As it stands, the summer of 2011 is becoming the summer of cinematic nostalgia. Ranging from “Midnight in Paris” to “X-Men First Class” and most recently “Super 8,” it seems that a greater number of directors are shying away from making films set in the present day and instead choosing to focus on the past.

Filmmakers like “Midnight in Paris’” Woody Allen and “Super 8’s” J.J. Abrams have chosen to return to their childhood inspirations in order to entertain audiences. In a summer filled with sequels, the ambition of these movies should be applauded, even if audiences have failed to fill seats in theaters.

In “Paris,” a modern day screenwriter named Gil travels back to the 1920s and lives out his dream of experiencing the Lost Generation, similar to Allen’s own dreams as a kid. “Super 8” is based on Abrams’ 1970s upbringing, when he would film horror movies on his own personal Super-8 film camera.

Both films bear significant influence from other movies. Allen’s ode to Paris bears a striking resemblance to his own film, “Manhattan,” while Abram’s pays homage to his friend and producer Steven Spielberg’s “E.T.”

Neither of these movies sugarcoat the realities of their settings. As one character points out in “Midnight in Paris,” the protagonist is “in love with a fantasy,” a realization that occurs to him as the film comes to an end. By doing this, these movies provide the perfect escape from our own troubled times.

Unlike in “Thor” or “Green Lantern,” we’re not watching the destruction of the present day on screen. What we’re watching has already happened. It’s come and gone; it’s in the past.

Once regarded as only suitable for biopics, setting movies in the past has caught on to everything from romantic comedies to Blockbuster comic book movies. The trend of the summer continues this month with the World War II-set “Captain America,” and the Old West-laden “Cowboys and Aliens.”

My only hope is that audiences take to watching the past on screen. Sure, it’s not as relevant as watching topic-of-the-year movies, but one would also be hard-pressed to argue that the topics in these movies are altogether irrelevant.

While I’m sure his current trend of nostalgia is soon to pass, I’ll enjoy it while it lasts. I’d rather time travel back to the 1920s with a cinematic legend than endure a crowded theater and be forced to sit through the modern-day turmoil and hysteria of the most recent “Transformers.”