Listen HereBy: Dylan Frazier, Pulse Editor
Email: frazierd@findlay.edu
Twitter: @dylanfrazier44
As the summer ends, a new school year begins. Over the summer, we had some great movies come out but three stand out more than others to me. Here is my list of top 3 movies to come out in the last summer.
3. SPIDER-MAN: FAR FROM HOME
Focusing on the aftermath of what happened in Avengers: Endgame, Spider-Man: Far from Home is yet another great installment in the majorly successful Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). With many twists and turns, and jaw-dropping mid-credit scenes, it is a great change of pace from Endgame. While the first 25 minutes were a little weird and tried to find its footing, it was great after that. The story begins with Peter Parker (Tom Holland) and the rest of his class going on a European trip over the summer, with Peter hoping to woo his crush, Michelle Jones, A.K.A. MJ (Zendaya). However, the dream trip slowly becomes a disaster when Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) shows up. Mysterio and Spider-Man were a great team-up in this movie. Tom Holland solidified himself as the best Spider-Man in this movie. He was a perfect, quirky teenager. But for me, the best part was easily Jake Gyllenhaal as Mysterio. He was nothing short of amazing as the villain in the movie. Although his motives were a little weak. His on-screen presence was incredible. The way he could go in and out of being a good guy and then a psychopath in the same scene was so great to watch. He alone is worth the price of admission. If you’re invested into the MCU, you’ve already seen this movie but if you haven’t, go see it. From the great humor and great action, it is well worth the time.
2.ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD
The ninth movie from the mind of Quentin Tarantino proves once again that he can make a movie about just about era. In his latest movie, Tarantino focuses on the late 60s in Hollywood when times are changing in the world of movies and TV. The changes in Hollywood are portrayed through 3 characters; Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), and, while a much smaller scale, Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie). Rick Dalton is an actor who is struggling with his own self-worth and believes his time as an actor is up. Booth is a stunt-man for Dalton and has come to terms with the fact that his time in Hollywood is possibly over. Sharon Tate is an up-and-coming actress who looks at the world through rose-colored glasses. I can’t get over how good DiCaprio and Pitt were in this movie. To start with DiCaprio, he was nothing short of amazing playing a depressed, washed-up actor struggling to find himself. One scene he began to mess up some lines in his TV show he was in and he got upset with himself. His delivery in this scene was so hilarious and it felt real. But for as good as Leo was, Brad Pitt stole the show for me. His line delivery was flawless and at times, I forgot he was acting. He also was in my favorite scene of any movie that came out this year, I won’t spoil it, but it will leave you speechless. As all Tarantino movies are, I could see someone hating this movie because the ending is very divisive, but I personally loved It and the ending paid off. If you do plan on seeing this movie, please at least know who the Manson family is, it makes it easier to understand. If you’re into something that isn’t a reboot or a sequel, go see this movie.
1.ROCKETMAN
If you would have told me that a movie about a musician that I really didn’t listen to would end up being what my favorite movie of the year (so far) would be about, I would call you a liar. But I am willing to admit I was wrong; this movie was so good and hit all the right notes for me. The movie follows the life of musician, Elton John (played by Taron Edgerton), and the struggles that come with being famous. My biggest complaint with another musical bio-pic Bohemian Rhapsody, which was actually directed by the same man that did Rocketman (Dexter Fletcher) was that it felt censored and didn’t tell the real story. Rocketman is anything but censored. It tells it all. For those who don’t know, myself included prior to seeing the movie, Elton John struggled with drug addiction and was an alcoholic, all on top being a gay man in the music world. For me, the best part of this movie is Taron Edgerton as Elton John, it is the best performance of any movie I’ve seen this year. He was wonderful as Elton John and had a lot of Johns’ mannerisms down to a tee. He knew when to be emotional, which there was plenty of emotion in this movie. But what stood out to me in this movie was that the music was actually sung by Edgerton and it wasn’t lip-synced (which was done in Bohemian Rhapsody). He was surprisingly a great singer which only impressed me even more. Typically, I am not a musical fan as far as movies go, but the way they used the songs in this movie made that much better. The music was such a good way to keep the movie going from scene-to-scene. If you like his music, go see it and if you don’t go see it because you get a movie with great acting, great music, and a lot of heart.
