5 Movies To See In May

May is a very tough month for those without the disposable income or time to spend every single night at the cinema. Studios are cranking out their blockbusters, and it looks like there are some films that could shoot up the list of the most successful of the year, at least in terms of box office figures, similar to what we saw in May of 2012. There are a ton of great films coming our way over the next 31 days, and figuring out which ones are worth your money may seem like a daunting task. In order to help you make up your mind, I’ve put together this list of 5 must-see films releasing over the course of the month. There are certainly some other quality films hitting theatres, but these are the 5 you need to make sure you don’t miss. So without any further ado, read on for our list of 5 movies to see in May. Iron Man 3 Arguably the most anticipated film of the summer, let alone May, Iron Man 3 marks Robert Downey Jr.'s 3rd time stepping into Tony Stark's suit for a solo film, and the first Marvel film since The Avengers smashed its way into theatres a year ago. So yeah, that's reason enough to be excited. So far the reviews, including ours, are in consensus that it's absolutely awesome. The snide, witty Stark has been played perfectly by Downey Jr. for three films, so it was a no-brainer that he'd be back to complete a trilogy. In fact, it wouldn't be absurd to claim the first two Iron Man films are the two best that the Marvel Studios have produced so far. In addition to Downey Jr., Ben Kingsley in any villainous role is something to get excited about, but his Mandarin has the potential to be a memorable, top-tier cinematic comic nemesis. But really, do you need anything else to get excited for Iron Man 3 other than the knowledge it's an Iron Man movie? Didn't think so. The Iceman Everyone loves a good crime drama, and it looks like this year may not see a better one than The Iceman. With an all-star cast and a gritty, based-on-a-true-story story, the only thing not to like about this film is the fact that it won't have a wide theatrical release. In addition to Michael Shannon starring, there's Winona Ryder, Ray Liotta, Chris Evans, David Schwimmer, Stephen Dorff, and James Franco. With actors of that quality involved, someone almost has to be trying to make the movie suck in order for it to be anything other than awesome. But for those who need more than speculation, check out our review of the film (spoiler, 4 stars). Really, who is better than Shannon to play Richard Kuklinski? Shannon plays the villain in such a believable, and occasionally terrifying way, that he's become perhaps the premiere baddie in Hollywood. I mean, the guy was even great in Premium Rush, that means you can be sure that with this kind of story he's going to shine. If nothing else, this can serve as a good refresher of Shannon's immense acting talent before Man Of Steel arrives. The Great Gatsby The Great Gatsby has been on a heck of a ride over the last year. The film was one of the most anticipated of 2012 purely because of the story and the cast attached, but when the first trailer released, the excitement of some hit a manic level. But then there were rumours of issues on set, director Baz Luhrmann wanted to do reshoots but Warner wasn't paying, and the film was moved from its prime Oscar contender date to May, causing many to question whether this film would indeed be as good as originally hoped. Then, in the midst of all the skepticism, Gatsby did something incredible. It took the promotion to another level, introducing an incredible second trailer, and a final trailer that was even better than the original 2012 one. The top-notch soundtrack has been rolled out too and the excitement is at its peak yet again. Of course, there's no promise that Gatsby is going to be great. We won't know that for sure until the first screenings. But it's going to be great. The story is incredible, the cast is phenomenal, and it's got a director whose entire career seems to have been building toward this film. Not only is The Great Gatsby the must-see film of May, but it may be the must-see film of 2013. Star Trek Into Darkness J.J. Abrams completely revitalized the Star Trek franchise with his 2009 hit film involving Spock, Kirk, and the rest of the Enterprise crew. His sequel to that sci-fi hit was 4 years in the making, which is relatively long by today's blockbuster standards, but it seems that Star Trek Into Darkness is going to be all the better for it. There have been some excellent trailers and other pieces of promotion for the film, but the 10 minute IMAX preview that played before The Hobbit is unrivaled in excellence. That was enough to get anyone incredibly excited for the film, so if you missed it, trust us, you want to see this movie in IMAX opening night. The main thing that was lacking in the first film was a fully intimidating villain. While Eric Bana wasn't dreadful by any means, he just didn't seem on par with the rest of the film. The only question for Into Darkness is whether the rest of the film will be on par with its villain, played by Benedict Cumberbatch. Cumberbatch is a wildly talented actor, and the limited footage of him that's been seen in previews is awesome. It's fairly safe to assume the rest of his performance will be as well. There's also a good chance that this is Abrams' last venture into the Trek universe before jumping ship to a galaxy far, far away, so if you're a Trekkie, better get to the theatre for some Abrams-fueled fun while you still can. After Earth Yes, this list is a bit sci-fi heavy, but with the quality of sci-fi films releasing this month, it's a great time to be a fan of the genre. After Earth was a late move into the month, and it knocked a couple of very quality films out of contention for a spot on this list. As sad as it was to see those films go, After Earth is a definite must-see. M. Night Shyamalan's 7th feature film marks his return to sci-fi, and that's a return that's very welcome. While it's been said that this film doesn't necessarily have a traditional Shyamalan twist, it's still something that should do quite well in his hands. Earth 1,000 years from now is absolutely mind-blowing to think about, and the monsters that have evolved to kill humans look nothing short of terrifying in all the footage that's been released. There's also the fact that Will Smith is starring. Smith hasn't been as active as he once was lately, so any chance to see the talented actor on screen is one audiences should jump at. Seeing him and his son starring together as a father and son should be totally awesome if Jaden isn't overshadowed by his father. Here's to hoping he's not and After Earth shines. So there’s our picks for what to see this month. What do you want to see in April? Let us know in the comments.