By Dalton DeStefano ’16, Arts and Entertainment Editor

So often the conversation surrounding summer movies revolves around big-budget blockbusters and franchise films. Between The Avengers: Age of Ultron, Jurassic World, Terminator: Genisys, Ant-Man, and Fantastic Four, it begins to feel as though every movie released from May to August is a continuation of some previously existing franchise. While these movies tend to be fun spectacles, it’s refreshing to see original concepts and unique voices being represented in film. To celebrate these original concepts, I decided to select and talk about three of the most unique movies I saw throughout the summer.

Spy

On paper, Spy looked like a lazy, formulaic spy comedy. Melissa McCarthy plays a CIA analyst who,

through a string of events, is put out into the field as an agent to take down an enemy spy. This film seemed to be the next in a long line of Melissa McCarthy films characterizing her as a tactless, trashy, overweight,  frumpy woman. However, this film was refreshingly clever and subversive; though people around her are constantly making fun of her, McCarthy’s character remains the smartest in the room. Rose Byrne, Allison Janney and Miranda Hart all give great supporting performances; though not branded as one, this is essentially a female comedy. This marks the third hit in a row from director Paul Feig (who previously directed Bridesmaids and The Heat), and with this film he has cemented his place as an intelligent director committed to providing female characters with a voice in the comedy world.

The Gift

Jason Bateman and Rebecca Hall star as Simon and Robyn, a couple that just moved to Los Angeles

and stumble upon Simon’s high-school acquaintance, Gordo (played by Joel Edgerton). Though socially awkward, Gordo becomes friends with the couple, and, after becoming increasingly intrusive and ominous, it becomes clear that Gordo is holding on to something in his past involving Simon. This is a pressure-cooker of a film; the couple’s sleek LA house provides a tense and cramped atmosphere in which the tension builds and builds to an exhilarating and disturbing ending. Far from a generic suspense thriller, The Gift winds up becoming a nuanced look at the lasting effects of childhood trauma and abuse, posing interesting questions about the nature of dishonest relationships.

Straight Outta Compton

This film chronicles the rise of N.W.A, a rap group popular in the 1980s-1990s consisting of primary

members Ice Cube, Dr. Dre, and Eazy-E. Immediately one of the most striking elements of this film is the casting—all of the characters look surprisingly similar to their real-life counterparts (especially the character of Ice Cube, who is played by Ice Cube’s son), which enhances the feeling of realism in the film. The concert and music scenes in the movie are spectacular, nailing the atmosphere and energy of live performances. The first half of the movie moves at a breakneck pace, and though it gets bogged down in the second half, the characters are interesting enough to keep the story intriguing. Though a biopic, this movie manages to feel very cinematic and maintains a very energetic tone. Some of the film’s most powerful moments, though, lie in its portrayal of police brutality — a subject that is unfortunately all too relevant in today’s world. This film was perhaps the biggest surprise hit of the summer, and deservedly so. It’s a thrilling ride through a story I had not known anything about, and it delivers on every level.