1) Dope (opens June 19, limited)
Here we are – Dope is going to be the sleeper hit of this summer, I’m calling it now. An audience fave at Sundance, it’s attracting nothing but terrific buzz leading up to its June bow, and the young stars have the makings of real breakouts. Refreshingly, this is one film set in the ghetto that doesn’t focus on how terrible life there is, but more on the young people who want to get out, attend college and go on to do bigger and better things.
Star Shameik Moore plays a high school geek named Malcolm, who winds up in possession of a backpack filled with drugs, and that’s just the catalyst for all the crazy adventures, chases and shenanigans that he and his friends get caught up in. Energetic, bursting with young talent and seemingly packed with pop culture references, Dope is definitely shaping up to be the go-to cool movie of the summer, and it absolutely deserves a place atop this list.