Ha-Tien Nguyen/Podcast Editor
This past summer was the season of films. Whether you wanted to or not, you found yourself back to an in-person movie theater, maybe for the first time in half a decade.
The return to in-person movie theaters was a welcomed one. With the most unlikely crossover successes, films like “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” made alliances, both to their commercial benefits. Even in the animation world, films like “Elemental” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” dazzled viewers from around the world.
Now, here’s what the Arts & Entertainment staff have to say about this summer’s most sensational films.
“Barbie”
This year is for the girls. For what feels like the first time, the market takes media and entertainment enjoyed by women seriously. Taylor Swift’s “The Eras Tour” is revving up to become the highest-grossing tour of all time, surpassing Elton John’s “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” tour. However, Swift is not the only blonde currently taking the world by storm. Gerwig’s “Barbie” has captured the essence of womanhood, the hypocrisy of the patriarchy and the power of female solidarity — oh, and she looked good doing it.
As expected by Gerwig’s previous artistic endeavors, including “Lady Bird” (2017) and “Little Women” (2019), “Barbie” is anything but lighthearted. Although the movie is based on a children’s toy, it dissects themes of feminism, self-love, patriarchy and motherhood. “Barbie” balances these heavy topics with a lively soundtrack, plentiful humor and a humorous trip to the gynecologist.
The movie centers on the idea that Barbie (Margot Robbie) has never experienced the hardship or insecurity rampant in patriarchal society. As Barbie exits Dreamland and travels to the Real World, she quickly realizes that life as a woman is not as flawless as it seems. When reality forces Barbie to reconcile with the fact that women are not the president, highly-revered intellectuals and the entire Supreme Court, the audience, too, is forced to reconcile with the jarring inequality of our modern society.
Alongside Robbie, Ryan Gosling plays Ken, and America Ferrera plays a normal mom named Gloria. In my opinion, Gosling’s rendition of Ken is truly Oscar-worthy. Dressed in a ridiculous fur coat and sunglasses, he delivers one of the greatest musical performances in cinematic history: the anthemic “I’m Just Ken.” Kate McKinnon executes her character, Weird Barbie, with the same charisma and quirk of her many “Saturday Night Live” appearances. Finally, Ferrera perfectly encapsulates Gloria’s frustration of being an ordinary woman.
“Barbie” is a must-see film, and not only for women. The movie is a political statement, but it is also an amazing watch with a stellar cast and a standout soundtrack. There is laughter, there are tears, and above all, there is lots and lots of pink.
— Catherine Goodman, Staff Writer
“Oppenheimer” is a must-see film from the summer of 2023. It has everything you would expect from Director Christopher Nolan: multiple converging plot lines from different periods, fast editing, jarring cuts and, of course, white male actors galore.
But perhaps what is most impressive is the amount of suspense Nolan is able to build in a film about theoretical physics. “Oppenheimer” builds tension without any fight scenes or action, but rather, with clashes of personalities between the scientists, the government’s distrust of J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy) and the ever-present external pressure of the Nazis acquiring an atomic bomb. Through his excellent portrayal of Oppenheimer, Murphy portrays the pressure of leading the Manhattan Project. The genius of his acting lies in the subtleties since his character is not the most ostentatious of men.
In fact, the acting in “Oppenheimer” is both the film’s greatest strength and weakness. Because of the sheer number of great actors, not everyone can have the spotlight for long. I wish Florence Pugh’s Jean Tatlock had more screen time, as she shines in her few scenes . Emily Blunt also excels as Kitty Oppenheimer, giving one of the most emotional and heroic performances in the film as the only person who stands up for J. Robert Oppenheimer in the face of disgrace. The most underrated performance, in my opinion, is Jason Clarke as Roger Robb: his relentless grilling of J. Robert Oppenheimer during the scientist’s trial for security clearance is both frightening and electric — Clarke makes me feel the smothering, interrogational treatment endured by the main character.
— Samuel Bartlett, Staff Writer
“We’re theater people. We know how to turn cardboard into gold.”
Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman’s “Theatre Camp” is the severely underrated beating heart of this past summer’s film lineup. A refreshingly comedic take on the mockumentary form, the film featuring the efforts of an eccentric group of young theater hopefuls to salvage their big summer production and save their camp will have you both howling and bawling — perhaps simultaneously.
Gordon and Ben Platt’s performances as toxic twin flames give fuel to an already burning fire of passion led by strong performances of its ensemble of child actors. Not only are they sassy, sarcastic and brimming with personality, but these kids are talented as hell! The film stays true to the home-grown tone it works to develop, never straying from the core of its message, which is the people behind the magic of humble showbusiness: overwhelmed and overworked, but endlessly devoted to each other and to a love for the craft.
“Theater Camp” might be the niche portrait of the theater education’s underbelly that former theater kids crave, but it is also an accessible slice-of-life film about the power of an ever-insistent love for performance and of one another. Queer, weird and unapologetically unconventional, this movie is just the flick to warm your heart in a sea of real-world shortcomings.
— Nathan Rubin, Film & TV Desk
Beautifully and colorfully crafted, Pixar’s brand-new animated film “Elemental” was a sweet and touching must-see spectacle from this past summer.
In the alluring Elemental City, the endearing lead characters, Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie) and Ember Lumen (Leah Lewis), fall in love. Wade is a jolly, incredibly emotional and empathetic guy from a well-established Water Element family in the city. Conversely, Ember is a fierce girl with a soft heart and great devotion to her immigrant parents from Fireland, the homeland of the Fire Elements. Both characters have incredibly cute smiles and attractive voices.
Ember and her family’s stories and experiences allude to the experiences of first-generation immigrant families in the United States. This makes the movie remarkably touching for many viewers with similar experiences, including myself and the film’s New York City native Korean-American director, Peter Sohn. Fun fact: Sohn is the visual inspiration for Russell’s character in Pixar’s “Up” (2009). The conflicts that Ember grapples with between her dreams and her parents’ expectations also speak to the generational clash that the film’s younger audience may experience today.
However, the emotional elements of the film appear to have been hit-or-miss for audiences from different cultural backgrounds, considering the film’s not-so-high American box office sales initially. Nonetheless, the producers of “Elemental” seem to have embarked on a worthwhile storytelling challenge for all those invested in Ember and Wade’s heartfelt journey. Personally, I had tears running down my cheeks seven times throughout the movie. The detailed and colorful design of Elemental City will entertain your eyes; the artists turn water drops and bodies, air clumps and wind blows, and flames and smokes into delightful talking characters with feelings.
— Ellen Choi, Contributing Writer
“Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3”
James Gunn’s “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” brings a resounding conclusion to the beloved Marvel Cinematic Universe franchise. Gunn expands on one of the core elements of being a human: finding and belonging to a family. Of course, the highlight is the heart-wrenching story of Rocket Raccoon, voiced by Bradley Cooper. Rocket’s character arc might just be the best one in the franchise’s history. The layers of his once enigmatic and snarky personality unfold in a profound manner, driven by his past traumas and profound loss.
Chukwudi Iwuji’s performance as the High Evolutionary, the villainous creator who exploits and tortures creatures, is another masterpiece. Marvel Studios deftly crafted a compelling sociopathic villain, with his ideologies and emotions meticulously juxtaposed against Rocket’s journey. This stark contrast emphasizes their rivalry’s importance which stems from Rocket’s traumatic upbringing.
The Guardians of the Galaxy, known for their sharp wit, undertake a transformative journey that culminates in a poetic full circle. They embrace their individual quirks and differences, building up to a heartwarming realization that, despite their misfit nature, their unity forms an unbreakable bond: a chosen family that complements and uplifts one another.
— Yashonandan Kakrania, Senior Staff Writer
“Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One”
The narrative structure of Christopher McQuarrie’s “Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” is emblematic of Hollywood’s laziness when it comes to action film writing. The arc of the story is almost entirely predictable: a series of ups and downs where the protagonist’s success is not clear, followed by a momentous climax of action and achievement that leaves just enough unresolved tension for the next high-budget flick of the same nature.
This blueprint exists for so many of the industry’s poster children — Jason Bourne, Indiana Jones, James Bond — and it has been recreated so often that the storyline becomes natural, almost expected. The film industry is content to remain within this paradigm because it comforts audiences, tells them to focus on the stunts, chases and fights and not to worry about the underlying reality of patriarchal individualism it reinforces. This is a reality in which Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) — whose drive for doing the right thing can eclipse all threats, setbacks and injuries he encounters — is the last hope for humanity and where the female characters, however strong they are presented to be, exist simply to buttress his image as a savior.
“Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” is a shiny, action-packed veneer over a backdrop laden with conservatism. It idolizes a narrow sense of masculinity, leaving little room for nuance or profundity. Regardless of how tongue-in-cheek its audience perceive it, the message the movie conveys is that a single man is a true hero for a world on the brink of collapse — an ideology that has plagued American politics and confines women to the sidelines (in this case, to the arms of Cruise on a crashing train). Scariest of all, it is a narrative told so often that viewers take it for truth.
— Carson Kindred, Contributing Writer
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse”
The sky-high reviews and your Marvel-obsessed friend are not lying: “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” is the must-see movie of the summer. Even with the near-impossible precedent set by “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018) to live up to, the second installment of the “Spider-Verse Saga” is equally exciting and every bit as electrifying, and not just because Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) has gotten the hang of his shock powers.
As new and old characters swing into the story, Miles slings his way through a kaleidoscope of colors and shifting animation styles that visually astonish and emotionally engage the audience. The film delves deeper into themes like responsibility and coming-of-age introduced in the original, exploring the implications of the idea that closed the first film: “Anyone Can Wear The Mask.”
The fourth-wall-breaking, comic-style humor and quirkiness infuse the second chapter of Miles’ story with fresh vigor as he discovers a multiverse of Spider-people, all struggling to manage their relationships while weaving through their personal and superhero identities. The plot also focuses on Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld)’s origin story, emphasizing the complexity of the heroine’s life with its dazzling conglomeration of colors and characters, and offers a plethora of other twists unseen in the classic Spiderman tale that leave viewers desperate for more.
— Erin Devine, Contributing Writer
