Summer Movies 2013

The summer movie season is here and filmmakers anxiously wait to see which of the proffered titles will turn into box office gold. For families looking for entertainment and an opportunity to escape to a cool, dark theater, here is a look at what you can expect to find in 2013:

Animations

To keep the youngsters amused check out theses animated features: Epic, Monsters University, Despicable Me 2, Turbo and Planes. There is also the animation/live action combo, Smurfs 2.

Teen Appeal

Because the teen crowd has the most disposable income, these titles are aimed directly at them. The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones (a supernatural action/adventure based on a popular book series), One Direction: This Is Us (a 3D concert) and Getaway (a thriller starring teen idol Selena Gomaz).

Silly Adults

Anything but role models, these films feature silly adults giving children all the wrong messages: The Internship and Grown Ups 2.

Action/Adventure

Always a hot ticket item, action films are getting a lot of buzz. Some are sequels to popular franchises: Iron Man 3, Star Trek Into Darkness, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters and The Wolverine. Many are science fiction: Oblivion, After Earth, Pacific Rim and Elysium. And others feature classic heroes: Man of Steel and The Lone Ranger.

Glamorous Crime

Whether the heroes are good guys or bad guys doesn’t really matter to scriptwriters. You’ll see a mix of both in these crime dramas and comedies: Fast & Furious 6, Now You See Me, Redemption, White House Down, The Heat, R.I.P.D., Red 2, We’re the Millers and 2 Guns.

Classics

In case you are hoping for some educational opportunities during the warm months, a couple of classic literature titles have been adapted to the big screen: The Great Gatsby and Much Ado About Nothing.

Warnings

While not all of the above mentioned movies will be advisable for family viewing, here are a few we are fairly certain won’t be. All are rated R by the MPAA: The Purge (depicted a society where violence is permissible), This Is The End (a star-studded romp that features as many deplorable behaviors as celebrities), 300: Rise of an Empire (the prequel to the extremely violent 300), Kick-Ass 2 (the sequel to Kick-Ass, a film heavily endowed with profane language, sexual content and brutal violence) and The To Do List (about a high school senior whose plans to prepare for college include sexual experiences and drug/alcohol abuse).