MIRANO ASAI| staff writer
Summer is just around the corner and a movie theater is the best place to escape from the California heat. About 100 new movies are coming out this summer, and new installments of popular series will have fans crowding the theaters to see movies such as Prince Caspian and Indiana Jones.
Although the hype and excitement created by the fi rst movie of the Narnia series, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe has not yet faded, the next title, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian opens May 16. The new character, Caspian, is played by Ben Barnes, who took almost two years to win the role. Barnes had primarily been a television star, but his recent roles in Stardust and Bigga than Ben, have presented him more opportunities for the big screen.
The second fi lm of the Narnia series includes more suspense and action scenes than the fi rst fantasy fi lm. Even the fi rst scene of the movie is packed with thrills as Prince Caspian fl ees from an assassin. The movie progresses at a fast pace, which will delight action fans. Aslan, whose name literally means “Lion” in Turkish, will be back again to lead the characters through their many trials. Fans of the book and newcomers to the series will surely be pleased by this movie.
Another sequel, about the world famous adventurer Indiana Jones, premiers on May 22. StevenSpielberg and George Lucas’ original Indiana Jones fi lms helped set the gold standard for blockbuster entertainment. This is the fourth installment, and it was fi lmed in New Haven, Connecticut. The movie is set during 1957 and features Indiana Jones leading a quiet life as a teacher. This time, he battles against the Soviet Union in a race to reach the crystal skull. Lucas has held on to the idea of the crystal skull for a long time, and the skull makes its way into the fourth fi lm again. Another notable and nostalgic movie set to be released this summer is Get Smart. Get Smart was originally an American comedy television series and aired on the NBC television channel from 1965 to 1969. This show won seven Emmy Awards and was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards.
Steve Carell is cast as Maxwell Smart or Agent 86 of CONTROL, a secret U.S. government spy agency. The nation’s security is put at risk when a terrorist organization hacks into CONTROL’s computer system. Smart was sent to stop the terrorist’s plot. He works along with Agent 99, played by Anne Hathaway, and the Rock. The legend of this spy will be released for the fi rst time on June 20.
More adventure and fantasy fi lms stand out than other genres. “I guess people watch movies to experience something they cannot in real life,” senior cinema and broadcast arts major Yuko Niiyama said. “Even from daily news, audiences are seeking excitement such as car chasing. It shows that people watch a fi lm not as a piece of art, but a form of entertainment. ” In addition, there is no doubt that the use of sequels to attract an audience has grown in recent American fi lms. Furthermore, professor in the theater, fi lm and television department John Hamilton says there is a possibility for the western genre to make a comeback as a recent trend. There Will Be Blood and 3:10 to
Yuma were popular western fi lms last year and the trend could continue with Appaloosa coming out this summer.
Nostalgia is a powerful way to attract audiences to the theater, and that is why various great fi lms have never stopped being remade. People who remember the original fi lm can relive their youthful days through watching the remakes, which are more likely to be picked up by mass media. Even people who have not seen the original can enjoy its content, as the movies are updated. Summer break and new, upcoming movies are waiting for you. So whether you like action, fantasy, or a good old fashioned Western, this summer will have a movie for everyone.
