Summer promises cinema splendor

By: Chris Fort
Contributing Writer

It’s that time of year again. The weather’s warming up and summer’s right around the corner. So, what better way to enjoy the pleasant conditions than by heading indoors to the nearest movie theatre for what’s sure to be a season of box office-busting features? While it’s not even April yet, the hype machines are already running overtime building up the heavily anticipated titles for the upcoming movie season.

With students out of school, most films are directed toward the teenage/young adult audience. And for moviegoers with little pocket money who are unwilling to take the risk of seeing a sub-par feature, there’s no shortage of sequels to reassure everyone that their $8 will be well-spent. Summer kicks off on May 4 with “Spiderman 3.” It’s been three years since we’ve seen the red-clad web slinger glide past movie screens, but if the previews are any indication of what we’re in for, it will have been worth the wait.

The Pirates of the Caribbean series has been one of the most profitable franchises in box office history. But, it all concludes on May 25 when “At World’s End” hits the big screen. The hits don’t stop there, as the latest installment of the Harry Potter series comes out July 13. The fifth book to be adapted, “Order of the Phoenix” will, no doubt, try to top all of its predecessors.

Action fans were not forgotten this summer, either. Bruce Willis takes a page out of Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone’s book by attempting to revive the Die Hard series with “Live Free or Die Hard,” due out at the end of June. They’ll try to set the benchmark for explosive thrillers such as “Rush Hour 3,” “Fantastic 4: Rise of the Silver Surfer” and “The Bourne Ultimatum” follow soon after with bigger built-in fan bases.
But what’s the story on the comedic front? With the new-aged Rat Pack team of Will Ferrell, Owen Wilson, Vince Vaughn and Ben Stiller taking the summer off from their usual blockbuster laughter for other projects, who will pick up the slack? Is there another “Wedding Crashers” on the horizon? Steve Carell resprises his role as Evan Baxter to do a spin off-of Jim Carrey’s last comedic hit, starring in the aptly-titled “Evan Almighty” which comes out in late June. However, the premise of a man who has to build an ark is a lot less exciting than that of Carrey’s, who got to be God for a week. Look for cartoons to carry the proverbial comedic torch with films like “The Simpsons Movie” (July 27) and “Shrek the Third” (May 18) sure to inflict their fair share of laughs.

Besides the usual heavy hitters, there are several under-the-radar films which could surprise and make waves in ticket sales this summer. On June 1, Kevin Costner makes his return alongside Demi Moore and funny man Dane Cook for the murder drama “Mr. Brooks.” Costner plays the role of a thriving businessman troubled by his alter ego Marshall, who finds delight in slaying innocent people. This psychological thriller will tell us everything we want to know about Costner, Moore and Cook’s futures as serious actors in major films.

John Cusack also returns to the big screen, starring in the creepy “1408.” Cusack plays the role of a paranormal investigator who shacks up in room 1408 of a seedy hotel, where no one has ever lived through the night. Also starring Samuel L. Jackson, “1408” is slated for release on Friday, the thirteenth of July.

The most intriguing film of the summer, however, may belong to a musical. The movie, entitled “Across the Universe,” takes an original look at the 1960s through the music of The Beatles. Directed by Julie Taymor, renowned for her work on “Frida” and “Titus,” the film is, at the very least, sure to be entertaining.

While it seems as though all those can’t-miss summer flicks can’t get here fast enough, remember one thing: the anticipation is half the fun.