From the numerous Cillian Murphy memes to everyone wearing pink in theaters, the summer of 2023 saw a revival in the traditional summer movie season, an experience we haven’t seen since before the COVID-19 pandemic. Without further ado, here are the top five summer movies for you to catch up on if you haven’t yet:
5. Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
Although this movie did not come out during summer break, this list is incomplete without it. The film centers around the Guardians one final time as they embark on a mission to save one of their own, Rocket (Bradley Cooper), from losing his life. Along the way, they learn shocking revelations about Rocket’s troubling past with the High Evolutionary (Chukwudi Iwuji), the main villain who aspires to create the perfect society using different animals, among those was Rocket. This film is a fitting end to the Guardians era and incorporates a bit of everything: drama, great comedic timing, tender, heart-warming scenes and plenty of action. It wouldn’t be a Guardians movie without its killer throwback Peter Quill playlist. The movie ends perfectly with the song “Dog Days Are Over” by Florence and the Machine, a testament to how good times must come to an end. The ending came at such an emotional time for many, with graduation and the end of the school year, and captivates a send-off to a trilogy that spanned eight years a well-deserving send-off.
4. Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning, Part One
After years of delayed production due to the pandemic, the seven-installment of the Mission Impossible film series was released eagerly and did not disappoint. “Dead Reckoning” is believed to be the final movie of the series, which is split into two parts, with the second part set to release in June 2024. The movie includes all the right amount of action and drama you would expect from a Mission Impossible movie and leaves viewers with a satisfying, yet suspenseful ending. The 61-year-old Tom Cruise proves he is not done with captivating audiences with his death-defying stunts, as he recklessly drives through the streets of Italy in a beetle car and his infamous jump off a cliff while riding a motorcycle and parachuting onto a moving train. This movie is perfect if you want a thrilling movie that will make you twist and turn in your seat.
3. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” hits on all levels. This animated film exceeded expectations as the sequel to “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” (2018). “Into the Spider-Verse” introduces audiences to a unique animation style that other animated films could not compare to. “Across the Spider-Verse” expands on this animation and illustrates the movie in the most enthralling way possible. Most of the movie introduces the broader Spider-Verse beyond the other Spider-men in the first movie and what makes a Spider-man Spider-man. The movie builds on plots and events in the previous installment, such as the villain’s story arc. The plot portrays immense character development for Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) from beginning to end, showing a different side to the Spider-Man character we all know of. The film’s soundtrack gets better and better with each song, including artists Dominic Fike and Metro Boomin firing on all cylinders. The soundtrack perfectly matches the scenes and fits with the moment, such as the upbeat “Mona Lisa” by Fike playing in the background when Morales and Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld) were swinging through the streets of NYC. The plot can be slow for some viewers, as the central conflict comes near the end, but it leaves all wondering what’s next in the final installment, “Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.”
2. Oppenheimer
If you enjoy science and history, “Oppenheimer” is the movie for you. The movie revolves around scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who is known as the father of the atomic bomb. It portrays his upbringing as a physics student in Cambridge, all the way to the development and aftermath of the atomic bomb and how it changed not only his ideals but society as a whole. The three-hour movie is split into two halves, the first describing how Oppenheimer became a great nuclear physicist and how he and the Manhattan Project designed the atomic bomb, and the latter half depicts the moral side of the atomic bomb and how Oppenheimer’s career was tarnished. The cinematography is the best of all the films in 2023. The director, Christopher Nolan, used no CGI throughout the film, and the film was shot through IMAX 70mm film cameras. The film can feel fast and slow simultaneously, and many details are only described once. If you do not understand the context and history of the movie, then it is recommended you catch up, or else the film will seem confusing.
1. Barbie
As the most hyped-up movie of 2023, Barbie deserves to be number one on this list. No film has received the much attention it did in a long time, and it lived up to its hype. Despite the movie releasing the same day as Oppenheimer, Barbie made $155 million in the opening weekend and topped number one worldwide in box office sales. The film also brought in an A-list of cast members, with Margot Robbie starring as stereotypical Barbie, and Ryan Gosling as Beach Ken. In addition, three songs from the soundtrack hit the Billboard Top 10, a phenomenon a movie has never seen. Although Barbie seems like a childish issue, the film focuses on a serious tone of growing up and how life isn’t as sweet as Barbieland. It tackles societal issues such as gender norms and sexism and is quite emotional. The film’s message resonates with all audiences, not just women. Overall, there is something for everyone in Barbie.
In conclusion, this summer proved to be a revival of the summer season of movies. With the SAG-AFTRA strike still lingering, many wonder whether 2024 will prove the same. The only thing we can do is wait and see and also catch up on what made this summer special.
