SUMMER MOVIE ROUND UP

Words by Harry Moore

Summer is the time of year where cineplexes are usually loaded with blockbusters. However, the summer season this year has seen a trail of busts limp their way through theaters in what was supposed to be Hollywood’s triumphant return to full force following the pandemic. Several of the studio tent poles have collapsed under the weight of their lofty budgets and middling receptions from critics and audiences, none more so than Warner Bros. much delayed, and even more maligned, superhero bomb “The Flash.” It was a long road to release for Andrés Muschietti, who also directed the two-part adaptation of Stephen King’s “It,” that ended with a faceplant at the box office and a forgettable shrug of a movie that is derivative of other works in the genre. Like several other recent superhero films, “The Flash” jumps into the multiverse, which allows for the appearance of heroes of films past, like Michael Keaton who returns as Batman — over 30 years after Tim Burton’s depiction of the character. For people of a certain age, Keaton is still regarded as the definitive big screen version of Bruce Wayne, and he’s also the highlight of this film, as he seamlessly slips back into his nervy take on the Dark Knight, but the actor and this celebrated version of the character are deserving of a better curtain call than this overly long slog. Unfortunately, Keaton wasn’t the main focus of this film; it was Ezra Miller.

Much has been made of the accusations of Miller’s disturbing, seemingly criminal behavior off screen, but the focus here is on their performance in the film — which is just as abhorrent. From the moment they’re on screen, Miller gives a grating and, frankly, annoying performance as Barry “The Flash” Allen, making the lead character who is in almost every frame of the film incredibly off-putting and almost impossible to root for. This is a hard obstacle to overcome for even the greatest film, but the nature of the time traveling/ multiverse-centric plot causes “The Flash” to double down on the character with a second, somehow even more irritating, version of Allen becoming, essentially, the co-lead of the film. I have sympathy for Sasha Calle, who should have been enjoying her big break with the debut as Supergirl by bringing a unique presence to the film, but it is likely that this will be the first and last time we see her in the role. “The Flash” represents a nadir of modern event filmmaking, a bloated epic with a reliance on excessive CGI and a greater interest in being a vehicle for cameos of famous characters than in telling a cohesive and engaging story.

On the opposite end of the multiverse spectrum sits Sony Animation’s “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse,” one of the few outright box office successes of the summer. The sequel to the 2018 surprise hit continues the adventures of the Brooklyn Spider-Man Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) as he travels to different dimensions, encountering a secret society of countless other spider men, women and other beings. “Across the Spider-Verse” is, in my mind, a masterpiece that rubs shoulders with the likes of “The Dark Knight” in the genre and pushes the medium of animation forward. The film seamlessly integrates multiple art styles, utilizing computer animation, handdrawn illustrations, watercolors and many others — sometimes all at once — to bring the various universes to life. “Across the Spider-Verse” isn’t just a visual feast: It fires on all cylinders. The ambitious narrative could have easily spun out of control, but it remains engaging and filled with genuine heart, balancing its out of this world story with the universal theme of seeking belonging. The voice cast is exemplary. Moore has played a big part in turning

Miles Morales into a household name alongside Peter Parker; Hailee Steinfeld shows once again that she should give up trying to be a mediocre pop star and focus on being an excellent actor; Jake Johnson is arguably the best big screen Peter Parker; while series newcomers Daniel Kaluuya and Oscar Isaac steal scenes in their respective parts. It is a decisively modern film, brilliantly scored by hip-hop super producer Metro Boomin who does some of the best work of his career while showing he’s unafraid to revel in and dissect the Spider-Man mythology in a way that shows there are generations of people who have been raised on these stories. Each and every frame of the film is a work of art that belongs in a museum.

Which brings us to “Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny,” the fifth and final outing in the iconic adventure series … Harrison Ford returns for one last ride and gives a reliably charismatic performance for the swansong of his famous character. “Dial of Destiny” marks the first Indy outing not to be directed by Steven Spielberg. And it shows. While James Mangold, who helmed this film, is an exceptionally talented director who has made several great films in his career, his ability to orchestrate action sequences and conjure indelible images pales in comparison to Spielberg — as almost every filmmaker ever does. It is a solid adventure, if a little bit of a rendition of past hits from the series. Nevertheless, it’s a fun movie with a surprisingly moving final scene.

Elsewhere this summer we’ve had Jennifer Lawrence’s R-rated comedy “No Hard Feelings,” which showcases Lawrence as a decent comic lead and underlines her charms as a movie star, even if it is unlikely to usher in a return of broad comedies into the multiplex. Recreating the euphoric pandemonium of seeing a film like “The Hangover,” for example, with a crowd full of people scream laughing feels almost impossible in the current era.

“Transformers: Rise of the Beast” is a decent reboot and far from the worst of the series, and stars Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback are both charming. I also enjoyed the ‘90s East Coast rap soundtrack, even if the needle drops felt about as obvious as a Spotify playlist.

And finally, Wes Anderson’s “Asteroid City” is a decent outing for the director that fits comfortably amongst the other works of his filmography.

It remains to be seen if the back half of the summer will save any of Hollywood’s blushes at the box office.

T A R S E A R C H 1

“You got two options. You’re either going to go great or piss your pants. Your choice, buddy. And I didn’t piss myself, so I’m good,” Costa Rican native and Clay County Star Search adult division winner Manuel Torres said. “I guess I kind of won. I don’t know,” the singer added.

Aided by his constant practicing, performance personality and some “relaxing” vices (honey candy and cigarettes), Torres was far from incontinent and even exceeded the greatness that he hoped for; his onstage experience was exciting, surprising even.

Manuel Torres, who began his musical affinity at age 14/15, approached his performance with the desire to provide this “factor of surprise.” When the 24-year-old walked on stage in a suit with his signature sunglasses and started some quirky conversation with the audience, the desired surprise factor was in full effect.

Torres explained his inclination for conversation: “Whenever you get on stage, it’s always going to be awkward if you don’t say something, but if you go up there and you’re like, ‘How y’all doing? You all want some free candy? Cigarettes? You want to get a beer after this?’ You know? That makes people laugh and you can connect with the audience.”

He later reasoned, “Everybody’s all structured as to how they’re supposed to act outside of their houses, in the external world and what I like to do is [say] ‘you can be free’ around me at least, that’s fine, but a lot of people perceive me as weird, but I’d like to say, I’m just ready to go.”

Of course, the singer’s choice of song, Frank Sinatra’s “The Way You Look Tonight,” contributed equally to the factor of surprise for the Gen-Z-er. Independent of this factor, the singer’s performance of the Sinatra song was heartfelt, smooth, and electric. The self-proclaimed old soul picked this classic for his first gig because he knew the words by heart. “I’m in love with music from the past,” Torres added.

Beyond Sinatra, much of Torres’ favorite music and musical inspirations come from the past: Oasis, The Beatles (together and individually), Jeff Lynne of ELO and Bob Dylan all shape Torres’ own music along with modern bands like Imagine Dragons. Even Torres’ stage name, William Torres, is influenced by Boomer and Gen-X greats like singer William John Paul Gallagher (a.k.a. Liam Gallagher), actor Robin Williams, and musician William Bruce Rose Jr. (a.k.a. Axl Rose).

The history lover has three (very new) singles: “When You’re Leaving Me,” “Summer Rain” and “An Angel That’s Been and Gone” — all born from brief guitar jam sessions which are sent to his producer in Costa Rica and all with his signature rock n’ roll flavor.

With his present and upcoming music, William Torres hopes to financially help his family, who recently moved from Costa Rica to Jacksonville. “I used to say that I didn’t want to be famous ’cause I didn’t really care about it. I still don’t, but I just kind of want to help my family out and push through with bills and having a place to live,” he said.

Making music today remains a motivator for Torres, but the musician also sees a future with his melodies. While Torres hopes his music will top the charts and help him sign with Parlophone Records, he desires a connection with his audience above all else, the same sort of connection Torres established for his Clay County Fair Star Search performance. “My favorite part of the performance is going to be when all the people in the audience know my lyrics, and they’re singing it back to me ’cause that means I made an impact on them. Can you imagine someone memorizing something you write? You’ve done it! That’s it! ... That’s my goal in life. I’d rather die than not make it,” he said.

William Torres may indeed sign with Parlophone Records. “I would make them billionaires, probably,” quipped the self-taught singer-guitarist-harmonica player (“you never know when you’re going to end up in jail and need a harmonica”). He might sell out concerts and financially free his family from work. We don’t know yet.

What we do know: William (Manny) Torres is meant for music. He knows so. “I always tell myself and all the people I meet: This is what I’m here for. I don’t know anything else. I can’t be in an office. I can’t imagine myself as an engineer, so the thing that I was put here to do on earth is write songs and give them to the beautiful people.”