From ‘Barbie’ to ‘Joy Ride,’ July’s hottest releases hit the big screen

From movies about fiery skies to an ensemble travel comedy starring Stephanie Hsu, July's releases scream summer 2023. Joining the list of cinematic heavy hitters are some of the year's most promising festival films, including "Kokomo City," a gorgeous and confronting documentary about transgender sex workers, and Greta Gerwig's immensely anticipated "Barbie," whose competitive release date has inspired an endless array of queer-coded memes and tweets. Because of Emmy submission timing, July has become a famously tough month for TV, and this year is no different. A few brave series, like the beloved and famously snubbed "What We Do in…