8 Films to Catch up on From Summer 2024

Onto Fall Festival Season!

Summer 2024 has been an interesting one, to say the least! My wife and I underwent a move to a new state so a decent chunk of my summer has been spent packing, unpacking, and everyone’s favorite - building furniture.

While I have had time to see many summer films, I haven’t had near as much time to write about them as I usually would.

Since Labor Day marks the end of the summer movie season & we are now (somewhat) settled, I wanted to highlight some of the best films of the summer that I haven’t had a chance to mention yet on the site.

Of course, I have already written about “Furiosa”, “Hit Man”, “The Fall Guy”, and “Inside Out 2” so this list will by no means be a definitive list of my favorites from the summer. Instead, it will be a way to highlight some things you may have missed that were great.

My cutoff for this list were films I rated above 3.5 stars from the summer, so there are some films (“Trap”, “Maxxxine”, & “IF”) that I thought were okay, but not good enough to be mentioned. Then there were many from the summer that were complete duds & didn’t even get considered (“Blink Twice”, “It Ends with Us”, “The Instigators”, “Deadpool & Wolverine”, “Fly Me to the Moon”, “Despicable Me 4”, “MoviePass, MovieCrash”, and “A Family Affair” just to name a few).

Why? Because Wild About Film is all about celebrating great films. If something isn’t great, sure, I will warn you not to waste your time on it but I never want to spend substantial amount of time trashing something that someone else loves. Movies are subjective. One mans trash is another mans treasure.

I am a strong advocate that the best way to enjoy cinema more is to watch great films. So here are some great ones I watched this summer:

Sing Sing (Directed by Greg Kwedar)

What the film is about - “Imprisoned for a crime he didn't commit, Divine G finds purpose by acting in a theatre group alongside other incarcerated men, including a wary newcomer.”

My thoughts - Theater, there is nothing like it. 

It stirs the soul & takes you to places you never thought attainable. It brings beauty and authenticity to every space it inhabits. It can even remind us of our own humanity. 

You form bonds you never thought possible & explore parts of yourself you didn’t know existed. 

It can change lives & save lives, but it can also just get you through a hard day. 

“Sing Sing” is not just one of the best movies of 2024, but one of the best movies of the 2020s.

There is a rawness in the performances, storytelling, and the direction that takes “Sing Sing” from the gimicky production that it could have been to the special film that it is. In fact, in hands that didn’t care about the heart of the story or the people involved so much, this could have been a colossal miss.

Thankfully, Greg Kwedar and the village of participants in the real-life events helped turn “Sing Sing” into what it is - a beautiful testament to the power of art. The power it has to change, to bond, to remind, and even to alter the course of our lives.

Rating - 4.5/5

Where to watch - In theaters now

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Adam Sandler: Love You (Directed by Josh Safdie)

What the film is about - “Adam Sandler hits the stage with songs, jokes, party-crashing dogs and plenty of love.”

My thoughts - Comedy specials have become quite commoditized with the advent of Netflix. If you wanted to fire up a new stand up special every week, you probably could. In a world where streamers are look for cheap content, a comedy special is a sure fire way to get a decent ROI on a small investment.

This has been great for comedians, but confusing for audiences. It used to be that only the biggest names with their best material would get a special. Now, as long as you are a somewhat popular comedian or were once a popular comedian, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a home for your special.

All that to say, audiences have gotten quite used to poor comedy specials. Often, I will put one on in the background while writing or doing something else. Maybe a few times throughout the hour, my attention will be averted to paying 100% attention to the special. Otherwise, they are nothing more than background noise.

Saturday morning, I fired up Adam Sandler’s latest special with the same intention as normal. About 10 minutes in, I completely shut down my laptop and became fully fixated. Not sure that I have laughed at a special that much since the early John Mulaney ones.

The special moves at a breakneck pace through different sets and songs that span many topics, genre, and tone. It all culminates in something you least expect in a comedy special - a tear-jerking moment.

The comedy itself is what you come for in a special like this, but the reunion of Adam Sandler with director Josh Safdie should not be overlooked. Safdie infuses the special with distinct choices that make it look and feel unlike every other special on Netflix. The whole thing gives you the feeling that you’re at the venue for the show - from the mic heavy room to the grainy picture to the random interruptions intros/outros. The types of artistic flare and choice you rarely see in something like this.

It won’t be for everyone, but if you are even remotely interested or enjoy musical comedy, it is worth a watch.

Rating - 4/5

Where to watch - Netflix

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Good One (Directed by India Donaldson)

What the film is about - “During a weekend backpacking trip in the Catskills, 17-year-old Sam navigates the clash of egos between her father and his oldest friend.”

My thoughts - Set against the backdrop of the Catskill mountains, “Good One” first presents itself as your typical coming of age tale.

Very quickly though our expectations are subverted. The youngest member of the group is far more mature than her age suggests. In fact, she may actually be the most mature of the whole group. 

While this all unravels, there is a sense of impeding danger that hangs over the whole film. Whether it is the score or the events on screen, the tone grips your heart in ways not many films do. At times it is so extreme that you almost just want to get it over with so you can relax once again. 

The film of course shows the turn, but it is much more interested in what comes after. As characters start to process this moment, it all unfolds in a simply poetic way. The breadcrumbs that have been laid throughout the film all start piling up in your head. One of the best third acts I have seen in quite some time.

It is as quiet & nuanced as the mountains themselves, but also just as revelatory. 

Rating - 3.5/5

Where to watch - In theaters (hopefully on VOD soon)

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Alien: Romulus (Directed by Fede Alvarez)

What the film is about - “Space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life-form in the universe while scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station.”

My thoughts - Fun time at the movies! Doesn’t have the thematic depth I always hope for in an Alien movie & has some really lame callbacks to the original films, but sometimes that’s okay when you’ve got Xenomorphs wrecking havoc & a third (fourth?) act that is absolutely bananas.

Cailee Spaeny continues building herself one heck of a resume up to this point. “Priscilla”, “Civil War”, and now “Alien: Romulus” is one heck of a run. Not bad for 26 years old!

Rating - 3.5/5

Where to watch - In theaters now

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Dìdi (Directed by Sean Wang)

What the film is about - “A 13-year-old Taiwanese American boy discovers skating, flirting, & the true essence of love beyond his family's teachings.”

My thoughts - “Dìdi” is a remarkable portrait of adolescence in 2008 told only as a member of Gen Z could tell it. From capturing messaging friends to growing up with YouTube and Facebook, there is so much in “Dìdi” that will allow many to reminisce on that time. As warm as it all is, there is an uncompromising nature as well to that era - no revisionist history around how people talked or acted, whether that was right or wrong. Loved the essence of the film & can’t wait to watch Sean for years to come.

As a member of Gen Z myself, I have loved watching my generation get the opportunity to make films about our experiences growing up and navigating the world. Cooper Raiff broke through a few years & now we have Sean Wang.

Rating - 3.5/5

Where to watch - In theaters & coming tomorrow to VOD

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Twisters (Directed by Lee Isaac Chung)

What the film is about - “Kate Carter, a retired tornado-chaser and meteorologist, is persuaded to return to Oklahoma to work with a new team and new technologies.”

My thoughts - There is a moment in Twisters that takes place in a guest bedroom. For just a split second, in the background, we see an exercise bike being used to hang clothes. That’s the kind of attention to detail & realism I expect in films.

“Twisters” is everything I hoped it would be. A fun summer blockbuster that didn’t try to remake the original, but instead leaned into the talented cast & filmmaker behind the camera.

Aside from Glen Powell absolutely stealing the show (as we have come to expect), my favorite moment was a shot from inside of a movie theater. A tornado rips the back of the theater open & you can see the tornado framed perfectly on the theater screen. Just absolute chefs kiss to Lee Isaac Chung for that one.

If that isn’t enough, he also sprinkles in some meta commentary about the storm that is attacking the theatrical industry right now (streaming). As characters run into the theater, one yells, “The theater will never be able to withstand what is coming”.

I mean how can you not love this movie?

Rating - 3.5/5

Where to watch - In theaters & on VOD

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Strange Darling (Directed by JT Mollner)

What the film is about - “A twisted one-night stand spirals into a serial killer's vicious murder spree.”

My thoughts - This wasn’t even on my radar a few weeks ago & now it’s one of my favorites of the year. 

Performances, script, structure, and craft all knocked my socks off. It is the kind of movie that is honestly impossible to write about without saying too much. If this kind of film interests you, go see it. Don’t read anything about it & don’t even watch a trailer. Just go in as blind as you can. Not because there is some twist that will stop you in your tracks, but because it will just be a more fun if you know as little as possible.

Rating - 4/5

Where to watch - In theaters

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Daughters (Directed by Angela Patton & Natalie Rae)

What the film is about - “Four young girls prepare for a special Daddy Daughter Dance with their incarcerated fathers, as part of a unique fatherhood program in a Washington, D.C., jail.”

My thoughts (from Sundance back in January) - Documentaries are at their best when they shed a light on a problem or event & dive deep into it with meaningful intent. So many docs these days focus on the first part while forgetting the latter. Daughters does both remarkably well. The best documentaries though take it one step further to offer a solution, which Daughters doesn’t shy away from. 

The film is just as emotional as you can imagine, if not more so. The filmmakers don’t get in the way of things or try to draw conclusions that aren’t there. They simply shine a light on the young girls that are impacted by their fathers actions. So munch intention is put into highlighting all sides of the subject matter - the perspective of the fathers, the perspective of the daughters, and the perspective of the mothers.

One of the most eye opening documentaries I have ever seen, but more importantly, one that I think will spark some serious positive change.

Rating - 4/5

How to watch - Streaming on Netflix

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That is all for now! Now that things are settled, you can expect me in your inbox a little more regularly.

As always, enjoy some great films until next time!
Aaron Nolan