I can see clearly now, the rain is gone! Hmm, that sounds like it could be a good song. No matter the poetic truthfulness of my custom adage, the fact is that such a phrase is only half-accurate. Despite the meteorological community’s disturbing complicity in this misinformation, precipitation does indeed continue beyond April! However, the dandelions are populating yards to prove that May is here and that, unless a snowstorm hits, it’s peak entertainment season.
It may be the birth of summer (pun of the month!), but blockbuster season will kick off with The Fall Guy on May 3. Stereotypical Ken and Kitty Oppenheimer unite following last year’s now Oscar-winning juggernaut Barbenheimer, with Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt taking the screen in an explosive action romantic-comedy from director David Leitch. Inspired by the classic 1980’s series of the same name, The Fall Guy sees stuntman Colt Seavers embark on a dangerous journey to save his soulmate’s film from failure. Typical Hollywood:
letting the more physically daring lookalikes take care of everything! Things are looking bright for this flick following its well-received South by Southwest film festival debut in Texas (maybe I’ll create a North by Northcentral fête for Minnesota – watch your back, Cannes).The Fall Guy has adventure, it has humor, it has a Guinness World Record (no joke, look it up) and, if none of that piques your interest, don’t forget that it features a blunt goose … or, more formally, the Ry Guy and Miss Emily. If your attention isn’t grabbed, then, frankly, I don’t believe I can help you any further.
On the other end of the spectrum, it won’t be long until you never look at monkeys the same again. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes paints a bleak future of homo sapiens fleeing from chimps on horseback. Or maybe that’s just the interpretation of a Picasso painting. The point is: thanks a lot, Jane Goodall! Following the previous POTA trilogy that showcased the arc of Caesar’s empire (the monkey, not that Julius fellow), this visually marvelous continuation of the treasured franchise is set centuries later, a future so radical that apes now don armor! Looks like that Dark Ages trend will be in vogue again. This action drama sports a similar plot resemblance to the 1968 classic: the one with those apes and their slightly horrifying plastic surgery. Gulp. Check out the coming Kingdom when it swings from tree branch to cinema on May 10.
Remember Jim Halpert from The Office? Well, he went on to make a frighteningly effective apocalyptic horror thriller (I think it was called A Silent Location) and its sequel, and is now writing, directing, producing and costarring in a family movie about the love of childhood wonder. The logic that has led to John Krasinski’s IF is fascinating. Yes, that sentence is grammatically correct. IF stands for Imaginary Friends, which may give you a clue as to what the movie is about. Is it possible that the characters your toddledarian (from the Greek for “toddler-like”) mind created could actually be real? No, but it makes for a good story – which Ryan Reynolds and Cailey Fleming are about to find out, thanks to the abundance of crazy creatures only they can see. Also boasting an A-list voice cast, IF looks to entertain moviegoers of all ages as a colorful, comedic adventure tale … but now it has something truly worth bragging about: my certified and validated Must-See Movie of the Month (MSMM) stamp! Catch IF when it awakens your imagination on May 17.
The annual Memorial Day battle for cinematic spotlight – what an exotic box office beast. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga plans to make its presence known over the holiday weekend. Serving as a prequel to Mad Max: Fury Road, the 2015 Oscar-winning continuation of director George Miller’s action-heavy, post-apocalyptic world (wherein apparently everyone is angry), this intense installment puts Anya Taylor-Joy in the Biker Horde seat as Furiosa herself, opposite Chris Hemsworth as a physically immense warlord who is not Thor. (Sorry, Marvel fans, no crossover yet.) To witness Furiosa endure a series of deadly events, you yourself will have to survive the hyper-immersive action sequences populating the film. If you feel yourself moving with what occurs onscreen, not to worry: there’s no, ahem, special ingredient in your Pepsi. I personally endorse Sprite, but that’s a conversation for another day.
Battling Furiosa for prominence and prosperity the weekend of May 24 is … Garfield. It may seem to be a bizarre mashup, but don’t count out the portly feline. Sony’s The Garfield Movie, which sees the iconic cat back in animated form, has probably already hooked that whole anti-Monday, pro-Lasagna demographic. (A crowd that very certainly includes me – wait, am I a human Garfield?!) Plus, Chris Pratt fans will be thrilled that Mr. Super Mario will be voicing another classic role … and all peoples should be similarly delighted that Samuel L. Jackson plays Pratt’s father. It’s about dang time – pardon my profanity. Everyone’s favorite idle pussycat will be forced out of his comfort zone into a dangerous situation that could potentially even delay his lunch. Goodness, do I know the traumatic feeling!
Whether you’re looking forward to the blooming flowers, an exciting upcoming event or, like me, May the 4th (which should be a national holiday), this month always has something to offer. Without further ado, take this opportunity to enjoy all the entertainment we are lucky enough to have in Southern Minnesota!
