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After a two-year pandemic hiatus, movie theaters made a triumphant return in 2022, especially during the summer. For many movie fans like myself, sitting in a crowded theater and feeling the embrace of the big screen once again was incredible. This return to normalcy was crucial for the film industry, showing that audiences can still get excited to go to the movies and the box office records prove that the summer blockbuster is still alive and well.

As the summer fades and the industry moves into the fall and winter slate of movies, I wanted to highlight five compelling films from this past summer that are a sure must-watch for any film fan.

Elvis
Starring Austin Butler and Tom Hanks and directed by Baz Luhrmann, this film is a fascinating and intimate look at The King of Rock and Roll. Elvis Presley was one of the most exciting and polarizing figures in music history. He became famous for his suggestive dance moves and for introducing the rhythm and style of rock and roll to the general public.

This film did a tremendous job of showing the highs and lows of his career. Butler’s performance as Presley was extravagant yet remarkable — he does a fantastic job of transforming in this role.

Butler has the uniquely challenging task of portraying Elvis at every stage of his career, from the young Memphis musician who caused a riot with his provocative dance moves to the superstar selling out the legendary “International Hotel” in Las Vegas. Impressively, Butler is able to make each version of the character his own.

As his character’s fame increases in the movie, Butler seems to gain more confidence playing the role. And when Elvis starts to lose some of his charisma, so does Butler’s performance. Butler is able to humanize a person who always seemed larger than life and takes the audience on a really fun journey through the world of a rock and roll icon.

Bullet Train
Few actors in Hollywood today are more consistent and successful than Brad Pitt, and his latest movie, “Bullet Train,” is yet another entertaining entry from the movie star.

Directed by his old stunt double, David Leitch, the film follows Pitt as a reformed assassin named Ladybug who believes his task is a simple briefcase retrieval on a Japanese bullet train. Ladybug soon realizes that there is more to the briefcase than meets the eye, and is thrown into a deadly game of cat and mouse between other assassins on the train.

Throughout the film, many comedic bits and creative action sequences are centered on Pitt. This film’s supporting cast features well-known actors such as Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Bryan Tyree Henry and Hiroyuki Sanada. While this movie is not perfect, it was an entertaining watch and one of those great in-theater experiences that movie fans have been missing for two years.

Prey
After a terrific first installment in 1987, the “Predator” franchise has been relatively disappointing for both fans and critics. Thus, I was a little skeptical when I heard that a new prequel movie was coming to Hulu. I did not think that this new film, “Prey,” would add anything to the series. I could not have been more wrong.

Directed by Dan Trachtenberg and starring newcomer Amber Midthunger, “Prey” takes place nearly 300 years ago in the Northern Great Plains of North America. The setting and era of the film allow for some of the most unique scenes in the “Predator” franchise and action movies as a whole.

The “Predator” has always been one of the coolest movie aliens, and being able to see it adapt to a new environment and fight a new group of people was really entertaining. It gave “Prey” a truly original feel, despite the fact that it is the seventh film in the franchise.

RRR
Any conversation about movies in 2022 would not be complete without an entry from the streaming universe. Since the start of the pandemic, many of these platforms have been improving the cinematic quality of their original films.

Until this summer, I did not have much knowledge about Bollywood films, but that all changed with the release of the stunning action film, “RRR” on Netflix. Directed by S.S. Rajamouli, this three-hour epic centers on the fictional story of two dueling revolutionaries in 1920s India.

While the run-time may seem protracted, the movie uses every bit of the three hours, and there is never a dull moment in the story. Like many classic Bollywood movies, “RRR” features many grand and excessive scenes of action, romance and dancing, taking the audience on a truly unforgettable journey.

The movie’s realism really makes it stand out. In 2022, there has been a lot of controversy surrounding the relationship between big movie studios and the VFX community, leading to some CGI projects that simply look rushed, or in some cases unfinished. “RRR” uses real sets and real extras to make every action scene feel authentic, while the brief uses of CGI simply add to the realism of the movie. To anyone who is a fan of outlandish, fun action movies, “RRR” is a must-watch and another highlight of this past movie summer.

Top Gun: Maverick
As of Aug. 29, no movie has defined 2022 more than “Top Gun: Maverick.” Directed by Joseph Kosinski and starring Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connely, Miles Teller and Glen Powell, the sequel to the 1986 classic “Top Gun” has something for everyone to enjoy.

From the scenes that were shot directly in fighter jets, to the incredible chemistry between the star-studded cast, this movie is an absolute thrill, whether you have seen the original or not. While the star of this movie is undoubtedly Cruise, it does an amazing job of letting supporting actors, such as Teller, Powell and Connelly have their moments to shine.

The on-screen relationship between Cruise and Teller is the heartbeat of the film, and the two actors’ chemistry is essential. In addition to being extremely entertaining, “Top Gun: Maverick” gets the nod at number one because of its importance to the movie industry as a whole.

After two years of the pandemic, as well as the massive influx of movies on streaming services, many people doubted that the box office would ever be able to fully return to its previous hit. But “Top Gun: Maverick” has been in theaters for over three months and has grossed around $1.4 billion dollars worldwide.