Films to look forward to this summer

Isabella Zeff, General Life&Arts Reporter

When seeking a break from the Texas summer heat, escape to the movie theater with The Daily Texan’s picks of new releases this summer, from indie dramas to blockbuster action films.

“You Hurt My Feelings” (May 26) 

After writer Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) overhears her husband, Don (Tobias Menzies), criticize her new book behind her back, she falls into a crisis of confidence, putting their entire marriage at risk. As the latest comedy-drama from writer-director Nicole Holofcener, “You Hurt My Feelings” received praise for its witty humor and complicated but believable relationships after it premiered at the Sundance Film Festival.


“Past Lives” (June 2) 

Nora (Greta Lee) and Hae Sung (Teo Yoo) — intimate childhood friends separated when Nora’s family immigrated to America — reunite by chance as adults in “Past Lives,” the debut feature from Celine Song. Their rekindled connection causes the pair to consider missed possibilities, the future of their relationship and the nature of destiny. The romantic drama premiered at Sundance to stellar reviews for its deep themes, extraordinary performances and profound emotions.

“Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” (June 2) 

After a five-year wait, audiences finally get to return to the Spider-Verse in “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” which will pull Miles Morales further into the multiverse, introducing him to new friends and new threats as the fate of every universe hangs in the balance.

“Joy Ride” (July 7) 

“Joy Ride,” the debut feature of Adele Lim, one of the writers behind “Crazy Rich Asians,” premiered at South by Southwest to riotous laughter and applause. Starring Ashley Park (“Emily in Paris”) and Stephanie Hsu (“Everything Everywhere All at Once”), the comedy follows four Asian-American friends on a wild road trip through Asia in search of one of their birth mothers.

“Mission: Impossible — Dead Reckoning Part One” (July 14)

The seventh installment in the “Mission: Impossible” saga hits theaters in July. The first film in the franchise’s two-part finale stars Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt, an agent of the Impossible Missions Force tasked with saving the world from terrorist threats. With plot details kept under wraps, the trailer promises the high-stakes combat, incredible stunts and moral complexity that define the series.

“Theater Camp” (July 14) 

Directed by Nick Lieberman and Molly Gordon (“Shiva Baby”), who also stars in the film, “Theater Camp” follows the eccentric staff of a New York theater camp who must come together to save the camp after the founder falls into a coma. The comedy received two standing ovations when it premiered at Sundance, with critics praising the film’s niche theater-kid humor and heart.

“Barbie” (July 21) 

Already iconic thanks to its memeable posters and quotable trailer, Greta Gerwig’s third film will follow Margot Robbie’s Barbie as she leaves Barbieland to explore the human world. The trailer reveals little about the plot but suggests an immersive, funny ride and a wide ensemble cast that includes Ryan Gosling, Issa Rae and Michael Cera.

“Oppenheimer” (July 21) 

An opposites-attract double feature premiering the same day as “Barbie,” Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer” tells the story of scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Cillian Murphy), known as the father of the atomic bomb. Costarring Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr. and Florence Pugh, “Oppenheimer” will explore the titular man’s life and his part in the Manhattan Project to create the atomic bomb.