasters have come and gone. The world has changed, as has your own life: perhaps you got married or perhaps you moved to a new city or perhaps you were born. And through it all, "Harry Potter" has been there as a source of entertainment and for some, even inspiration. Now, finally, it all comes to a close as we say goodbye to Harry, Ron and Hermione after watching them grow up right alongside us. We never wanted it to end, but if it had to, this is the way it should happen: not with a whimper, but with the biggest bang possible. See you there. | Watch the trailer.