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Summer movie season has become a yearly rite of passage for cinephiles, with studios debuting their biggest blockbuster films of the year while children are out of school and many adults take time from work.
This year, hotly anticipated movies include “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” “A Million Ways to Die in the West,” “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” “Dawn of the Planet of the Apes,” “Guardians of the Galaxy” and “The Expendables 3.”
“As someone who thoroughly enjoys going to the movies – despite the price – you have to look forward to the summer,” Will Easton said in Tuckahoe. “I’m actually underwhelmed by this year’s choices, but I’ll still head out to see three or four of them.”
“Godzilla” doesn’t mark the first major release of a big-budget film this year. On May 2, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” celebrated a $91 million opening weekend, while “Neighbors,” a comedy featuring Seth Rogen and Zac Efron, debuted on May 9 to positive reviews. “Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” which has grossed nearly $250 million worldwide, also opened in April.
“I think the quality of the movies that come out these days give them all almost a blockbuster feel,” Robin Wilson said in Eastchester. “Twenty-five years ago, I bet they couldn’t imagine making a movie for more than $25 million. Now actors are getting close to that just to be in them!”
Summer movie season unofficially began in 1975 with the release of “Jaws,” which was followed by the Star Wars and Indiana Jones franchises, “E.T.” and other cult classics such as “Back to the Future,” “Forrest Gump,” and “Terminator” over the years. These days, movies based on comic books such as "Batman," "Transformers," "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" and "The Avengers" rule the roost.
“Back in the day, I think it was a bigger deal, because there weren’t as many movies that cost as much or make as much as they do today,” Eastchester-native Charles Monroe, 58, said. “There’s so much competition now that it feels like every big movie has its own weekend over the summer to shine.”
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