With spring semester now a distant memory and summer in full swing, it is time to find something to do with all that new free time — like watching movies! As a self-proclaimed movie lover, I will definitely be spending a good amount of hours at my local theater. Summer is prime blockbuster season, and this year is certainly no exception. Here are the eight movies I am most excited for:
Disney's Aladdin
The animated version of this movie is a Disney classic and was one of my favorite movies as a kid. While I'm still unsure how I feel about Will Smith as the Genie, I am immensely excited about Naomi Scott (Lemonade Mouth anyone?) and Mena Massoud as Jasmine and Aladdin.
Booksmart
My roommate and I have discussed going to see this movie ever since the previews started popping up on our Instagram feeds. Two try-hard high school girls going off to the colleges of their dreams meet kids who put in significantly less work. I mean, who doesn't love a good coming-of-age story? Another big plus: this movie marks Olivia Wilde's directorial debut! If you loved "Lady Bird," then you'll love this new take on a high school adventure.
Rocketman
If you haven't seen the Freddie Mercury biopic "Bohemian Rhapsody," then you're probably confused as to why everyone suddenly became huge fans of Queen seemingly overnight. Consider this your warning for "Rocketman," the biopic of Sir Elton John and his rise to fame as one of the most acclaimed singer/songwriter/composers (see number seven) of all time.
Ma
Octavia Spencer as the nice yet creepy lady who throws basement parties for high schoolers is quite the intriguing movie premise. The kids have only one rule: one party-goer must remain sober, and they cannot go upstairs. I don't know a whole lot about this movie, but I do know it's a thriller, and I do love a good summer thriller.
Toy Story 4
I'm not going to lie, this movie is setting me up to be disappointed. I will be going to see it, but the third Toy Story movie ended so beautifully that the introduction of this storyline feels a tad forced. Sporky, an arts-and-crafts spork toy, gets lost on a road trip. The trailer really sets my expectations low, but I'm slightly optimistic because Pixar has done worse. And by worse, I mean "Cars 2."
Spider-Man: Far From Home
If you haven't watched "Avengers: Endgame" yet, please don't watch this movie yet. "Spider-Man: Far From Home" picks up right where "Endgame" leaves off, sending Tom Holland as Peter Parker on a class trip to Europe where he has to continue his spidey duties and save the world. Marvel really killed it with the first installation of this new Spider-Man series, a much more lighthearted and realistic telling of the comic book classic than its predecessors. I can't wait to see how they continue that theme into this first film of a new era of the Marvel universe.
The Lion King
The devil works hard, but Disney honestly works so much harder. Despite this being the third (or technically the fourth if you count Marvel movies as Disney movies since acquiring the studio in 2009) blockbuster release of the summer, I somehow doubt there will be any disappointments with this film. The cast is not only stacked with the likes of Beyonce and Donald Glover, but the CGI is actually breathtaking and will likely make a certain death even more emotional.
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
Of all the movies on this list, this movie will definitely be the one most talked about. "Once Upon a Time in Hollywood" is the penultimate film to be released by Pulp Fiction director Quentin Tarantino. Set in the 1960s, this film chronicles Leonardo DiCaprio as troubled television star Rick Dalton and his stunt double, Brad Pitt, amidst a changing entertainment industry.
Remember to silence your cell phones and enjoy these films before fall semester!
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