I have a serious question about April showers: Wouldn’t it make more sense to take showers in a hotter month, like July or August? Just a thought for 2016. Luckily, it’s still only May, and there are plenty of Books on Screen to watch in air-conditioned rooms!

I’ve said it once, and I’ll say it again: Another May, another Avengers sequel. That doesn’t mean we can’t get excited about Age of Ultron; sequels are the new originals! Plus, this one boasts a pretty stellar ensemble, who --- if nothing else --- probably had a ton of fun on set. Although maybe not as much fun as the ladies of Pitch Perfect 2, who return this month for their Tumblr-friendly follow-up to the 2012 sleeper hit. If the hilarious trailers are any indication, this one looks like it’s also going to be aca-awesome. And if you’re a masochist casually trying to avoid sequels at all costs, make sure to check out Far From the Madding Crowd, adapted from the Thomas Hardy (the author, not to be confused with the Mad Max star) novel of the same name, about headstrong Bathsheba Everdene and her complicated love life. Three suitors and no OKCupid? I’m seeing this one just to find out her secret!

And don’t worry if you lost a bet and have to spend May inside; there’s plenty to watch on TV this month. Between TV movies (Murder She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery) and miniseries aplenty (“Wayward Pines,” “The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe” and the conclusion of “Wolf Hall”), there’s hardly time to keep up with ongoing favorites like “Outlander” and “Game of Thrones.” Don’t miss the season finale of “Arrow” mid-month; according to showrunner Marc Guggenheim it’s going to be absolutely bonkers. Comic book fans should be satisfied --- if not, I suggest watching Still Alice or American Sniper, now out on DVD, to gain a little perspective. 

Enough with the brilliant, mildly insulting segues; let’s get right to our May Books on Screen!
 

--- Written and compiled by Emily Hoenig

In Theaters: 

Avengers: Age of Ultron
Cast: Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Hemsworth, Scarlett Johansson, Mark Ruffalo, Chris Evans, Jeremy Renner, Samuel L. Jackson
Director: Joss Whedon
Distributor: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: May 1st
Based on: Marvel comics by Stan Lee

Marvel Studios presents Avengers: Age of Ultron, the epic follow-up to the biggest Super Hero movie of all time. When Tony Stark tries to jumpstart a dormant peacekeeping program, things go awry and Earth's Mightiest Heroes, including Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, The Incredible Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye, are put to the ultimate test as the fate of the planet hangs in the balance. As the villainous Ultron emerges, it is up to The Avengers to stop him from enacting his terrible plans, and soon uneasy alliances and unexpected action pave the way for an epic and unique global adventure.

Far From the Madding Crowd
Cast: Carey Mulligan, Matthias Schoenaerts, Michael Sheen, Tom Sturridge
Director: Thomas Vinterberg
Distributor: Fox Searchlight Pictures
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: May 1st
Based On: FAR FROM THE MADDING CROWD by Thomas Hardy

Based on the literary classic by Thomas Hardy, Far From the Madding Crowd is the story of independent, beautiful and headstrong Bathsheba Everdene, who attracts three very different suitors: Gabriel Oak, a sheep farmer, captivated by her fetching willfulness; Frank Troy, a handsome and reckless Sergeant; and William Boldwood, 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.

5 Flights Up
Cast: Diane Keaton, Morgan Freeman, Cynthia Nixon
Director: Richard Loncraine
Distributor: Focus Features
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: May 8th (limited)
Based On: HEROIC MEASURES by Jill Climent

Forty years ago, artist Alex Carver bought a run-down apartment in a sketchy part of Brooklyn with his wife, schoolteacher Ruth. Today, their neighborhood is now very hip and their apartment worth a small fortune. The now-retired Ruth and Alex haven’t changed --- they are still as much in love as ever. But they have let Ruth’s niece Lily, a real estate agent, list their property to see what the market might bear.

On the eve of their open house, the Brooklyn Bridge is rumored to be under a terrorist attack, sending the media into a frenzy and people’s attitudes about living in New York. Closer to home, Dorothy, the Carver’s beloved dog, is suddenly having trouble walking.

While Dorothy is having expensive treatment at the vet, Ruth convinces Alex to go apartment hunting in Manhattan, where they miraculously come across an ideal place they might actually be able to afford. As the world around them seems to mirror their own chaos and confusion, Ruth and Alex realize the same bond of love that has kept them together all these years will allow them to see their way through this crazy weekend as well. 

Pitch Perfect 2
Cast: Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Elizabeth Banks, Hailee Steinfeld, Brittany Snow, Anna Camp, Skylar Astin, Adam DeVine
Director: Elizabeth Banks
Distributor: Universal Studios
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Release Date: May 15th
Based On: PITCH PERFECT: The Quest for Collegiate A Cappella Glory by Mickey Rapkin

After a humiliating command performance at Lincoln Center, the Barden Bellas enter an international competition that no American group has never won in order to regain their status and right to perform.

Every Secret Thing
Cast: Diane Lane, Elizabeth Banks, Dakota Fanning, Nate Parker, Common
Director: Amy Berg
Distributor: Starz  
MPAA Rating: R
Release Date: May 15th
Based On: EVERY SECRET THING by Laura Lippman 

Detective Nancy Porter is still haunted by her failure to save the life of a missing child from the hands of two young girls. Eight years later, another child goes missing in the same town just days after Ronnie and Alice, the two girls convicted of the former crime, were released from juvenile detention. Porter and her partner must race against the clock to prevent history from repeating itself. But as they begin to investigate the girls and their families, especially Alice's protective mother, they unearth a web of secrets and deceptions that calls everything into question.
 

On TV:

“Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell”
Cast: Eddie Marsan, Bertie Carvel, Alice Englert, Marc Warren, Samuel West and Charlotte Riley
Network: BBC
Air Dates: May 2015 (limited)
Based On: JONATHAN STRANGE & MR. NORRELL by Susanna Clarke

Set at the beginning of the 19th-century, England no longer believes in practical magic. The reclusive Mr. Norrell of Hurtfew Abbey stuns the city of York when he causes the statues of York Cathedral to speak and move. With a little persuasion and help from his man of business Childermass, he goes to London to help the government in the war against Napoleon. It is there Norrell summons a fairy to bring Lady Pole back from the dead, opening a whole can of worms…

Murder She Baked: A Chocolate Chip Cookie Mystery
Cast: Alison Sweeney, Barbara Nivens, Cameron Mathison
Network: Hallmark
Air Dates: May 2nd at 9pm ET (TV movie)
Based On: THE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE MURDER by Joanne Fluke

This freshly baked new murder mystery introduces Hannah Swensen, a creative and bubbly baker extraordinaire in a sleepy town in Minnesota, where everyone knows each other and secrets don’t stay hidden for long. Hannah’s bakeshop, the Cookie Jar, is where much of the town's gossip percolates along with the strong coffee. But after she finds her good friend and delivery driver shot dead in the alley behind her shop, Hannah’s idyllic world is turned upside down.

“Wayward Pines”
Cast: Matt Dillon, Carla Gugino, Toby Jones, Shannyn Sossamon, Juliette Lewis, Melissa Leo, Terrence Howard
Network: Fox
Air Dates: Premieres May 14th at 10pm ET; Thursdays at 9pm ET (miniseries)
Based On: PINES by Blake Crouch

A Secret Service agent goes to Wayward Pines, Idaho, in search of two federal agents who have gone missing in the bucolic town. He soon learns that he may never get out of Wayward Pines alive.

“The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe”
Cast: Kelli Garner, Susan Sarandon, Emily Watson, Eva Amurri Martino, Embeth Davidtz
Network: Lifetime
Air Dates: May 30th-31st at 8pm ET (miniseries)
Based On: THE SECRET LIFE OF MARILYN MONROE by Randy Taraborrelli

“The Secret Life of Marilyn Monroe” begins with a portrait of a young Norma Jeane Mortenson as she battles a lonely and loveless existence with an absent mother. Despite the odds, Norma Jeane blossoms into a funny, smart and ambitious woman and soon reinvents herself to become the symbol of an era. She revels in stardom, yet remains a fragile artist, desperate for the approval and protection of men. The outside world never truly sees or understands the real Marilyn, a woman so different from her public persona. As her fame grows, all three of her marriages crumble beneath her quite publicly, including her relationships with Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller. Ultimately, Marilyn could never control her inner demons and the onslaught of mental illness inherited from her mother, Gladys --- a woman she loves, hates and wants desperately to save. Although her movie studio told the world that Marilyn's mother was dead, it is the great secret of Marilyn’s life that Gladys remained a vital and troubling part of her world. As Marilyn cares for her mother, her obsession with President John F. Kennedy drives her over the edge and, ultimately, into an insane asylum. Still, as Marilyn Monroe soldiers on, she gives the performance of her life, successfully hiding her darkest secrets from the world.

“Wolf Hall”
Cast: Mark Rylance, Damian Lewis, Claire Foy
Network: PBS
Air Date: April 5th – May 10th; Sundays at 10pm ET (miniseries)
Based On: WOLF HALL by Hilary Mantel

Told from Cromwell’s perspective, “Wolf Hall” follows the complex machinations and back room dealings of this accomplished power broker who must serve king and country while dealing with deadly political intrigue, Henry VIII’s tempestuous relationship with Anne Boleyn, and the religious upheavals of the Protestant reformation.

“Outlander”
Cast: Sam Heughan, Caitriona Balfe, Tobias Menzies
Network: Starz
Air Date: Premieres April 4th at 9pm ET; Saturdays at 9pm ET
Based On: The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

“Outlander” follows the story of Claire Randall, a married combat nurse from 1945 who is mysteriously swept back in time to 1743, where she is immediately thrown into an unknown world where her life is threatened. When she is forced to marry Jamie, a chivalrous and romantic young Scottish warrior, a passionate affair is ignited that tears Claire’s heart between two vastly different men in two irreconcilable lives.

“Game of Thrones”
Cast: Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey, Emilia Clarke
Network: HBO
Air Date: Premieres Sunday, April 12th at 9pm ET; Sundays at 9pm ET
Based On: A Song of Ice and Fire series by George R. R. Martin

Summers span decades. Winters can last a lifetime. And the struggle for the Iron Throne rages on. It stretches from the south, where the heat breeds plots, lusts and intrigues; to the vast and savage eastern lands; all the way to the frozen north, where an 800-foot wall of ice protects the kingdom from the dark forces that lie beyond. Kings and queens, knights and renegades, liars, lords and honest men…all play the “Game of Thrones.”

“Turn”
Cast: Jamie Bell, Seth Numrich, Heather Lind, Kevin McNally
Network: AMC
Series Premiere: Monday, April 13th at 9pm ET; Mondays at 9pm ET
Based On: WASHINGTON'S SPIES: The Story of America's First Spy Ring by Alexander Rose

Based on Alexander Rose’s book WASHINGTON’S SPIES, AMC’s “Turn” tells the untold story of America’s first spy ring. A historical thriller set during the Revolutionary War, “Turn” centers on Abe Woodhull, a farmer living in British-occupied Long Island who bands together with his childhood friends to form the Culper Ring --- an unlikely team of secret agents who not only went on to help George Washington turn the tide of the war but also gave birth to modern spycraft.

"Younger"
Cast: Sutton Foster, Miriam Shor, Debi Mazar, Hilary Duff, Nico Tortorella
Network: TV Land
Air Dates: Tuesdays at 10pm ET
Based On: YOUNGER by Pamela Redmond Satran

“Younger” follows 40-year-old Liza, a suddenly single mother who tries to get back into the working world, only to find it’s nearly impossible to start at the bottom at her age. When a chance encounter with the sexy Josh, a young tattoo artist, convinces her she looks younger than she is, Liza tries to pass herself off as 26 --- with the help of a makeover, courtesy of her best friend Maggie. Armed with new confidence, she lands a job as an assistant to the temperamental Diana and teams up with her new co-worker and 20something Kelsey to make it in the career of her dreams. Now she just has to make sure no one discovers her secret. 

“The Flash”
Cast: Grant Gustin, Candice Patton, Rick Cosnett, Danielle Panabaker, Carlos Valdes, Tom Cavanagh, Jessie L. Martin
Network: The CW
Air Dates:Tuesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: The Flash: DC Comics character created by Robert Kanigher, John Broome and Carmine Infantino

“The Flash” follows the adventures of scientist Barry Allen, who is a superhero with incredible speed.

“Arrow”
Cast: Stephen Amell, Colin Donnell, Katie Cassidy, David Ramsey, Willa Holland, Susanna Thompson, Paul Blackthorne
Network: The CW
Air Dates:Wednesdays at 8pm ET
Based On: DC Comics character Green Arrow created by Mort Weisinger and George Papp

After a violent shipwreck, billionaire playboy Oliver Queen was missing and presumed dead for five years before being discovered alive on a remote island in the Pacific. When he returns home to Starling City, his devoted mother Moira, much-beloved sister Thea and best friend Tommy welcome him home, but they sense Oliver has been changed by his ordeal on the island. While Oliver hides the truth about the man he's become, he desperately wants to make amends for the actions he took as the boy he was. As Oliver reconnects with those closest to him, he secretly creates the persona of Arrow --- a vigilante --- to right the wrongs of his family, fight the ills of society and restore Starling City to its former glory.

“The Vampire Diaries”
Cast: Nina Dobrev, Ian Somerhalder, Paul Wesley, Steven R. McQueen, Kat Graham, Candice Accola
Network: The CW
Air Dates: Thursdays at 8pm ET
Based On: The Vampire Diaries series by L.J. Smith

Months after this devastating tragedy, everyone is dealing with the loss of their loved ones in different ways, some more destructively than others. What happened to Bonnie and Damon, and if they can even be saved, remains a mystery. Meanwhile, their beloved hometown of Mystic Falls continues to be a magic-free zone, protected by a mysterious new community watch program. If there’s any hope of salvaging their former lives, our heroes must find a way to push through their grief and band together. This season will explore themes of loss, denial and what it means to move on in the face of immortality, ultimately begging the age-old question --- can you ever really go home again?
 

On DVD:

Fifty Shades of Grey
Cast: Dakota Johnson, Jamie Dornan
Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson
Distributor: Universal Pictures/Focus Features
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: May 8th
Based on: FIFTY SHADES OF GREY by E L James

When literature student Anastasia Steele goes to interview young entrepreneur Christian Grey, she encounters a man who is beautiful, brilliant and intimidating. The unworldly, innocent Ana is startled to realize she wants this man and, despite his enigmatic reserve, finds she is desperate to get close to him. Unable to resist Ana’s quiet beauty, wit and independent spirit, Grey admits he wants her, too --- but on his own terms.

Shocked yet thrilled by Grey’s singular erotic tastes, Ana hesitates. For all the trappings of success --- his multinational businesses, his vast wealth, his loving family --- Grey is a man tormented by demons and consumed by the need to control. When the couple embarks on a daring, passionately physical affair, Ana discovers Christian Grey’s secrets and explores her own dark desires.

Still Alice
Cast: Julianne Moore, Kristin Stewart, Kate Bosworth, Alec Baldwin
Director: Richard Glatzer, Wash Westmoreland
Distributor: Sony Classics
MPAA Rating: PG-13
DVD Release Date: May 12th
Based on: STILL ALICE by Lisa Genova

Alice Howland, happily married with three grown children, is a renowned linguistics professor who starts to forget words. When she receives a diagnosis of Early-Onset Alzheimer's Disease, Alice and her family find their bonds thoroughly tested. Her struggle to stay connected to who she once was is frightening, heartbreaking and inspiring.

Mortdecai
Cast: Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor, Gwyneth Paltrow, Olivia Munn and Paul Bettany
Director: David Koepp
Distributor: Lions Gate Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: May 12th
Based on: The Mortdecai Trilogy by Kyril Bonfiglioli

Armed with only his good looks and special charm, an art dealer travels the world to find a stolen painting that is rumored to contain the code to a bank account filled with Nazi gold.

American Sniper
Cast: Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller, Luke Grimes
Director: Clint Eastwood
Distributor: Warner Bros. Entertainment
MPAA Rating: R
DVD Release Date: May 19th
Based on: AMERICAN SNIPER by Chris Kyle

From director Clint Eastwood comes AMERICAN SNIPER, starring Bradley Cooper as Chris Kyle, the most lethal sniper in U.S. military history. But there was much more to this true American hero than his skill with a rifle.