This summer marked some of the biggest movie booms of all time. Hollywood blockbusters that topped the charts included Warner Brothers’ “The Great Gatsby” and the sci-fi sequel “Star Trek: Into Darkness.”
While these films were blowout successes, a few much-anticipated films proved to be nothing more than box office busts. Sitting at the bottom of the barrel was Disney’s wild-west action film “The Lone Ranger.” Critics anticipated a huge draw with families and Disney lovers alike; however the numbers simply did not compare.
The most popular film in the Provo community proved to be “Star Trek: Into Darkness.”
“I would say ‘Star Trek’ brought in the most revenue,” said Hattie Hansen, manager at Provo’s Carmike Wynnsong Cinemas. “It is more well known throughout the younger generation, (and) with our student pricing it brought more people of that demographic.”
“Gatsby” also drew some of the largest crowds. With many high school readers of the popular book now becoming adults, the appeal was heightened.
“For people who read the book, it stuck true to what happened,” said Tyler Carver, a senior studying English. “The actors portrayed the characters perfectly, and the film captured the feelings of wistfulness and melancholy that were so present in the book.”
Some feel that “The Lone Ranger” did not have much entertainment value beyond the previews. This was the case for Keath Fenton, a sophomore studying saxophone performance.
“I think the (film’s) biggest appeal is just Johnny Depp,” Fenton said. “While the trailer looked good, it seemed that it showed all the best parts.”
With these summer box office booms and busts, viewers look forward to a fall lineup of movies that may or may not please. Included in the line-up is the much-anticipated sequel “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire,” starring recent Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence.
“Ender’s Game,” based on the critically acclaimed book by Orson Scott Card, is likely to draw crowds, especially in the Utah community.
Finally, sci-fi thriller “Gravity,” starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney, is expected to be a fall blockbuster.
“I am most excited for the movie ‘Gravity’ because the plot of being stranded in space sounds really interesting,” said Andrea Busath, a public health major from San Jose, Calif.
With anticipation mounting for these films and a roller coaster summer setting the stage, the fate of these movies is in the hands of the viewers and critics.
