Upcoming Releases — May

With the dawning of May, the summer movie season is upon us. Action film fans rejoice!

Friday, May 3:
Iron Man 3 — This is the third film in the "Iron Man" series, and follows the events of "The Avengers." The trailer looks awesome, and it will be great to see Robert Downey, Jr. paired with writer/director Shane Black for this third installment. The stakes look higher, the action looks darker, and this might be the best "Iron Man" film yet.

The Iceman — This indie film opens in limited release on May 3. Starring Michael Shannon and Winona Rider, the film looks to glorify a renowned hitman. It won praise at film festivals and will be more of a darker, thinking man's film.

Friday, May 10:
The Great Gatsby — This film was originally slated to be released in December but was pushed to summer. It's hard to tell why that happened, moving a potential awards bait movie to the second weekend of summer seems an odd choice. This film does look to have lavish visuals, but it remains to be seen if it will hue closer to the popularity of "Moulin Rouge" or the disappointment of "Australia."

Peeples — This film bears more than a passing resemblance to "Meet the Parents," this time with Craig Robinson and David Alan Grier. The trailer is mildly amusing, and this film should be a hit with a niche audience.

Friday, May 17:
Star Trek Into Darkness — This might be the best film of the summer. The follow up to 2009's successful reboot of the "Star Trek" franchise, this movie looks incredible. There are some incredible high hopes for it as well as J.J. Abrams returns to the directors' chair to deliver another installment of the franchise before tackling "Star Wars: Episode VII."

Friday, May 24:
Fast & Furious 6 — It's hard to believe that this film franchise is now on its sixth film. Even harder to believe is that these films just keep getting better. This isn't complicated, but it's enjoyable. And with "Fast and Furious 7" already greenlit, the good times won't end here.

The Hangover, Part III — I thought the first film in this franchise was great and the second one was awful. I wasn't excited about the prospect of a third film, but the trailers for this movie won me over. It marks a departure from the plot points of the first two, which could bring a welcome change to the events of the film.

Epic — This is the first big animated release of the summer. It has had some incredible trailers and should provide a little good family entertainment programing for Memorial Day weekend.

Friday, May 31:
After Earth — This film starring Will Smith and his son, Jaden, was bumped up a week to the end of May. That makes a crowded month even more full, but it might find the sweet spot between "Star Trek" and "Man of Steel" a little easier this way.

Now You See Me — This looks like a fun film about illusionists who use their skills as part of a bigger plot. It has a good cast — including Morgan Freeman, Michael Caine, and Jesse Eisenberg. The trailer looks fun and, again, this could be a diamond in the rough during a crowded summer season.