Culture

The Watch List: Ten Incredible May Movie Releases

Reader’s Digest Canada

10 new releases worth watching this month.

1 / 10

1. Comic Relief

Iron Man 3

Say hello again to everyone’s favourite billionaire-industrialist-slash-superhero. No, not Batman. There have been many Batmans, but as his charmingly sardonic interpretation of this role has proven, there’s only one Robert Downey Jr. In theatres May 3.

2 / 10

2. Fear Factor

The Iceman

The reliably intense Michael Shannon stars in this true-life story about a contract killer estimated to have offed more than 100 men. But the real star? The myriad facial-hair styles Shannon sports in the film. In theatres May 3.

3 / 10

3. Festival Flap

Pietà

Kim Ki-duk’s story of familial revenge snagged a major prize at last year’s Venice film festival, but the overwrought themes and button-pushing imagery left other audiences cold. Still, a must-see for fans of Korean cinema. In theatres May 17.

4 / 10

4. Quarter-life Crisis

Frances Ha

Noah Baumbach (The Squid & the Whale) releases his best film to date, the story of flighty Frances (Greta Gerwig) as she fumbles through post-grad malaise. It’s Girls meets French New Wave. In theatres May 17.

5 / 10

5. The Morning After-After

The Hangover: Part III

Apparently, The Hangover was planned as a trilogy. The middle-aged Brat Pack made up of Bradley Cooper, Ed Helms and Zach Galifianakis returns for more adolescent antics, centred around a road trip for round three. In theatres May 24.

6 / 10

6. Even Faster, Even Furiouser

Fast and Furious 6

Speaking of sequels, the latest in this car-stealing/car-racing franchise evokes that line from This Is Spinal Tap about the all-black record cover: “How much more fast could these movies get?” In theatres May 24.

7 / 10

7. Musical Movie

Epic

Beyoncé! Pitbull! Steven Tyler! Music’s big names co-star alongside actors (Colin Farrell, Christoph Waltz) in this fantasy adventure based on a children’s book by William Joyce. In theatres May 24.

8 / 10

8. Crime, No Punishment

The Purge

In this speculative thriller, the United States tries to alleviate prison overcrowding by instituting an annual 12-hour window where crime-any crime-is permitted. Ethan Hawke and Lena Headey star as a well-to-do couple that seriously needs to watch their backs. In theatres May 31.

9 / 10

9. Perry-Go-Round

Tyler Perry Presents Peeples

While not for everyone, Perry’s films have been elevated to high camp by now. Plus, stars Craig Robinson and Scandal‘s truly excellent Kerry Washington are playing point this time around. In theatres May 10.

10 / 10

10. Magic Man

Now You See Me

Jesse Eisenberg leads a group of cyber-magician Robin Hoods-the Four Horsemen- that takes on the FBI with high-tech wizardry and for-real magic. In theatres May 31.