The Only Movies I Care About This Summer
You remember movies? In a real-ass theater?
Even though it’s 2023 and the pandemic pretty much torpedoed the movie theater industry, Memorial Day weekend doesn’t just kick off movies for me, but blockbuster season. I think about getting myself to the movies the same way healthy people think about getting to the gym. ‘Aw man, I gotta get my butt in a seat!’ I think, every couple weeks. That is to say, I barely make it anymore, but when I do, I resolve to do it all the time.
I saw Air last month, and though I know it just came to Prime, I’m not mad I shelled out $10 to see it (yes, $10! That’s the matinee discount because I could see movies post preschool drop-off). It was the first movie I saw in the theater in 2023, which is both sad for past me1 and extremely exciting for present me. I GASPED at the dumbest trailers (sorry to those Transformers) and said aloud “Ooh that looks good” to the empty seats next to me (a morning movie is good for that).
Seeing Air revved my engine for Summer movies; once upon a time, I had to create monster slideshows for Summer movie previews, and they gave me great energy—thinking about the new-new, making my plans to see the movies I was most excited about. This is like that, only instead of being a mega slideshow, I am bringing you the handful of movies I’m actually excited for—ones I will pay real money to see! On this note, does anyone belong to a movie club/theater membership they like? I had a MoviePass before they imploded (but they’re back now?) and have been considering AMC Stubs and Cinemark Movie Club. Are they worth it?
OK, here we go now: the five movies I’m actually looking forward to seeing this Summer.2
The Barbie movie
Oh, I’ve been a Barbie girl since I could breathe oxygen, and I will not be missing the live-action comedy with Margot Robbie. I’ve not yet seen a Greta Gerwig joint I haven’t liked (lol there are two), Ryan Gosling is there (dependable, delivering, blond), and the production design is giving candy and ‘90s tampon commercials. Out July 21.
Joy Ride
In my embarrassing series of overreactions to the trailers that played before Air (I wasn’t embarrassed, but one should be), this is the one I genuinely wanted to see. I LOLed for real, real good and loud. If you haven’t heard of it, watch the red band trailer. It’s funny, it’s fresh, it has that girl from Emily in Paris who showed up in Beef3! Out July 7.
You Hurt My Feelings
More people should know about Nicole Holofcener, but whatever. She directed Friends With Money and Enough Said, which I like to think of as mature lady movies. The sublime JLD stars in You Hurt My Feelings as a writer whose life and marriage are rocked. With grown-up problems, smirky smirks and I assume, warm, gorgeous interiors that will make me extremely jealous. Also costars the low-key hottest guy on Succession, Arian Moayad. Out this weekend!
Book Club 2
I actually couldn’t get past the first 20 minutes of Book Club 1 when it came out in 2018. I was in a different place! Now, the golden girls going to Italy for sexy senior shenanigans is exactly what I need. If my mom and sisters see this without me I will burn something down. Out now!
Problemista
I watched Julio Torres’s My Favorite Shapes special back in 2019 and have loved him ever since (especially when his sexy selfie showed up on the Harry Styles episode of SNL. Real ones remember!). Now it’s him, Tilda Swinton (a national treasure, and when she deigns to be in a comedy… no words!), and a modern immigrant story. Yes plz. Out August 4, allegedly.
On the fence about…
The Little Mermaid (my fave Disney cartoon but I haven’t really liked one Disney live-action remake), No Hard Feelings (will def watch this when it’s streaming, but won’t pay to see it in a theater), Asteroid City (Schwartzman is looking GOOD but I can wait), and The Flash (keep forgetting this was not canceled).
One year at POPSUGAR, I saw over 50 movies in a theater. I thought it coulda been higher!
Will I actually see all these? Outlook not great!
You go, Ashley Park.