Searcy, AR. (LP) — While there have already been many notable (as well as other, lesser-known) releases through the year, 2019 isn’t done just yet. As the July-September release period comes to a close, we begin to move into the last three months of the year, with each with their fair share of feature films. Sure, there are a handful of big releases coming out in Spooktober, Turkey Month, and Crimbus, but if there’s anything that this past year in film has shown, it’s that lots of press, all-star casts, and gorgeous visuals don’t necessarily make a movie good. Keeping this in mind as we approach the next potential big hits as well as the next potential huge flops, there are certainly some upcoming releases that look to be more promising than others. The question is, do people agree on which new movies deserve that title?
A few of the titles that get SHS students excited include Joker, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, Maleficent: Mistress of Evil, Jumanji: The Next Level, The Addams Family, and A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. However, different people want to see the same movies for different reasons. Zackary Carter seemed particularly excited for his personal favorites stating, “I’ve been waiting to see for a long time. Joker and The Lighthouse look like they are going to be masterpieces. JoJo Rabbit is directed by one of my favorite directors, Taika Waititi, so I need to see it. I watched Zombieland 1 and loved it, so I need to see the second one. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood is gonna be nostalgic. Knives Out looks interesting and it has an amazing cast. Finally, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker is the ending of the saga, and I love Star Wars so I’m super excited for this movie.” On the other hand, some unanimous disliked for SHS include Terminator: Dark Fate, Wringkles the Clown, Cats, and… Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker. Wait…what was that last one? Hmmm…
Granted, it was kind of a given that, after the huge controversy and split opinion over the previous Star Wars installment (The Last Jedi), the next and final movie in the sequel trilogy would generate such dramatically different responses. The same goes for Terminator: Dark Fate, which had similarly divisive responses. But why Cats? The original Broadway musical was a huge hit, and has remained an icon of musical theater since. “They just seem very boring, and I’m not interested in most movies because I don’t like to sit still so a movie really has to grab my attention or I’m not into it,” admitted Rachel Reynolds, who was explaining why she wasn’t interested in seeing any of the three previously mentioned films. Of course, anyone who hasn’t seen the musical probably won’t understand the appeal the upcoming movie has to those who loved the original production. EAST and Computer Science teacher Kay Carpenter, on the other hand, is more than excited about the film. “I’ve seen Cats on stage five times,” Mrs. Carpenter remarks.
Overall, it seems like it’ going to be a rather interesting last three months of 2019. While the other nine months have certainly had their fair share of hits and duds alike, no one can really say how the rest of the year will turn out.
