Midsommar

I’ll preface this review by saying that this was definitely the wildest experience I’ve ever had in the movie theater.  While I won’t spoil the juiciest details, I will warn audiences that this movie can be gruesome, graphic, and unsettling at times for even the toughest audiences.

It’s not easy to convince me to leave the house for movies anymore unless the film in question is a must-see.  Most people who know me understand that Midsommar is not my typical must-see; in fact, before Monday night, I had never seen a thriller or a horror in the theaters before (note: Midsommar is somewhere in between these two categories – more on this later).  Yet, after a week of hearing about this movie nonstop from coworkers and family members, the hype was too hard to ignore.

Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi

Star Wars is known for essentially defining modern science fiction, so each new installment is understandably subject to endless debate and controversy over the quality of the film itself and the direction that it leads the Star Wars saga.  The over-analysis has worsened over the years, especially in the social media era, where there are so many outlets on which fans of all ages can share their opinions.  For instance, I remember how unique it was for me to watch The Force Awakens in theaters, evaluating every detail in unbearably tough fashion, and comparing that to when I would watch The Phantom Menace on VCR years before, anticipating the film each time with joy rather than stubborn, rather high expectations.  With this in mind – and considering that the movies are supposed to be enjoyable and not at all taxing – I went in to The Last Jedi with an open mind and I managed to just enjoy myself.

Thor: Ragnarok

Marvel movies after Iron Man (2008) have struggled immensely to balance levels of fun and seriousness.  A near-perfect medium exists, certainly.  Iron Man begins with a strikingly serious tone rooted in the terrorist arms race and gradually evolves into an action thriller littered with Tony Stark’s sarcasm; Captain America: The First Avenger (2011) sees the title character survive World War II in entertaining fashion yet incur huge personal costs that remain prevalent throughout subsequent films; even Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), as lighthearted as it is, is founded on the themes of responsibility and perseverance.  Ultimately, I understand that the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is geared primarily towards people younger than me – I’m twenty years old now – but I still expect Marvel films to have somewhat of an overall lesson or meaning behind them, or at least character development that warrants the movie’s existence in the first place.