My Top Ten Most Anticipated Releases of Summer 2011
I’m not much of a movie-goer during the three other seasons. (Because that’s when I watch tv.) Summer is the ideal time to spend a couple hours sitting in a squishy seat in an air-conditioned room, enjoying an ice-cold coke and letting your fingers get drenched in fake popcorn butter. Mmm…I’m going to stop before I turn into one of those creepy concession mascots.
10. The Tree of Life, May 27
No idea what this is actually about. Does anybody? Whatever, I’m just watching it for the hype.
9. Midnight in Paris, May 20
I’ll admit, this didn’t even enter my radar until I read an interview with Woody Allen. EW seemed to think it was one of his better recent movies and while my knowledge of the Woody Allen oeuvre is sorely lacking, I like what I’ve seen. And I think the premise for this movie is fantastic.
8. The Art of Getting By, June 17
Remember when Freddie Highmore used to be the most adorable thing on the face of the planet? He still is…just older. Which is weird.
7. Thor, May 6
Why haven’t I seen this yet? I…I don’t know. Even my parents have seen this. Whenever I think of Thor, I think of the little girl from Adventures in Babysitting.
6. X-Men: First Class, June 3
This comes out on my birthday, so I’m formally requesting that Michael Vaughn’s birthday present to me be that this movie doesn’t suck.
5. Cowboys & Aliens, July 29
Wish I could have been a part of that scripting committee. “Hey, let’s make a cowboy movie with Harrison Ford.” “Okay man, but we can do better than that.” “Dude, I’ve got it. Cowboys…and ALIENS.” High fives all around!
4. Captain America: The First Avenger, July 22
Of all of the comic book movies coming out this summer, this one has me the most fangirl-y. I’m jealous of y’all that get to watch it at Comic-Con. Anything that gets us closer to next year’s Avengers!
3. The Help, August 12
Loved the book, love the trailer, freaking love love love Emma Stone. As far as I’m concerned, this movie can and will do no wrong.
2. Super 8, June 10
Have you guys SEEN this trailer?! Abrams and Spielberg need to make a pact to release a movie together every single summer.
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2, July 17
Really, did you expect anything else for my #1 spot? My anticipation is only eclipsed by my gut-wrenching sorrow that this is the end.
Honorable Mentions: Pirate of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Crazy, Stupid, Love, Green Lantern, Winnie the Pooh
What are you looking forward to watching this summer?
Big Damn Heroes 
I’m right there with you on 6, 5, 4, 2, and 1.
I’m kind of excited for the new Pirates movie. Also: Transformers 3! The trailers for Green Lantern make me nervous.
And, if it makes you feel any better, I didn’t see Thor until last night.
I cannot seem to muster up any real excitement for Pirates 4. The 3rd one was such a mess that I think it put me off the franchise entirely. And yet, I know I’m going to watch On Stranger Tides. And I’ll probably end up waiting to see Green Lantern in the dollar theater.
I miss our discount theater…
I sure do like you, Gretchen.
Well, that’s convenient, because I sure like you, too.
1. I saw Thor and it was SO GOOD. Just a really fun movie.
2. I just bought my midnight tickets for Harry Potter.
3. I’m glad that my Wednesdays will now be full of Gretchen writing.
I still need to get my tickets for HP. I should really get on that. And hooray for Wednesdays!
If it makes you feel any better about not having seen Thor, I just saw Deathly Hallows part 1 about 2 weeks ago, and the last time I went to the theater was probably to see Inception.
Geez, Craig, isn’t your daughter old enough to take care of herself by now so you guys can have a life? ;)
I know. She should be self-reliant by now.
We’re waiting to take her to the theater until she’s less likely to disturb everyone else. I’m hoping she’ll be ready by The Muppets.
Also, I realized that if we saw Inception at the theater, we went less than 10 days before she was born. Cutting things kind of close.
I’m so glad you think of Adventures in Babysitting when you think of Thor too! I have the graphic novel that Cowboys & Aliens is based on. It came out five or six years ago, which is one definition of movie development “hell”.
Re: C&A…yikes. That’d be an awesome graphic novel, though! I want to come visit you guys someday.