Coming Soon: A Moviegoer’s Guide to July

“Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates”

Who: Zac Efron, Adam Devine, Anna Kendrick, Aubrey Plaza and Stephen Root
What: Two brothers place an online ad to find respectable dates for their sister’s wedding, and the ad goes viral.
When: July 8th
Why: This comedy looks incredibly vulgar and potentially stupid, but it could just be the right kind of stupid that ends up being hilarious. Plaza and Kendrick are incredibly talented actresses who have proven themselves capable of playing it as outrageously as needed, “Workaholics” star Devine lives to play in the gutter, and Efron has surprised many people with his comic turns in films like “Neighbors” and “Dirty Grandpa.” Hopefully, the stellar cast and potential for comic reversals (as the women end up worse than the men) will be enough to make this a winning combination.

“Ghostbusters”

Who: Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon and Chris Hemsworth
What: When an army of ghosts terrorizes New York City, four misfits assemble to stop the threat using high-tech gear.
When: July 15th
Why: Who knows what the world will get with this remake? The assembled cast is inspired and has delivered some of the funniest moments in TV and film in recent years. And the idea of Hemsworth as the mimbo secretary is a great one. But those trailers (and the undercurrent of latent sexism and fanboy preciousness) have kept a lot of people wary of the film. However, director Paul Feig has proven himself not only brilliant in understanding nerd sympathies (“Freaks & Geeks”) but also a comedy virtuoso with movies like “Bridesmaids” and “Spy.” While the original is still vital to many people, there’s enough great talent lined up for this remake that hopefully they’ll deliver something unique and hilarious.

“The Infiltrator”

Who: Bryan Cranston, John Leguizamo, Diane Kruger, Amy Ryan and Benjamin Bratt
What: A U.S. Customs official uncovers a money laundering scheme involving Colombian drug lord Pablo Escobar.
When: July 15th
Why: Finally, Bryan Cranston is back in the drug business! He’s just going undercover to track down and arrest Pablo Escobar, so it’s definitely not Heisenberg mode, but it’s probably as close as we’ll ever get. This true story seems like a potentially riveting yarn about one man trying to take on the biggest drug kingpin of our time. Director Brad Furman usually does a good job with B-movie thrillers like “The Lincoln Lawyer” and “Runner Runner,” and with a stellar cast that’s anchored by the always thrilling Cranston, it’s possible he’s risen to the material and will deliver some good pulp fun.

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