TR!LL
5 Movies to Watch to Heal Your Summer Boredom
By Gia DeLuca
August 26, 2024
Summer. While the fun in the sun is great, it can be a bore after two months. It’s too hot. The beach is crowded. You’re tired of swimming. When will fall get here? What is there to do?
When I’m over the summer, I like to turn on the AC, sit in bed, grab a snack, and watch a movie that I love. To pass the time, here are five of my favorite films to watch when I feel that the summer sun becomes overrated so, get under that blanket, open up some chips and grab your remote!
- Ingrid Goes West
Aubrey Plaza and Elizabeth Olsen, Ingrid Goes West (2017)
Starring Elizabeth Olsen and Aubrey Plaza, Ingrid Goes West is an underrated indie film about the harms of para-social relationships. The film follows Ingrid (Plaza), a lonely woman who grows unhealthy obsessions with people she’d like to befriend. After spending time in a recovery facility, Ingrid finds her next obsession: LA social media influencer, Taylor (Olsen). Desperate to become her friend, Ingrid moves out to Los Angeles. Through various unconventional antics, Ingrid successfully befriends Taylor. However, the friendship crumbles as quickly as it began.
The film is very fitting for today’s world and our relationship with social media. It pokes fun at this idea of influencers and how they behave like they’re curing cancer by posting a photo of a salad. While these influencers make them and their lives look incredible, that doesn’t mean it’s true. We often compare ourselves to influencers, envying their lives. Ingrid is in awe of the idea of Taylor but after befriending her, Ingrid realizes that she’s temporary. One moment, they’re close friends and spend time together. The next moment, Taylor excludes Ingrid and behaves in a wishy-washy manner. People paint pictures of themselves, but it’s not always who they are.
The character of Ingrid is clearly mentally unstable. She goes to extreme lengths to get to Taylor such as stealing her dog and pretending like she found him. Her obsession comes to light when Taylor’s brother, Nicky (Billy Magnussen), exposes her using photos from Ingrid’s phone which he stole. Taylor unfriends her which causes Ingrid to spiral, spamming her with texts and voicemails. By the end, Ingrid feels lonely and attempts suicide. We all want friends, but this film highlights the heavy effects of loneliness. Ingrid was mentally ill and went to drastic lengths, but she only wanted a friend.
Watch on Tubi, Apple TV and Prime Video.
- The First Wives Club
This 90s classic stars Bette Midler, Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn. While it may not be popular amongst Gen-Z, it should be. The film follows three women who reunite after the death of an old friend. After reconnecting, they realize that each of their marriages is coming to an end. The common factor in each divorce is that the husbands pursue younger women. Once coming to this realization, they plan to get revenge on their ex-husbands by hatching elaborate, comedic hijinks throughout the film.
While the movie is nearly three decades old, the plot matches this modern love for girlbossification. Women owning up to their power and doing what they want is satisfying to see especially for a 90s film. They don’t tolerate the hurt placed upon them by their ex-husbands. Instead, they do something about it. After all their hijinks, the women meet with their ex-husbands and agree they won’t take full revenge on them unless they fund their non-profit which would help abused women. Despite the desire for revenge, the women do something greater. I think this is a movie that lots of people within Gen-Z would appreciate if they knew it existed. The film has a stellar cast, it’s got humor, and it’s ahead of its time.
Watch on Pluto TV, Paramount+, Prime Video, Hulu and Apple TV.
- Us
Us, 2019. Directed by Jordan Peele
Directed by Jordan Peele, Us is a film that will keep you on your toes. It’s the perfect amount of eerie: Creepy enough to spook you but won’t turn off haters of horror films. The Wilson family arrives at their vacation home. Throughout their stay, Adelaide (Lupita Nyong’O) feels an anxiety within her. Her worries become reality when four masked figures in red suits appear in their driveway. Despite the Wilsons’ attempts to fight them off, they get in the house. When the masks come off, the mysterious people are revealed to have the same faces as the Wilsons. They call themselves “the Tethered.” Throughout the film, the Wilsons battle their doppelgängers for dominance. The intense sequence of events leads the audience to learn about the Tethered and their motives.
This movie contains a plot twist that will truly blow your mind. My first time watching the film left me astounded. I’ve found that Jordan Peele’s movies often leave this impression. He’s known for making thrillers that are meant to serve as messages. Us addresses the issue regarding American privilege. Without giving away too much, the Tethered live an undesirable life. They are failed government experiments, left abandoned underground. They live off of rabbits and are not given the same access to opportunities as their doppelgängers who walk freely through the world. There’s an unfairness of we are one yet you live like this and I live like that. While Us is entertaining to watch, it holds a deeper meaning to it. So, if you’re looking to watch a movie that keeps you invested and makes you think, Jordan Peele is your guy.
Watch on Prime Video and Apple TV.
- Uptown Girls
This film is an underrated gem of the 2000s. Starring a young Dakota Fanning and the late Brittany Murphy, Uptown Girls tells the story of both loss and girlhood. Years after the death of her rock star father and her mother, Molly Gunn (Murphy) spends her days living the lavish life of a trust fund baby. All is well until she discovers that her accountant has stolen all of her money, leaving her penniless. In an effort to make money, she finds herself becoming a nanny for a rigid, hypochondriac child, Lorraine (Fanning). Despite their differences, the pair find that they can teach each other different things about life.
I’m surprised that more people haven’t heard of this movie. It’s light, humorous and has a comforting aura attached to it. The exchanged dialogue between Molly and Lorraine seems so authentic and there’s clear chemistry. As the movie progresses, a bond forms right before your eyes. I also found that while their characters serve to teach one another their own perspectives, they also teach the audience a thing or two. There are several lines and moments from this film that have stuck with me and made me think about life a little differently. Overall, Uptown Girls is a very sweet film that deserves more appreciation.
Watch on Max, Hulu, Prime TV and Apple TV.
- The Menu
Ralph Fiennes, The Menu (2022)
The Menu stars Ralph Fiennes and Anya Taylor-Joy. A group of people buy themselves a seat at an exclusive restaurant located on a private island. The restaurant is run by a famous chef, Julian Slowick (Ralph Fiennes). Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) is an unexpected guest to Tyler (Nicholas Hoult). She’s an escort hired by him in replacement of his original guest, his ex-girlfriend. With each course served, there’s a shocking turn of events. The guests come to realize Chef Slowick is not any ordinary, conventional chef.
There are multiple layers to the film. It contains various plot twists and keeps the audience engaged. The film dips into the true motives of Chef Slowick and his ways, explaining the method behind his madness. Each guest is there because of their disrespect for the artistry of food making. People get off on this idea of eating from Michelin-starred restaurants. Gourmet meals make them feel as if they have a high-class knowledge of what’s good in the food world. However, just because you eat expensive food and can dine at an exclusive restaurant does not mean you understand or appreciate the craft. This privileged, ignorant attitude displayed by the guests caused him to lose his passion for cooking. Food is something he’s taken time with. Meanwhile, these guests just want to brag to their friends about their exclusive meal.
Even if you’re not interested in films surrounding the culinary arts, I would definitely give The Menu a watch. It’s dark with a fair amount of humor. There are metaphors and symbolisms that are intriguing to discover. The film does a good job of capturing your attention, causing an eagerness to understand what’s going on. There are complexities, but I highly recommend this film if you find yourself bored.
Watch on Prime TV and Apple TV.
