CREDIT: Amazon Prime Video

There are a handful of movies I saw in May that I haven’t shared any extended thoughts about yet, so here’s a Spring Cleaning-themed review roundup. Typically May is considered part of the summer movie season, but that leaves short shrift to the time of year when it actually is spring. If May 1-Labor Day is Summer Movie Season, and October-December is Fall Movie Season, and Thanksgiving-New Year’s is Holiday Movie Season, and January-February is Awards Holdovers/Winter Dumping Ground Season, well then, we really only March and April for Spring Movie Season, and a good chunk of March is spent fretting about the Oscars! So let’s give some love to the month with the best weather of the year (apologies to those of you with vernal allergies) and check in on the May spring movies.

The Idea of You

Starring: Anne Hathaway, Nicholas Galitzine, Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo, Reid Scott, Perry Mattfeld

Director: Michael Showalter

Running Time: 116 Minutes

Rating: R

Release Date: May 2, 2024 (Amazon Prime/Limited Theaters)

CREDIT: Brian Roedel/Netflix © 2024

Hit Man

Starring: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta, Sanjay Rao, Evan Holtzman

Director: Richard Linklater

Running Time: 115 Minutes

Rating: R

Release Date: May 24, 2024 (Theaters)/June 7, 2024 (Netflix)

CREDIT: John Armour for Lionsgate

The Strangers: Chapter 1

Starring: Madelaine Petsch, Froy Gutierrez, Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath

Director: Renny Harlin

Running Time: 91 Minutes

Rating: R

Release Date: May 17, 2024 (Theaters)

CREDIT: 20th Century Studios/Screenshot

Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes

Starring: Owen Teague, Kevin Durand, Peter Macon, Freya Allen, Lydia Peckham, William H. Macy

Director: Wes Ball

Running Time: 145 Minutes

Rating: PG-13

Release Date: May 10, 2024 (Theaters)

CREDIT: Focus Features

Back to Black

Starring: Marisa Abela, Jack O’Connell, Eddie Marsan, Lesley Manville, Juliet Cowan

Director: Sam Taylor-Johnson

Running Time: 122 Minutes

Rating: R

Release Date: May 17, 2024 (Theaters)

I’m not sure I liked the idea (i.e., the premise) of The Idea of You. I didn’t really think about it beforehand. But I did think about the execution, and I guess it was all right. A little melodramatic for my tastes. Just do you, people!

Cereal is so important, you guys. I think that explains a lot about the appeal of Hit Man. I don’t want to end up in the ethical conundrum that Gary and Madison end up in at the end of this, but I’d be happy to role play it with someone.

There’s a cool part in The Strangers: Chapter 1 with blood dripping from the ceiling. But ultimately, I hope that Chapter 2 is less strange. Or stranger, but not in the same sense as the title.

Ah, I see Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is still keeping things circular in its path back to the original series. (Spoiler alert?) Anyway, great job as Raka, Peter Macon (aka Bortus from The Orville)!!!

Based on the buzz, I was a little worried that Back to Black was going to really miss the mark. But it actually worked for me! My heart was singing! Maybe if I was an Amy Winehouse devotee instead of just a casual fan, my reaction would’ve been different. But there’s definitely something there.

Grades:
The Idea of You: Ignore the Noise
Hit Man: A Fraught and Exciting Path to Self-Actualization
The Strangers: Chapter 1: 2.5 Strangers out of 4 Chapters
Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes: Slightly Regal
Back to Black: Successful Enough to Avoid Rehab