It's summer movie time again. And heroes are ready to try their strength and magic on the silver screen. Check out our list of four films that look most promising to young audience.

    Harry potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

    Release Date:  June 4

    Story: It's the summer before Harry Potter's third year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A shadow is hanging over Hogwarts. A dangerous murderer, Sirius Black, has escaped the Wizards' Prison. And he broke out to fulfill one task to kill Harry Potter.

    Around the World in 80 Days

    Release Date:  June 16

    Story: This version of the classic novel set in 1872 focuses on Passepartout (Hong Kong actor Jackie Chan), a Chinese thief who seeks refuge with a strange London adventurer, Phileas Fogg. Passepartout uses his martial arts skills to defend Fogg from danger as he travels around the world in 80 days to win a bet.

    Spider- Man 2

    Release Date: June 30

    Story :Peter Parker is still coming to terms with his dual  identity (双重身份)as the crime superhero Spider-Man. He wants to reveal his secret identity to Mary Jane: meanwhile, his aunt May has fallen on hard times. A new bad man, Dr Otto Octavius, has appeared to cause more troubles.

    King Arther

    Release Date: July 7

    Story: King Arthur is presented as a clever ruler who manages to unite all the knights(骑士) in Britain after the fall of the Roman Empire(帝国). Under the guidance of Merlin and the beautiful, brave Guinevere, Arthur will struggle to realize his dreams

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The Metropolitan Museum of Art
		1000 Fifth Avenue New York, NY 10028 211-535-7710 www.metmuseum.org Entrances Fifth Avenue at 82nd Street Hours Open 7 days a week. Sunday-Thursday 10:00-17:30 Friday and Saturday 10:00-21:00 Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, January 1,and the first Monday in May.
Admission $25.00 recommended for adults, $12.00 recommended for students, includes the Main Building and The Cloisters(回廊）on the same day; free for children under 12 with an adult. Free with Admission All special exhibitions, as well as films, lectures, guided tours, concerts, gallery talks, and family/children's programs are free with admission. Ask about today's activities at the Great Hall Information Desk.
	The Cloisters Museum and Gardens     The Cloisters museum and gardens is a branch of The Metropolitan Museum of Art devoted to the art and architecture of Europe in the Middle Ages. The extensive collection consists of masterworks in sculpture, colored glass, and precious objects from Europe dating from about the 9th to the 15th century.
Hours: Open 7 days a week. March-October10:00-17:15 November-February 10:00-16:45 Closed Thanksgiving Day, December 25, and January 1.

    First published in 2001, the book Life of Pi written by Canadian author Yann Martel won the Man Booker Prize and an Asian American Prize for Literature. It is the story of a young boy named Pi who spends 227 days at sea with a small group of animals after disaster strikes their ship and is an account of his journey of survival and hardship.

    Piscine “Pi” Molitor Patel, on whom Life of Pi is based, is a young boy living in Pondicherry, India, where his father owns a zoo. The story starts when Patel's family decide to move to Canada, along with their zoo animals for their new home.

    However, because of the bad weather, the ship sinks. Pi along with an orangutan (猩猩), an injured zebra, a hyena (鬣狗) and a Bengal tiger named Richard Parker are the only survivors who take shelter in a small lifeboat. Both the injured zebra and the orangutan are soon killed and eaten by the hyena. The tiger in turn kills and eats the hyena, leaving just the two of them alone on the boat now.

    In an effort to avoid being eaten by Richard Parker, Pi acts himself as the head of the group and remains safe from harm. Since he does not want the tiger to die for fear of going mad by being alone on the boat, he fishes and feeds the two of them in order to stay alive.

    The life of Pi then enters its third stage when their lifeboat washes up on the shores of Mexico and the tiger escapes into a nearby forest leaving Pi alone. After the Mexicans refuse to believe Pi's story, he changes his tale by replacing the animals with his mother, a cook and a sailor and asks the Mexicans which one they prefer. They prefer hearing the first story though they do not believe a word of it.

    In my view, Life of Pi is a must read book for all those who love reading.

    Last year, around Labor Day, I read a “Happy Ad” in our local newspaper. There was a lady in a local nursing home for the aged, who was celebrating her 90th birthday and her family wanted everyone to know about it. It said that if you wanted to drop her a line, here was her address. So I did. I found a birthday card and dropped her a short note, wishing her a happy birthday.

    A week or so later, someone knocked at my front door. I opened the door and found a middle-aged man standing on my doorstep. He introduced himself as the son of this woman to whom I had sent the card. He explained that he just wanted to drop by in person and thank me for sending such a nice card to his mom. Apparently, like many older folks, she did not receive much mail and was quite excited to receive mine. I just didn't know what to say. I told him it was my pleasure and that I hoped his mom had enjoyed her birthday.

    That year, I did not send out any Christmas cards, except to this lovely old lady in the nursing home. I just told her that I was thinking about her and hoped that she had a nice holiday. I sent her a holiday card and also a couple of notes in between. I just thought she might like to have someone write to her, to get some mails.

    She passed away a couple of months ago. I never met this lady, but I did keep her and her family in my thoughts. I dropped them a line of sympathy. I hope that my few little notes were enough to brighten a couple of her days here on earth.

    Today, I felt upset, I decided to take a walk even though I didn't know where I would go. The most extraordinary thing happened when I was out on this walk. I saw an old man sitting on a chair. He was a seller of second-hand shoes. He seemed so tired and nobody was buying his shoes.

    I wanted to give him something but I had not brought anything with me. Then, a little girl came toward him. I heard the child say, ''Grandfather, may I polish your shoes?" That old man took pity on her, smiled and he gave her a shoe to polish. The girl said, I polish the shoe because I need money to buy my brother a new school uniform. The old man answered, "Oh, little girl. Just stop doing this. Come with me and I will buy you a uniform.”

    Then they walked to a market (I followed behind) and he bought her a uniform. The girl was so happy. She said, Thank you so much for doing this." Then she left, leaving the old man smiling. He walked away from the market, but I stopped him.

    I whispered in his ear, "You are a hero! Thank you for your kindness!” As I walked away, I glanced back and I could see him still smiling. I was blown away by the kindness I had just seen. Someone who had so little himself was able to show such incredible generosity! Amazing!

    My own sadness had completely disappeared, chased away by the light of this kind act. I began realizing that I have a lot to be thankful for.

Labor Day Weekend at Paramount Pictures Studios

    This Labor Day weekend, join the Los Angeles Times for 3 evenings of amazing food, wine and chef experiences. Dozens of hand-picked local restaurants each evening will showcase our city's rich and diverse cooking scene by serving you their best. Taste and celebrate Southern California's most inviting food and drink. Your ticket is all-inclusive and is good for unlimited food, beer, wine & spirits tastings, plus all stage activities.

    PLEASE NOTE: ALL EVENTS AT THE TASTE ARE 21 YEARS AND OLDER ONLY AND ALL SALES ARE FINAL.

    A VIP Access level ticket gets you:

    • Convenient and free parking inside the Paramount Pictures gates (savings of $15)

    • Access to furnished lounge during the entire event

    • Behind the scenes tour of Paramount Pictures Studios

    • First in the door access to the main event

    Due to the nature of this event, we are not able to offer refunds.

SCHEDULE

    Friday, August 31: 7: 30 p. m.-10: 30p. m.

    Saturday, September 1: 8: 00 p. m.-10: 30p. m.

    Sunday, September 2: 8: 00 p. m.-10: 30p. m.

    Make sure to also save the date for our new Costa Mesa weekend of Los Angeles Times The Taste on October 19 to 21. Details here.