Sulley's back: Monsters University is the prequel to family favourite Monsters Inc. Source: Supplied
THE colder months are a great time to curl up in front of a film. Here's a list of hot flicks to warm you up this winter.
MAY
Star Trek Into Darkness, May 9
Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana, Zachary Quinto
They say: While the Enterprise crew fight a threat from within, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction.
We say: J.J. Abrams worked miracles with his Star Trek reboot in 2009. If anything, the wait for another has been way too long. Beam us up, like, now!
Close Up: Abrams emphatically states this is not a traditional sequel, but more of a stand-alone adventure that is not just for hard-core Trekkies. Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch carries the bad guy torch here.
Wide Shot: Will this mark the end of the line for this superior strain of Trek screen adventures? Could well be so no that Abrams is committed to Team Star Wars for years to come.
The Great Gatsby, May 30
Stars: Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire, Jason Clarke
They say: Ordinary fella Nick Carraway is lured into the lavish, all-is-not-what-it-seems world of his nouveau riche neighbor, Jay Gatsby.
We say: Ever read the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald novella? May not matter, considering maverick post-modernist Baz Luhrmann is at the controls here.
Close Up: As is invariably the case with a Luhrmann passion project, this could well turn out to be anything. Jury remains well and truly out on the need for 3D to show off all the elaborate Jazz Age sets and costumes.
Wide Shot: Opens to an unusual global release pattern, starting with a full US rollout in early May, followed by the prestigious Opening Night slot at Cannes, and a Sydney premiere a fortnight later.
ALSO OPENING IN MAY
The Hangover Part III (May 23): First one killed. Second one expired. Any signs of life for the third? A return to Vegas and a showdown with Mr Chow are positive enough signs.
The Call (May 16): Halle Berry is an emergency helpline operator who must save a teenage girl who has been abducted by a vicious killer.
Evil Dead (May 9): Contrary to what you might have heard, this acclaimed remake of the horror classic is now getting an (admittedly limited) Australian release.
JUNE
After Earth, June 13
Stars: Will Smith, Jaden Smith, Zoe Kravitz, Lincoln Lewis
They say: A crash landing leaves a father and son stranded on Earth, more than 1,000 years after humanity was forced to flee.
We say: When it comes to surviving on a planet not fit for living, Will Smith has extensive form to his name. Remember I am Legend? Jaden Smith's priors as The Karate Kid might come in handy too.
Close Up: Will Smith came up with the concept after becoming hooked on the docu-reality TV series I Shouldn't Be Alive. The futuristic setting came later, as did the attachment of polarising writer-director M. Night Shyamalan (The Sixth Sense, The Last Airbender).
Wide Shot: The gnarlier sci-fi angles of Shyamalan's original screenplay have been sanded back by many rewrites. End result is that Will Smith is a more of a support player to son Jaden, who carries key scenes in the movie.
World War Z, June 21
Stars: Brad Pitt, Matthew Fox, Mirielle Enos
They say: A renegade UN employee traverses the globe in a race against time to stop a zombie pandemic that is threatening to decimate humanity itself.
We say: Brad Pitt versus a plague of fleet-footed flesh-eaters? Doesn't sound like a fair match. But it does sound like a fair movie. Come on Brad, you can do it!
Close Up: Production problems stretching back several years and a mammoth budget blowout (estimated at $250 million-plus) have had producers jumpy they may have missed the zombie box-office boat. The recent US success of Warm Bodies would be reassuring.
Wide Shot: The 2003 Max Brooks novel is revered as an important scripture by Zombie fanatics. Subsequent auction of film rights triggered a bidding war between production companies owned by Brad Pitt and Leonardo DiCaprio.
Man of Steel, June 28
Stars: Henry Cavill, Russell Crowe, Amy Adams, Kevin Costner
They say: Young journalist Clark Kent is forced to confront his secret extraterrestrial heritage when Earth is invaded by members of his race
We say: Now that Batman is having a breather, it's time for Superman to get the rehabilitating reboot a superhero of his stature so richly deserves.
Close Up: While support cast is ace and Dark Knight creator Christopher Nolan produces, it all comes down to how the public react to relative unknown Henry Cavill (TV's The Tudors) in the lead role. Remember the last Superman, Brandon Routh? Didn't think so.
Wide Shot: A major crime against fashion has finally been solved. Man of Steel marks the first time in movie history that Supes does not go with that awkward red-undies-over-blue-tights look.
ALSO OPENING IN JUNE
Fast & Furious 6 (June 6): FF5 was the biggest one yet, due to new franchise recruit Dwayne Johnson. Pencil in he and Vin Diesel for more big car stunts and mega-smackdowns.
Monsters University (June 20): Pixar gives the prequel business a go, showing us the college days of Monsters, Inc. dynamic duo Mike and Sulley.
Despicable Me 2 (June 20): Animated sequel. Steve Carell's bad guy is now a good guy. That can't last, surely?
JULY - AUGUST
This is The End, July 4
Stars: James Franco, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill, Emma Watson.
They say: While attending a party at James Franco's house, Seth Rogen and his celebrity friends are faced with the apocalypse.
We say: Yep, everyone in the movie is playing themselves. Do you feel like playing along? Actually, the concept is much more meta than that. Imagine Pineapple Express meets Being John Malkovich.
Close Up: Rogen co-directs with longtime writing partner Evan Goldberg (Superbad). An expansion of a brilliant 2007 short Jay and Seth vs. The Apocalypse, which the pair worked up with fellow Team Apatow regular Jay Baruchel (Tropic Thunder).
Wide Shot: Cameo-heavy cast list suggests every under-40 funny-person in the US wanted in on the jokes. Expect to see a lot of Michael Cera, Aziz Ansari, Mindy Kaling, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and umm, err, Rihanna.
Pacific Rim, July 11
Stars: Charlie Hunnam, Charlie Day, Ron Perlman, Idris Elba.
They say: When an alien attack threatens the Earth's existence, giant robots piloted by humans are deployed to fight off the menace.
We say: The wildcard of the US summer. Monsters from outer space versus Transformers with people inside them. Could be fantastic. Could be folly.
Close Up: Though featuring over 1200 SFX shots, this $200 million blockbuster spent many a megabuck on actual sets. Including a replica of a four-block section of Hong Kong that was repeatedly destroyed for the cameras.
Wide Shot: This is a massive roll of the dice for Mexican director Guillermo Del Toro (Hellboy, Pan's Labyrinth), who hasn't made a major mainstream splash before. Has been getting very tetchy when anyone mentions Transformers .
Elysium, August 15
Stars: Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, Sharlto Copley, Diego Luna
They say: In the year 2159, the rich are living the high life on a luxury space station while the working stiffs are stuck on an Earth running out of time fast.
We say: A sophisticated sci-fi melodrama from Neill Blomkamp, the writer-director of the brilliant District 9? Yes please.
Close Up: Been in the works a long time. Top-secret reshoots were called for when studio heads felt it wasn't actiony enough. A very impressive trailer featuring a bald, beefed-up Damon hints what might have been broken is now fixed.
Wide Shot: All Blomkamp really wants to do is bring the Halo gaming universe to the big screen. The money keeps falling through. But if Elysium hits big, the green light will come.
ALSO OPENING IN JULY-AUGUST
The Lone Ranger (July 4): A wacky western starring Johnny Depp as the famous matinee idol mystery man of yesteryear. Mmmmmmm.
Wolverine (July 25): Hugh Jackman would rather you forget the last lame Wolvie movie and focus on this one, set in a Yakuza-ruled Japan.
Kick Ass 2 (Aug 22): Sequel to the game-changing action hit, now with Jim Carrey and a raft of new super-villains on board.
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