Wait a minute, we need to take notes.
So, this year (finally, given all the postponements) there will be some long-awaited releases at the cinema and or on streaming platforms such as “The Green Knight,” the sequels of “Venom,” “Hotel Transylvania,” and “Suicide Squad,” “Dune,” “The French Dispatch,” “No Time to Die,” “The Last Duel,” “Last Night in Soho” and “West Side Story.” We are already in the middle of 2021, but expectations when it comes to new film releases are higher than ever, with titles, casts, and stories that we can not wait to discover and rediscover while doing some predictions waiting for the Awards Season. Too soon, maybe?
Among these titles, we must not lose sight of those lightheaded products that, between a blockbuster and a drama, make us breathe in relief, allowing us to unplug and enjoy a light, funny, and deserving movie. So, the next time you get asked: ”What are we seeing at the cinema? As long as it is nothing too serious!”, you will have the answer ready 😉
“In the Heights”
Where: Cinema ed HBO Max
Release date in America: June 10th
Release date in Italy: July 22nd
The film, directed by Jon M. Chu, is based on the musical of the same name with music and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda. In the Hispanic neighborhood of Washington Heights in New York, Usnavi (Anthony Ramos) witnesses from the window of his bodega the events involving his neighborhood: there is his cousin Sonny, his long-time friend Benny, the beautiful Vanessa with whom he is secretly in love, the exuberant Daniela, Carla and Cuca of the beauty salon, the Rosario family and Abuela Claudia, the matriarch to whom the boy is very attached. Everything changes when it turns out that someone in the neighborhood has won 96,000 dollars at the lottery. This story where everyone wins and loses, united by the love for their neighborhood and their identity, is a motivation to believe in the beauty of dreams that warms the heart and reminds us that we are not “powerless,” but “powerful.” The main characteristics of the movie are the colorful choreographies and, of course, the songs that, trust us, you will not be able to stop singing!
P.S. Lin-Manuel Miranda himself appears in the film as Piragüero. But will you be able to recognize the other cast members who belong to Broadway?
“Jungle Cruise”
Where: Cinema and Disney+
Cinema Release Date: July 28th
Disney+ Release Date: July 30th
If the title reminds you of Disneyland’s famous attraction, you’re on the right track! The story is inspired by this attraction, where the keyword is “adventure.” Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, the film is set in the early twentieth century and stars Frank (Dwayne Johnson), the reckless captain of a riverboat, who is hired by scientist Lily (Emily Blunt) and his brother for a dangerous mission: to dive into the Amazonian jungle to find the Tree of Life that is believed to have extraordinary healing powers. Along the way, the trio will have to face all sorts of problems, including an enemy expedition, to reach their goal! Perfect to see with the family for an evening full of action and laughter.
“Free Guy”
Where: Cinema
Release Date: August 13th
Nerds from all over the world come together, this is the movie you and we have been waiting for, which promises to be full of laughter, unpredictable, paradoxical situations, and incredible special effects perfect to unplug for a while. The protagonist is Guy (Ryan Reynolds), an NPC (for those who are not experts in role-playing games, it is a “non-player character” controlled by the computer) who works as a salesman in a bank. One day, hackers Milly (Jodie Comer) and Keys (Joe Keery) make Guy aware that his world is nothing more than a video game. Guy, just like in fairy tales, will then embark on a journey to become the unorthodox hero destined to save his game: but, as in any fairy tale, there will be unexpected events and explosive situations!
“Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings”
Where: Cinema
Release date in Italy: September 1st
Release date in America: September 3rd
Among the Disney+ signed movies, “Black Widow,” “The Eternals,” and “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” the Marvel Cinematic Universe is back in 2021 stronger than ever, and it is important not to miss a single title to understand the events of the fourth phase, including the movie dedicated to Shang-Chi (Simu Liu), the master of martial arts who will find himself fighting against the terrorist organization of the Ten Rings (yes, the one that kidnapped Tony Stark before his “transformation” into Iron Man). Too bad that the leader of the organization is none other than his father, the fearsome Wenwu (Tony Leung Chiu-Wai), who trained Shang-Chi in martial arts when he was just a child. The fights already seem spectacular: are you ready to enter the legend?
“Tick, Tick… Boom!”
Where: Netflix and Some Selected Cinemas
When: Fall
Yes, another musical, yes, another product by Lin-Manuel Miranda here at his directorial debut. The story, an autobiography inspired by the libretto of the same name, signed by the composer Jonathan Larson (the same of “Rent”), follows the events of Jon (Andrew Garfield) who’s facing a particular thirty-year-old crisis: he is afraid of not being able to fulfill his dream of becoming a composer of famous and respected musicals. Caught up in the desire for success, Jon tries everything to find investors for his SUPERBIA project: but how much can he afford to risk? And is it true that success is the key to feeling loved and respected? Tick, Tick… Time is running out… Tick, Tick…
“The King’s Man”
Where: Cinema
Release date in America: December 22nd
Release date in Italy: December 20th
We’ve all loved the movies about the intelligence service Kingsman, whose agents fight while wearing elegant suits, between a tea dedicated to Her Majesty and another, right? Well, get ready now for the prequel that explains how the intelligence agency was born during one of the darkest moments in history, World War I. Here, young Conrad (Harris Dickinson) is eager to do his part against the most feared criminal minds, who want to take advantage of the international disaster to get rich. The Duke of Oxford (Ralph Fiennes) introduces him to the Kingsman circle to fight silently against the enemies to save humanity before it is too late: action, history, and a good dose of pure British style, as well as an exceptional cast, make it simply unmissable.
