Issue date: 6/9/09 Section: Features

Media Credit: Jordan Bryan [Click to enlarge]

It's the end of the school year and students rejoice at the end of another semester. There are so many things to look forward to like summer vacations, spending extra time with friends and family and summer blockbusters.

The quality of films seems to increase dramatically over the summer. It seems as if Hollywood waits all year with the best ideas just to reveal them all in one swish during the three months of summer. Six of the 10 highest grossing movies for 2008 were released in the summer, including The Dark Knight, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull and WALL-E, according to The Numbers, a box office data website.

The school year contains a select few hits that one must wait for and anticipate. We count down the days on Facebook and buy advanced tickets to midnight showings while settling for the latest romantic comedy or action film that no one will remember in six months. But the summer holds different truths.

Summer movies offer constant diversity of genre from the latest super hero flick to the best cast romantic comedies. We are bombarded by intriguing plot lines and actors that we can't help but want to see.

"Summer movies are light-hearted or action packed. Most movies during the school year are horror or sci-fi," said Stephanie White, a 2009 human resources graduate.

Summer movies offer more than just exciting story lines, they offer an escape from our days in the sun and they draw us into air-conditioned theatres far more frequently than our busy schedules allow during the regular school year. Movies released in the summer are revealed on different days of the week, whereas during the school year, one must wait until Friday night to go catch the latest flick.

"I think they release more movies in the summer partially because there will be more chances for people to see them," said Kelsey Thompson, a sophomore general studies major.

While the summer heat draws some to the beach, it will keep others in the theatres with the thrills of the big screen. Most of the frequented theatres offer ice cream, which allows for the movies to be the perfect escape from the summer heat.

"During the summer, you have a lot more down time and less hours spent for school," White said. "You can go see more movies for less money and really enjoy them without worrying about three tests and a project."

Being a movie buff myself, I know all of the movies that are on my must-see summer list. So pass me the popcorn and silence your cell phones because it's time to hit the theater.

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