1 . Here are the Disney movies recommended by Brandon Dammit for this weekend.
Fantasia 2000
Budget: $80 million
Score: 75%
I remember disliking Fantasia 2000 in theaters as a young child, but I have developed a much deeper appreciation for the fantastic music as an adult. Disney has employed advanced sound tools to produce a movie that was under-appreciated at its first appearance.
Pete’s Dragon
Budget: $65 million
Score: 60%
I love Disney as much as the younger generation. But it’s disappointing to see flavorless remakes like The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast harvest billions at the box office while more soulful remakes like Pete’s Dragon is largely ignored.
The Rescuers Down Under
Budget: $38 million
Score: 70%
I won’t lie to you, kind reader. The Rescuers Down Under is the only movie that I’ve never seen here and my honor won’t allow me to pretend otherwise. According to Disney, it’s about the world’s bravest mice, Bernard and Bianca, who race to Australia to save a boy and a rare golden eagle from a cruel hunter. So, you know, normal Disney stuff.
The Great Mouse Detective
Budget: $14 million
Score: 72%
Picture this: a young mouse named Olivia is committed to discovering the truth of her father’s disappearance in 1897 London, and she got the help from his friends, Dr. Dawson and Toby. It’s basically Disney’s Sherlock Holmes.
1. What does Brandon Dammit like about Fantasia 2000?| A．The plot. | B．The dialogue. | C．The music. | D．The actors. |
| A．The Lion King. | B．Pete’s Dragon. |
| C．Beauty and the Beast. | D．The Rescuers Down Under. |
| A．$14 million. | B．$ 38 million. | C．$ 65 million. | D．$80 million. |
2 . The summer heat has nothing on the hottest Broadway shows of the season! The Tony Awards are on June 11, when some of these Tony nominees (提名者)will be crowned winners, so grab your seats now before they become even hotter tickets!
Kimberly Akimbo
Time is on your side to see Kimberly Akimbo this summer! The Best Musical nominee follows a New Jersey teenager with a condition that makes her age four times faster than usual, which encourages her to seek happiness and love while she can. This bittersweet, family-friendly story is adapted from Pulitzer winner David Lindsay-Abaire’s same-named play and features a score (配乐) by Tony winner Jeanine Tesori.
Life of Pi
The magical stagecraft of this book-to-stage adaptation must be seen to be believed. Life of Pi brings the wilderness to thrilling life in this adventure story, in which the title teenager is lost on the open sea with only a Bengal tiger for company. Can they both survive?
Juliet
See the Best Musical nominee that’s making everybody smile. This fun, pop-fueled show sees Juliet, from Shakespeare’s Romeo Juliet, go on a trip to find new life and love instead of dying young. Her adventure is set to more than 30 pop hits like… Baby One More Time, Teenage Dream and I Want It That Way that you’ll want to sing and dance to.
Parade
Tony winner Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond are both nominated for their great performances in the first revival of this Tony-winning drama. Based on real events, the Parade musical tells the story of how Jewish American factory worker Leo Frank was unjustly accused of murder, and his wife’s efforts to save his life. The production is nominated for Best Revival of a Musical.
1. What do Kimberly Akimbo and Life of Pi have in common?| A．Both are based on classic novels. | B．Both use pop hits as their scores. |
| C．Both explore themes of self-growth. | D．Both are nominated for Best Musical. |
| A．She becomes a famous singer. | B．She starts a life-changing journey. |
| C．She decides to give up on love. | D．She lives a happy life with Romeo. |
| A．Parade. | B．Juliet. | C．Life of Pi. | D．Kimberly Akimbo. |
1. How many people will see the film together?
| A．Three. | B．Four. | C．Five |
| A．He doesn’t like comedies. |
| B．He is fond of science fiction films. |
| C．He enjoys horror films. |
| A．At 6:00 p. m. |
| B．At 7:30 p. m. |
| C．At 8:00 p. m. |
4 . When you wake up, you find you are stuck in a time-loop (循环) on a bus. It will either knock into an oil truck, or be blown apart by bombs (炸弹) carried by a passenger. What will you do?
That’s a short part of a Chinese TV series Reset. College student Li Shiqing and game designer Xiao Heyun fall asleep on a bus and when they wake up, time’s ticking (滴答作响) on the last 20 minutes of their lives. They have to use everything they have to fight for their lives. The best ending is that everyone on the bus is saved. With each loop they discover more information about the other eight passengers. Soon they find one of the passengers is carrying homemade bombs and planning to set them off at a certain time and place.
Even though the TV series doesn’t have a perfect setting (背景), the sci-fi elements (元素) make it stand out. It shows the complete process of the leading actors finding out possible criminals. Starting to be aired on Tencent Video on January 11, the series has been watched more than 800 million times in China. It’s also been well-received on YouTube and been watched more than I million times up to now. Overseas fans have been asking for it to be aired on their major platforms such as Netlix.
The Chinese TV series most watched overseas are not the ones adapted from famous works such as Journey to the West. Instead, those adapted from love stories and online novels which are filled with light-hearted, exciting or funny elements are enjoyed better.
1. How was the passage started ?| A．By giving a suggestion. | B．By introducing a film. |
| C．By describing a scene | D．By listing some numbers. |
| A．have to try to save themselves | B．refuse to get off the bus |
| C．come from the same college | D．find it hard to wake up other passengers |
| A．It has been aired on many different platforms in China. |
| B．It is popular with people in foreign countries. |
| C．It has been watched over 1 million times on Netfix. |
| D．It is much more famous than Journey to the West. |
| A．encourage us to create more Chinese TV series |
| B．show how popular the Chinese TV series are |
| C．tell us which kinds of Chinese TV series are popular overseas |
| D．remind us to pay more attention to famous Chinese works |
5 . New Zealand’s towering mountains, temperate rainforests and remote river valleys all fueled Sir Peter Jackson’s creative spirit when he was crafting (精心制作) the well-known films The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies. Let’s explore New Zealand, the real Middle-earth.
Start in Hobbiton
The journey starts from the exciting urban center of Auckland to Matamata—the home of the Hobbiton Movie Set. Your knowledgeable guide will help you fully understand the history and the on-location filming processes around The Shire.
Journey to Mordor
Experience wilderness in Tongariro National Park—an area known for its mountainous, desolate (荒凉的) beauty. This region was used as the location for some of the filming of Mordor in The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
Stand among the greenest of forests
Dewy (带露水的) scenery and natural spectacles (壮观的景象) are New Zealand’s biggest draw-cards and a sure reason why the country was chosen as the home of Middle-earth. Explore this magical world of tall trees, clear rivers and sweet bird songs on a short walk or famous multi-day hike. From Cape Reinga all the way down to Bluff there are national parks covering the country.
Discover Earnslaw Burn and the Misty Mountains Pathway
One of the most magical locations in The Hobbit trilogy is Earnslaw Burn. Here you will find sheer (陡峭的) walls of granite (花岗岩) rising 800 meters from the basin floor, and a glacier (冰川) creating a number of waterfalls from its meltwater that spill down from the cliff-tops.
1. Where can visitors have a guided tour?| A．In Tongariro National Park | B．In The Shire | C．In Cape Reinga. | D．In Earnslaw Burn |
| A．The natural scenery there is breathtaking. |
| B．The grass there is always wet with morning dew. |
| C．Its central part is the most beautiful place on earth. |
| D．There are waterfalls, glaciers and towering mountains. |
| A．It is a movie-themed tour. |
| B．It involves hiking competitions. |
| C．It follows the order of film shooting. |
| D．It is designed for fans of director Peter Jackson. |
| A．He can make it on Saturday. |
| B．There are music lessons for the evening |
| C．Movies are not his cup of tea. |
7 . Summer holiday is here! What is more relaxing than watching movies with friends? Let’s check them out!
Barbie
The well-loved doll will be coming to cinemas, with fans of the doll from around the world excited about her arrival. This is the first time a live-action movie about Barbie will be released.
The film will center on Barbie setting off for the human world to find true happiness after being cast away from “Barbie land” for being a less-than-perfect doll. She teams up with Ken, the long-standing male doll in the Barbie doll world.
Born to Fly
The movie follows a group of air force pilots testing the newest generation of China’s flying technology. They test the new planes to their limits, facing the many risks involved in experimental technology.
The J-20 fighter jet has been a superstar since it was first seen flying in 2016. Born to Fly provides everyone with a close view of the J-20. This is the first movie in history to centre around a real J-20 aircraft. As the movie follows the test pilot’s view, the audience is given a look at this national treasure from all angles
The Green Planet
In many people’s eyes, plants are quiet. They can’t talk. They can’t walk. And they can’t think like us. Or can they? A new BBC documentary series, The Green Planet, gives us a new understanding of plants. It uncovers the wonderful and dramatic ways that plants behave. “The Green Planet reveals the secret lives of plants in the same way The Blue Planet opened our eyes to the oceans,” editor Elle Hunt wrote.
1. What is the theme of Barbie?| A．Perfect life. | B．Golden youth. |
| C．True happiness. | D．New generation. |
| A．China’s Air force. | B．The J-20 fighter jet. |
| C．A group of test pilots | D．The movie Born to Fly. |
| A．Their limited life. | B．Their unknown behaviour. |
| C．Their abilities to see. | D．Their connection to oceans. |
8 . PREVIEWS AND OPENINGS
Queen of the Mist
Charing Cross Theater
Previews from Saturday, 15 August. Opening Wednesday, 19 August.
Queen of the Mist, directed by Elizabeth Margolius, will have its first showing at the Charing Cross Theater. The musical is based on the true story of Anna Edson Taylor, who in 1901 set out to be the first person to survive a trip over Niagara Falls in a barrel (桶) of her own design.
The Son
Duke of York’s Theater
Previews from Monday, 24 August. Opening Wednesday, 2 September.
Written by internationally known Florian Zeller who is praised by The Guardian as “the most exciting dramatist of our time”, The Son, which focuses on intergenerational relationships, family relationships and teenage depression, is directed by Michael Longhurst.
The Fishermen
Trafalgar Theatre Studio Two
Previews from Thursday, 3 September. Opening Saturday, 5 September.
In a small town in Nigeria, Ben and his three older brothers go to fish at a magical river. Unnoticed and carefree, they continued until the predictions of a mad man change the course of their lives forever. The Fishermen is based on the Man Booker Prize novel by Chigozie Obioma, who appears as an original new voice of west African literature. The play is directed by Jack McNamara.
Groan Ups
Vaudeville Theater
Previews from Sunday, 20 September. Opening Saturday, 10 October.
Directed by Kirsty Patrick Ward, Groan Ups is a completely new play which looks at how people grow up and develop. Are we the same at 30 as we were 13?
1. What is the play directed by Elizabeth Margolius probably about?| A．A risk-taking trip. | B．A birthday party. |
| C．A career as a designer. | D．A person’s entire life. |
| A．Michael Longhurst. | B．Chigozie Obioma. |
| C．Jack McNamara. | D．Kirsty Patrick Ward. |
| A．On Wednesday, 19 August. | B．On Wednesday, 2 September. |
| C．On Saturday, 5 September. | D．On Saturday, 10 October. |
9 . See who’s winning awards on the 2023 Academy Awards race, but nothing speaks to the 2023 Oscars race like golden statistics.
Best Picture：The Fabelmans
Steven Spielberg’s latest film, The Fabelmans, turns out to be a deeply personal look into another kind of hole: his own biography. Because it’s Spielberg, it’s all beautifully, meticulously pictured, with misty ode(歌颂)to the people who raised him. The mist burns away, though, as the movie goes on, in part because Michelle Williams gives such a superior performance.
Best Director：Sam Mendes
Empire of Light is written and directed by Sam Mendes and is set at the start of the 1980s in England. Osear winner Olivia Colman plays a cinema employee named Hilary who begins a romance with a new colleague, Stephen, played by Micheal Ward. Ward’s Stephen must settle the rising tide of racism that destroyed the U. K. at the time.
Best Actor：Brendan Fraser
Fraser returns to leading man role in the moving preview for Darren Aronofsky’s new movie, The Whale, which also stars Hong Chau, Sadie Sink, Ty Simpkins, and Samantha Morton. Written by playwrighu(剧作家)Samuel D. Hunter as an adaptation of his 2013 stage production of the same name, The Whale is an exercise in sympathy and respect.
Best Actress：Michelle Yeoh
The legendary Malaysian star of iconic films like Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Crazy Rich Asians has won an award in the Toronto International Film Festival. Yeoh’s work in Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert’s universe–hopping Everything Everywhere All at Once has collected the best reviews of the actress’ career, with many praising her as a front-running racer for the Academy’s Best Actress.
1. Which of the following movies is based on its director’s own experiences?| A．The Fabelmans. | B．Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. |
| C．The Whale. | D．Everything Everywhere All at Once. |
| A．Steven Spielberg. | B．Sam Mendes. |
| C．Darren Aronofsky. | D．Samuel D. Hunter. |
| A．A science magazine. | B．A local newspaper. |
| C．A course plan. | D．A poetry collection. |
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