Eddington, Superman, & Happy Gilmore 2
Summer blockbuster season is coming to a close
Before we jump into some of the big July releases, lets start with a little PSA about some of the blockbusters from this summer.
Most of them weren’t very good.
In fact, most of them aren’t even worth your time!
That shouldn’t be shocking for those who have been around here for quite some time. The summer is great at giving us fun, popcorn movies but not so great at giving us quality cinema.
Now, to be fair, there have been some good blockbusters this summer that we have already covered such as Thunderbolts, Friendship, F1, Materialists, and 28 Years Later.
But there is plenty that you should actively avoid such as:
Fantastic Four: First Steps
Lilo & Stitch
Heads of State
M3GAN 2.0
Jurassic World Rebirth
Elio
Hurry Up Tomorrow
Another Simple Favor
Summer of 69
Ballerina
Sooo yeah… that is a decent number of films to avoid.
Alright, enough pessimism! Let’s celebrate the great movies (or at least the movies that are interesting to talk about).
Eddington (Directed by Ari Aster)
Plot - “During the COVID-19 pandemic, a standoff between a small-town sheriff and mayor sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, N.M.”
Noteworthy Cast - Pedro Pascal, Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Austin Butler, and Luke Grimes
My thoughts - Everyone’s brains broke in 2020.
It set the USA on a new trajectory. One you can argue we were already heading towards, but the extreme isolation did nothing but pour gasoline on the fire.
We lost the ability to feel empathy for others. We lost the ability to see others as human beings and not avatars on a screen. It changed the way young people make friends. It changed the way people get their news. We got really good at yelling at each other about our problems without trying to fix them.
While we spend all of our time arguing about things that don’t matter, we miss the big & obvious threats to our society. Threats that sink their teeth deeper into us every passing year. Threats that are so good at distracting us, making us hate one another, & spurring violence that we don’t even think to address the root of the problem.
I mean why care about a data center being built when the culture wars are right in front of you, right?
I have a hunch that this one is going to age extremely well decades from now. In fact, this may go down as one of the definitive movies of the 2020s
Rating - 4/5
How to watch - Currently in movie theaters
Superman (Directed by James Gunn)
Plot - “When Superman gets drawn into conflicts at home and abroad, his actions are questioned, giving tech billionaire Lex Luthor the opportunity to get the Man of Steel out of the way for good.”
Noteworthy Cast - David Corenswet, Rachel Brosnahan, Nicholas Hoult, Nathan Fillion, Isabela Merced and Bradley Cooper
My thoughts - “A two hour Saturday morning cartoon” is probably the best characterization I’ve heard so far of the film. The Gunn humor may seem like a bug to someone like me who isn’t a fan of it, but it’s very much a feature of what kind of movie Gunn is going for here.
Loved how this version brings Superman up to modern times with his relationship to emotions & his standing in the world. I think the best part about this though is that it allows Louis to feel more like a real person. She spends most of her time being helpful here and not helpless. In fact, she has it more together than Superman does.
The film is at its best when it is the most grounded. The Metropolis stuff is great & feels like a real place. Every moment between Corenswet & Brosnahan is electric. The few quiet moments they get alone are the best of the film. The chemistry is there & it’s in that chemistry that their humanity shines through.
The problem is that James Gunn can only stay grounded for so long before we start venturing into a CGI mess of a “pocket universe” in act 2. If the whole thing felt as grounded as act 1, there could have been something really specially here.
It also leans way too much in trying to set up future DC projects that it detracts from the magic that is happening between Superman, Lane, & Luther. We didn’t need all these extra heroes that pop up throughout & ultimately take you out of the “Superman” of it all. This is a Superman movie after all! When did a contained movie become such a bad thing?
Finally, Krypto being in the movie was fun, but it led to some incredibly lazy screenwriting by Gunn. Almost every time Superman was in a pickle that you weren’t sure he would get out of, he would whistle & Krypto would come in and save the day. That may be cool once, but doing it three or four times was just really lazy writing.
As many quips as I have, the casting of Corenswet, Brosnahan, and Hoult was far too perfect to not make parts of this really great. Even if it’s far from perfect, there is enough to applaud. Just as you would when a Saturday morning cartoon ended. Then you would go about your day and never think about it again.
Rating - 3/5
How to watch - Currently in movie theaters
Happy Gilmore 2 (Directed by Kyle Newacheck)
Plot - “Gilmore returns to the sport of golf since his retirement after winning his first Tour Championship, to finance his daughter's ballet classes.”
Noteworthy Cast - Adam Sandler, Bad Bunny, Margaret Qualley, Christopher McDonald, and Ben Stiller
My thoughts - Not sure that I’ve ever seen a sequel include so much footage from the original movie. They really went out of their way to make sure everyone recognized each minor callback, which got old pretty quick.
Also why was the first act was so melodramatic? And why was the third act so zany? The second act was pretty great though. It felt the most like the original film. I just wish more of the film had that tone.
All that said, the constant cameos are enough to put a smile on anyone’s face. Casting Will Zalatoris as Gilmore’s grown up caddy from the first film is legendary stuff. Especially after golf Twitter has joked for years about how much Zalatoris looks like the kid from the original film. Plus, I’m always a sucker for a good Scottie Scheffler prison joke or a Rickie Fowler cameo.
Was this good? Not at all. But honestly, this could have been much much worse & I’m really glad it’s not.
I may forget about it the second I finish typing this, but at least it was a sort of entertaining two hours.
Rating - 2.5/5
How to watch - Streaming on Netflix
Anytime Luca Guadagnino releases a new movie, it is a big deal around here at Wild About Film. His 2024 tennis romance “Challengers” was the #3 film on my best of 2024 list & his 2022 film “Bones & All” was the #5 film on my best of 2022 list.
Not to even mention that his forthcoming “After the Hunt” is one of my most anticipated films for the remainder of the year.
Well, we finally know what Luca will be directing next & it is not only a buzzy cast but also a buzzy subject matter.
The movie is titled “Artificial” and is being described as a comedy-drama about the few days between Sam Altman’s firing and re-hiring as OpenAI’s CEO in November 2023.
Andrew Garfield is attached to play Sam Altman, Yura Borisov (last seen in “Anora”) is set to play OpenAI co-founder Ilya Sutskever, and Ike Barinholtz (recently seen in The Studio) is rumored to be playing Elon Musk. Monica Barbaro (recently seen in “A Complete Unknown”) is also set to star in the film.
The film is set to shoot later this year & release in 2026.
Look, you are probably thinking what I am thinking.
We are already making a movie about this?
Is this even worthy of getting a whole movie?
As much as those questions are dominating my thinking about the film, Luca Guadagnino’s track record suggests we should give him the benefit of the doubt on this one.
I guess best case maybe this can be “The Social Network” for Artificial Intelligence? I mean Andrew Garfield is in this too!
Maybe my hopes are too high, but with the loaded cast & talented director at the helm, I am intrigued!
See all previous Retro Recommendations here.
Do The Right Thing (Directed by Spike Lee)
Premise - “Salvatore "Sal" Fragione is the Italian owner of a pizzeria in Brooklyn. A neighborhood local, Buggin' Out, becomes upset when he sees that the pizzeria's Wall of Fame exhibits only Italian actors.
Noteworthy cast - Spike Lee, Samuel L. Jackson, Giancarlo Esposito, Rosie Perez, John Turturro, and Danny Aiello
My thoughts - Most movies are easily forgotten. Every once in a while though you watch something like “Do The Right Thing” & it sears into your memory. It reminds you why you love the medium so much. It becomes a part of who you are. It helps you interrogate how you see the world. It makes you feel all the things. It makes you ask more questions than it could possibly answer.
Some of the most vibrant & memorable characters I’ve ever seen in a film. They all have attributes that make them likable (well most of them do) yet they also have real flaws that make them human. This push and pull, set to the backdrop of a sweltering Brooklyn, not only brings the whole thing to life, but makes it all explode off the screen.
Everything about it is a masterpiece. It is somehow remarkably nuanced, yet not subtle at all. A throwback to a different era, yet still painfully relevant.
Rating - 5/5
How did it do at the box office? - Grossed $37.2 million ($27.5 million domestic) on an estimated $6.5 million budget
Did it win any Oscars? - It was nominated for Best Original Screenplay & Danny Aiello was nominated for Best Actor in a Supporting Role. Neither won.
Where to watch - Currently streaming on Amazon Prime
That is all for now! I will be back soon to look ahead to the most wonderful time of the year in the movie release calendar - fall film festivals.
The best movies of the year are right around the corner!!
As always, enjoy some great films until next time,
Aaron Nolan