Hello again, Destructoid, and welcome to another installment of Weekly Watchlist. This week, we're talking about more movies, and specifically delving into two of the best films I've seen all year—Superman and Elio.
Both of these movies delivered on all fronts for me, and I'm curious to know how you felt about them, too. So, let's dive in and discuss what makes these films as good as they are.
Superman is, without a doubt, one of the best movies I've ever seen and easily in my top 10 superhero films of all time across both DC and Marvel. I've been waiting for this one all year, and everything about it delivered. At its core, Superman is a film about empathy and hope, and it's exactly the film we need right now.
Admittedly, I've always been more of a Batman fan than I am a Superman fan. I just never really got his character, or lack thereof, before this movie. Superman has completely changed this, though, and he's quickly become one of my favorite heroes. I went in expecting greatness, as I've loved every superhero film James Gunn has been behind so far, and this one somehow exceeded my already high expectations.
The cast of this movie makes the film what it is. David Corenswet was born to play Superman, Edi Gathegi steals every scene he's in as the ridiculously cool Mr. Terrific, Nicholas Hoult cements himself as one of the greatest comic book film villains of all time in the role of Lex Luthor, Rachel Brosnahan brings incredible heart to Lois Lane, and so on for the rest of the cast. It's truly astonishing how every character feels like a scene stealer at various points throughout the film.
Superman is a fast-paced, colorful, and always chaotic film with so many things going on at once. It can be hard to keep up, but this energy is what makes it feel like a literal comic book come to life. You jump right into the action, and you stay there from start to finish. It's truly everything I wanted it to be and so much more. Superman is a must-see movie to me, and I can't wait to see where the newly rebooted DCU goes next after this.
Another great film I saw recently is Elio, a space adventure movie that follows a lonely young boy searching for his place in a world he feels doesn't want him. It's about finding a place to belong and appreciating what you've got, and it's a downright charming movie that deserves way more praise.
After losing his parents, Elio doesn't feel wanted by anyone on Earth, so he looks to the skies for companionship instead. He spends years trying to get aliens to abduct him in several goofy ways before eventually succeeding at this endeavor.
Once he's in space, the real adventure begins as he's mistaken for the leader of Earth by the Communiverse, a group of aliens from all across the Milky Way. He gets caught up in this lie and spends the rest of the film navigating through tricky situations because of it.
Eventually, Elio realizes he never gave life on Earth with his aunt Olga a real shot, and that he already has a place to belong. There are some genuinely touching moments throughout this film, accompanied by several gloriously goofy ones. It'll have you tearing up one second, then bursting out in laughter the next, which is what I always love about Pixar films.
Visually, Elio is also quite stunning, with some beautiful space scenery and many colorful alien characters. Overall, it's quite a heartwarming film you should check out if you have the chance to do so.
So, Destructoid, have you had a chance to check out either of these movies yet? If so, what did you think about them? And what else have you been watching lately? Let us know down in the comments.
The post Destructoid’s Weekly Watchlist Vol. 2 – From Metropolis to the Milky Way: Superheroes, aliens, and all the feels (July 14-21) appeared first on Destructoid.
