Summer movie season is about to begin, and it’s going to kick-off in a big way with Iron Man 3.  Iron Man 2 is admittedly the weakest of the Phase One bunch, but all my faith has been restored with writer-director Shane Black (Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) at the helm.  The trailers have conveyed a very different tone for our hero, and the action looks to be the best in the series thus far.  Iron Man 3 definitely looks like it can deliver the goods when it comes to starting Summer Movie Season 2013 on a strong note.

I’m please to announce that we’ll be giving away two pairs of passes to the 3D Atlanta screening of Iron Man 3.  Hit the jump to find out how you can see the film early and for free.  The movie stars Robert Downey Jr., Gwyneth Paltrow, Don Cheadle, Guy Pearce, Rebecca Hall, Stephanie Szostak, James Badge Dale, Jon Favreau, and Ben Kingsley.  Marvel’s Iron Man 3 opens in theaters in 3D on May 3rd.

Rob Zombie has his die-hard fans, and if you’re one of them living in Atlanta, you’re probably geared up for his latest flick, The Lords of Salem.  For those who don’t know, the film stars Sheri Moon Zombie as a DJ in Salem, Massachusetts who listens to a record that causes her to flashback to her town’s violent past.

Today, we’re giving away a pair of tickets to see the film on April 18th at 10pm at Regal Hollywood 24.  The winner will also receive a Lords of Salem t-shirt.  To enter, send an e-mail to collider.passes@gmail.com with the subject line “LORDS OF SALEM”.  The Lords of Salem opens nationwide on April 19th.  Hit the jump to check out the trailer.

I cannot wait to see Michael Bay‘s Pain & Gain.  The red-band trailer is hilarious, and without the benefit of giant robots, it looks like Bay has had to put more focus on story and character.  That’s not to say that they’ll be particularly deep, but at least they won’t be wallpaper for an onslaught of CG.  This movie is going to rely on the excellent cast just as much as it’s going to rely on the set pieces.

I’m pleased to announce that we’ll be giving away 15 passes to the Atlanta screening of Pain and Gain.  Hit the jump to find out how you can check out the film early and for free.  The movie stars Mark Wahlberg, Dwayne Johnson, Anthony Mackie, Rob Corddry, Rebel Wilson, Ed Harris, and Tony Shalhoub.  Pain & Gain opens April 26th.

If you love blood-drenched horror, you’re probably going to love the remake of Evil Dead.  When I saw it at SXSW, the crowd went absolutely nuts for it, and it provided a level of violence rarely seen in wide-release movies.  For those who like their movies gruesome as hell, you need to come out to see this.

I’m pleased to announce that we’re giving away 20 passes to the Atlanta screening of Evil Dead.  Hit the jump to find out how you can check out the film early and for free.  Evil Dead opens April 5th.

I’m a fan of director Chan-wook Park, and I really enjoyed his English-language debut, Stoker, when I caught it at Sundance in January.  For those who are unfamiliar with the film, it centers on a young girl (Mia Wasikowska) who encounters her mysterious uncle (Matthew Goode) while mourning the death of her father (Dermot Mulroney).  Stoker has the same style and confidence Park showed with his excellent films Oldboy and Lady Vengeance, and while it was divisive at Sundance, it’s still worth checking out.

I’m pleased to announce that we’re giving away 10 passes to the Atlanta screening of Stoker.  Hit the jump to find out how you can check out the film early and for free.  Stoker will open exclusively at the Tara on March 15th.

Atlanta Film Festival 365 runs, “Eat, Drink & B-Indie”, a monthly conversation on the third Tuesday of every month where they talk “with Atlanta and Georgia filmmakers about a specific film, company, group or collective as we talk about their projects and network.”  This month, they’ve been generous enough to invite me to be their guest, and I would love to meet and talk with Collider’s Atlanta readers.  I have no idea what people want to talk about (nothing but Identity Thief questions), but I’m more than happy to answer your questions.

The event is free and will be held at the excellent Manuel’s Tavern [602 N Highland Avenue Northeast, Atlanta, GA 30307] (I recommend the burger or the jerk chicken) on Tuesday, February 19th from 7:30 – 9:30pm.  Also, since you’ll be in the neighborhood, I strongly suggest going across the street to the independently-owned rental place, Videodrome.  Their selection of indie films is mind-blowing.

I can’t say no to a Die Hard film, especially when they’ve restored the franchise to its rightful R-rating.  Die Hard movies require wise-cracks, swearing, and John McClane (Bruce Willis) getting the ever-loving shit kicked out of him.  Hopefully, McClane’s mission to Moscow, A Good Day to Hard, will deliver in a big way.

I’m pleased to announce that we’re giving away 25 passes to the Atlanta screening of A Good Day to Hard.  Hit the jump to find out how you can check out the film early and for free.  The film also stars Jai Courtney, Sebastian Koch, Yulia Snigir, Cole Hauser, Amaury Nolasco, Megalyn Echikunwoke, Anne Vyalitsyna, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead.  A Good Day to Die Hard opens Thursday, February 14th.

I’m not embarrassed to say I’m intrigued by Beautiful Creatures.  I know I’m not the target audience, but that doesn’t mean I’m excluded from enjoying the film.  For those unfamiliar with the movie, it’s supernatural love story centering on Lena Duchannes (Alice Englert) a “caster” (a.k.a. a witch), her relationship with Ethan Wate (Alden Ehrenreich), and her dread at being chosen for good or evil.

I’m pleased to announce that we’re giving away 20 passes to the Atlanta screening of Beautiful Creatures.  Hit the jump to find out how you can check out the film early and for free.  The film also stars Jeremy Irons, Viola Davis, Emmy Rossum, and Emma Thompson.  Beautiful Creatures opens February 14th.

One of my most-anticipated films of January – March is Andrés Muschietti‘s horror film, Mama.  Produced by Guillermo Del Toro, the film stars Jessica Chastain and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as a couple who take in two abandoned sisters discovered five years after the mysterious death of their parents.  The couple gets more than they bargained for when a supernatural presence follows the girls into their new home.  The trailer makes the film look damn creepy, and I will always pay attention to a film that gets Del Toro’s stamp of approval.

I’m happy to announce that we’re giving away 10 pairs of passes (20 tickets) to our readers in Atlanta, New York City, and Los Angeles.  Hit the jump to find out how you can check out the film early and for free.  Mama opens January 18th.

I was on board with Gangster Squad from the get-go since I love the gangster-noir genre and the1940s Los Angeles setting.  I’m the guy who will begrudgingly accept L.A. Noire based solely on the setting.  Hopefully, I’ll have a far more positive response to Gangster Squad, which is based on the true story of a LAPD task force who fought to bring down gangster Mickey Cohen.

I’m pleased to announce that we’re giving away 20 passes to the Atlanta screening of Gangster Squad.  Hit the jump to find out how you can check out the film early and for free.  The movie stars Josh Brolin, Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone, Nick Nolte, Michael Peña, Anthony Mackie, Giovanni Ribisi, and Sean Penn.  Gangster Squad opens January 11, 2013.

I’ll say this for the Texas Chainsaw Massacre franchise: the title tells you exactly what you’re getting.  It’s exactly like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles except in Massacre, they wear people for faces.  The latest installment in the franchise is on the way with Texas Chainsaw 3D, and we have five prize packs to giveaway to our Atlanta readers.  Each prize pack will contain a mini poster and t-shirt, and one person will win a grand prize of the t-shirt, mini poster, and a Lionsgate Horror 3-pack of DVDs (Scream, Saw: The Final Chapter, and My Bloody Valentine).  Leatherface would be proud.  He’d murder you, but he’d be proud.

Hit the jump for details.  Texas Chainsaw 3D opens January 4, 2013.

Les Miserables has been one of my most-anticipated films of the year, and I’m happy to report that it’s very good.  If you’re not familiar with the stage version, I’m not sure how you’ll react, but fans will be almost certainly be taken by what director Tom Hooper has accomplished with his screen adaptation.  It’s a big, bold musical at its finest, and I’m not ashamed to admit that I got choked up at various moments throughout the picture.

I’m pleased to announce that we will be giving away 5 pairs of passes to the Atlanta screening of Les Miserables.  Hit the jump to find out how you can check out the film early and for free.  Les Miserables opens on December 25th.