It may sound dramatic to say that signing up for Regal Unlimited a year and a half ago was my best decision ever. At the time, I decided to try it for a month to see if I could take advantage of it, then cancel it and save my cash every month. But I never imagined how much use I would get from the unlimited pass!
If youâre unaware, Unlimited is Regal Cinemasâs âMoviePass.â For $20 a month, you can see any movie for free, plus get points for free drinks and popcorn. If you see two movies a month, the pass pays for itself. If you see four or five movies a month, like I do, spending the money each month is a no-brainer.
This summer, I tried to see as many movies in my local Regal as possible. I found myself at the theatre once or twice a week and regularly tracking the upcoming releases to plan my future visits. Now that Iâm back at Pitt, Iâve become so attached to seeing free films that Iâve canceled my Unlimited, and instead, signed up for AMC A-List â the MoviePass of AMC Theatres, the reigning cinema of Pittsburgh. All in all, I saw 15 films in theatres this summer â some multiple times. Hereâs my rapid-fire review, in chronological order, of everything I saw.
Challengers, dir. Luca Guadagnino
If you’ve been online recently, you’ve likely heard of Luca Guadagnino’s tennis romance, Challengers. Zendaya stars as Tashi Duncan, a talented young tennis player sidelined by an injury, who tries to boost her struggling tennis champion husband, Art (Mike Faist), to stardom despite his continuous losses. Matters are complicated when the âchallengerâ event she signs him up for involves him playing against Patrick Zweig (Josh OâConnor), his former best friend and her former fling.
Thereâs little I can say on Challengers that hasnât been said before. I adored this film. I found it funny and masterfully directed, with a pitch-perfect score. I was particularly impressed with OâConnorâs performance as the cocky, abrasive Patrick, the foil to Mike Faistâs calmer, introverted Art. Guadagnino has proven himself to be one of the contemporary greats with Challengers and his previous works (Call Me By Your Name, Bones and All, etc.), and Iâm beyond excited for his next film, Queer, to hit theatres later this year.
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes, dir. Wes Ball
The fourth installment in the Planet of the Apes reboot series, Kingdom, marks the beginning of the next phase. Set several generations after the events of the previous three films, Kingdom follows Noa, a young ape now living in a world where apes reign supreme and humans have mostly withered away. As a new dictatorial ape begins taking over, Noa teams up with one of the few remaining humans to save his clan and restore peace to the apes.
I quickly binged the first three Planet films before seeing Kingdom in theatres. Perhaps the first three installments spoiled me, but I found Kingdom very disappointing in comparison. There are some fantastic parts, such as the worldbuilding of the advanced ape society and the main villain, Proximus Caesar. Ultimately, though, I wasnât impressed. Hopefully, the subsequent few films will be a return to form for the Planet series.
The Strangers: Chapter 1, dir. Renny Harlin
The Strangers is the scariest type of horror because it feels like it could happen. Its randomness and realism strike a deep chord of fear. Chapter 1 follows Maya and Ryan, a young couple road-tripping across the country, who are forced to stay overnight in a cabin in the woods when their car breaks down. However, their getaway is derailed by the appearance of the three titular strangers, who break in and wreak havoc, forcing the couple to figure out a way to escape.
While break-in horror usually terrifies me, Chapter 1 didn’t spook me like its predecessors. It’s hard to sympathize with or root for the characters when they repeatedly make foolish decisions. (Seriously, just hole up in a room with your gun!) Although advertised as an “origin story” for the three villains from earlier films, Chapter 1 is a relaunch for a new standalone trilogy. Based on this installment, the new films are a significant step down from the originals.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, dir. George Miller
Making any sort of sequel or spin-off to a beloved film is a nearly impossible task. Mad Max: Fury Road is regarded as one of the greatest modern science fiction films, and after watching it for the first time this summer, itâs easy to see why. Furiosa, a prequel to the Mad Max series, focuses on Charlize Theronâs character first introduced in Fury Road, played here by Anya Taylor-Joy. We follow her life over more than a decade, from being kidnapped in childhood by the crazed warlord Dementus to rising as an imperator.
Furiosa isnât as good as Mad Max: Fury Road, but that doesnât mean itâs bad. George Miller is a master of action, distinguished by his colorful, quick, and never-boring style. Taylor-Joy cements herself as a true star, commanding the screen as Theron did nearly a decade ago, and Chris Hemsworth delivers a compelling performance as the villainous Dementus. Overall, I hope Miller has more Mad Max films planned because I would love to keep exploring the universe heâs built.
The Watchers, dir. Ishana Night Shyamalan
As one of M. Night Shyamalanâs staunchest defenders, I was excited to make it to theatres to see his daughterâs directorial and writing debut. After all, the premise is interesting enough â Dakota Fanning plays Mina, a young artist stranded in the woods of Ireland, eventually encountering three strangers stalked by mysterious creatures each night. Not content to spend the rest of her life in the woods, Mina rallies the strangers to try and figure out an escape from the wilderness.
Ishana Night Shyamalan clearly inherited her fatherâs directorial talents. The Watchers has some great cinematography and unique shots, but the writing is where the film fell apart. Her dialogue is clunky and melodramatic, and the story beats become more nonsensical and confusing as the story goes on. Similarly, the acting was a rough watch, though the screenplay didnât give Fanning and her costars (including Georgina Campbell of Barbarian fame) much to work with. Iâm hopeful for Shyamalanâs sophomore project, but her debut was a swing and a miss.
The Fall Guy, dir. David Leitch
With reasonably low expectations, I went into former stunt double David Leitchâs newest film, The Fall Guy. The trailers made me unsure of the tone the movie was hitting â comedy? Action? Romance? Crime? In the end, The Fall Guy was all of these things! It follows stuntman Colt, fresh off a career-derailing injury, who returns to his craft to win back his ex-girlfriend, track down a missing movie star, and prevent himself from getting framed for a horrible crime.
If nothing else, The Fall Guy is funny. Ryan Gosling is genuinely a comedic expert, and he and Emily Blunt played off each other perfectly. The plot was silly and became more convoluted as the story continued, concluding with a mind-boggling climax that completely jumped the shark. I contemplated how better the film would be if Leitch knew when to cut parts out rather than just throwing ideas at the wall to see what sticks. But for the comedy and physicality of Gosling alone, it was worth the (free) ticket.
Inside Out 2, dir. Kelsey Mann
I went into Inside Out 2 biased. Its first installment is one of my favorite animated films of all time, and it is one of the few that can make me tear up just thinking about it (Bing Bong, of course). The sequel to the 2015 Pixar film continues the story of Riley, now 13 and preparing to go to high school. Her emotions have a good grasp on how to keep Riley balanced and happy, but their harmony is disturbed by the arrival of new emotions in Rileyâs head â among them: Anxiety.
After seeing Inside Out 2, I had a lot of thoughts. For one, the filmâs message is a beat-for-beat rehashing of the first â sometimes you need destructive emotions. Every feeling is best in moderation. But even with the recycled theme, I still absolutely adored it. It was laugh-out-loud funny but also deeply emotional. The new emotions are hilarious and familiar. Inside Out 2 feels like a step forward for Pixar and reignited my excitement for their upcoming films.
The Bikeriders, dir. Jeff Nichols
A crime thriller starring Austin Butler, Jodie Comer and Mike Faist? The Bikeriders sounds practically made in a lab for me to love. It follows Kathy, a woman who becomes tangled up in a Midwestern motorcycle club when she begins going out with Benny, the newest member. Over a decade, the club descends into violence and toxicity, forcing Benny to choose between his loyalties to his wife and the club.
All in all, The Bikeriders was okay. Jodie Comer is one of the greatest actresses working today, and it was fantastic to see her in such a unique, different role. The descent of a casual biking club into a cesspool of hypermasculinity and anger was fascinating. Still, The Bikeriders never entirely drew me in. There were parts where I couldnât take my eyes off the screen and others where I was painfully bored and yearning for it to end. The Bikeriders didnât linger with me after I left the theatre. That alone speaks volumes about its impact or lack thereof.Â
Kinds of Kindness, dir. Yorgos Lanthimos
Including Kinds of Kindness may be cheating. I didnât see Yorgos Lanthimosâs newest film at Regal but rather at my local arthouse theatre. Still, it was one of my most anticipated films of the year, and Iâm itching to write about it. Kinds of Kindness features three anthological stories with the same castâfirst, a man who allows his boss to control every detail of his life; next, a man who suspects his wife, who just returned from being lost at sea, is an imposter; and finally, two cult members who attempt to find a mysterious woman with the ability to raise the dead.
Kinds of Kindness is everything I love about Lanthimosâs work. Itâs hilarious and excellently acted, and so, so weird. Each story was so expertly written and directed that I was sad when it ended, only to be just as drawn into the next. Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone, who portray each story’s male and female leads, are two modern greats. This is my favorite Lanthimos and my favorite film of 2024 so far.
MaXXXine, dir. Ti West
The third installment in Ti Westâs X series, following the 70s slasher X and psychological horror Pearl, MaXXXine has been one of my most anticipated films this year. While I didnât adore X, I fell in love with Pearl, and the news of a third follow-up thrilled me. The newest film follows Maxine, the protagonist from X, as she moves to Los Angeles following the bloodbath of her past, only to find herself wrapped up in another killing spree.
To call MaXXXine disappointing would be an understatement. I didnât find it a lackluster third, but it was a pretty terrible film overall. The plot went off the rails early on, and there was too much going on to have much interest in any plotline. It was corny, poorly written, and unfortunately for Mia Goth, not well-acted. The saving grace was Westâs direction, which utilized a spectacular backdrop of 1980s Hollywood. If youâre interested in the X trilogy, I suggest lowering your expectations massively for its culmination.
A Quiet Place: Day One, dir. Michael Sarnoski
I am a moderate fan of John Krasinskiâs horror mini-franchise, A Quiet Place. Theyâre great in concept but tend to fall apart if you pick at the strings of the plot (why would you have another baby in the middle of an apocalypse?), but despite this, I was incredibly excited for the newest Manhattan-set sequel. Day One follows Lupita Nyongâo as Sam, a terminally ill woman stranded in the middle of Manhattan â one of the loudest cities in the world â when the sound-sensitive aliens attack America.
Day One probably got a boost from being the second half of my double feature with MaXXXine. But even without its middling prior film, I loved Day One. Lupita Nyongâo is a charismatic and sympathetic lead, and Joseph Quinn, who plays the young law student she pals around with, is just as extraordinary. Horror set in New York City is uniquely terrifying, and I loved how much Day One used the city, forcing Sam and Eric into the subways, construction sites, and piers. As with the first two films, A Quiet Place’s sound design is truly something to behold and is meant to be seen in a theatre.
Longlegs, dir. Osgood Perkins
Longlegs exists in the same realm as Challengers, where itâs been impossible to escape the marketing and promotion if youâve been on the Internet over the last six months. Iâve been obsessed with all things Longlegs since it was first announced â the eerie teasers, the murder website, the show-nothing trailers. I knew little about the plot going in, as most did, besides the bones of it. An FBI agent attempts to track down a mysterious killer, the titular Longlegs, who annihilates families.
The movie ended up being so much more than I expected, both for better and worse. It has the privilege of being the scariest movie Iâve seen in theatres in a while, and for the first Ÿ, I was incredibly into it. The ending fell flat for me, and I think it would have been a stronger horror movie if it had left more unexplained and up to the audienceâs imagination rather than the tell-donât-show information dump provided in the last 20 minutes. But it was a worthy watch for the performances of Nicholas Cage and Maika Monroe alone, and Perkins is undoubtedly a new horror auteur to look out for.
Twisters, dir. Lee Isaac Chung
Twisters was another highly anticipated film for me this summer, and I became even more excited about it after finally watching the 1996 original Twister. The 2024 reboot has a similar premise, following former storm chaser Kate Cooper, who returns to her hometown of Oklahoma during a tornado outbreak and finds herself connecting with âtornado influencerâ Tyler Owens to figure out a way to tame tornadoes. (Yes â tame tornadoes).
Twisters is one of my biggest disappointments of the year; it is entertaining but ultimately flat. I enjoyed it, but perhaps I would have found it better if I hadnât indulged in Twister the night before, which is better virtually every way. Daisy Edgar-Jones was an unimpressive lead as Kate and had almost every scene stolen from her by costar Glen Powell, who portrayed Owens. My favorite part of Twister, which its reboot sadly lacked, was the fleshed-out, hilarious side characters (Philip Seymour-Hoffman in one of his earlier roles is the most notable standout). Going from Twister to Twisters makes you long for the tornado-hunting team of the original rather than the characters you never truly have any attachments to in the reboot.
Cuckoo, dir. Tilman Singer
The trailers for Cuckoo promised a lot. I was excited for a campy horror that blended some truly thrilling elements with a bit of humor. Cuckoo follows Gretchen, a 17-year-old girl forced to move with her father and his new family to a resort in the German Alps, where she discovers everything is not as it seems with their new community and its âleader.â
I canât say that I loved Cuckoo or even enjoyed it at all. There were a lot of great set-ups, exciting shots, and Hunter SchaferâŠall things that should lead to a great film. Dan Stevens was a funny and intriguing villain. But the plot twist was too silly to be frightening. The emotional beats felt lackluster, and I didnât feel much connection to any of the characters. But I must hand it to any horror film that genuinely takes swings, and Cuckoo does. Itâs not what I expected, and even if I didnât love it, I respect the creativity and originality.
Alien: Romulus, dir. Ridley Scott
Yet another sequel (or âinterquelâ) hit theaters in the form of Ridley Scottâs Alien: Romulus, set between the events of his 1979 film Alien and its 1986 follow-up Aliens. Priscillaâs Cailee Spaeny stars as Rain, a space colonist in the far future who, along with her robot brother, goes along on a mission to scavenge a dilapidated space station only to encounter deadly, aggressive creatures trapped with them in the station.
Romulus was a slow start for me. It hit the same snag as Twisters in that I had just watched the original Alien film and naturally drew some pretty strong comparisons early on. Romulus is scary, with some intense action and terrifying deaths, but I couldnât stop thinking it tries too hard to replicate the genius of Alien rather than just being its own solid sci-fi film. From reused quotes to a literal deep fake of a deceased actor from the original (seriously, why?), I found that Romulusâs desperation to appeal to fans of the original films diminished rather than enhanced it.
For me, movies are the bread and butter of life. I relish nothing more than watching films on a theaterâs big screen surrounded by fellow cinephilesâitâs my form of self-care. Regal Unlimited has been great this summer, and Iâve taken full advantage of it over the past 18 months. Now, itâs time for me to move on to bigger and better things…AMC A-List.