Still, as far the movie season goes -- it's really early. There are still some huge superhero movies on the horizon -- Avengers: Infinity War and Ant-Man and the Wasp. There is awards season, which never really kick off until October at the earliest. And, there are always these random, great films that come out of nowhere.
Still, as of right now, these are the 10 movies I'm most excited to see.
10) Ready Player One - Although I've enjoyed Steven Spielberg's recent run of historic dramas, I've been wanting to see him return to what he does best -- making emotionally fulfilling blockbusters. When I read the fanboy novel Ready Player One I thought it seemed like a perfect fit for him. The early reviews and good, not great, but I am still cautiously optimistic. This will likely be the only and best attempt at bringing the book's narrative to the screen, so fingers crossed.
9) If Beale Street Could Talk - Barry Jenkins emerged as one of the most exciting young filmmakers in America after his Oscar-winning triumph Moonlight, and I'm fascinated by his choice adapt one of the legendary James Baldwin's more divisive novels as his follow-up. I trust he will handle the novel's controversial subject matter (it deals with a man falsely accused of sexual assault) with the same sensitivity he handled the protagonist's coming of age in Moonlight.
8) Domino - I know nothing about this movie other than that its a thriller and a return to that genre after a long time off from one of my all-time favorite directors, Brian De Palma. De Palma hasn't made a great film in quite a long time (maybe 2002's Femme Fatale) but I am hoping he has a late career surge left in him that a few other directors have pulled off right when it seemed like the industry has written them off for good. Having his film star a Game of Thrones alum and a Mad Men vet can't hurt either.
7) Black Klansman - The combo of Spike Lee directing and Jordan Peele producing sounds like a very special clash of sensibilities. I have been very unhappy with Spike Lee's output over the past decade, but this film -- about a black man who infiltrates the KKK -- has so much potential and could -- finally -- be the return to form that Lee fans have been longing for for years. He's certainly assembled a strong cast -- including Adam Driver and John David Washington -- and the last time he did a pure genre movie it was the excellent Inside Man.6) Halloween - This beloved horror film franchise has been rebooted before -- and badly, but I am very excited to see what David Gordon Green and his frequent collaborator actor Danny McBride have in mind for it.
The return of Jamie Lee Curtis in perhaps her most famous role can't hurt, and the fact that this year marks the 40th anniversary of the original makes this feel like more than just another retread. I would love to see Halloween thrive in a new and engaging way for a whole different generation of horror fans.
5) Mission: Impossible -- Fallout - I've already repeatedly attested to me enthusiasm for this series. With the exception of Mission: Impossible II, I don't think its hit a wrong note. The seemingly ageless Cruise has apparently even more death defying stunts up his sleeve and for the first time there seems to be some real continuity with the episode that preceded it. My only hope is that the narrative is as strong as the action of this one -- it could use a good villain too, something the series has been somewhat lacking since the late Philip Seymour Hoffman's great turn in Mission: Impossible III.
4) Sicario Day of the Soldado - Simply put, no trailer has gotten me more amped this year than this surprise follow-up to the cult hit drug war action drama Sicario. Benicio Del Toro seems to be stepping into Liam Neeson's shoes a the new patron saint of aging bad ass-unlikely action stars. This brooding thriller looks like a real departure from the usual effects-heavy summer fare and I am hopefully that this movie makes a real dent in the marketplace, since this kind of adult-skewing genre film is in short supply these days.
3) Creed II - The first Creed film was one of my favorite movies of 2015, and while I am troubled that Ryan Coogler won't be at the helm of this sequel, the combination of Michael B. Jordan, Sylvester Stallone and a resurgent Dolph Lundgren as his iconic Ivan Drago character are too irresistible for me not be at least intrigued by what's possible. The ex-factors will be, of course, the script and the direction, which will, hopefully, like its predecessor steer as clear of formula as humanly possible.
2) Solo - As I have already written, the negative buzz on this project has been nearly deafening, and yet the first trailer has me very excited. As a Star Wars junkie, this film promises to answer a lot of unanswered questions about one of the series coolest, but also somewhat under-developed characters -- Han Solo. I'm hoping Ron Howard's version captures the swagger but also provides the heart behind the smuggler turned rebel hero. So far, none of the new Star Wars films have disappointed me (I know I'm not in a majority opinion on that), so I am rooting for this one.
1) The Irishman - Al Pacino and Robert De Niro's work in recent years has largely been far-from-inspired, even their last pairing on screen was a dud. But this long anticipated mafia epic represents my favorite director Martin Scorsese's return to the genre for the first time since The Departed, his first collaboration with his former muse De Niro in over 20 years, and his first with Pacino ever. The bloated budget and Netflix release has me concerned but this also could be a great comeback-capper for these two living legends' careers.
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