Scream 6 – Cassia

The classic 1996 “Scream” franchise released its sixth movie this year. I’d think that five movies is enough, but the creators clearly thought there needed to be a sequel to the sequel. I had very low expectations going into this movie, considering the “Scream” franchise has been rocky over the years, and the fifth movie was honestly pretty terrible; however, I was pleasantly surprised by this film. The basis of the story is the surviving characters from “Scream” (2022) go off to college in New York City, and of course, some creep feels the need to get vengeance for the past Ghostface killers. “Scream VI” had me on the edge of my seat the entire time with its gruesome killings and shocking plot twists. I thought this movie was a great comeback for the franchise after “Scream” (2022), and it was so good I even saw it twice in theaters. This is a definite must-watch for any slasher fans out there.

No Hard Feelings – Clare

The new generation of movies is overcrowded with remakes and sequels, so to hear that a new, high quality (and by that I mean not a Netflix original) movie was coming out this year that was just a simple rom-com was refreshing. What was more pleasing though, was to find out that this movie was actually anything but simple. Jennifer Lawrence and Andrew Barth Feldman were hilarious together in this coming of age movie. As awkward teenage Percy (portrayed by Feldman) was falling in love with Lawrence’s character, Maddie, he was able to figure out who he was as a person and get rid of his social anxiety. At the same time, Maddie struggled with the moral dilemma of dating him with the wrong motivations. “No Hard Feelings” was cute, funny and sentimental in all the right ways and is the perfect silly movie to watch when you need a new rom-com. 

Oppenheimer – Clare

Officially the highest grossing biopic of all time, Oppenheimer is the compelling story about the father of the atomic bomb. Honestly, this movie exceeded my expectations. Even as someone who is not a huge history fan, I couldn’t stop thinking about the movie for days after watching it. Although the timeline jumped around quite a bit, it was relatively easy to follow and had an interesting series of events that kept me interested from beginning to end. Cillian Murphy truly crushed this role and let us sympathize with the man who built the first atom bomb. 

Barbie – Cassia 

Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” became the first film directed by a woman to make over a billion dollars. The movie takes the viewer into the world of Barbie, and it intertwines major themes such as equality, self-discovery and friendship while maintaining a light and humorous tone. I thought this movie was very entertaining, but I wouldn’t say I was as heavily impacted by the movie’s message as I thought I would be. I mostly enjoyed watching Ryan Gosling, who plays Ken, perform a musical number and cry over horses. I definitely can’t ignore the cultural impact “Barbie” has had on the world with its “I am Kenough” shirts, original soundtrack and countless inspired Halloween costumes. For that reason alone, I’d say it was a pretty good movie.

Bottoms – Cassia

Bring back absurdly stupid movies! “Bottoms” is the story of two high school girls who start a fight club at school in order to attract attention from their crushes. I thought that some of the characters were very extreme portrayals of typical high school stereotypes, like the popular football players who have a combined three brain cells and the popular girls whose main personality traits are how skinny and pretty they are. It’s truly a dumb movie, but it’s entertaining and funny nonetheless. This definitely isn’t a movie of intellect, but I think that’s exactly what people need sometimes, especially in a comedy movie.

Eras Tour- Clare and Cassia

Everyone’s favorite pop-star hits the big screen. This movie was the perfect cheap (cheap as movies can be that is) alternative to the live Eras Tour. This movie was the perfect combination of movie and concert; you’ll be singing and dancing along the whole time, while appreciating the cinematic beauty of the show. Taylor Swift skipped the streaming services and went straight to the theater, giving fans who lost the fight for concert tickets an opportunity to experience some of the magic. 

Priscilla – Cassia

Following the release of the “Elvis” movie in 2022, there’s a new film that focuses on the story of Priscilla Presley, Elvis’ ex-wife. The film is based on the 1985 memoir, “Elvis and Me,” written by Priscilla Presley herself. Sofia Coppola’s “Priscilla” has a very different feeling than Baz Luhrmann’s “Elvis,” which I actually liked. This movie showcases a different perspective of who Elvis was behind his celebrity persona along with the darker side of him. Priscilla Presley not only has had an extremely interesting life, but a sad one as well. I loved the cinematography of this movie and the way it was done. It’s definitely one of the more underrated movies to come out this year.

Hunger Games- Clare

As an avid reader and watcher of the original “Hunger Games” series, I was more than pleased with the execution of the “Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.” This movie adaptation perfectly evoked the feelings of the first four, while adding an interesting retro vibe to the story. The movie stayed true to the book with the same moral dilemma of rooting for Snow while also remembering who he ends up to be in the original “Hunger Games.” Crafty and captivating, this story is just what “Hunger Games” fans needed to find out more about the history of Panem.