The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

The Independent Student Newspaper of St. John's University

The Torch

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Beating the heat

With the season of sunny skies, lazy days and swimming pools rolling in, it’s going to take some top notch entertainment to bring audiences to the movie theaters this summer.

Last summer brought with it the Judd Apatow comedies “Knocked Up” and “Superbad,” both of which ruled the box office – so can this summer produce comparable flicks or will audiences aching for air conditioning have to stick to Netflix?

With a variety of films that fall into the categories of remakes, sequels and television shows turned movies, it seems as though the lack of originality to hit theaters this summer might be detrimental to the box office; while there are the typical misses, there is also a collection of hits.

The film that seems to be generating the most excitement this summer is the fourth installment of the Indiana Jones series, titled “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”

Scheduled to hit theaters on May 23, this film brags a credible cast (Harrison Ford, Cate Blanchette, Shia LaBeouf) as well as a credible director (Steven Spielberg). Rumored to be the most intense of the Indiana Jones films, the plot follows the film’s hero and his son on what is believed to be the search for the Ark of the Covenant. If the cast and director aren’t enough to lure you to the cinemas, perhaps the guaranteed plot twists and kickass stunts will be.

Those who have seen the trailer to the latest Disney/Pixar film, “WALL-E,” know that it doesn’t reveal much about the plot of the film. While there still isn’t much to say, we do know that this film continues Pixar’s feel-good family theme with a storyline about a trash-compacting robot on a mission to find the meaning of life.

With the string of success associated with Pixar films, audiences would be insane not to check this one out.The true domineers of the silver screen this summer, however, will be those who are currently ruling the pages of comic books everywhere.

Kicking off the summer will be “Iron Man,” a film that will be sure to entice audiences everywhere with the superb special effects advertised in its trailers. Perhaps the most anticipated superhero film to hit theaters this summer, though, will be “The Dark Knight.” Yes, it’s a sequel, and yes, that is usually grounds for a bad movie, but with Heath Ledger’s role as the Joker already being called iconic, as well as the movie’s ability to overcome the numerous obstacles that stood in its way, this movie is bound to be able to overcome the stereotypes associated with sequels.However, not all superhero movies can be so super.

After the slew of rotten tomatoes thrown at 2003’s “Hulk,” it’s normal for moviegoers to be skeptical about this summer’s “The Incredible Hulk.” While it’s still too early to deem this movie “dense,” it might be smart for audiences to avoid this one.

The thing that made the Speed Racer cartoons so awesome was the old-school vintage look; while the studio most likely decided to cut back on animation to save money, it didn’t really damage the quality of the television show. As the beloved cartoon is translated into an actual movie with actual actors, this charm might be lost as cheesy lines escape the mouths of questionable actors.

If you are not a fan of the television show, you most likely screamed in fright upon hearing that “Sex and the City” has been made into a movie. Rather than letting the show stew in its legacy, writers, directors and produces made the unforgivable mistake of making a movie that will most likely please fans, but disappoint everyone else.

This isn’t the summer for comedies, but Apatow fans can rest easy knowing that August brings with it “Pineapple Express,” a film in which Seth Rogen plays a stoner – again – running from the mob because he has witnessed a murder.

Although “Drillbit Taylor” didn’t do much for Apatow’s credibility, the recent success of “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” can comfort any skeptics.

While there are too many highly anticipated films to name, it is safe to say that there will be a little something for everyone. With new and exciting films making their way into theaters nearly every weekend, it might also be safe to say that avid moviegoers might be looking a little pale this summer.

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