With the Blockbuster season already upon us, and Iron Man 2 launching the May Day bank holiday weekend, simple low-to-no action and emotional stories seem to have lost out to highbrow explosions and whimsical plots. But all is not lost, dear reader – just follow our guide to some of the hottest new releases coming our way in the weeks ahead.

The Bad Lieutenant (out 21 May)
Whilst making some of the finest documentaries of all time, respected director, Werner Herzog, has created a cop drama that showcases his usual flair for characters experiencing conflicting natures. The Bad Lieutenant stars Nicholas Cage, back on form as a rogue detective with addictive drug qualities after a back accident, with support from Eva Mendes who plays his drug toting prostitute girlfriend. It is the story of a lieutenant who becomes foiled in the darker side of his nature, using his position to get his way. A typical Herzog picture, it is intricately woven, and presents a tremendous powerhouse performance from Cage, who after his stint as Big Daddy in Kick-Ass returns to something low-key yet robustly bold.

Letters to Juliet (out 21 May)
A promising romance centred on the second chances you are granted in love. Starring Amanda Seyfried and Vanessa Redgrave and directed by 13 Going on 30’s Gary Winick, the story takes place in Verona, Italy, where the setting for Shakespeare’s renowned Romeo and Juliet is set. Seyfried’s character stumbles upon a letter written in 1957 left in the wall at the fictional lover’s Verona court, prompting Seyfried to write back, and go on a quest to find the two lovers in the letter around Italy’s countryside, along the way finding her own true love story. It is understandable to base a story of romance abound the most classic love story ever told, something for those true romantics or those soppy romantics – either way something to warm the coldest of hearts and lighten the gloomiest of days.

4.3.2.1 (out 2 June)
From romance to the gritty drama of a London-based crime thriller from BAFTA award-winning Noel Clarke, whose previous works include the critically acclaimed Adulthood and Kidulthood; comes 4.3.2.1. It’s the story of four girls, three days, two cities and one chance. The story involves four best friends each with their own individual narratives, who end up together randomly stumbling on a diamond heist that leads their lives into collision with the bad guys, changing their existence forever. In a very involving narrative, Clarke, the rising star, writer and co-director is on familiar ground, and presents his best for a while.

The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest (out 6 August),
The perfect antidote to quench anyone’s thirst for an adventure – minus the big explosions –this moving, true-life story is about the struggle against adversity. It tells the account of George Mallory’s attempt to climb Mount Everest in 1924, and his mysterious disappearance, alongside the story of Conrad Anker – a climber who found Mallory’s remains and belongings, intact, 75 years later on his climb up the infamous peak.

With narration by Liam Neeson, accompanied by Natasha Richardson, Hugh Dancy, Alan Rickman and Ralph Fiennes, the recently restored archive footage and the poignant letters left to Mallory’s wife bring all the mystery of the event together, producing a somewhat touching and remarkable spectacle to the big screen. With dramatisations of the present day, showcasing Anker’s quest, the film is the expression of the feat of such a descent. It’s also a simple tale of a man who inspired thousands of adventurers to climb the highest mountain on earth – his notable reply to the question of why he decided to climb Everest was, ”Because it’s there”. Breathtakingly shot, it’s magical and majestic and almost delicate in detail.

Beastly (out 15 October)
Beastly is the 21st century version of the Disney classic Beauty and the Beast, starring the British Alex Pettyfer and American High School Musical star Vanessa Hudgens. Whilst it may seem likely to be teen-centric because of its high profile stars, this classic tale is something unlike any other and the story certainly has elements of the horror about it. The handsome Pettyfer dons a hideous face, after being the most popular rich high school boy, who is turned into an unsightly monster by a witch to find true love. With its moralistic story pointing out the obvious, there is something everyone can relate to as the connections between the two stars become noticeable and sweet.

(Feature by Megan Kelly)