While you were busy watching the big summer blockbusters, you might have missed these amazing gems.
The end of summer is officially on the horizon, bringing the 2024 summer blockbuster season to an inevitable close. As sad as it is to bid farewell to the most exciting season in cinematic releases, it’s worth pointing out just how many fantastic movies have come out over the past several months, including renowned Disney movies, MCU epics, and hair-raising sci-fi horror films.
Interestingly, for every Deadpool & Wolverine, Alien: Romulus, and Longlegs that have arrived in theaters, a lesser-known release has slipped under audiences’ radar, delighting a select number of viewers outside of the mainstream demographic. From hilarious teen comedies to harrowing indie dramas, here are some of the most underrated movies to come out in the summer of 2024.
Another luminous addition to Austin Butler’s body of work, The Bikeriders effortlessly illustrates the profound changes that affect a small-time biker gang over time. Transforming themselves from a friendly riding club into a full-fledged criminal syndicate, The Bikeriders’ relatable main characters and agreeable performances make it an indie drama that’s worth watching again and again.
Leave it to A24 to release a horror film as inventive as I Saw the TV Glow. A distinctly modern spin on the age-old teen drama, I Saw the TV Glow finds a way to present its main subject matter within an eerie horror lens. More than anything else, I Saw the TV Glow succeeds at tackling poignant topics related to its period setting, including trans teens’ experiences in 1990s suburbia.
Over the past two decades, we’ve seen various films and TV shows detail the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s. In most cases, however, the 2000s themselves remain a fairly underrepresented setting. Enter: the coming-of-age comedy drama, Dìdi. Shining a light on late 2000s Internet culture, Dìdi also delights in portraying the ups and downs of teenage angst in its entirety, never shying away from the nuances of growing up and leaving childhood behind.
Like all the best indie films, Sing Sing underscores the tremendous power of art amidst the darkest of personal situations. Dramatizing the real-life Rehabilitation Through the Arts program, Sing Sing drives home the importance art can have in the most troubling environments imaginable, outfitting us with an outlet to escape our worries and create something both therapeutic and uniquely our own.
Who would have thought a dog and robot could have such a miraculous friendship? While most audiences might find themselves paying close attention to Disney, Pixar, or DreamWorks’ output of films, there’s something very positive to be said about the animated film, Robot Dreams. A devastating meditation on love and the bonds of friendship, Robot Dreams is a cathartic tragicomedy that’s guaranteed to tug viewers’ heartstrings throughout.
As anyone who has seen Shiva Baby, Bottoms, or Bodies Bodies Bodies probably recognizes how phenomenal a talent Rachel Sennott truly is. A gifted actor able to alternate between dramatic and comedic roles, Sennott hands in yet another remarkable performance in the comedy drama, I Used to Be Funny. A sobering study of PTSD and ailing mental health, I Used to Be Funny also retains an element of off-beat comedy in its central narrative, allowing for a movie that makes you laugh even as it leaves you in tears.
More often than not, the action genre tends to employ generally younger actors, be it muscled-up stars like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone in the ‘80s or contemporary films starring Keanu Reeves and Ryan Reynolds. In this sense, one might describe Thelma as an entirely different kind of action film – one that casts older actors in its lead roles. Combining an engaging main narrative with a capable main cast, Thelma hooks audiences’ attention with the explosive magnetism of Mission: Impossible or Mad Max before it.
