June Movie Rankings
June was a busy month for movies! We had a lot of highlights in the movie theater industry and July will be no exception (e.g. The Odyssey and Spiderman: Brand New Day. So with those titles and many more coming in just a few weeks, its time for the monthly movie ranking!
Supergirl: This may be controversial, but I enjoyed James Gunn’s Supergirl. While I admit, it’s not a perfect movie this is a movie that, in my opinion is overhated. From the worldbuilding of the space setting, to the themes that Gunn addresses (e.g. Human Trafficking and death/grief) every aspect of the film came together. The only issue I found with the movie was the pacing in the beginning due to not having a lot of context and rushing through some elements that could’ve been vital in the growth of Ruthye. However, despite that setback, this is a movie that should be watched by fans of DC, James Gunn, and Supergirl. I recommend this movie as a summer watch!
Toy Story 5: The recent Pixar movie took me by surprise. While I was hesitating to see this movie, Pixar proved me wrong and showed the audiences why they are the best at what they do. I love how the Pixar team didn’t have a main villain in this film, but rather a conflict that no one can stop, no matter how hard you try. Lilypad could’ve been written off as a villain and been defeated in the end. However, they chose to go beyond the surface and show the highs and lows in how technology is used, especially in kids. Cyberbullying, unfortunately happens and Bonnie is the victim of this. Despite Lilypad trying to help, she also has a lot to learn about humans and not all intentions are good. People can’t be matched by an algorithm, but rather by talking to one another and she learns this when Bonnie is bullied. Every character has good intentions, we learn with every intention can have consequences and is a cautious tale to parents about having a balance on having there kids have technology (e.g. phones and iPads) and developing social skills and letting them be kids. Overall, this is a movie I recommend for both kids and adults as there is something to everyone. Every character is engaging and the jokes have a good balance for both new and old fans.
Power Ballad: This would’ve been lower on my ranking, had I not seen this movie for a second time. The music is definitely the highlight in this movie. Despite having a lot of excitement for this film and did not disappoint, the other two films blew this one out of the water. Don’t get me wrong, this is a good film with so much insight in the pressures of stardom and how far you’ll go in order to get the credit you deserve. However, this movie is definitely better when you watch it with family and friends. You can watch it alone, but the impact of the movie deserves an audience because with the concert scenes, you will want to sing out loud to the songs. The characters are rounded and none of them feel like heroes/villains, but rather real humans and I’m glad Carney was able to capture this in the film.
Girls Like Girls: I had such high expectations for this film. From listening/watching the music video to the song to reading the book, I was so pumped for this film to be made. However, the film didn’t live up to the height of the book/song. There were positive elements to the movie (e.g. cinematography and lighting), but a lot was taken out of the movie and I didn’t see enough character development between Sonya and Coley. The filmmakers could’ve amped up the stakes by adding more from the book and translating it into the movie without losing the plot. Human connection is what made the book stand out, not just from Sonya and Coley, but the side characters as well, especially Trenton. Those interactions could’ve helped us see why Coley and Sonya are the way they are, but unfortunately we never got the opportunity to see that and I wish there was more layers to those characters, along with the relationship between Coley and her dad. Yes, he should’ve gone with Coley and her mom but there were reasons behind his decision and we got more complexity in the book vs. the movie. I wish Kiyoko and Scott would’ve expanded on that part rather than the romance that Sonya and Coley have. I won’t deny the chemistry between the two characters was perfect, along with the execution of the vulnerable scenes (e.g. Coley telling Sonya about her mom’s suicide), however the boundaries could’ve been pushed more and its a shame that we didn‘T get to see that. I can tell Kiyoko is passionate about this project and not sure what conditions they were under, along with the cast and crew, however the characters in the book are more layered than we got to see in the movie.
That is all for my movie going experience in June and can’t wait to write about the upcoming movies coming out this month!