What Makes Summer Cinema

As summer draws to a close and gives way for the fall, I want to look back at the elements that made the season enjoyable. Today, the subject is Summer Movies and their diverse elements.

Element 1: There is a grand scale story unfolding on the movie screen.   The sets and intricate plots give the characters a heart, soul, and something to fight for; be it love, power, or respect. What would “The Avengers” had been without the Grand Central Station showdown between superheroes and aliens...and a recurring character named Agent Phil Coulson( who will be starring in the ABC series “Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.” this fall)? Would “Star Trek into Darkness” have been as good without a brilliant and motivated villain and great fight scenes? The answer to both questions is that these movies would not have been as riveting and awesome.

Element 2: They are critic-proof. In this season, a moviegoer just wants to be entertained. The plot just has to move along and engage the viewer to feel for the characters. Situations in these films may even lack sensibility and yet work despite that fact, hence the term “film logic”. My example of this is “Pacific Rim”. In this movie, each character had a backstory that came to light in the midst of Kaiju (Japanese monster) attacks. Oddly enough, the bulk of the creatures attacked at night, yet were able to capture the imagination of any monster movie fan that saw it in IMAX 3-D and regular theaters. All you had to do was sit back, relax, and watch the action intensify from the comfort of your cinema.

*Ok, I’ll admit some films do not follow this second axiom. There are those that I deem “air conditioning films”. These movies are seen in theaters for the purpose of enjoying a multiplex’s superior AC system. The plots are mediocre at best, but they get you out of the humidity for 2 hours at least. In this category: “You Don’t Mess with the Zohan” and “The Love Guru”. These two movies were not as bad as they could have been, but the meager plot was enough to merit at least one viewing.*

Element 3: The movie stars Will Smith. Will Smith has made the summer his movie domain it seems. “ID4 (Independence Day)”, “Wild Wild West”, and the “Men in Black” franchise were each launched during this summer months as was his most recent release “After Earth”. His movies spotlight his ability to draw an audience in with a memorable quote and performance regardless of box office revenue: the line “I gotta get me one of these!”( from the movie “Independence Day”) for instance. 

Element 4: There are surprising performances to be seen before the official start of Oscar buzz. There are a few movies that catch the Academy’s attention during this time of summer superheroes and action movies. Performances of certain actors merit attention and deserve recognition come early next year.  Yes, it is unlikely that Ben Kingsley is awarded for his amusing role as “the Mandarin” in “Iron Man 3”; however, the stars of the movie “42” and “Lee Daniels’ The Butler” are going to be nominated for an Oscar considering the performances of Chadwick Boseman (Jackie Robinson “42”), Alan Tudyk (Ben Chapman “42”), Forest Whitaker(Cecil Gaines “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”) and Oprah Winfrey(Gloria Gaines “Lee Daniels’ The Butler”).

The Summer Movie is a genre in itself. It is meant to make people forget the humidity and the hard times in their lives. You’ll see a superhero fighting for justice, a comedy or two, an animated feature from Disney, or even a science fiction story. The variety of stories told entertain the viewer and precede the Oscar buzz that arrives with the autumn breeze. 

*IMDB.com-my source for movies and actor information.