Summer is gone.
Back to boring school days, waking up at 7:00am, and a devastating lack of sunlight. But let’s not look forward at all the months of mediocrity we have ahead, the Lasso has compiled a final look at the highs of summer media. We have brought to you a list of the five best movies and five best albums to come from the past four months capturing the final dregs of summer we can still hold on to.
The Top 5 Movies in no particular order:
“Weapons” – August 8
Starting off with one of the scariest movies of the decade, Zach Cregger, director of the psychological thriller “Barbarian” delivers another chilling film to the big screen. The movie kicks off as a class of elementary students disappear suddenly as if possessed, yet as the tape unravels, a much darker secret is revealed.
“Lilo and Stitch” – May 23
Turning to a more upbeat note, “Lilo and Stitch” brings a warm, nostalgic feeling back to the cinema. The live-action remake of the beloved classic, Dean Fleischer perfectly captures the unique joy that the original brings– something very few live action remakes are able to do.
“Superman” – July 11
Under pressure, James Gunn delivers a perfect superhero film in “Superman.” Faced with creating an entirely new DC universe and given the absolute failures of the previous Justice League films of the 2010s, Gunn was on the hook to make this a movie success. Not only did he succeed, he blew expectations out of the water with nothing short of perfection. Giving fans a classic Superman versus Lex Luthor, the primary antagonist, cinematic story.
“How to Train Your Dragon” – June 13
Another live action remake, “How to Train Your Dragon” had some massive shoes to fill. With the original trilogy being some of the greatest animated films of all time, fans doubted there was any way for DeBlois’s remake to even hold a candle. Yet, the movie exceeded every bar set for it, becoming a massive success, and creating an entirely new fanbase for the franchise.
“Fantastic Four: First Steps” – July 25
A return to form for Marvel, “Fantastic Four: First Steps” ends the streak of mediocrity fans have had to endure, and delivers a perfect watch on the big screen. “First Steps” was everything a superhero film should be, balancing quality acting from all the leads, as well as the blend of humor and action Marvel was praised for in its heyday. The film acts as a stepping stone into the expanded Marvel universe. It lays the groundwork for massive upcoming projects like “Avengers: Secret Wars,” and it does it beautifully, building up a ton of excitement for the next installments.
The Top 5 Albums in no particular order:
“Man’s Best Friend” – August 29
One of the biggest names in the music industry, Sabrina Carpenter continues to take the pop scene by storm with “Man’s Best Friend.” Following her sudden rise to stardom through her first mainstream single “Espresso” in 2024. Carpenter has gone on to release two albums in the past two years that topped the Billboard list, the second being this album. This album brings that same familiar pop bounce to every song, a staple in her music, and perfect for the bright summer we had.
“Let God Sort Em Out” – July 11 by Clipse
An underground name, Clipse is a rap duo made up of rapper Pusha-T and his brother Malice, known for their heavy lyricism and breakbeat style production. With “Let God Sort Em Out” being the first album from Clipse in over a decade, the release came with a lot of question marks. Would their lyric heavy music and older style production hold up in today’s rap scene? Would they even be able to capture the same level of skill demonstrated in earlier projects? Clipse answered each question with a resounding yes, not only performing at their highest level, but also releasing what is sure to be a contender for rap album of the year.
“Alfredo 2” – July 25 by Freddie Gibbs
Sequels are always a questionable decision. Whether or not you can capture the magic of the original tends to add a ton of pressure to the artist and almost always results in the product falling short. “Alfredo 2,” by Freddie Gibbs did no such thing, however, surpassing the original “Alfredo” released in 2020, in every area. It delivers on the beautiful blend of melodics and grounded verses Gibbs is known for while adding harder hitting production styles as well as more soulful cuts.
“Walk This Road” – June 6 by the Doobie Brothers
A true return for the Doobie Brothers, “Walk This Road” is the best kind of nostalgia trip, taking longtime fans back to the prime of the brothers’ music. The album features no attempts at any sort of tacky reinvention or a change up of their sound to stay relevant, simply the classy guitar and percussion they’re known for, alongside a contemporary shine. The album is like a wrinkle in time, allowing listeners to look back on past glories of the band and feel that beautiful sound in the present.
“Let All That We Imagine Be the Light” – May 30
A mixture of electronic and industrial rock, Garbage maintains its blend of bounce and grunge in its latest and greatest “Let All That We Imagine Be the Light.” As the band formed in 1993, it’s logical their sound would become outdated, yet Garbage keeps itself current with sharp mixes from the sounds of today and their older dirtier noise. It’s music that is gorgeously brutal in its effect, with bass and grunge that hits you hard, followed by a sweet bounce that hooks you right back in.
