Carson Stroupe

Over the summer, many new movies of all different genres came to theaters. With the wide range of new content, there is sure to be something for everyone. These are just a few of the movies that have come out over this summer that might be worth a watch.
“I Saw the TV Glow,” an A24 film, was one of the first movies to come out over the summer. This is a horror/thriller movie that was written and directed by Jane Schoenburg and follows two friends, Mandy and Owen, who bond over their interest in a TV show called “The Pink Opaque.” Mandy goes missing, and the TV show gets canceled soon after.
As time goes on, Owen begins to reflect on the show alongside his personal experiences and begins to feel as though his life is blending with the show. The horrors of the show surrounding the paranormal and supernatural seem to begin to fuse into Owen’s own life.
Contrary to the movie’s overall genre being horror, the theme of the movie is actually about living life to the fullest. Owen is most tortured by the boredom he feels in his life and the lack of stimulation. This movie is generally well put together but has mixed reviews from critics online. Many critics feel as though the movie was dreary and the main characters were put through too much misery.
On the other end of the spectrum however, some say that it is a great movie that represents the horrors behind not being able to live one’s full truth. With its vintage aesthetic and bright neon colors, this film is worth the watch and will definitely grab watcher’s attention.
Another movie that gained attention upon release over the summer was “Inside Out 2.” This is the sequel to “Inside Out,” which is a movie that follows Riley, a young girl who is figuring out who she is, shown on screen through visual representation of her emotions. She has five core emotions: Fear, Disgust, Joy, Sadness, and Anger.
This continuation of the first movie follows Riley as she evolves and grows by introducing new emotions. These include Envy, Anxiety, Ennui (boredom in French), and Embarrassment. These new emotions don’t get along well with the emotions that Riley has been familiar with, representing further how it is a complex process transitioning from a child into young adulthood.
It is a story that many can relate to about how growing up changes a person and how their emotions grow with them. It is friendly for all age groups and has overall received good reviews, especially accounting for the fact that it is a sequel.
Outside of the critic reviews however, most could relate to Riley and how her emotions change as she grows. She goes through many very real things that many people go through when experiencing the changes that come with going from a kid to a teenager.
A more action filled movie to come out was “Twisters.” The movie follows storm chaser Kate, a storm enthusiast and scientist, who was in an accident with a tornado. That twister had caused the death of two of her team members, leading her away from storm chasing.
She eventually gets lured back into storm chasing when she and her friend Javi, an entrepreneur, are brought to Oklahoma to test a new storm tracking system. There she meets Tyler, a storm chaser with a group of his own. As time goes on, the tornadoes intensify and the teams are fighting for their lives in the storms.
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung, “Twisters” is definitely a movie to remember from this summer. It’s a high thrill, and the depth of a very real natural disaster makes it an exciting watch. The main criticism following this movie revolves around the lack of knowledge regarding real tornadoes that a viewer would gain from this movie. It is not the most accurate and some of the dialogue can be questionable in the aspect of facts revolving around tornadoes, but nonetheless it is definitely worth a watch for thriller fans.
“Despicable Me 4,” directed by Chris Renaud, is another film that hit theaters over the summer. It follows Gru who has just welcomed his son to the family. His son’s main goal in his young life is tormenting his father. Eventually though a villain escapes prison and goes after Gru creating a thrilling story of growth and revenge.
This movie is more of a comedy than anything else and the critical reception is mixed. Many think it is great for a lighthearted watch. It definitely isn’t groundbreaking, but it might be something fun to go see with friends or watch with family. The plot of this movie follows a similar one to its three prequels.
It’s clear that a multitude of new movies of many different genres came out this year, bringing all different types of people to theaters over the summer. If any sound interesting, it might be worth the watch. There’s something for everyone, from horror and thrillers to light hearted comedies. Summer of 2024 is definitely a cinematic summer to remember.