There are fewer people going to see movies in theaters. Some of that is due to changing viewing habits. There are more choices, endless choices it seems, to stream on TV. It’s also true that many films are marketed as Big Blockbuster Entertainment…and fail to deliver much entertainment. If you’re looking for a movie that’s definitely worth your time and money, there are lots of choices available at your local theater. What are you looking for in a film? Let me guide you.
Summer movies are designed to please families. This year we’ve had two animated films that were remade into live-action movies. Both Lilo & Stitch and How to Train Your Dragon are charming. I prefer the animated versions of both. Dragon does feature some amazing flight sequences and gorgeous settings. I’m surprised that families haven’t turned out for Elio. The latest Pixar animated film has a great premise and some really fun sequences. A tale of a depressed misfit child seeking acceptance in the oddest of places, outer space, perhaps was too “out there”, maybe too Sci-Fi for some families?
Family film recommendations: Try Elio, it’s fun on the big screen. Better yet, find a theater screening Wild Robot as a family summer matinee. I’m still in awe of that movie.
I love a film that subverts expectations. The Materialists was marketed as a rom-com. If you loved the director, Celine Song’s first film, Past Lives, you know to expect more. She flips that romance trope of the plucky heroine finding true love with her seemingly unattainable prince. The Materialists presents three beautiful people who are also flawed. Dakota Johnson’s character, the jaded NYC matchmaker, openly admits that she’s chasing wealth, not love. Her last love, played with rumpled ease by Chris Evans, was poor and she sees that as a character flaw.
Pedro Pascal’s character swans into the room and is immediately taken with Lucy. He’s wealthy, charming and disarmingly open. They have great chemistry and, since Lucy doesn’t see him as a potential love interest, she reveals her true self. When a crisis arises for a potential match Lucy orchestrated, it’s not her new beaux that Lucy calls. She clearly has feelings for ex-boyfriend still and trusts him with her feelings of failure and helplessness. The story sets up a fairytale world of privilege and contrasts that with the harsh reality of living with roommates and struggling to achieve your goals.
The Materialists isn’t a perfect movie. There are moments that I felt missed emotional depth and that’s sharply contrasted by the character played by Zoë Winters. She channels a fury and anguish that are missing from the more serviceable but surface performances from the male leads. Though the film has a romantic ending that rings false, it’s refreshing to hear frank talk about relationships and expectations. It’s nice to have a thinking person’s romance. While I preferred the French romance, Jane Austen Wrecked My Life, this film has big stars which enabled it to last longer in cinemas.
Romance recommendation: The Materialists to open a dialogue about how awful dating can be. We want to support a talented female director creating thought-provoking films that we want/need and to show studios that there’s an audience for them. If you want a smart, funny romance, stream Jane Austen Wrecked My Life.
For some people, the only time they’ll splurge on a movie in a theater is if it’s an action movie. Sadly, so many of those films are also sequels. The latest Mission Impossible movie was packed with death-defying feats but seemed intent on beating up Tom Cruise. The latest Jurassic Park looks like it’s also full of amazing dinosaur sequences. Both films seem to have sketched out a story and left character development out. No wonder an original film like Minecraft did so well at the box office. Even Thunderbolts which is in the Avengers universe, put some work into the characters and story. It made it feel fresh and vibrant, until the action scenes grew tired.
The action film to see is F1: The Movie. Do I know anything about car racing? No. Do I fancy cars or speed tracks? No. Did I go just to see Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem? You betcha! Am I glad I spent my hard-earned dollars on a loud, fast-paced action movie? Absolutely. I was gripping the edge of my seat during the race sequences. The soundtrack (Hans Zimmer) and cinematography (Claudio Miranda) really do put you inside the action. I cared for the characters. It was a perfect fit to cast Brad Pitt as the washed-up racer with a gambling problem. There were female characters who were more than eye candy, they actual had story beats. Kerry Condon is particularly great in it.
The young actor who plays the upstart driver, Damson Idris, shares a similar name to another famous British actor with a similar roguish charm, Idris Alba. Damson Idris holds his own with Brad Pitt and is given his own narrative arc. This isn’t a film that focuses solely on one character and it’s better for it. It feels like a team effort that uplifted everyone involved. Plus, it was a blast. I left dancing to the end credits song, Drive (Ed Sheeran w/Foo Fighters).
Action Film recommendation: F1: The Movie isn’t for young children. Directed by Joseph Kosinski from a screenplay by Ehren Kruger with a story written by the two. F1 was produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. All three previously worked together on Top Gun: Maverick (2022).
Finally, one film that I recommend for the Indie fans. The Life of Chuck stars Tom Hiddleston, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mia Sara, Carl Lumbly, Benjamin Pajak, Jacob Tremblay, and Mark Hamill, with narration by Nick Offerman. It clearly had a bigger budget than an Independent film normally would but it’s offbeat nature and under-the-radar marketing make it feel like a small film. Neon is distributing the movie, but it opened small and few people seem to have heard of it. Based on a Stephen King novella, the film is told in reverse order and features a dystopian story. For some audiences this will feel off-putting, though it won the Audience Favorite prize at the Toronto Film Festival. I found it uplifting and life-affirming with some charming moments that stuck with me long after leaving my local art-house cinema (shout out to Bryn Mawr Film Institute). It’s still screening and is worth your time to seek it out.
Indie film recommendation: The Life of Chuck, worth it for the dance sequence alone!
Drinks with films 