The Californian

Summer is packed with hot movies

Tuesday, June 02, 2009 By Chelsie Chan

With only a few weeks of school left, summer is just around the corner. And to beat the heat and the boredom, most kids will escape to the theaters. But what’s playing? Here is a preview of this summer’s movie lineup, which is packed with sequels and remakes. First, be sure to watch the fourth installation of the “Terminator” series, “ Terminator Salvation ,” which comes out today. John Connor (Christian Bale) tries to save the world from Skynet with the help of Marcus Wright (Sam Worthington). Another robot-themed flick, “ Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen ,” premiers June 24. In this sequel, another battle ensues when the Decepticons return to take Sam Witwicky (Shia LaBeouf) prisoner. And on July 17, the long-awaited “ Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince ,” is finally released. Many more action-thriller films will play on the big screens and make this summer’s selection amazing. On June 12, A-list actors John Travolta, Denzel Washington and James Gandolfini come together in “ The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 ,” a remake of the 1974 crime classic. Zachary Garber (Washington) negotiates with Bernard Ryder (Travolta), who has hijacked a New York City subway, threatening to kill its passengers if their ransom isn’t paid. For another crime film, catch “ Public Enemies ,” out July 1, featuring an ensemble cast including Johnny Depp, Christian Bale and Marion Cotillard. Set during the Great Depression, this drama focuses on FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Bale) as he tries to stop the infamous bank robber John Dillinger (Depp). In another period drama, Quentin Tarantino’s highly anticipated World War II film “ Inglourious Basterds ,” out Aug. 21, has Lt. Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) organizing a group of Jewish soldiers to take down the Nazis. But their plans are interrupted when they cross paths with, Bridget von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger). Since summer is too short to watch mind-numbing parodies, such as “Dance Flick,” students might want to consider a few comedies from Hollywood’s most popular comedians. Will Ferrell’s newest movie “ Land of the Lost ,” comes out on June 5. This adaption of the 1974 TV series is about the adventures of Dr. Rick Marshall (Ferrell) after he and his assistants get sucked into a space-time tunnel, which dumps them in the time of the dinosaurs. Will they be able to make it back to our time? Judd Apatow’s second summer comedy, “ Funny People ,” out July 31, features Adam Sandler, Seth Rogen and Leslie Mann. After being told by his doctor that he has less than one year to live, George Simmons (Sandler), a comedian, decides to train his personal assistant, Ira (Rogen), in his craft and make one last move on his dream girl, Laura (Mann). And of course, what would summer be without the ever-popular, ever-predictable romantic comedy? Thankfully, this is not the case with these two charming films centered around time travel. “ (500) Days of Summer ” will be released on July 17 in select theaters. Quirky favorites, Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Zooey Deschanel, play Tom and Summer. The story, told from Tom’s perspective, skips back and forth through their 500-day summer romance, offering a peek into the highs and lows of their relationship. On Aug. 14, the adaption of Audrey Niffenegger’s novel, “ The Time Traveler’s Wife ” is brought to the big screen, featuring Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams. Henry DeTamble (Bana) is a Chicago librarian, who tries to build a relationship with artist Clare Abshire (McAdams), as he struggles with a genetic disorder which is causing him to travel through time under stressful sitations. A different traveler, 78-year old Carl Frederickson (Edward Asner), is the focus of Disney’s latest Pixar film, “ Up ,” out on May 29. Carl realizes his life has all but passed him by and so sets off to pursue his life-long dream of traveling the world. By tying thousands of balloons to his house, Carl is off to explore South America. But he realizes he isn’t alone on his journey when he finds an 8-year-old stowaway, Russell (Jordan Nagai). Whether students are babysitting their little sister or catching up with their friends, there is a movie for everyone this summer.