The summer of 2025 was the summer I answered the sweet siren song of the AMC A-List subscription. I haven’t been able to leave the movie theatre since. Seriously, they’ve glued me to the chairs.
As a wanna-be film critic and regular Letterboxd user, I like to think I have some idea as to what makes a movie good or, really, deeply bad. This column will hold my quick, not too in-depth reviews of recent movies if you want to know before you go, whether you’re looking at an Oscar winner or a dumpster fire.
This summer has been filled with off-the-wall releases. From 28 Years Later to Weapons, the horror genre is clearly experiencing a resurgence in popularity and critical acclaim. Also, the inclusion of overt political commentary in film has continued as a prominent trend, regardless of genre. Unlike more iconic years (i.e., the summer of “Barbenheimer”), there wasn’t an overwhelmingly popular blockbuster this summer. Not until Superman.
Superman: Directed by James Gunn
“That’s the real punk-rock.” – Superman
Superman was released in early July and grossed $354 million domestically, economically surpassing Zach Snyder’s Man of Steel (2013), which has caused innumerable debates online from self-proclaimed “Snyder-bros.” Man of Steel and Superman aren’t comparable plot-wise, visually, or tonally, but they’re both solid stories that center around the same figure. There’s a simple reason why this Superman appealed to a larger audience: he’s a genuinely good person.
The world is in political chaos, so having Superman return to his roots as a cartoonish beacon of goodness is something we needed. David Corenswet plays Superman as an alien with a huge heart whose life goal is to make the world feel like a safer place. Some may believe that this simple motivation is unable to create an interesting story, but James Gunn proved them wrong.
Superman is the story of a superhero who wants to save a world he doesn’t fit into. It’s a story that can appeal to all ages: the clever comedic writing entertains older viewers, the political commentary engages college-age watchers, and the eye-catching fight scenes will keep annoying younger siblings on the edge of their seats.
Overall, I found Superman to be a thoroughly engaging film that entertains the ears and eyes. James Gunn’s comic book-style editing and cinematography created a beautiful frame for this wonderfully hopeful story that teaches viewers one important message: kindness is the true punk rock.
Materialists: Directed by Celine Song
“When I look at you, I see wrinkles, gray hair, and children that look like you.” – Materialists.
Another heavily anticipated summer release was Materialists, directed by Celine Song. This movie was a success before it even went into production; the vague idea of seeing Pedro Pascal and Chris Evans fight over Dakota Johnson was enough to get people in theatre seats. Of course, I was one of those people.
Like many, I strolled into the theatre with high hopes, thinking this was the movie that would bring rom coms back into the spotlight. The marketing was phenomenal, the trailers looked interesting, and Song was on the back of her first Oscar. Unfortunately, I was sorely disappointed.
Despite the appealing look of the film (slick coloring, delicate framing, gorgeously modern costuming), the plot left much to be desired. For the first half, the banter between Johnson and her male costars was entertaining and engaging. However, the inciting incident of the film left many feeling betrayed and upset.
A client from Lucy’s (Johnson) match-making organization was sexually assaulted. This plotline crashes into the story out of nowhere, so the film left much of its overwhelmingly female audience shocked. This character and her experience are brought into the story for the sole purpose of furthering Lucy’s character development. She’s traumatized, saved, and promptly thrown out of the plot so we could gawk at the fact that Lucy chose the douchy, broke boy.
It was extremely disappointing to see this fall from grace from Song, but I hope she can learn from this backlash and keep her audience in mind in the writer’s room.
Sorry, Baby: Directed by Eva Victor
“I’m sorry that bad things are gonna happen to you. I hope they don’t. But sometimes bad stuff just happens.” – Sorry, Baby.
Sorry, Baby is not only a beautifully poignant depiction of life after sexual assault, it’s also, by far, the best representation of female friendship I’ve ever seen. This film follows Agnes Ward (Eva Victor) and her ever-evolving relationship with life, herself, and her best friend Lydie (Naomi Ackie).
Victor and Ackie carry this natural chemistry that causes the jokes to hit so much harder and the breakdowns to stab right into the heart. Their dynamic creates the perfect mix of comedy and maturity that makes the rollercoaster of emotions an actually fun rollercoaster, not one that makes you feel queasy.
We walk through life with Agnes in her stereotypical small town, complete with dreary buildings and sparse neighborhoods. She’s forced to realize that after trauma, life doesn’t stop; it doesn’t even pause. She has to continue living. Also, despite her assault being the center of the story, Agnes is shown to be much more than a sad, traumatized woman: she’s a writer, a professor, a friend, a lover, and a community member.
Director, star, and writer Eva Victor is a filmmaker we all need to keep our eyes on. Her writing of dialogue is masterful; every conversation made me feel like I was in the room with the characters. Additionally, her filming choices were touching; I’ll never be able to forget a particular lingering shot outside a house as the day turned to night.
I can see this movie changing a lot of people’s lives; it’s not every day you get to see a visual representation of an English professor’s diary. Sorry, Baby is funny, heartbreaking, hopeful, and most importantly, the cat is not hurt!
There are many more films released this summer that I either loved or hated, but these three were particularly memorable. If any of these sounded interesting to you, I would recommend giving them a watch. Even if they might not be something you usually turn to, all of these films are interesting and engaging in their own right. Don’t miss the opportunity to see some new stories!
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