Ella’s Takes
From “The Odyssey,” to “Backrooms” to “Spider-Man,” this summer was absolutely stacked with opportunities to update your Letterboxd.
Countless movies were released this summer, both in theatres and streaming, making it difficult to figure out which ones to prioritize. Thankfully, with a break from classes, movie watching became my top priority.
My top movie of this summer had to be “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” After waiting years to see Peter Parker again, I left the theatre a changed woman. There were laughs from Frank Castle, and an absurd amount of tears from Peter’s losses and V-Max. Not only have I always loved Tom Holland as Spiderman, but this movie was definitely my favorite project he’s acted in.
My second favorite movie this summer was “Obsession.” I have never been big on horror; I usually leave horror movies hoping for no nightmares. However, I left “Obsession” researching theories and talking with friends. Inde Navarrette’s depiction of Nikki was absolutely incredible. Apart from Navarrette, Michael Johnston as Bear also made the movie a great watch. The crazy twists the film took made a non-horror lover actually enjoy being scared.
The best films this summer were released in theatres, but it would be a tragedy to not mention some of the direct-to-streaming movies, especially those on Netflix. “72 Hours” and “Little Brother” were both hilarious. “Voicemails for Isabelle,” “Remarkably Bright Creatures” and “Swapped” all left me sobbing.
The last few months have been a movie lover’s dream. The rest of the year looks promising, with “The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping” coming in November, “Avengers: Doomsday” in early December and “Dune: Part Three” on Christmas day.
Madeline’s Takes
The summer of 2026 also produced numerous popular television shows, entertaining young adults all over the world. My favorites were “Off Campus” and “Every Year After.”
Following the release of “Off-Campus” in mid-May, the young-adult drama gained attention worldwide. According to Forbes magazine, the series is one of Amazon’s most popular releases with 36 million views after just 12 days, earning its spot at number one in the world.
Based on the best-selling novel by Elle Kennedy, this passionate, intense series amuses not only romance lovers like myself, but hockey fans as well. The secret alliance between a star athlete and a quiet musician formed into a loving relationship, which had my eyes locked on my screen. With the inclusion of furious hockey scenes, the tension of the new romance increases with each episode along with dramatic, secret-friendship crossovers. In addition, I found the character development of Garret Graham interesting and complex.
After fans obsessed over “Off-Campus” for almost a month, Prime Video released another drama, “Every Year After.” This series, based off of Carley Fortune’s book “Every Summer After,” follows a young woman who is pulled back into her past after escaping everyone there years before. Battling old friendships and relationships while grieving the loss of a former mentor made for a very entertaining watch.
With another 36 million viewers loving “Every Year After,” the series climbed its way to the most watched show on Prime Video, replacing the spot that “Off Campus” was proudly holding, according to CBR. Due to the unpredictable evolution of characters and their decisions, as well as compelling romance expansions throughout the episodes, I was impressed with the series. Brilliantly, the last episode left the audience with a heartbreaking cliff-hanger, building my anticipation for a second season.
Both of these shows made for a fascinating summer. If you are into drama, romance or friendship, Amazon Prime has the shows for you.
Genevieve’s Takes
As far as the sounds of the summer, two albums stand out to me. Both Phoebe Bridgers and Olivia Rodrigo released compelling, emotional records that I had on repeat for weeks.
Rodrigo released her third album, “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love,” on June 12. This record is a journey of falling in love, realizing it is not quite right and then dealing with the aftermath. Every song represented a phase of a relationship as Rodrigo painted scenes through her honest lyrics and enthralling production.
The first half of the album produced some of my favorite love songs to date, including “stupid song,” where Rodrigo encapsulates what it is like to truly yearn for someone. She starts on piano, singing steadily, but quickly builds tension through her lyric pacing and additional instruments such as the electric guitar and drums. I was addicted to this track, with its intense buildup and candid lyrics.
When Rodrigo began depicting the aftermath of the relationship, she added to her already impressive list of breakup songs. Track 8, “the cure,” is a highlight for me as Rodrigo explores her own internal struggles and how they presented themselves in the relationship. I fell in love with the dark chord progression and stunning vocal performance.
The only thing that stopped me from listening to “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” was a comeback from Phoebe Bridgers, who had not released a solo album since 2020. Luckily, I was not disappointed with Bridgers’ ‘Lost Weekend.’
Grief, heartbreak and love are all themes in the record, delivered to us through hauntingly beautiful production and vocals. The first track began with an electronic, robotic voice, but as soon as I heard Bridgers clearly, I could not help but tear up.
My standout tracks include “The Governor’s Waltz” and “Haunted.” “The Governor’s Waltz” captivated me through its soft, delicate melody. The song feels intimate with its hyperspecific lyrics and stripped-back production. “Haunted” is more upbeat, using both an electric and acoustic guitar as well as a string ensemble to create a fuller production. This song fills me with a bittersweet optimism as I scream the lyrics “I’m gonna put myself together / You can go or you can stay / I’m gonna put myself together either way.”
Both “you seem pretty sad for a girl so in love” and “Lost Weekend” are sincere records that showcase the unique style of their respective artists. Even though summer is coming to an end, these albums will surely be sticking around in my music rotation.
