Summer movie playlist
Movies coming to theaters and streaming platforms this summer
STELLA SCHNEIDER / ASST. A&C EDITOR / THE USD VISTA
With summer right around the corner, many students are looking forward to watching new movies coming out in theaters and on streaming platforms. The season is heating up with a variety of genres, stories and themes in upcoming releases. Here are a few to look out for:
“Barbie”
Directed by Greta Gerwig, “Barbie” has many fans raving about the comedic adaptation of the popular children’s doll. This will be Gerwig’s first major studio project after her critically acclaimed films “Little Women” and “Lady Bird,” and it will explore similar themes of feminism and identity. The film follows one Barbie, played by Margot Robbie, and one Ken, played by Ryan Gosling, as they journey from BarbieLand to the real world.
The trailer came out earlier this year and generated some hype around the film showing the star studded cast. Actors including Will Ferrell, Kate McKinnon, Michael Cera, Simu Liu, Dua Lipa and many more were advertised as part of the movie, through unique headshots for the film.
As part of their marketing campaign to create anticipation, fans of the film can use an AI selfie generator to become a character in BarbieLand themselves. “Barbie” will be in theaters July 21.
“Oppenheimer”
Christopher Nolan is back to direct “Oppenheimer,” a biographical drama focused on the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, an American physicist who played a key role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II.
Nolan spoke openly about his excitement to have Cillian Murphy playing J. Robert in the film, and fans are looking forward to other big names in the cast like Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Florence Pugh and many others.
Nolan is known for his attention to creative filming techniques to tell compelling stories and fans of his previous work are looking forward to how he tells the story of Oppenheimer.
“Oppenheimer” will also be in theaters July 21.
“Asteroid City”
“Asteroid City,” directed by Wes Anderson, is about a Junior Stargazer/Space Cadet convention when strange events begin to happen in a small, American desert town circa 1955. Anderson remains consistent with his color palette, style and filming in this new feature film.
“Asteroid City” has a stacked cast of popular actors like Tom Hanks, Margot Robbie, Scarlett Johansson, Steve Carell, Maya Hawke and many more.
USD junior Sage Grove appreciates Anderson’s visual style and previous work.
“Based on the trailer, this is going to be the most ‘Wes Anderson’ movie Wes Anderson has made…. He’s staying consistent with his distinct filming shots and angles and the color ties it all up in a bow. I can’t wait.”“Asteroid City” will be in theaters June 16.
“Flamin’ Hot”
Eva Longoria’s directorial debut, “Flamin’ Hot,” follows the story of Richard Montanez, a janitor at Frito Lay. Inspired by the flavors of his community, Montanez came up with the idea of Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, which disrupted the food industry.
This drama is based on a true story and brings attention to the creation of a popular snack for households across the country.
USD junior Cat Collins loves snacking on Flamin’ Hot Cheetos.
“I had no clue how ‘flamin hot’ became a flavor… I love that they are making it a movie and giving [Montanez] recognition and telling everyone the story,” Collins expressed.“Flamin’ Hot” is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+ on June 9.
“Theater Camp”
“Theater Camp” began as a short film created by friend group Molly Gordon, Ben Platt, Nick Lieberman and Noah Galvin and was released in 2020. It later debuted as a feature film at Sundance this past January. Directed by Gordon and Lieberman, “Theater Camp” is a comedic mockumentary about the zany staff and kids who spend time at the Theater Camp in upstate New York.
Producer Will Ferrell attended the press line at Sundance for the film.
“[The film is] pretty much fully improvised, so they gave us a roadmap of the broad story…. it was really beautiful to see what it became and how cohesive the story felt,” Ferrell said. “Theater Camp” will be in theaters July 14.
“Joy Ride”
“Joy Ride,” directed by Adele Lim, is a comedic story following a group of friends as they travel to Asia. Their journey is raunchy and fun as they encounter strange people on their hunt to find one of their birth mothers.
“Joy Ride” explores what it means to know and love who you are, with Ashley Park, Stephanie Hsu, Sherry Cola and Sabrina Wu as the lead cast.
“Joy Ride” will be in theaters on July 7.
These six movies are only a few to hit the theaters and streaming platforms this summer. Without the stress of school, many students can enjoy their break by taking a joy ride to “Barbie”, “Theater Camp” and “Asteroid City” with “Flamin’ Hot” Cheetos as a snack.