NEW YORK >> Hollywood’s summer, which kicks off with the fittingly combative “Captain America: Civil War,” will be a season of struggle: for box office, for originality and for opportunity.
More than ever, the big tent of summer moviegoing is held up by a forest of tent poles stretching from May to August. The swelling size of the summer movie has turned the season into a game of survival. The possibility of bombing lurks as an ever-present threat, testosterone often dominates in front of and (especially) behind the camera, and few nonsequel, nonreboot films dare to compete.
Box-office and stress levels run high in equal measure.
“It’s a different landscape than 2002 when the first ‘Bourne’ movie came out,” said Matt Damon, who returns to the franchise in Paul Greengrass’ “Jason Bourne” (July 29). “It’s like a high-stakes poker game that I don’t want to be in. The swings are just so brutal. Ben (Affleck) just opened ‘Batman v Superman’ a few weeks ago. Everyone around him and in his life was nervous about it. You feel less a sense of exultation when they do well and more a sense of relief because the bets are so big now.”
This season is particularly risk-averse. Out of the 33 films coming from the major studios, only 12 aren’t a sequel, reboot or based on an already popular property, such as a video game or a best-seller. Take comedy and horror out of the equation and you’re left with just a handful of originals. One of them is Jodie Foster’s “Money Monster” (May 13), a thriller about a brash financial news pundit taken hostage on the air, starring George Clooney and Julia Roberts.
Foster’s film is doubly rare. She’s one of only two female filmmakers helming major studio releases this summer. Though equality remains a year-round issue for the movie business, the constricted summer months can reveal Hollywood at its most retrograde.
“It’s interesting to me that the studio system still sees women as a risk,” says Foster, who wonders whether women ultimately even want to inherit some of the kinds of films that dominate the summer. “There are movies that are part of the system we may not be that interested in embracing. I think that more women in the film business will look slightly different than it’s looked in the past for men.”
Paul Feig’s “Ghostbusters” reboot (July 15) was met by a backlash from some corners of the Internet that took offense to a new, female-led version starring four of the funniest comedic performers around: Melissa McCarthy, Kristin Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones. With that lineup, Feig relishes heading into “the big guns of summer.”
This summer includes a number of anticipated sequels (“Finding Dory,” “Star Trek Beyond,” “Alice Through the Looking Glass”), the expected superhero films (“Civil War,” “Suicide Squad,” “X-Men: Apocalypse”) and some less likely resurrections (“The Legend of Tarzan,” “Ben-Hur,” “Independence Day: Resurgence”).
Recent history is clear: These will be among the summer’s biggest hits. Last summer (the second biggest ever with nearly $4.5 billion in box office), seven of the top 10 movies were remakes, sequels or came from a comic book. Ditto for four of the top five movies so far in 2016.
Andy Samberg and his Lonely Island trio will be among the few to brave the sequel-strewn seas with something fresh: their celebrity flame-out parody “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping” (June 3). Does he take any pride in being one of the few to push an original movie into summer?
“Um, yeah, we’ll find out,” says Samberg, laughing. “It’s heavy-duty. We were looking at the schedule, and we were like: Holy crap. There’s stuff that’s coming out the week before and the week during us and the week after us, and they’re all really big movies. (Producer Judd Apatow) and the studio felt really strongly about summer and that we had something we could put there.”
One of the fathers of the summer movie season, Steven Spielberg, will also be in the mix with “The BFG” (July 1), his Roald Dahl adaptation that reunites the director with Mark Rylance. The recent Oscar winner plays the titular giant in a motion capture performance.
“The exciting thing about ‘The BFG’ is the combination of Roald Dahl, who’s just a superb storyteller, with Steven and (late screenwriter) Melissa Mathison,” says Rylance. “It took five years to get made because, of course, initially many studios said, ‘Giants eating kids? I don’t think so!’ That edge of Roald Dahl, that frightening edge, I hope is still in there. There’s a kind of marvelous, frightening aspect to the fantasy, as there is in the Tolkien books or the Grimm fairy tales, that children can handle.”
Family audiences will be especially sought after by the likes of “The Secret Life of Pets,” “Ice Age: Collision Course” and “Pete’s Dragon.”
One much smaller film, “Life, Animated” (July 8), will try to sway moviegoers from the blockbusters while simultaneously reminding them of the power of movies.
The documentary, directed by Roger Ross Williams, is about an autistic young man, Owen Suskind, who found language through his love of Disney animated classics.
“It’s rare that you create a film like this that generations can enjoy together,” says Williams. “In the summer this is an alternative where families can go together and see it and hopefully be inspired and uplifted.”
To be uplifted rather than pummeled at summer movie theaters would indeed be an almost radical change of pace.
SUMMER MOVIES
The 2016 Summer Movie Preview is a snapshot of the films opening through August. Hawaii release dates were not available and may vary.
TODAY
“Captain America: Civil War”: Chris Evans returns as Steve Rogers and faces off against Robert Downey Jr.’s Iron Man as the Avengers split into feuding factions. With Scarlett Johansson. Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo. Review on Page D7.
May 13
“A Bit of Bad Luck”: An heiress, tired of her philandering attorney husband’s humiliating behavior, turns his latest weekend romp into a nightmare. With Cary Elwes, Agnes Bruckner, Teri Polo. Written and directed by John Fuhrman.
“The Curse of Sleeping Beauty”: A dark thriller inspired by the Brothers Grimm classic. With Ethan Peck, Natalie Hall, India Eisley. Directed by Pearry Reginald Teo.
“The Darkness”: Supernatural forces haunt a family after its return from a Grand Canyon vacation. With Kevin Bacon, Radha Mitchell, David Mazouz. Directed by Greg McLean.
“Dheepan”: Palme d’Or winner about Sri Lankan refugees trying to escape their violent past in France. With Antonythasan Jesuthasan, Kalieaswari Srinivasan, Claudine Vinasithamby. Directed by Jacques Audiard.
“Eva Hesse”: A feature-length appreciation of the work of the pioneer sculptor, who died in 1970 at age 34. Featuring Hesse’s journals and correspondence with mentor Sol LeWitt and interviews with artists Richard Serra, Robert Mangold, Dan Graham. Directed by Marcie Berlieter.
“High Rise”: The residents of a luxury apartment tower experience vertical class warfare. With Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller. Based on the novel by J.G. Ballard. Directed by Ben Wheatley.
“How to Plan an Orgy in a Small Town”: When a sex columnist returns to her provincial small town for her estranged mother’s funeral, various locals plot to persuade her to stage the titular event. With Jewel Staite, Lauren Holly, Katharine Isabelle. Written and directed by Jeremy Lalonde.
“I Am Wrath”: John Travolta stars as a former black ops agent bent on revenge after his wife is murdered by a street gang. With Christopher Meloni, Amanda Schull. Written by Paul Sloan, story by Yvan Gauthier. Directed by Chuck Russell.
“The Idol”: A young Palestinian pursues his dream of being a singer. With Tawfeek Barhom, Kais Attalah, Hiba Attalah. Directed by Abu-Assad.
“Kill Zone 2”: An undercover cop is thrown into a Thai prison, a hotbed of corruption, riots and black-market organ transplants. With Tony Jaa, Zhang Jin, Simon Yam. Written by Lai-yin Leung, Ying Wong.
“Last Days in the Desert”: Jesus returns from his 40 days and nights to battle the devil over a family’s destiny. With Ewan McGregor, Tye Sheridan, Ciaran Hinds. Written and directed by Rodrigo Garcia.
“The Lobster”: A man in the near future flees into the woods rather than be turned into an animal because he is single and illegally falls in love with a fellow rebel. With Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, Lea Seydoux. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.
“Love & Friendship”: A young aristocratic widow is pursued by a disparate trio of gentlemen. With Kate Beckinsale, Chloe Sevigny, Xavier Samuel. Directed and written by Whit Stillman, based on a Jane Austen novella.
“Money Monster”: Financial TV host George Clooney and his producer, Julia Roberts, are held hostage by a desperate man. Directed by Jodie Foster.
“Search Party”: Buddies botch a friend’s wedding, then must rescue him in Mexico after he is carjacked and left naked in the desert. With T.J. Miller, Thomas Middleditch, Adam Pally. Directed by Scot Armstrong.
“Starcrossed”: A young writer’s encounter with a mysterious woman changes his future over the course of one night. With Mischa Barton, Grant Harvey, Eric Roberts. Written and directed by Chase Mohseni.
“Sundown”: A spring-break vacation in Puerto Vallarta turns ugly for two high school seniors when a sexy girl makes off with the Rolex belonging to one boy’s grandfather. With Devon Werkheiser, Sean Marquette, Camilla Belle. Directed by Fernando Lebrija.
“Sunset Song”: Director’s Terence Davies’ adaptation of the Scottish novel depicts a young woman enduring life in the early 20th century. With Agyness Deyn, Peter Mullan, Kevin Guthrie.
“The Trust”: Corrupt cops unravel a mystery, hoping for a big score. With Nicolas Cage, Elijah Wood, Sky Ferreira. Directed by Alex Brewer and Benjamin Brewer.
“Under the Gun”: Political inaction is examined in this documentary on the gun-control debate. Narrated by Katie Couric. Directed by Stephanie Soechtig.
“What We Become”: A virulent strain of the flu quickly turns a Danish family’s summer into a nightmare when it is attacked by a bloodthirsty mob. With Mille Dinesen, Troels Lyby, Benjamin Engell. Written and directed by Bo Mikkelsen.
May 20
“Almost Holy”: Ukrainian pastor Gennadiy Mokhnenko uses controversial means to rescue street kids in this documentary. Written and directed by Steve Hoover.
“The Angry Birds Movie”: Outliers Red, Chuck and Bomb must figure out what’s going on when mysterious green piggies arrive on their island. Voices of Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride. Directed by Fergal Reilly and Clay Kaytis.
“Back in the Day”: With the help of local mob bosses, a half-Italian, half-Puerto Rican Bensonhurst teen pursues his dream of becoming a champion boxer. With Michael Madsen, Alec Baldwin, Danny Glover. Directed by Paul Borghese.
“Come What May”: A German man on the run in France from Nazism looks for his young son. With August Diehl, Olivier Gourmet, Mathilde Seigner. Directed by Christian Carion.
“Hard Sell”: On Long Island’s Gold Coast, a high schooler struggling to make ends meet at an elite prep school discovers inventive ways to profit off his classmates with the help of an attractive runaway. With Kristin Chenoweth, Katrina Bowden, Skyler Gisondo. Written and directed by Sean Nalaboff.
“It’s So Easy and Other Lies”: Authorized documentary on the life and career of bassist Duff McKagan of Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver. Featuring Slash, Mike McCready. Written and directed by Christopher Duddy.
“Maggie’s Plan”: A young New Yorker falls in love with a married professor, but her plot to be with him goes comically awry. With Greta Gerwig, Ethan Hawke, Julianne Moore. Written and directed by Rebecca Miller.
“Manhattan Night”: A tabloid journalist’s investigation of the murder of a filmmaker endangers his job, his family and his life. With Adrien Brody, Yvonne Strahovski, Campbell Scott. Written and directed by Brian DeCubellis.
“The Measure of a Man”: An unemployed French mechanic finds morally challenging work doing security in a big-box supermarket. With Vincent Lindon. Directed by Stephane Brize.
“A Monster With a Thousand Heads”: Frustration with an insurance company over her husband’s cancer treatment leads a woman to increasingly violent confrontations. With Jana Raluy, Sebastian Aguirre, Hugo Albores. Directed by Rodrigo Pla.
“Neighbors 2: Sorority Rising”:Seth Rogen, Zac Efron and Rose Byrne return in this sequel to the 2014 frat-boys-versus-new-parents comedy. Directed by Nicholas Stoller.
“The Nice Guys”: Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling team as a muscle-for-hire and a private eye in this 1970s-set action comedy. With Angourie Rice. Directed by Shane Black.
“Paths of the Soul”: Documentary follows Tibetans across snowy mountains to participate in the transformative “bowing pilgrimage.” Directed by Zhang Yang.
“Song of Lahore”: Documentary explores the lives of several Pakistani classical musicians when their new album earns them international accolades. With Wynton Marsalis. Directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy and Andy Schocken.
“Weiner”: Documentary goes inside former Rep. Anthony Weiner’s failed mayoral campaign. Directed by Josh Kriegman and Elyse Steinberg.
May 27
“Alice Through the Looking Glass”: Alice time-travels to save the Mad Hatter. With Johnny Depp, Anne Hathaway, Mia Wasikowska. Based on characters created by Lewis Carroll. Directed by James Bobin. Imax 3-D.
“Holy Hell”: Filmmaker Will Allen documents his decadeslong experience with the Los Angeles spiritual group the Buddhafield.
“ma ma”: Penelope Cruz stars as a woman with breast cancer who meets a man enduring a grievous loss. With Luis Tosar, Asier Etxeandia. Written and directed by Julio Medem.
“The Ones Below”: Suburban London parents-to-be engage in a battle of wills with their mysterious new downstairs neighbors. With Clemence Poesy, David Morrissey, Stephen Campbell Moore and Laura Birn. Written and directed by David Farr.
“Presenting Princess Shaw”: An Israeli musician, composer and video producer discovers a New Orleans singer online in this documentary. With Samantha Montgomery, Ophir Kutiel. Directed by Ido Haar.
“Princess”: A 12-year-old Israeli girl’s budding sexual curiosity is piqued by her hedonistic home life and a meeting with an androgynous doppelganger. With Keren Mor, Ori Pfeffer, Shira Haas. Written and directed by Tali Shalom-Ezer.
“X-Men: Apocalypse”: The original mutant awakens after thousands of years and he is not happy, triggering a new battle. With James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence. Directed by Bryan Singer.
June 3
“The Bye Bye Man”: Three college students unwittingly unleash a supernatural entity. With Carrie-Anne Moss, Faye Dunaway, Douglas Smith. Directed by Stacy Title.
“Chevalier”: Competitiveness runs amok as six men on the Aegean Sea measure themselves against one another. With Yorgos Kendros, Panos Koronis, Vangelis Mourikis. Directed by Rachel Tsangari.
“How to Let Go of the World and Love All the Things Climate Can’t Change”: Filmmaker Josh Fox travels to six continents seeking local solutions to global environmental problems. With Bill McKibben, Van Jones, Elizabeth Kolbert.
“Me Before You”: Romantic drama about a working-class English girl who becomes caretaker for a wealthy, young, wheelchair-bound banker. With Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin, Janet McTeer. Written by JoJo Moyes, based on her book. Directed by Thea Sharrock.
“Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping”: Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone wrote and star in this comedy about a rapper enduring a sophomore slump. Co-directed by Schaffer and Taccone.
“Quackerz”: Military Mallards inadvertently invade the peaceful island of Mandarin ducks, triggering conflict, unexpected friendships and a plot to snuff out the sun. Voices of Michael Gross, Robbie Daymond, Enn Reitel. Directed by Victor Lakisov.
“Teenage Mutant Turtles: Out of the Shadows”: The return of the pizza-eating, martial-arts-infused reptiles. With Megan Fox, Will Arnett, Laura Linney. Directed by Dave Green.
“Time to Choose”: Documentarian Charles Ferguson examines the challenges and solutions associated with climate change. With Dr. Jane Goodall, Mohammed Yunus, Paul Polman.
“Urge”: A new drug turns a night of partying on an island into a lethal bacchanal. With Pierce Brosnan, Justin Chatwin, Ashley Greene. Directed by Aaron Kaufman.
June 10
“Blackway”: A retired logger helps a woman who is being harassed by a psychopath cop. With Anthony Hopkins, Julia Stiles, Ray Liotta. Directed by Daniel Alfredson.
“Careful What You Wish For:” A young man’s affair with a neighbor’s wife is complicated by a suspicious death. With Nick Jonas, Isabel Lucas, Graham Rogers. Directed by Elizabeth Allen.
“The Conjuring 2”: Vera Farmiga and Patrick Wilson return as demonologists investigating the haunting of a house in London. With Frances O’Connor. Directed by James Wan.
“De Palma”: Filmmakers Noah Baumbach and Jake Paltrow look at the 50-year career of Brian De Palma, director of such films as “Carrie” and “Scarface.”
“The Fits”: A tomboy is transfixed by the dance team that practices in the gym where she boxes. With Royalty Hightower, Alexis Neblett, Da’Sean Minor. Written and directed by Anna Rose Holmer.
“Genius”: Dramatization of the complex relationship between editor Maxwell Perkins and writer Thomas Wolfe. With Colin Firth, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman. Based on the biography “Max Perkins: Editor of Genius” by A. Scott Berg. Directed by Michael Grandage.
“The God Cells”: Documentary examination of fetal stem cell injections, the people who seek the treatment and the religious and regulatory restrictions that prevent its approval in the U.S. Directed by Eric Merola.
“Honeyglue”: A young woman with terminal cancer goes on an adventure with a gender-defying artist. With Adriana Mather, Booboo Stewart, Zach Villa. Written and directed by James Bird.
“The Lovers and the Despot”: Documentary about a South Korean director and his actress muse, who are kidnapped and imprisoned in North Korea, then become movie-mad Kim Jong Il’s personal filmmakers. Featuring Shin Sang-ok and Choi Eun-hee. Written and directed by Ross Adam and Robert Cannan.
“The Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble”: Award-winning filmmaker Morgan Neville profiles the international collective created by world-class cellist Ma.
“Now You See Me 2”: The Four Horsemen return for more magic. With Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson. Directed by Jon M. Chu.
“Therapy for a Vampire”: Sigmund Freud introduces a patient to a young painter and his girlfriend with unexpected consequences. With Tobias Moretti, Jeanette Hain. Written and directed by David Ruehm.
“Viktoria”: Three generations of Bulgarian women witness the transformation from communism to democracy. With Irmena Chichikova, Daria Vitkova, Kalina Vitkova. Written and directed by Maya Vitkova.
“Warcraft”: Two opposing warriors are on a fateful course that will decide the future of their civilizations. With Travis Fimmel, Paula Patton, Ben Foster. Directed by Duncan Jones. Imax 3D.
“The Witness”: Documentary on the 1964 Queens murder of Kitty Genovese. Directed by James Solomon.
June 17
“Accidental Exorcist”: With business booming, an exorcist realizes he isn’t happy. With Daniel Falicki, Sherryl Despres. Directed by Falicki.
“Central Intelligence”: A former geek returns to a class reunion as a CIA agent and recruits his nemesis for a “mission.” With Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Amy Ryan. Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber.
“Clown”: The clown costume a father wears for his son’s birthday turns out to be something sinister. With Andy Powers, Laura Allen, Peter Stormare. Directed by Jon Watts.
“Finding Dory”: Nemo, Marlin and the forgetful blue tang must cross an ocean to find her family in this sequel. Voices of Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Ed O’Neill. Directed by Andrew Stanton; co-director Angus MacLane. Imax 3D.
“From Afar”: A middle-aged man who pays for male companionship eases into a relationship with a tough young man. With Alfredo Castro, Luis Silva, Jerico Montilla. Written and directed by Lorenzo Vigas, based on a story by Guillermo Arriaga.
“The Last Heist”: A bank robbery goes wrong when one of the hostages turns out to be a serial killer. With Henry Rollins, Torrance Coombs, Victoria Pratt. Directed by Mike Mendez.
“The Last King”: During the 13th century Norwegian civil war, two warriors must protect the infant heir to the throne. With Jakob Oftebro, Kristofer Hivju. Directed by Nils Gaup.
“Les Cowboys”: A teenager’s disappearance at a fair in France leads her father to track down her and her Muslim boyfriend. With François Damiens, Finnegan Oldfield, Antonia Campbell-Hughes. Directed by Thomas Bidegain.
“Made in Venice”: Documentary on Venice Beach skateboarders in the 1980s. Featuring Jesse Martinez, Cesario “Block” Montano, Craig R. Stecyk III.. Directed by Jonathan Penson.
“No Stranger Than Love”: As a schoolteacher is about to consummate her affair with a married colleague, a gaping hole opens in her living room floor and things get complicated. With Alison Brie, Justin Chatwin, Colin Hanks. Directed by Nick Wernham.
“Swiss Army Man”: A man stranded on a desert island befriends the corpse that washes ashore. With Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe, Mary Elizabeth Winstead. Written and directed by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert.
“Tickled”: Under intimidation, documentarians David Farrier and Dylan Reeve uncover an online operation in which young men are tied up and tickled, but it’s no laughing matter.
June 22
“Nuts!”: Filmmaker Penny Lane explores the power of nonfiction filmmaking as she profiles physician John Romulus Brinkley, who in 1917 claimed to discover a cure for impotence, invented junk mail and the infomercial, and built the world’s most powerful radio station.
June 24
“Eat That Question — Frank Zappa in His Own Words”: Documentary on the eccentric musician, composer and free thinker. Directed by Thorsten Schütte.
“Free State of Jones”: During the U.S. Civil War, a Mississippi farmer leads a rebellion against the Confederacy. With Matthew McConaughey, Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Written and directed by Gary Ross, story by Leonard Hartman and Ross.
“The Fundamentals of Caring”: An emotionally damaged man acts as caregiver to an 18-year-old with muscular dystrophy. With Paul Rudd, Craig Roberts, Selena Gomez. Written and directed by Rob Burnett, based on Jonathan Evison’s novel.
“Hunt for the Wilderpeople”: A rebellious kid gets a second chance with a family in the New Zealand countryside, but a tragedy forces him and his foster parent to go on the run. With Sam Neill, Julian Dennison, Rachel House. Written and directed by Taika Waititi. based on a book by Barry Crump.
“Independence Day: Resurgence”: Twenty years later, the aliens return. With Liam Hemsworth, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Pullman. Directed by Roland Emmerich. Imax 3D.
“Ovation”: A veteran theater actress is wooed by a slick television star amid other backstage tales. With Tanna Frederick, James Denton. Directed by Henry Jaglom.
“The Phenom”: A rookie major leaguer with control problems is sent to the minors to work with a sports psychologist. With Johnny Simmons, Paul Giamatti, Ethan Hawke. Written and directed by Noah Buschel.
“Septembers of Shiraz”: A prosperous Jewish family is caught in the post-revolution fundamentalism of the Ayatollah Khomeini. With Salma Hayek, Adrien Brody, Shohreh Aghdashloo. Directed by Wayne Blair.
“The Shallows”: Blake Lively stars as a surfer who fights for survival after encountering a great white shark. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra.
“Unlocking the Cage”: Animal- rights lawyer Steven Wise challenges the legal distinctions between animals and humans in this documentary. Directed by Chris Hegedus and D.A. Pennebaker.
“Wiener-Dog”: An elongated canine travels cross- country, affecting people along the way. With Greta Gerwig, Ellen Burstyn, Danny DeVito. Written and directed by Todd Solonz.
July 1
“Argentina:” Director Carlos Saura explores the nation’s traditional folklore through dance. Featuring Los Chalchaleros, El Chaqueno Palavecino, Soledad Pastorutti.
“The BFG”: A Big Friendly Giant befriends a young girl in this adaptation of the Roald Dahl claasic. With Mark Rylance, Ruby Barnhill, Penelope Wilton. Directed by Steven Spielberg.
“The Innocents”: A French Red Cross doctor arrives at a convent in Poland in December 1945 and discovers several pregnant nuns, victims of the Red Army. With Lou De Lage, Agata Buzek. Directed by Anne Fontaine.
“The Kind Words”: Adult siblings reunite after the death of their mother and embark on a road trip from Israel through France to find their “real” father. With Rotem Zissman-Cohen, Roy Assaf, Jonathan Bar-Giora. Written and directed by Shemi Zarhin.
“The Legend of Tarzan”: After years of being civilized, the ape-man returns to the Congo and is entangled in a conspiracy. With Alexander Skarsgård, Samuel L. Jackson, Margot Robbie. Written by Adam Cozad and Craig Brewer. Directed by David Yates. Imax 3D.
“Microbe and Gasoline”: Two friends take a cross-country road trip in a homemade vehicle. With Ange Dargent, Theophile Baquet, Diane Besnier. Written and directed by Michel Gondry.
“Our Kind of Traitor”: On holiday in Marrakesh, an English couple becomes entangled with the Russian mafia and the U.K.’s MI6. With Ewan McGregor, Naomie Harris, Damian Lewis. Written by Hossein Amini based on the John le Carre novel. Directed by Susanna White.
“The Purge: Election Year”: The third edition of this series in which the annual government-sanctioned 12-hour period when all crime is legal comes under attack. With Frank Grillo, Edwin Hodge, Betty Gabriel. Written and directed by James DeMonaco.
July 8
“Captain Fantastic”: One family’s off-the-grid lifestyle is disrupted by tragedy. With Viggo Mortensen, Frank Langella, George MacKay. Written and directed by Matt Ross.
“Life, Animated”: Documentary about Owen Suskind, who was unable to speak as a kid but learned how to communicate through watching Disney films. Directed by Roger Ross Williams.
“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”: Two brothers get more than they can handle from the pair of out-of-control women who respond to their online ad. With Zac Efron, Anna Kendrick, Adam Devine, Aubrey Plaza. Directed by Jake Szymanski.
“Our Little Sister”: When their long-absent father dies, three adult sisters take in their young half- sister. With Haruka Ayase, Masami Nagasawa, Kaho, Suzu Hirose. Written and directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda.
“The Secret Life of Pets”: An animated comedy about what our dogs and cats do while we’re away. Voices of Louis C.K., Eric Stonestreet, Kevin Hart. Directed by Chris Renaud and Yarrow Cheney.
“This Last Lonely Place”: A cab driver is duped into helping an investment bank cover up a crime. With Rhys Coiro, Xander Berkeley, Carly Pope. Written and directed by Steve Anderson.
“Zero Days”: Oscar-winning filmmaker Alex Gibney trains his camera on the world of cyberwar in this account of a “worm” unleashed by the U.S. and Israel on an Iranian nuclear facility that spreads beyond its intended target.
JULY 15
“Equals”: In a genetically engineered society, a young woman and man experience forbidden romance. With Kristen Stewart, Nicholas Hoult, Guy Pearce. Directed by Drake Doremus.
“Ghostbusters:” Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones are the new generation of paranormal investigators out to save the world. Directed by Feig. Imax 3D.
“Gleason”: Former NFL lineman Steve Gleason battles ALS in this documentary. Written and directed by Clay Tweel.
“The Infiltrator”: Bryan Cranston plays a federal agent who goes deep undercover to access drug king Pablo Escobar’s 1980s empire. With John Leguizamo and Diane Kruger. Based on Robert Mazur’s autobiography. Directed by Brad Furman.
“My King”: While recuperating from a skiing accident, a woman looks back on a tumultuous relationship. With Emmanuelle Bercot and Vincent Cassel. Directed by Maiwenn Le Besco.
“Norman Lear: Just Another Version of You”: Documentary explores how a Jewish kid from Connecticut could become a groundbreaking television producer. Directed by Heidi Ewing and Rachel Grady.
“Outlaws and Angels”: Bad guys on the run invade the home of a frontier family and come to regret it in this western. With Chad Michael Murray, Francesca Eastwood, Madisen Beaty. Written and directed by JT Mollner.
“Under the Sun”: Russian documentarian Vitaly Mansky chronicles the creepy machinations behind his collaboration with North Korean officials to depict a “typical” family’s utopian life.
July 22
“Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie”: Jennifer Saunders and Joanna Lumley are back as Edina and Patsy, living the AbFab life until they cause a media storm and flee to the French Riviera. With Julia Sawalha. Written by Saunders. Directed by Mandie Fletcher.
“Don’t Think Twice”: An improv comedy group learns its theater is shutting down and a TV series taps two of its members. With Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Mike Birbiglia. Written and directed by Birbiglia.
“Ice Age: Collision Course”: Scrat’s back — and sets off a chain of cosmic events that threatens the world he and his friends know. Voices by Ray Romano, John Leguizamo, Denis Leary. Directed by Michael Thurmeier and Galen Chu.
“Lights Out”: A young woman and her brother confront the terrifying reality of what happens in the dark. With Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, Alexander DiPersia. Based on the film by David F. Sandberg. Directed by Sandberg.
“The People vs. Fritz Bauer”: A Jewish prosecutor pursues Nazi criminal Adolf Eichmann. With Burghart Klaussner, Ronald Zehrfeld, Robert Atzorn. Written by Lars Kraume, Olivier Guez. Directed by Kraume.
“Phantom Boy”: A mysterious illness grants a boy the ability to leave his body and explore New York City as a ghostly apparition. Directed by Jean-Loup Felicioli and Alain Gagnol.
“Quitters”: Fed up with his unstable home life, a high schooler asks to move in with his new girlfriend’s family and soon wears out his welcome. With Ben Konigsberg, Kara Hayward, Mira Sorvino. Written by Noah Pritzker, Ben Tarnoff. Directed by Pritzker.
“Star Trek Beyond”: The Enterprise crew is challenged by a new foe. With Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana and Idris Elba. Directed by Justin Lin.
“Summertime”: A farm girl goes to Paris in 1971, becomes involved in the women’s rights movement and begins a passionate lesbian affair. With Cecile de France, Izïa Higelin, Noemie Lvovsky. Written by Catherine Corsini and Laurette Polmanss. Directed by Corsini.
July 29
“Bad Moms”: A trio of mothers set to liberate themselves from upright behavior. With Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell, Kathryn Hahn. Written and directed by Jon Lucas and Scott Moore.
“Equity”: An investment banker guides a client’s high-stakes IPO while dealing with the internal politics of her own firm. With Anna Gunn, James Purefoy, Sarah Megan Thomas. Directed by Meera Menon.
“Jason Bourne”: Matt Damon steps back into the role of the rogue CIA agent for this fifth installment. With Julia Stiles, Alicia Vikander. Written by Paul Greengrass, and Christopher Rouse. Inspired by the “Bourne” series. Directed by Greengrass.
“Tallulah”: Ellen Page plays a free spirit who liberates a baby from its neglectful mother. With Allison Janney, Zachary Quinto. Written and directed by Sian Heder.
Aug. 5
“The Founder”: Michael Keaton stars as McDonald’s impresario Ray Kroc. With Nick Offerman, Linda Cardellini. Directed by John Lee Hancock.
“Front Cover”: A new friendship with an actor challenges a gay, Asian stylist’s ideas about his identity. With Jake Choi, James Chen, Jennifer Neala Page. Written and directed by Ray Yeung.
“Nine Lives”: An uptight businessman finds himself trapped in the body of the family cat and must learn to be more human to escape. With Kevin Spacey, Jennifer Garner, Malina Weissman. Directed by Barry Sonnenfeld.
“Suicide Squad”: The best of the worst in villainy are recruited by the government to take on an unstoppable enemy. With Will Smith, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie. Written and directed by David Ayer, based on the characters from DC Comics. Imax 3D.
“Sun Choke”: A young woman recovering from a psychotic break is subjected to a strange health and wellness ritual administered by a caretaker. With Sarah Hagan, Barbara Crampton, Sara Malakul Lane. Written and directed by Ben Cresciman.
Aug. 12
“Cafe Society”: Writer-director Woody Allen’s 1930s romantic comedy follows the adventures of a young man from the Bronx making his way in Hollywood and Manhattan. With Jeannie Berlin, Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg.
“Florence Foster Jenkins”: Meryl Streep stars as a New York socialite in the 1940s who pursues her dream of being a great singer — despite possessing a terrible voice. With Hugh Grant, Simon Helberg. Directed by Stephen Frears.
“The Hollars”: News of his mother’s illness brings a New York City artist back to the small town he left behind and he is immediately swept up in his family’s dysfunction. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Anna Kendrick, John Krasinski. Directed by Krasinski.
“Pete’s Dragon”: A skeptical forest ranger in the Pacific Northwest meets a young boy who claims to be friends with a large winged reptile in this reimagining of the 1977 film. With Bryce Dallas Howard, Oakes Fegley, Wes Bentley. Directed by Lowery.
“Sausage Party”: A supermarket meat byproduct leads other foodstuffs on an existential quest in this R-rated animated comedy. Voices of Seth Rogen, Kristen Wiig, Jonah Hill. Directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan.
“Spectral”: Counteracting an unexplainable phantom threat is the mission for an elite special ops team. With James Badge Dale, Emily Mortimer, Max Martini. Directed by Nic Mathieu.
Aug. 19
“Ben-Hur”: Forced into slavery, a prince fights his way back seeking revenge. With Jack Huston, Toby Kebbell, Rodrigo Santoro. Directed by Timor Bekmambetov.
“Diary of a Chambermaid”: At the turn of the 20th century, a young woman leaves Paris to work as a domestic in a disturbing villa in Normandy. With Lea Seydoux, Vincent Lindon, Clotilde Mollet. Directed by Jacquot.
“Kickboxer Vengeance:” A man travels to Thailand to train with a legendary master in order to avenge his brother’s death. With Alain Moussi, Dave Bautista, Jean-Claude Van Damme. Directed by John Stockwell.
“Kubo and the Two Strings”: Animated Japanese fantasy about a boy, his magical instrument and the enchanted creatures who aid him as he attempts to heal a long-ago rift and reunite his family. Voices of Art Parkinson, Matthew McConaughey, Charlize Theron. Directed by Travis Knight.
“Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World”: Werner Herzog explores how digital connectivity has transformed virtually every aspect of experience.
“Southside With You:” On a summer day in 1989, young legal associate Barack Obama courts attorney Michelle Robinson on their first date. With Tika Sumpter, Parker Sawyers, Vanessa Bell Calloway. Written and directed by Richard Tanne.
“The Space Between Us”: The first human born on Mars returns to Earth and sets out to find his father. Directed by Peter Chelsom.
“War Dogs”: Two 20-something Miami friends exploit a loophole and land a $300 million defense contract to arm the Afghan military. With Jonah Hill, Miles Teller, Ana de Armas and Bradley Cooper. Directed by Phillips.
Aug. 26
“Blood Father”: An ex-con fights to protect his daughter from a drug cartel. With Mel Gibson, Erin Moriarty, Diego Luna. Directed by Jean-Francois Richet.
“Closet Monster”: A teen’s ambitious creativity and imagination help him navigate his dysfunctional family, shaky childhood and confusing sexuality. With Connor Jessup, Aaron Abrams, Joanne Kelly. Written and directed by Stephen Dunn.
“Don’t Breathe”: A trio of Detroit teens who target the home of a blind war veteran for an easy burglary have no idea of the horror that awaits. With Jane Levy, Dylan Minnette, Daniel Zovatto and Stephen Lang. Directed by Fede Alvarez.
“Hands of Stone”: Panamanian boxer Roberto Duran soars to stardom when he defeats Sugar Ray Leonard in 1980, only to be toppled in the rematch when he infamously says “no mas.” With Robert DeNiro, Edgar Ramirez, Usher Raymond. Written and directed by Jonathan Jakubowicz.
“A Man Called Ove”: A widower is the terror of his condo community until he strikes up an unlikely friendship with his new neighbors. With Rolf Lassgard, Zozan Akgün, Tobias Almborg. Written and directed by Hannes Holm, based on a novel by Fredrik Backman.
“Mechanic: Resurrection”: Sequel to the 2011 action thriller finds Bishop tasked with assassinating the most dangerous men in the world. With Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones. Directed by Dennis Gansel.
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