Rapid Movie Review Roundup: July 2024

Thelma - June Squibb is a Mission: Impossible-inspired everygranny who won’t back down after being swindled in this wonderful antidote to a lifeless summer blockbuster season. It’s also the sweetest portrayal of a grandmother-grandson relationship seen on the big screen (thanks to the terrific Fred Hechinger). ★★★★☆

Maxxxine - Ti West’s deliciously dirty take on 80s pulp thrillers offers adequate servings of sleaze and slasher. Mia Goth commands the screen once again, Kevin Bacon chews it up (and spits it out and chews it up again), and the rest of the ensemble has a ball living in their hard-boiled characters—even though the movie isn’t quite the strongest entry in the X trilogy. ★★★☆☆

Longlegs - While some Silence of the Lambs comparisons are warranted, director Oz Perkins takes his twist elsewhere after skillfully setting an unnerving tone and leading us down a disturbing path. And while a morose Monroe chases after a wildly unhinged Cage, the movie tries really hard to be a new genre classic. ★★★☆☆

National Anthem - The American West gets reclaimed and reframed through a contemporary queer lens in Luke Gilford’s beautiful portrait of rodeo life, chosen families, and the deep human desire to belong—all while trying to subvert trauma tropes and focus on the joy of self-discovery. ★★★★☆

Twisters - This re-quel doesn’t quite replicate the unique thrills of Jan De Bont’s 1996 original—after all, we’ve seen plenty of CGI storms since. But it’s serviceable summer fare, even if it’s trying to convince us that Glen Powell is a thing. ★★★☆☆

Deadpool & Wolverine - With insane cameos, a needle drop soundtrack, and a relentless script that prioritizes winking commentary over story, this threequel doles out an enormous (read: overly ambitious) amount of bro-y fan service that’s only tolerable because of the presence of Hugh Jackman’s stoic X-Man. ★★★☆☆

The Fabulous Four - Boomers on TikTok. Vagina and marijuana jokes. A tired plot twist seen from miles away… There should be a special place in movie hell for someone who subjects such iconic actresses (Bette Midler, Susan Sarandon, Sheryl Lee Ralph, Megan Mullally) to such embarrassing drivel. ★1/2

For more reviews, check out my Letterboxd account here.