As an avid movie lover myself, I asked other M-A students about their takes on some of this year’s hit films. Let’s take a deeper look into these blockbuster movies.
Spoiler Warning: some of the following sections may contain spoilers, so if you haven’t seen any of the movies that are listed, take caution! [vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][nectar_animated_title heading_tag=”h6″ style=”color-strip-reveal” color=”Accent-Color” text=”Spider-Man: No Way Home”][vc_column_text]
To Marvel fans, specifically those who love the Spider-Man franchise, Spider-Man: No Way Home definitely makes a home run as one of Marvel’s best movies ever. While watching this movie, I enjoyed the connection that Peter Parker 1 (Tom Holland), Peter Parker 2 (Tobey Maguire), and Peter Parker 3 (Andrew Garfield) had with each other. I rate this movie a 5/5.
Senior Vianca Lopez said, “I thought it was really cool because it connected all generations of Spider-Man. I watched it with my family, and they gave commentary when I was at the movie theater. I like to call myself a Marvel fan, but I don’t know all the history and timelines of the Marvel universe, so my brother helped me understand it all. I thought it was pretty cool when Andrew Garfield and Tobey McGuire came in. I’d probably rate it a 4.5/5.”
Sophomore Keira Martin had a more critical opinion, and said, “I liked that there were three different Spider-Man actors. The ending was pretty sad and was also stupid because everyone he cared about had no clue who Peter Parker is. I would rate it a 2/5.”
“I thought it was a really good movie,” senior Jacqueline Nassiri said, “But honestly, I wasn’t expecting the ending, where all three spider-men came out to fight the Green Goblin. I thought that was really interesting. I didn’t expect a couple of death scenes, and it was shocking to see Aunt May die—I kind of wish she stayed alive. Overall, a very good movie. I’d rate it a 4/5.”
Senior Clara Cronin said, “I thought it was super cool how all the old supervillains came back and fought the new Spider-Man. I hated the way they closed the story because I have to wait like two years for the next one to come out. I think this movie is leading to something even better. I would rate it a 4.5/5.”[vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][nectar_animated_title heading_tag=”h6″ style=”color-strip-reveal” color=”Accent-Color” text=”Morbius”][vc_column_text]
Marvel once again produced another hit movie, but Morbius takes a different route than other Marvel movies. I enjoyed how, unlike in previous movies, Marvel established the idea of a pseudo-vampire. I found it inspiring that their main character is a disabled person who’s ill with a rare blood disorder and is determined to save others from the same fate. I rate this movie a 5/5.
Senior Thinh Pham said, “I don’t really watch too many movies. To me, it was fine, but I was watching it with some friends and they despised it; they hated it so much. It’s just mediocre at best. I would rate it a 2.5/5.” [vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][nectar_animated_title heading_tag=”h6″ style=”color-strip-reveal” color=”Accent-Color” text=”Turning Red”][vc_column_text]
Turning Red is a coming-of-age movie that focuses on the life of a middle school girl. When I first heard of this movie, I wasn’t as eager to see it right away because it didn’t seem like something I would be interested in. I watched it a few months after it came out, and it turned out better than I expected! I liked how Meilin, the main character, starts as a goody-two-shoes but ends up doing her own thing in a rebellious way. I would rate this movie a 5/5.
“It was definitely an enjoyable movie,” freshman Maelys de Maistre said. “I liked how it depicted a middle school girl in a relatable way, and they put a lot of details into the storyline. I would rate it a 5/5.”[vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][nectar_animated_title heading_tag=”h6″ style=”color-strip-reveal” color=”Accent-Color” text=”Monster High: The Movie (Live-Action Remake)”][vc_column_text]
I’ve been a fan of the Monster High franchise for years, so it was exciting to hear that they were continuing the story after five years. However, while the movie was in the works, its storyline and characters were already facing public backlash, including that the ethnicities of some of the actors who were in it didn’t align with those of the characters. Other fans took issue with Clawdeen and Deuce being a couple instead of Deuce and Cleo, like in the original animated version. In this remake, Cleo’s character is in it, but it mentioned that she and Deuce broke up, and some fans were not too pleased. While Clawdeen and Deuce being a couple wouldn’t have worked in the original animated series, I think it definitely worked out in the recent live-action remake. I rate this movie a 4/5.
Senior Alyssa Hernandez disagreed, and said, “I personally didn’t like it. The cartoons I watched when I was little were so much better. I think the movie just didn’t live up to my expectations, and some of the songs were kind of awkward for me personally. I would rate it a 2/5.” [vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][nectar_animated_title heading_tag=”h6″ style=”color-strip-reveal” color=”Accent-Color” text=”The Woman King”][vc_column_text]
The Woman King was a great movie. I thought it told more about the horrors of the slave trade and how enslaved people resisted than what we are taught in schools. I also liked that it showed empowered women, especially women of color, who were fierce and determined. I rate this movie a 5/5.
Sophomore Don Yukon said, “It was interesting. The events that were happening left me speechless because while I know it’s not real, it’s a pretty good representation of what was going on at the time. I would rate it a 5/5.”
Senior Nicole Harris said, “I know the ending isn’t actually historically accurate, but I really liked the focus on women empowerment and women being really strong, highly respected warriors. The cinematography was also really great. But, I don’t really like it when romance is just like a side piece of the plot. The romance wasn’t really obvious, but there were definitely hints of it. I just felt like they could’ve done more. Realistically it wasn’t as accurate as it could have been. If you’re looking for a good movie to go watch in theaters I would definitely check it out. This is definitely one of those ones that I would see again. I would rate it a 4.3./5.”[vc_column column_padding=”no-extra-padding” column_padding_position=”all” background_color_opacity=”1″ background_hover_color_opacity=”1″ column_link_target=”_self” column_shadow=”none” column_border_radius=”none” width=”1/1″ tablet_width_inherit=”default” tablet_text_alignment=”default” phone_text_alignment=”default” column_border_width=”none” column_border_style=”solid” bg_image_animation=”none”][nectar_animated_title heading_tag=”h6″ style=”color-strip-reveal” color=”Accent-Color” text=”Minions: The Rise of Gru”][vc_column_text]
I’ve been a fan of the Despicable Me series for years, and I’ve always wondered how Gru became the anti-hero he is, so it was cool to see a backstory about him and how the minions assumed their roles. However, I liked it better in movies where he was an adult rather than a child because this movie felt almost too cringey to watch. I rate it 2/5. I thought this movie would’ve made the cut as one of my favorite movies of the year, but it fell short of my expectations.
English teacher David Rosenberg said, “I liked the part where one of the minions’ little booty fell out; it reminded me of my nephew. I always liked how the minions talk. They’re super funny. I like how their names were the funniest names. I liked that Gru is an anti-hero, which is good because heroes are often so generic. So he’s a bad guy, but he’s also the hero. I wish there were more minions in it. I don’t want to see other people. I just want minions, I want little yellow dudes with little goggles. Other than that I would rate it a 3.8/5.”
Senior Naomi Stamler said, “I really liked seeing Gru as a child. I thought he was really cute. And it was also really funny to just see an adult’s voice coming out of his mouth, so I thought it was hilarious. I really liked the Vicious Six’s 70s vibe. They weren’t the most interesting villains because I don’t think we got enough insight into them as characters, but they were still a cool team. I love their outfits. I would rate the movie a 3/5.”
