Beau is Afraid
April 21, 2023
Ari Aster is one of my favorite horror directors. Films like Hereditary and Midsommar are great examples of his expertise in the field of horror. I was incredibly excited when I learned that Aster was working on a new film. Joaquin Phoenix is an amazing actor as well, so I was interested to see what the two could create together. Beau is Afraid is a story about an anxiety-ridden man who confronts his darkest fears as he returns home following the unexpected death of his mother. The trailer for the film features an interesting variety of styles, such as the pop-out book art style seen as he takes his journey. The premise sounds deceivingly simple: a man goes back home, but if Aster is involved, then things will likely not be what they seem. I’ve already got my seat saved for April 20th!
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
June 2, 2023
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-verse is one of my favorite films. The animation is breathtaking and an amazing change in style to the typical animated movie. Recently, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish worked with a unique animation style as well, which did wonders for its success in the box office. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-verse picks up with Miles a few years after the events of the first film. From the trailer, it looks like Gwen contacts Miles in need of help and then all hell breaks loose in the Spider-verse. The movie looks like an exciting continuation of the last story, and I am excited to see where the story goes from there.
Asteroid City
June 23, 2023
Asteroid City is Wes Anderson’s newest film. The trailer for it was recently released and features a huge ensemble cast with names like Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johanson, Maya Hawke, Adrien Brody, Hong Chau, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie, and the list keeps going on and on. I was personally not a fan of Anderson’s last film, The French Dispatch, which was upsetting for me, being a Kansas native and fan of the many stars of the film. I hope that Asteroid City takes a turn for the better and does well with the enticing cast of characters. The film tells the story of a junior stargazer convention that becomes disrupted by world-changing events. The setting and style look to be of the 50s, so nuclear fallout could be a possible explanation for the “world-changing events” but in the end, we’ll have to watch and see what Anderson has come up with this time.
Joy Ride
July 7, 2023
This film is one of the newer announcements. I originally found an interest in it because of Oscar nominee (aka should-have-been-Oscar-winner) Stephanie Hsu’s involvement in it, but the recently released trailer sparked a deeper interest for me. The film seems to follow a group of four Asian-American friends as they travel across Asia in search of one of the friends’ birth mothers. It looks like a hilarious journey for them, and I am excited to see Adele Lim directing after her work as a writer on films like Crazy Rich Asians and Raya and the Last Dragon. Another enticing factor for me is seeing Stephanie Hsu in some incredible costumes after the ensembles she was in for Everything Everywhere All At Once. In the trailer, we got some sneak peaks at the wardrobe for her character. Overall, it looks like a fun film to spend an evening watching in the summer.
Barbie
July 21, 2023
This is probably the film that I am most excited for. When I first heard that they were making this film, I was immediately stoked. I love Greta Gerwig films, and I knew she would do something exciting with the film. (Not to mention that Noah Baumbach, another great filmmaker, worked on writing Barbie as well) The second teaser trailer was released on April 4 and gave us much insight into what the film might be about. Before now, we have only really known that the film would be a satire on Barbie and the teaser trailer confirmed that as well as introduced the many cast members. The cast is absolutely star-studded, from Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling to Kate McKinnon, Alexandra Shipp, Simu Liu, apparently John Cena all as respective different Barbies and Kens. Additionally, the character posters for the many Barbies, Kens, and Allan. Which have sparked many a meme-ification from different content creators. I can only hope that this film will live up to its expectations. (I think it will)