6. FIRST REFORMED (RELEASE DATE: MAY 18)
Few people in Hollywood have a pedigree like Paul Schrader. The legendary screenwriter of classics like Taxi Driver and Raging Bull also has a long history as a director himself, having helmed films like American Gigolo and the Oscar-winning Affliction. Now he returns with another harrowing thriller dealing with grief, loss and intrigue and hitting limited release this month.
First Reformed stars Ethan Hawke as a former military chaplain grieving the death of his son. However, his sorrowful life becomes far more complex when he meets a young woman (Amanda Seyfried) in desperate need of counseling for her husband. Early reactions to Schrader’s film have been largely positive, and with that premise and talented cast, First Reformed could be a sleeper hit this month.
5. HOW TO TALK TO GIRLS AT PARTIES (RELEASE DATE: MAY 25)
Fans of filmmaker John Cameron Mitchell have faced a long wait since his last directorial effort, Rabbit Hole, hit theaters back in 2010. Now at last, Mitchell — best known as the director and star of 2001 cult classic Hedwig and the Angry Inch — releases his next film, How to Talk to Girls at Parties, in select theaters this month. Needless to say, the film looks just as distinctive as his other projects.
Based on the Neil Gaiman short story, the film is billed as a sci-fi romantic comedy and follows an alien (Elle Fanning, in her second appearance on this month’s list) who gets sidetracked while exploring Earth during a visit to a London suburb. In expanding Gaiman’s original tale, How to Talk to Girls at Parties hopes to add new dimension to it. At the very least, Nicole Kidman’s supporting turn should be fun.
4. BREAKING IN (RELEASE DATE: MAY 11)
For the past two decades, Gabrielle Union has shifted from one genre to the next with impressive ease. Whether in comedic roles like Bring It On or action-heavy ones like Bad Boys II, Union never fails to bring a level of charisma to every project she takes on. But despite all the films she’s appeared in, the actress has never really gotten the chance to take center stage as an action hero. Until now.
In Breaking In, she plays a single mother heading to her deceased father’s mansion to settle his estate, with her children in tow. When they arrive, however, they find that criminals are intent on making off with the contents of the house’s vault. What follows is an action-thriller that essentially looks like a combination of Taken and Panic Room. With a star like Union at the center of it, we couldn’t be more interested.
3. TULLY (RELEASE DATE: MAY 4)
Jason Reitman’s career has historically been all over the map. Films like Thank You for Smoking, Up in the Air and Juno were critically lauded and remain perhaps his best works. However, his last pair of releases — Labor Day and Men, Women and Children — failed to make much of an impact. With any luck, Reitman’s second collaboration with his Young Adult star Charlize Theron will be just what he needs.
Tully — which features a script by Juno and Young Adult screenwriter Diablo Cody — tells the story of a struggling mother (Theron) who receives the services of a night nanny (Mackenzie Davis) as a gift from her brother. At his best, Reitman has been able to perfectly balance humor and heart to create relatable and engaging human relationships. Tully could very well be the film that gets his career back on track.
2. SOLO: A STAR WARS STORY (RELEASE DATE: MAY 25)
When Disney bought Lucasfilm, fans were struck by not only the announcement of a new trilogy but anthology-style standalone adventures set in that iconic “galaxy far, far away.” Now, Solo: A Star Wars Story — as only the second of these such installments in the franchise, following Rogue One — has to escape the shadow of Harrison Ford and the stigma of a troubled production to deliver another hit.
Alden Ehrenreich (Hail, Caesar!) steps into the Millennium Falcon’s cockpit as the inimitable Han Solo, but while fans are anxious to see if he can handle the character’s signature wry humor and confident swagger, they are just as excited to see Donald Glover’s take on a young Lando Calrissian. Between those two and a supporting cast that includes Paul Bettany, Thandie Newton, Woody Harrelson and Emilia Clarke, Solo is giving Star Wars fans plenty to look forward to this month.