Summer 2016 Preview: Potential Surprises

Continuing our Summer 2016 Preview, I’m going to look at the potential surprises.  These are the movies that may not look particularly great or could be smaller than some of the other movies being released, but could really surprise in terms of box office and critical response.  These five movies are ones that I am optimistic will be good and will be potential surprises to all moviegoers.

5 – Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows (Dave Green, June 3)

I wasn’t the biggest fan of the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle (2014).  It had some moments, but was too “Michael Bay” for my own liking.  For some reason, this movie just looks insane and I love it.  We get a whole bunch of explosive action and the second trailer promises an internal conflict between Raphael and Leonardo, which shows this movie might actually have some character depth.  Also, the trailer shows so many of my favorite things from the original, like the bus that shoots sewer tops, Casey Jones, Bebop and Rocksteady, and best of all, Krang as the villain.  This is the mind-less entertainment I’ll need this summer.

4 – Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping (Akiva Schaffer & Jorma Taccone, June 3)

I already talked about this movie in the Comedies segment of the Summer 2016 Preview (you can read that list here), so I don’t have a lot more to add.  This movie looks hilarious and could surprise in terms of box office and critical response due to its great comedic cast and mockery of the current state of music stars and celebrities.  It might get lost in shuffle of bigger comedies, but don’t sleep on Popstar.

3 – The Conjuring 2 (James Wan, June 10)

The first Conjuring (2013) is one of the scariest movies I have ever seen and the best horror movie of this decade.  But usually, horror movies can’t follow up the greatness of the original and are usually underwhelming.  However, with The Conjuring 2I, everyone from the original is back, including horror master director James Wan.  The trailer is horrifying and the fact that this is based on real people makes it even scarier.  I loved the first one and can’t wait to scared out of mind in the second one.

2 – Warcraft (Duncan Jones, June 10)

I’ve never played World of Warcraft.  In fact, all I really know is what I learned from the legendary and hilarious South Park episode ‘Make Love Not Warcraft’ (which, if you haven’t seen it, you can watch here via Vimeo).  I originally wasn’t excited about this movie because Warcraft isn’t my thing.  But the director, cast, and trailers have made me really optimistic and excited.  This is director Duncan Jones’ third and biggest feature, but his first two, Moon (2009) and Source Code (2011) are incredibly inventive and great movies.  The special effects and visuals look stunning and the cast, which features Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper, Paula Patton, Toby Kebbell, and Travis Fimmel, is young and talented.  I have a feeling Warcraft will be one of the best blockbusters of the year.

1 – Ghostbusters (Paul Feig, July 15)

Listen up people, a trailer isn’t everything.  Everyone and their mom has complained about this movie being terrible based solely on the first trailer.  There have been plenty of terrible trailers for good movies, it happens.  What Ghostbusters has is talent, and that is what a movie really needs.  Paul Feig, has established himself as one of the premiere comedy directors working today.  He has proven he can make comedy with heart in Bridesmaids (2011) and can blend it with action too, as he proved with The Heat (2013) and Spy (2015).  And this cast is incredible.  Kristen Wiig and Melissa McCarthy have established themselves as great comediennes and we finally get to see SNL standouts Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones shine on the big screen.  Not to mention cameos from the original films and Chris Hemsworth playing against type as a receptionist.  Yeah, the trailer wasn’t great, but the talent is, and when this movie is awesome, you can all suck my left toe because I told you so.

What movies do you think will be potential surprises?  Comment below or hit me up on Twitter @kevflix and on Facebook at Kevflix.

And continue to follow my Summer 2016 Preview to see all the movies you should check out this summer.