May Movies You Cannot Miss

by Helen Earnshaw | 1 May 2015

Hard to believe that we are into the month of May already - seriously, where is this year going? That aside, May is going to be another exciting movie month with a wide range of different films set to hit the big screen.

Spooks: The Greater Good

We are poised for the blockbuster summer to really get into full swing - May really is the calm before the storm. And we are have a mix of period drama, action, comedy, and musicals for you to enjoy over the coming weeks.

There are some films on the horizon that we are really excited about and we take a look at some of the movies that you really cannot miss.

- Far From The Madding Crowd - released 1st May

Far From The Madding Crowd is a movie that I have been looking forward to for some time, as we are huge fans of Carey Mulligan here at FemaleFirst. It has also been over a year since we have seen her grace the big screen so we are excited to see her back.

Far From The Madding Crowd is a big screen adaptation of the Thomas Hardy novel and will see Mulligan take on the iconic role of Bathsheba Everdene as she teams up with director Thomas Vinterberg for the first time.

This is the first film for Vinterberg since The Hunt back in 2012, while David Nicholls is on board having adapted the novel into a screenplay.

A great cast has been assembled for the film, as Mulligan is joined by Matthias Schoenaerts, Tom Sturridge, Michael Sheen, and Juno Temple - I really can't wait to see them all in action and bring this well-known story to life.

Far From The Madding Crowd is the story of independent, beautiful, and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene (Mulligan), who attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak (Schoenaerts), a sheep farmer, captivated by her fetching wilfulness; Frank Troy (Sturridge), a handsome and reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood (Sheen), a prosperous and mature bachelor.

This timeless story of Bathsheba's choices and passions explores the nature of relationships and love - as well as the human ability to overcome hardships through resilience and perseverance.

- Spooks: The Greater Good - released 8th May

Spooks was one of the flagship series for BBC and now it is coming to the big screen for the first time. Spooks: The Greater Good marks the return of this world of espionage with Bharat Nalluri in the director's chair.

Nalluri is a man who known the world of Spooks well, having directed a whole host of television episodes, and now he - alongside with screenwriters Jonathan Brackley and Sam Vincent - tackle their biggest storyline ever.

Fans of the television series will be thrilled to see Peter Firth back as Harry Pearce, while Kit Harington, Elyes Gabel, Jennifer Ehle, Tuppence Middleton, and Lara Pulver on the cast list.

Harington continues to make a name for himself on the big screen and this is his biggest role yet as he balances film projects with his commitments to TV series Games of Thrones.

When charismatic terrorist Adam Qasim (Gabel) escapes from MI5 custody during a high profile handover, the legendary Harry Pearce (Firth), Head of Counter-terrorism, is blamed. Disgraced and forced to resign, no-one's surprised when Harry disappears one night off a bridge into the Thames...

With MI5 on its knees in the wake of the Qasim debacle and facing controversial reform, former agent Will Holloway (Harington) is brought back from Moscow to uncover the truth they feared - Harry's still alive. He's gone rogue, and needs Will's help. As Qasim prepares his devastating attack on the heart of MI5 in London, Will must decide whether to turn Harry in - or risk everything by trusting the damaged, dangerous master spy who has already betrayed him once before...

- Mad Max: Fury Road - released 15th May

There has been a lot of hype surrounding the release of Mad Max: Fury Road, and there are just a couple more weeks before the film finally hits the big screen.

The movie marks the return of George Miller to the helm of the franchise for what will be the first Mad Max film since Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome back in 1985. While there is a familiar face in the director's chair, it is all change on the cast list as Tom hardy takes over the role of Max Rockatansky.

Hardy is another fave here at FemaleFirst and this is set to be his biggest film outing of 2015 - I really cannot wait to see him throw himself into this character and this film because it looks like it is going to be a wild ride.

Charlize Theron will take on the role of Imperator Furiosa, while Nicholas Hoult, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, and Zoe Kravitz are all also on board.

Haunted by his turbulent past, Mad Max believes the best way to survive is to wander alone. Nevertheless, he becomes swept up with a group fleeing across the Wasteland in a War Rig driven by an elite Imperator, Furiosa.

They are escaping a Citadel tyrannized by the Immortan Joe, from whom something irreplaceable has been taken. Enraged, the Warlord marshals all his gangs and pursues the rebels ruthlessly in the high-octane Road War that follows.

Mad Max: Fury Road is promising to be unlike any other film that we will see this year, and it is going to be a high octane and action packed movie.

- Pitch Perfect 2 - released 15th May

Pitch Perfect was one of the unexpected hits of 2012, and now Beca and co are back three years later for the highly anticipated sequel.

This is set to be the third musical project of the year for actress Anna Kendrick as she reprises the central role of Beca. However, it is all change in the director's chair as Elizabeth Banks takes over from Jason Moore - the movie will mark the feature film directorial debut for the actress.

There are plenty of familiar faces on the cast list, as Kendrick and Banks are joined by Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow, and Alexis Knapp, while Hailee Steinfeld is one of the big new additions to the cast list.

This time around, the Bella's are battling to win the world championships - a competition that an American group have never won.

The first Pitch Perfect movie really was a lot of fun and went on to enjoy box office success - I think it is fair to say that this sequel will be an even bigger hit when it drops in a couple of weeks.

- Tomorrowland: A World Beyond - released 22nd May

Disney has already enjoyed huge success this year with Cinderella and their collaboration with Marvel on Avengers: Age of Ultron... that success looks set to continue as Tomorrowland: A World Beyond is set to hit the big screen.

Tomorrowland: A World Beyond is their latest live action film project and it sees them team up with Disney/Pixar writer and director Brad Bird. Bird is back in the director's chair for only his second live action film - he made his debut with Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol in 2011 - and I am excited to see what he delivers with this family friendly sci-fi movie.

The movie sees George Clooney return to the big screen as he teams up with Bird for the first time. The movie is also set to be a major breakthrough role for Britt Robertson, who takes on the central role of Casey Newton.

Judy Greer, Hugh Laurie, Tim McGraw, and Kathryn Hahn complete an exciting cast list. This is one of the movies that I have been looking forward to for some time and it really looks like it is going to be a true visual spectacle.

Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as 'Tomorrowland.' What they must do there changes the world - and them - forever.

- Man Up - released 29th May

If comedy is your thing then look no further than Man Up as Simon Pegg is back and teaming up with actress Lake Bell.

Pegg and Bell take on the roles of singles Nancy and Jack who find themselves on a blind date... but all is not what it seems. Man Up looks like it is going to be a lot of a fun and sees Ben Palmer in the director's chair. Palmer is no stranger to the comedy genre as this is his first feature film since he enjoyed critical and commercial success with The Inbetweeners Movie back in 2011.

Meet Nancy (Bell): 34, single (still), hung-over (again), and exhausted by the endless futile set ups foisted upon her by well-meaning but clueless friends. As she travels across London to toast another 10 years of her parent's blissfully happy marriage, 40 year old, freshly-hatched divorcee Jack (Pegg) mistakes her for his 24 year old blind date. In a moment of uncharacteristic optimism (or insanity?), Nancy decides to just go with it...

What follows is a chaotic, unconventional, hilarious night neither of them will ever forget. There will be drinking, there will be home truths; there will be an old classmate with a long-standing crush and stalker tendencies. There will be lost divorce papers, lost hopes, competitive indoor sports and an epic venue-to-venue urban triathlon. Oh, and the small matter of Jack finding out that Nancy isn't actually his real blind date.

Man Up is a romantic comedy about being yourself... or perhaps not being yourself. It's about taking chances, making decisions, and rolling with the consequences.