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Throughout a summer deemed the hottest on record, people needed a way to beat the heat. Many escaped to their local movie theaters to watch new releases. Many films topped the charts upon their release, as fans clamored to see them amidst the brutal summer heat. But the question is, how hot were these summer movies?
“Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny” was released on Jun. 30 and became the fifth and final installment of the “Indiana Jones” franchise. The well awaited movie brought back Harrison Ford as the iconic ‘Indy’, but it was the ending that had me most on edge. When a dilemma of whether or not Jones was going to stay to die in a past timeline was presented, I was on edge and unsure of what the fate of the franchise’s titular character was going to be. However, in the end, Jones was brought back to the correct timeline and the final installment ended happily.
Shortly after the “Dial of Destiny” release, a new crowdfunded movie took the box office by storm. “Sound of Freedom”, released Jul. 4, followed the true story of Tim Ballard (Jim Caviezel), a federal agent tasked with arresting human traffickers.
I highly enjoyed this movie, especially the acting, with powerful performances all around. I was interested to find out that this was a true story, plus relating a valuable message to audiences worldwide that many may have been unaware of. “Sound of Freedom” was an inspiring and eye-opening film that will definitely help make a change.
On Jul. 21, cinema and doll-appreciators alike flocked to theaters dressed in pink to see the premiere of the highly-awaited “Barbie”. The movie follows Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken’s (Ryan Gosling) journey to the real world after finding cracks in the seemingly perfect system of Barbie Land.
This movie is one that I consider a new favorite. Watching it, I laughed, sang and cried. But despite my thorough enjoyment of this movie, I was slightly disappointed when Barbie didn’t end up with Ken, and I was even more upset when she left Barbie Land to live in the real world permanently. The bittersweet ending to such a comedic movie left me wondering what happened next, and all I wanted was to rewind to a happier scene. The ending was a bit of a let-down for me, but my expectations were otherwise entirely met. It was a great movie about self-discovery and human nature to be remembered by all generations.
Wrapping up the summer movie season and bringing audiences into autumn was Disney’s “Haunted Mansion”, which hit theaters Jul. 28. Based on the classic Magic Kingdom ride, the movie followed single mom Gabbie (Rosario Dawson) as she hired a tour guide, priest, psychic and historian to rid her house of 9,999 ghosts and one vengeful spirit. This movie supplied viewers with frights and delights, and as someone who had been anticipating the release for quite a while, I was not disappointed. Like Gracey Manor, “Haunted Mansion” was full of surprising twists and turns, and I was thrilled that the movie was so reminiscent of the original ride. Though maybe not the ideal summer film, it was the spooky delight everyone needed.
