Movies, movies and more movies! 2023 and moving into 2024 has arguably been a busy time in the realm of movies. Rotten Tomatoes gives a list of the 30 Most Popular Movies Right Now. With a variety of movies to choose from, The Herald thought it would be interesting to watch some, share thoughts about them and even discuss the allure of these movies. These are the thoughts and opinions of the writers. It is strongly encouraged that readers see the films themselves and to form their own opinions on them.
SPOILER WARNINGS AHEAD!
Anyone But You:
“Anyone But You” is a 2023 romantic comedy starring Sydney Sweeney as Bea and Glen Powell as Ben. The movie essentially follows these two characters as they meet in a coffee shop, spend an evening together really seeming to like one another. In a classic case of miscommunication, the next morning they go their separate ways heartbroken and believing that the other does not like them. When Bea’s sister Halle is getting married to Ben’s friend Claudia, they pretend to be in a relationship so that their banter does not threaten the wedding weekend. The film is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, giving nods to the play through character names and guided quotes along the way. The film is funny, sweet, in moments steamy and all round feel good. The soundtrack was wonderful and will leave you singing The Spins and a personal 2024 anthem, Unwritten. It is a modern take on a classic 90’s or early 2000’s rom-com, and it succeeds. Warning: may leave viewers with unrealistic expectations of love and a strong desire to want to live in Australia. This film is currently in theaters.
Saltburn:
“Saltburn” is pretty much everything your friends warn you about and then a little more. It follows Oliver Quick, played by Barry Kheogan, who seamlessly infiltrates a wealthy family and spends the summer with them at their family estate, Saltburn. The lines between love and hate seem to blur in his friendship with Felix (Jacob Elordi), who actually invited his new friend after hearing that Oliver’s father died. The first half of the movie is seemingly normal and then quickly descends to vampire scenes, multiple bathtub scenes and the eventual end of an entire family. While the film does not fail to keep the audience captivated in what happens next, it certainly is an acquired style. The film depicts a dark side of humanity and leaves the audience questioning not only what drives a person to do the things Oliver did, but also how he got away with it. The film does a great job diving into the allure of wealth, desire and morbid curiosity. This film is available to watch on Amazon Prime.
Mean Girls (2024):
This movie is an adaptation of the musical based on the classic film “Mean Girls” (2004) which took a cinematic twist on the cult classic. The 2024 “Mean Girls” movie follows the plot of the original film, but this time, they sing! When Cady Heron (Angourie Rice) moves to a new school, she is quickly inducted into the prestigious clique on campus, The Plastics. Run by the ringleader Regina George (Renee Rapp), Cady quickly realizes what it’s like to be at the top of the social ladder, and how quickly one can fall from it. Since this film was the adaptation of the hit Broadway musical, theater kids and fans of the original film alike will potentially find something to enjoy in this. Returning to their original roles were Tina Fey as Ms. Norbury and Tim Meadows as Principal Duvall. Christopher Briney, most famously known for playing Conrad Fisher in “The Summer I Turned Pretty”, took on the role of the iconic heartthrob, Aaron Samuels. While the film succeeded in creating a new version of the original story, fans of the musical may find more gripes with it than others. Several songs were entirely changed production wise or simply cut out of the movie all together. The marketing of this film did not accurately reflect that this movie was going to be a musical, which begs the question on if their intentions were to try to make both a musical and a remake of the movie, but not to commit to either one indefinitely.
Killers of the Flower Moon:
“Killers of the Flower Moon” directed by Martin Scorsese follows the true story of members of the Osage Nation in the 1920s being murdered by white settlers after oil was discovered on their land. The film follows Mollie Burkhart (Lily Gladstone) whose family owned property and were generating profits from their land in rural Oklahoma. When Mollie marries Ernest Burkhart (Leonardo Dicaprio), it becomes a story of betrayal, power, and racial injustice. While the film's length of three hours and 26 minutes might deter some viewers, the ensemble of incredible actors, beautifully heart wrenching storytelling and superb cinematography creates a film that you will not be able to stop thinking about for days to come. With such prominent subject matter being portrayed, Scorsese's film should no doubt be added to the required viewing list for history classes.
With a variety of movies to choose from, there is something for every movie lover to choose from. Each of these movies embody a variety of genres and themes and encapsulates different aspects of what makes movies so great.
By Shae-Lynn Henderson, EIC and Haileigh West, Associate Editor