The summer is coming, but I'm working through it

Make the most of the last weeks of the summer, whether you are dreading the end of the season or dancing about it.

I am in the latter camp, but I am working through it. A lifelong partisan of summer s long days, I try not to feel cross at those who come alive when the light gets lower. I try not to feel personally attacked by the candy corn display in the drugstore, by Billy Crystal in his fisherman sweater and sweatpants. Recently, my colleague Sam Sifton and I were talking about the matter of summer's passing, and when I began to get angry, he stopped me. He said we are not in the elevator yet. This was at the end of July, and I agreed. There were still six weeks until Labor Day. We were still in the middle of the ascent.

The Extra-Terrestrial Limited Engagement starting this weekend is a terrible month for new movies, but we are in a particularly dry spell at the moment. I know what I will be doing this weekend: taking my kid to see the 40th anniversary re-release of the classic Steven Spielberg film, which is currently playing at select IMAX screen locations across the country. Everyone, I watched the trailer and the music made me tear up. I will also be seeing Jaws when it gets a re-release on IMAX screens starting September 2. If you know a guy who likes crime dramas, you might know someone who likes Heat, the epic 1995 film starring Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer. There is an easy test to determine whether or not someone likes Heat. The action is for me and I'm going to see whether or not they smile in recognition when I say the line "For me, the action is the juice." Michael Mann has published a novel with the thriller writer Meg Gardiner that serves as a prequel and sequel to the film. I am so excited to read this that I looked at my copy the other day and said, Brother, you are going down. That is also a line from Heat. My family just returned from a nearly two week vacation, and I have to admit, easing back into the nightly ritual of cooking dinner has been a challenge. Samantha Seneviratne has my back with her delicious one-pot coconut rice with shrimp and corn. It is really sensational with fresh corn that is available right now, even though you can make it in winter with frozen corn. Her tip for cutting kernels off the cob is: Lay the cob flat on the cutting board for slicing rather than standing it upright; it is quicker and less messy. Coconut milk has just the right richness and is balanced with jalape o, ginger and loads of fresh lime juice and zest. It's a satisfying combination all year long.