Coming Soon!

So no offense to the good movies that are out and about, but I feel like this summer really blows. I haven't seen The Hangover yet, which sounds worth it, but other than that, all I've really been interested in is Star Trek (seen it and loved it) and Away We Go (love John Krasinski) and I find myself scouring the movie sections and being thoroughly disappointed every week. But July and August have a lot of promising options. With that in mind, here's what *I think* I'm looking forward to for the rest of the summer.

• Public Enemies (out now): If you would have asked me two weeks ago, this would not have been high on my list of priorities. But it's getting pretty rave reviews, has a stellar cast (Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard) and is directed by Michael Mann (Last of the Mohicans and Collateral). In the absence of any great, big, adult films coming soon, this will have to do.
  

• Cheri (out now): It's a small film about French courtesans and love in the 19th century and the trailer reminds me a little of the adaptations of Oscar Wilde's plays, The Importance of Being Earnest and An Ideal Husband. I feel like seeing something pithy and dramatic and old-fashioned. It also stars Rupert Friend, this up and coming British actor with God's gift to cheekbones, previously best known to me as Keira Knightley's boyfriend and Mr. Wickham in Pride and Prejudice. But then I caught most of this 2005 flick Mrs. Palfrey at the Claremont starring Friend and Joan Plowright and kind of fell in love with him. And in this drought of a movie summer, I could use a little charming. Plus all the word about Michelle Pfieffer's performance is pretty outstanding.
  

• Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (7/15): Well, duh! In truth with all of the expectation and impatience building up since they delayed the film in November, this is definitely the most anticipated movie of the year for me. The full length trailer looks absolutely fabulous, like they really did tell the entire story and not leave anything important out. It hits the Dumbledore and Harry beats, the Ron and Hermione beats, has sad Malfoy, and impenetrable Snape, and Fenrir Greyback and Slughorn and Death Eaters destroying London and the memories and the love potion and the cave and it all looks beautiful. I can't wait!

• In the Loop (7/24): Small film, only read a little about it before looking up the trailer. It's got a great cast of British character actors (Tom Hollander is great) and it looks funny and clever. It's about the stupidity of political figures, I think.
  

• 500 Days of Summer (7/17): I posted the teaser trailer for this back in March and my excitement to see his has not yet abated. If not for Harry Potter this would be #1. Most of what I've read promises a real love story with a lot of quirk and some great performances. I'm so in.

• Julie & Julia (8/7): I'm on the fence about this one. I love Meryl Streep and Amy Adams and there is something about cooking and using another person's book/receipes to help pull yourself out of our own head (I'm so getting that right now), plus it's directed by Nora Ephron and it would be nice to see her have a success here. But I think it will largely depend on the reviews that film gets.
  

• Taking Woodstock (8/14): It's directed by Ang Lee, has a great supporting cast including Emile Hirsch, Liev Schreiber, and Imelda Staunton, and it stars Demetri Martin, that comedian who performs deadpan with a guitar and an easel? Love him. And it's apparently the *true* story of how Woodstock came to be performed when and where it was. That means lots of hippies and great music.
  

• The Time Traveler's Wife (8/14): Rachel McAdams. Eric Bana. He time travels without control, kind of like "Quantum Leap." It's a melodramatic weepie. I once read a Veronica Mars fanfiction using the premise of this book and I totally loved it.

• The Young Victoria (out now?): This is a British movie that came out earlier this year but I have no idea if it already came out here or if it's ever gonna come out. I saw a TV movie about Queen Victoria and her husband Albert once and they were so adorable. Basically, they married for love. She was the Queen and her was her biggest support and when he died she spent years mourning him (think Judi Dench in Mrs. Brown). This film stars Emily Blunt and, again, Rupert Friend and I love period pieces about British royals.
  

• Post Grad (8/14): This is Rory Gilmore and Matt Saracen go to college where they are best friends until his feelings for her cause a fracture in their friendship. It's also about how Rory can't find a job and about that period after college, but before you feel like a real adult. I dig that feeling. The trailer features Carolina Liar's "Showing Me What I'm Looking For." But you had me at "Rory Gilmore and Matt Saracen."
  

Fuck me, that was a much longer list than I had anticipated! Sorry! Anything I've left off?