Greta Gerwig’s film, “Barbie,” has brought in $1,446,000,000 since its release in July of 2023. Given the film’s vast success, “Barbie” is considered the movie of last summer. Still, other movies, including “Oppenheimer” and “Mission Impossible,” received extensive praise, raising the expectations of movie buffs and casual fans alike for the 2024 season.
In particular, “Inside Out 2,” “Kinds of Kindness” and “Fancy Dance” all have the potential to become the ‘it’ movie, or summer blockbuster of the 2024 season. “Inside Out 2,” which serves as the sequel to the vastly successful Disney-Pixar animated film “Inside Out”—reconnects viewers with Riley, the protagonist in the original film, years later as Riley is a teenager. The emotions featured in the original “Inside Out”—Joy, Sad- ness, Fear, Anger and Disgust, will return alongside more complex emotions associated with adolescents including Anxiety, Envy, Ennui, and Embarrassment which will be played by Maya Hawkes, Ava Edebiri, Adele Exarchopolous, and Paul Walter Hauser, respectively. The movie premiered on June 14th and grossed a historic $245 million globally in its first weekend.
“Kinds of Kindness,” follows the lives of three individuals, a man who seeks to break free from his predetermined path, a cop who questions his wife’s demeanor after her return from a supposed drowning and a woman committed to becoming a renowned spiritual guide. It features various Hollywood greats including Emma Stone, William Dafoe, and Jessie Plemons and, through complex editing, is expected to leave viewers shocked through its uncanny setting and dark humor. The film was just released in theaters on Friday, June 21st.
“Fancy Dance,” set on a Seneca-Cayuga reservation in Oklahoma, stars Lily Gladstone in the role of Jax, a young women struggling to take care of her niece—Roki—following the disappearance of her sister. A serious depiction of reservation life, the two women grapple with reviving their culture and heritage while searching for their sister/mother. The movie was recently released in theaters on June 21st and is soon to be released on Apple TV+ June 28th.
The Globe polled MHS students on what movie they are most looking forward to, with 75% percent reporting that they are most excited to see “Inside Out 2.” Sophie Ricks (‘27) an avid viewer of the first movie which she has seen “at least ten times” elaborates on this, stating that she believes the reason so many MHS students are looking forward to the movies release is due to the film’s relevance amongst young people and the fact that they students were children when the first film was released and now are teens. “It feels like Riley has grown up with us,” she says.
Film fanatic or not, this summer’s movie lineup features a diverse set a movies appealing to those looking for an uplifting animated film or a much darker drama. With that, remember to buy tickets, grab some popcorn and candy, and sit down, relax, and enjoy the show!
