After the movie “Jaws” came out in 1975, summertime became synonymous with big blockbuster movies, and 2017 is no exception.
Dozens of films have been released every month of this rainy summer, and going to the movies is an obvious choice for an indoor alternative to typical summer activities.
To kick off 2017’s summer movie season, “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2” came out May 5, right in the middle of finals for most KSU students. The sequel earned $145 million over its opening weekend alone, bringing back fan-favorite characters and reigniting the internet community’s love of Baby Groot. While these numbers pale in comparison to many of the movies in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, it is the highest-grossing comic book superhero film ever to not include Batman, Spiderman or Iron Man.
A week later, “Snatched,” a comedy starring Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn — who returned to the big screen after a fifteen-year hiatus — was released. Despite the film starring a cast of several of big-name actors, it did not do exceptionally well at the box office, grossing just shy of $46 million its opening weekend. However, it seems to follow the grain of easy, slapstick humor Schumer has made a name for herself with and would be a good movie for a night of laughs.
Quite possibly the mot talked-about movie of summer, “Wonder Woman,” grossed $103 million its opening weekend. Being the first major superhero movie helmed by a female director and starring a female actor, its cast and crew have received extra attention. Many superhero fans are hopeful that this will strengthen the female influence in DC and Marvel’s cinematic universes.
“Spiderman: Homecoming” marked Tom Holland’s second appearance as Peter Parker/Spiderman and the first Spiderman movie since Andrew Garfield’s incarnation of the character. Holland’s cameo in “Captain America: Civil War” last summer whetted fan’s appetites for his first appearance as a lead. As the third actor to play Spiderman in the past fifteen years, the British actor had a lot to live up to. The movie grossed $117 million its opening weekend, less than the last two installments of Tobey McGuire’s trilogy. Many fans are still debating online whether this new incarnation of Spiderman is the best of the three.
“Dunkirk,” Director Christopher Nolan’s new film, will be released on July 20. The story is that of Allied soldiers early in the second World War and is told from three perspectives – the land, the sea, and the air. “Dunkirk” marks Nolan’s first non-superhero, non-sci-fi project in many years.
Another movie coming out on July 20 is “Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets,” starring Dane DeHaan and Cara Delevingne. The science fiction action film is written, directed and co-produced by Luc Besson. In the 28th century, Delevingne and DeHann are special operatives responsible for watching over human territories and keeping the peace there.
On August 18, “The Hitman’s Bodyguard,” starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson and Gary Oldman, will be released. The action-comedy, directed by Patrick Hughes, has not been given much publicity, so it might not do exceptionally well at the box office. However, it is sure to be full of laughs, given the all-star cast.
Whether you’re on campus taking classes, working in Kennesaw or spending the summer at home with family, heading to the movies is always an option. Many movie theaters offer discounts for college students, making it a summer outing that is both fun and affordable.
