From franchise films to original debuts, theaters across America raked in billions of dollars during the summer of 2023. While many flocked to theaters in pink, others sported a full-body Spider-Man suit. With the vast array of options to choose from this past summer, it begs the question of which movies did Urban students see in theaters? More importantly, which ones do the Blues approve?
Barbie, directed by Greta Gerwig – $633 million domestic gross
“Barbie suffers a crisis that leads her to question her world and her existence.” -Internet Movie Database (IMDb)
Elliott Maggiotto ‘26 – 4.5 to 5 out of 5 stars
“I loved it a lot … I was able to resonate especially with Ken. I feel like [the movie] showed the struggle of balancing who he was, and his identity relating to Barbie in that relationship,” said Maggiotto. “I loved the set design, and I thought that the use of music was great. The song ‘I’m just Ken’ is on my playlist right now,” he said. “I also saw it with my grandmother. At the end of the movie, she actually cried and she said, ‘Wow, that movie was amazing.’”
In response to some of the negative opinions of the film, Maggiotto said, “I noticed that [on social media] a lot of conservatives said Barbie is anti-men, which I strongly disagree with. I feel like it is very gender-neutral. It really shows that both men and women need each other to live as a society.”
Simone Maurillo ‘25 – 3.5 out of 5 stars
“I think it was very borderline basic. It was obviously relatable, and I enjoyed watching it because I could relate to all the funny, random jokes about the guitar by the fireplace,” said Maurillo. “I just think some people treated it like it was some revolutionary or crazy thing, and I just do not think it was. It was a very basic kind of almost white feminism,” she said. “I think our parents’ generations appreciate it more because these topics were not talked about when they were our age and now it is being recognized more.”
Bottoms, directed by Emma Seligman – $11.6 million domestic gross
“Two unpopular queer high school students start a fight club to have sex before graduation.” -IMDb
Lilli Means ‘24 – 4.5 out of 5 stars
“I would recommend ‘Bottoms’ to anyone because it is the first movie I have seen in a while where I was laughing out loud the entire time,” said Means. “I liked it because it felt authentic and there were tiny details that made the plot and characters even more hilarious. Josie was wearing a shirt that said ‘spiritual playboy’ and I just loved that.”
Zia DiFrancesco ‘24 – 4.5 out of 5 stars
“I have seen it twice now. I feel like movies just are not fun anymore, so this was super fun to see because it is so silly and dumb, but in a good way. My favorite character was Hazel because she is really sweet, fun and just cute,” said DiFrancesco. “If you are looking to have fun and laugh, ‘Bottoms’ is definitely a good one.”
Oppenheimer, directed by Christopher Nolan – $322 million domestic gross
“The story of American Scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his role in the development of the atomic bomb.” -IMDb
Zareen Abraham ‘25 – 3.5 out of 5 stars
“I went into ‘Oppenheimer’ and did not know anything. I feel like I should have done prior research or something. There were names sometimes and I had no idea who they were talking about — I just knew Einstein and Oppenheimer,” said Abraham. “It is the type of movie that I would watch at home where I could be comfortable. After an hour and a half, I thought I was about to fall asleep. And then the bomb happened … [and that] kind of woke me up,” she said. “If you are a big movie person or a big history buff, it would probably be more fun for you.”
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, directed by Joaquim Dos Santos, Justin K. Thompson and Kemp Powers – $381 million domestic gross
“Miles Morales catapults across the Multiverse, where he encounters a team of spider-people charged with protecting its very existence.” -IMDb
Oliver Bodden-Howard ‘25 – 6 out of 5 stars
“It left [me] … really thinking. The story was analytical, and there was a lot of stuff happening at once, so you had to piece it together,” said Bodden-Howard. “There are so many different conclusions it could lead to, which is why there is such a demand for a new movie. That s–t was so fire.”
