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Production/Distribution: Quinn’s House, 3 Arts
Entertainment, Media Rights Capital (MRC), Netflix, Central Partnership
Director: Michael Showalter
Writer: Aaron Abrams, Brendan Gall,
Martin Gero
Actors: Issa Rae, Kumail Nanjiani,
Paul Sparks, Anna Camp, Nicholas X. Parsons, Kyle Bornheimer, Barry Rothbart,
Catherine Cohen, Andrene Ward-Hammond
Blurb
from IMDb: A
couple (Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani) experiences a defining moment in their
relationship when they are unintentionally embroiled in a murder mystery.
Selina’s
Point of View:
The
more I see of Kumail Nanjiani (The Big Sick, Stuber, Duck Butter), the
more I find I enjoy his work.
Now,
he didn’t have a hand in writing The Lovebirds, but his comedic timing,
and the way he leans into his innate nerd-like awkwardness, is intensely endearing.
He also works off of Issa Rae’s (The Photograph, Little, Insecure)
quirky outgoingness extremely well. It’s a classic chemistry that I’ve come to
enjoy.
Those
two, as the main characters, really make this film a success. They elevate an
already great script to much more than it could have been.
I
will admit that there were some overly-cringey scenes, but I was able to power
through them to get back to the kind of comedy I enjoy.
The
first couple of scenes are hilarious. I may not remember the context of them as
time goes by, but I’ll remember how much I laughed during it.
There
are a few twists at the end that really set The Lovebirds apart for me.
If nothing else, I will remember those for years to come.
The
thing is, most of this story works because the world is the way it is. We
expect some really awful things of our society and because that’s our baseline,
the plot for this film makes sense. It’s a bit sad when you think about it.
I
would recommend this movie to most people looking for an action comedy to watch.
It is pretty on the nose with certain events transpiring right now, though, so
it might not be the best to use as something to get your mind off of things.
Cat’s
Point of View:
I was
really excited when this Paramount release went straight to Netflix rather than
getting thrown into the ‘wait and see’ limbo that a lot of movies have fallen
into. I haven’t really been in the mood for romance movies lately, but a
rom-com that’s heavier on the comedy and leaning towards action? Count me in!
What
I wasn’t anticipating, however, was that watching this film through the lens of
current events actually turned the movie into a quasi-thriller. I found myself
scared for the main characters. Had the timing of the release not been so
on-the-nose, I can’t say that sensation wouldn’t have been present – but I may
not have experienced it quite so viscerally.
The
levity was enough to keep my perspective grounded in the comedy-of-errors
story, but I have to wonder all the same if this wasn’t a subtle statement-piece
as well. If the main characters had reason to trust ‘the system,’ there
wouldn’t have been a story, after all.
Issa
Rae and Kumail Nanjiani were perfect for these roles. I believed in their
chemistry and the rapid-fire argumentative banter between their characters. It
reminded me of some of the back-and-forths that my husband and I get into
occasionally.
Honestly,
my luck is so crazy that I could see myself getting into a similar wrong place
at the wrong time cascade of craziness. I have a few friends that I could
almost guarantee that similar insanity could happen to. That did add an extra
level of near-hilarity to the film.
I
would definitely encourage everyone to give The Lovebirds a watch and
see where your personal perspective takes you with the tale.
Rotten
Tomatoes Critic Score – 66%
Rotten
Tomatoes Audience Score – 51%
Metascore – 58/100
Metacritic
User Score – 4.9/10
IMDB
Score – 6.0/10
CinemaScore – None
Trust
the Dice: Selina’s Rating – 4/5
Trust
the Dice: Cat’s Rating – 4/5
P.S.: We won’t be publishing any full articles
on the protests going around right now, mainly because we don’t want to profit
off of anyone’s pain. That said, Trust the Dice believes that Black Lives
Matter and that change is desperately needed. We hope that the protestors will
be successful in their fight for justice, freedom, and reform. Be safe out
there.
Production/Distribution: GED Cinema, Amazon Studios,
Amazon Prime Video
Director: Andrew Patterson
Writer: James Montague, Craig W. Sanger
Actors: Sierra McCormick, Jake
Horowitz, Gail Cronauer, Bruce Davis, Cheyenne Barton, Mark Banik, Gregory
Peyton, Adam Dietrich, Mallorie Rodak, Mollie Milligan, Ingrid Fease, Brandon
Stewart, Kirk Griffith, Nika Sage McKenna, Brett Brock, Pam Dougherty, Lynn
Blackburn, Richard Jackson, James Mayberry, Nicolette Doke, Grant James, Libby
Villari, Gordon Fox, John Gindling, Brianna Beasley, L.A. Young
Blurb
from IMDb: In
the twilight of the 1950s, on one fateful night in New Mexico, young
switchboard operator Fay and charismatic radio DJ Everett discover a strange
audio frequency that could change their small town and the future forever.
Selina’s
Point of View:
I am
a big fan of the original Twilight Zone (1959-1964) series. So, I was thrilled
to see that The Vast of Night definitely took inspiration from it. There
was the obvious opening, but there were other little odds and ends – such as
the name of the town being a reference to Cayuga Productions. You could make a
decent drinking game out of looking for references to older works of sci-fi,
because it doesn’t stop there.
I
digress.
The
movie felt like a real-time telling of something that was actually occurring in
a small town in New Mexico. I found that to be a very risky way to frame a movie,
but it was a risk worth taking for most of it. There were moments of intrigue
and charismatic looks into characters that you would normally miss out on, but
there were also some moments that are usually cut for a reason.
For
instance, there’s a moment in the film when one of the main characters,
Everett, is on the line with a caller during his radio show and the camera kept
cutting to nothing. During those moments, you’re hearing the caller speak and
seeing a blank screen. I get that it made it feel more like listening to the
radio show, but I hated it. I have attention problems and without seeing
anything on screen I got continuously distracted.
I
understand that it may just be a me problem, but I really don’t think having
that much blank-screen time is a good move. It wasn’t just a cut-to-black
transition, the nothing was actually a scene on its own.
I
honestly believe that the film would have been helped by condensing it just a bit.
It’s already on the shorter side, sitting at about an hour and a half, but I
think it could have been cut a full 15 or 20 minutes.
That’s
not to say it’s a bad film. I do believe it drags on at points, but for the most
part I was hooked. I wanted to know what people were seeing in the sky. I
wanted to know what the sound was. And, quite honestly, I adored the ending. It
felt right for the story that was told.
A lot
of people smarter than me think that the cinematic choices for The Vast of
Night were bold and perfect for the plot. So, I guess, take my criticisms
with a grain of salt. It could be that this film works much better for someone
without an attention disorder.
Cat’s
Point of View:
The Vast of
Night trailer had me falling in love with the retro-vibe and the feeling
that audiences would be in for an extended episode of The Twilight Zone
(1959-1964). I absolutely adore that series. I enjoyed the feeling that I was
watching an episode from that era – amplified by the black and white TV
segments used for framing and transitions in the film.
With everything
going on in the world right now, I have had a heavy heart and have found it
hard to concentrate lately. That is one factor that didn’t do this movie any
favors.
It’s a bit of a
slow burn in-between moments of energy and frenetic conversation. If I didn’t
have subtitles enabled, I am sure I would have lost track of dialogue a few
times. There’s one point that a multi-character exchange happened where people
were talking at the same time and talking over each other – the subtitles
couldn’t keep up.
I’m not sure I
liked this movie as much as I thought I would, but it did certainly deliver on
the mystery and ambiance that the trailer promised. I did feel as if I’d just
watched a solid bit of sci-fi noir, so in that sense, the film was highly
successful. It also had some significantly suspenseful moments where I found
myself gasping and hoping for the best.
I am not likely
to go out of my way to recommend this movie to others, but I wouldn’t steer
anyone away if they were interested in watching it. Fans of old-school Twilight
Zone will likely get more out of the experience than those who didn’t watch
the original series.
Production/Distribution:
Film Produkcja, Crab Apple Films, Film.ua, Kinorob, Studio Orka, Polski Instytut
Sztuki Filmowej, Krakowskie Biuro Festiwalowe, Ukrainian State Film Agency, Future
Film, Condor Entertainment, Giggly Box, Happinet, Kino Swiat, Shaw Organisation,
Spentzos Films, Outsider Films, PVR Pictures, Rialto Distribution, Samuel
Goldwyn Films, Signature Entertainment
Director: Agnieszka
Holland
Writer: Andrea
Chalupa
Actors: James
Norton, Vanessa Kirby, Peter Sarsgaard, Joseph Mawie, Kenneth Cranham, Celyn Jones,
Krzysztof Pieczynski, Beata Pozniak, Fenella Woolgar, Martin Bishop, John
Edmondson, Michalina Olszanska, Martin Hugh Henley, Olena Leonenko, Edward
Wolstenholme, Marcin Czarnik, Barry Mulkerns, Marcin Latallo, Patricia Volny,
Alksandr Pazharskiy, Oleg Drach
Genre: Biography,
Drama, Thriller
Rated: Not Rated
Length: 141
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A Welsh journalist breaks the news in the western
media of the famine in the Soviet Union in the early 1930s.
There’s still a much smaller list of releases than we are
used to working with for the Top 20, and we are still only considering films
being released digitally as we do not believe going to the theater is the best
idea just yet. That’s most likely why this movie made the list.
This looks like the kind of historical/biographical film
that deserves to be told on the big screen. The trailer is high quality and the
event it’s based off of is full of deception and intrigue.
Although there’s a lot of potential in it, I find myself
perpetually zoning out by the middle of the trailer. I had to watch it several
times to get the full effect of it because of the attention issue. Admittedly,
that’s my problem. The movie itself looks fine. I think it could be a great
option for someone more interested in this type of flick.
19 – Sniper:
Assassin’s End (6/16) – VOD
Production/Distribution:
Destination Films, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions
(SPWA)
Director: Kaare
Andrews
Writer: Oliver
Thompson
Actors: Chad
Michael Collins, Tom Berenger, Sayaka Akimoto, Ryan Robbins, Lochlyn Munro,
Michael Jonsson, C. Ernst Harth, Sean Kohnke, Sasha Piltsin
Genre: Action
Rated: R
Length: 90 minutes
IMDb Blurb: Legendary sniper Thomas Beckett and his son,
Special Ops Sniper Brandon Beckett, are on the run from the CIA, Russian
Mercenaries, and a Yakuza-trained assassin with sniper skills that rival both
legendary sharp shooters.
We’ve seen this plot about a thousand times. Still, the
action looks decent. There are even a few minor additions that may help elevate
the film.
Either way, it looks like it could be a pretty good ‘shut
your brain off’ movie. Right now, I think we could all use that.
18 – The Short
History of the Long Road (6/16) – VOD
Production/Distribution:
Bicephaly Pictures, Astute Films, Hua Wen Movie Group, Relic Pictures, Eggplant
Picture & Sound, Lunacy, Reverse Osmosis Films
Director: Ani
Simon-Kennedy
Writer: Ani
Simon-Kennedy
Actors: Danny
Trejo, Maggie Siff, Steven Ogg, Sabrina Carpenter, Rusty Schwimmer, Jean
Effron, Esodie Geiger, Bob Jesser, Dani Payne, Jashaun St. John, James Cady,
Kyle T. Cowan
Genre: Drama
Rated: Not Rated
Length: 90
minutes
IMDb Blurb: For teenage Nola (Sabrina Carpenter), home is the
open road. Her self-reliant father (Steven Ogg) is her anchor in a life of
transience. The pair crisscross the United States in a lovingly refurbished RV,
relishing their independence and making ends meet by doing odd jobs. A shocking
rupture, though, casts Nola out on her own. She makes her way to Albuquerque,
New Mexico, in search of a mother she never knew. When her motorhome
unexpectedly breaks down, she forges a bond with an auto body shop owner (Danny
Trejo), and senses the possibility of mooring her ship in this storm.
Who doesn’t occasionally think about just packing up the people
they love and just driving the hell out of town? That’s why road trips with our
friends are so exciting. Most of us tend to just hang back for our families, jobs,
and homes… but it’s fascinating to contemplate that ‘what if’ scenario. Not
worrying about rent, student loans, mowing the lawn, etc.
This movie is a look into that lifestyle with a drama-based
story and a decent cast.
The only problem is that plots like this can be tricky. If
they’re too fast, they tend to burn out halfway through the film, making the
second half nearly pointless. If they’re too slow, they wind up putting
audience to sleep. Getting that perfect balance is difficult.
17 – Jungle Beat:
The Movie (6/26) – VOD
Production/Distribution:
Sandcastle Studios, Sunrise Productions, Timeless Films
Director: Brent
Dawes
Writer: Brent
Dawes, Sam Wilson
Actors: David
Menkin, David Rintoul, Gavin Peter, Florrie Wilkinson, Adam Neill, Jason
Pennycooke, Robert G. Slade, Emma Lungiswa De Wet, Claire Johnston
Genre: Animation
Rated: G
Length: 88 minutes
IMDb Blurb: A homesick alien crash-lands his spaceship near the
colorful African Jungle. His new animal friends need to get him back to his
ship and teach him about friendship and fun before his Space-Conqueror father
can take over the planet.
Although I have a toddler, Jungle Beat (2003- ) is
not one of the shows she’s latched on to. As a result, I’m not familiar with
the show this movie is coming from.
Taken on its own account, though, Jungle Beat: The Movie
looks adorable. You have the benefit of the cute animals and clean animation
with a plot that will undoubtedly go into accepting the differences in people. Honestly,
that’s the kind of thing I really like for kid’s films.
Do I think adults will enjoy it as much as kids? I doubt it.
It looks like it’ll have a humor that’s geared almost exclusively toward kids. I
didn’t see anything that indicated there’d be anything for the parents, even
subtly. Still, if you need a moment to breath, it might not hurt to let your
kids have a movie night.
16 – The Clearing
(6/4) – VOD
Production/Distribution:
Lexicon Entertainment, Core Vision Films, The PanOptic Group, Room In The Sky
Films, Alpha Studios (II), Crackle Plus
Director: David
Matalon
Writer: David
Matalon
Actors: Liam
McIntyre, Aundrea Smith, Steven Swadling, Sydelle Noel, Linda Kessler, Hayden
Currie
Genre: Horror
Rated: Not Rated
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: A father must battle his way through the zombie
apocalypse to save his daughter.
I know the genre is over saturated. I know there’s very
little different from film to film. Still, zombies are my weakness. I do not
know why I love them so much. Maybe it’s because the first few zomb movies I
saw affected me so deeply, or maybe there’s some other weird psychological reason.
Whatever the case, chances are that most films featuring the
walking dead will make my list.
In this case, it’s lower because I don’t see a whole lot
that suggests there’ll be anything to set this one apart from all the others. For
instance, we saw Little Monsters (2019) recently, which was injected with
such a level of comedy that you couldn’t take your eyes away from it. Then we
saw Blood Quantum (2019), which took the idea of zombies and added the
condition that most animals were affected and a whole group of humans weren’t.
See, those films took the basic idea and brought out a new shade of it.
The Clearing seeks to elevate the idea by adding a
missing child. Now, I can think of many ways where that addition could work.
However, we’ve have seen it before. Most notably in The Walking Dead’s (2010-
) Season Two when Carol’s daughter was lost.
It’s all going to be won or lost in the delivery. Which I’m
not going to be able to comment on, until I see the film. I hope they make it
work, though.
Actors: Hong
Chau, Ellen Burstyn, David Cubitt, Sarash Gadon, John Gallagher Jr., Matt
Gordon, Dylan House, Lola Kirke, Jordan Pettle, Alicia Richardson, David Tompa,
Dru Viergever, Richard Walters
Genre: Drama
Rated: Not Rated
Length: 85
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Inspired by the headline-dominating kidnapping of
heiress Patty Hearst in 1974, this atmospheric drama is a fictionalized
re-imagining of her time in hiding, from the perspective of Jenny, a political
activist assigned to take care of her.
This movie is inspired by the kidnapping of Patty Hearst.
The event was a huge story when it happened in the 70s. It was so big, and
widely discussed, that I knew about it by the start of my teenage years even
though I wasn’t born until 1983.
It’s a fascinating story and I think a movie based on it
could be awesome. There are some reviews from festival showings that make me
think it doesn’t fully live up to its potential, though. Still, I’m looking
forward to seeing it.
14 – Eurovision
Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (6/26) – VOD
Production/Distribution:
Gary Sanchez Productions, Netflix, Truenorth Productions
IMDb Blurb: When aspiring musicians Lars and Sigrit are given
the opportunity to represent their country at the world's biggest song
competition, they finally have a chance to prove that any dream worth having is
a dream worth fighting for.
The trailer doesn’t tell us much and I am not a Will Ferrell
fan. So, why bother putting this film on my list?
Ferrell has no draw for me, but I’d be an idiot to not
recognize that I have the unpopular opinion. Most people love Will Ferrell (Downhill,
Zeroville, The Lego Movie). As a result, he is a giant in the field of
comedy. That means I cannot ignore this film. Especially since he considers it
a passion project.
He’s working with some great performers, too. Pierce Brosnan
(I.T., Final Score, The Son), Rachel McAdams (Doctor Strange, Disobedience,
Southpaw), Dan Stevens (The Call of the Wild, Lucky in the Sky, Kill
Switch) and Demi Lovato (Charming, Will & Grace, Zoolander 2)
are some big draws for a film like this.
Unfortunately, all the trailer tells us is that’s it’s a
spoof of a Swedish singing competition. That’s all we get. It’s a shame,
because I feel like it could have attracted a lot more viewers with a more in-depth
coming attraction.
If you like Ferrell’s work, this will undoubtedly be the
kind of film that bring out the best in him – simply because it comes from a
place of real love. That said, I really don’t know anything about it, otherwise
it’d be higher.
13 – The Last
Days of American Crime (6/5) – Netflix
Writer: Karl
Gajdusek, Greg Tocchini, Rick Remender
Actors: Michael
Pitt, Edgar RamÃrez, Sharlto Copley, Anna Brewster, Jay Anstey, Inge Beckmann,
Sean Cameron Michael, Tamer Burjaq, Robert Hobbs, Daniel Fox, Carel Nel, Nathan
Lynn, DeVille Vannik, Clayton Boyd, Shoko Yoshimura, Alonso GrandÃo, James
Richard Marshall, Grant Ross, Johann Vermaak, Candice Weber, Matt Newman
Genre: Action,
Adventure, Crime
Rated: Not Rated
Length: 148 minutes
IMDb Blurb: In the not-too-distant future, as a final response
to terrorism and crime, the U.S. government plans to broadcast a signal making
it impossible for anyone to knowingly commit unlawful acts.
This is just another heist flick, or is it?
There seems to be a sci-fi twist to this one.
There are several films about a futuristic world where crime
isn’t really a thing anymore. The first that comes to mind is really Minority
Report (2002). Instead of starting in the middle of the new world like
that, this film takes place at the beginning. I think that could add an
interesting perspective to the situation.
The thing is that even if the sci-fi aspect doesn’t work in The
Last Days of American Crime, it’s still primarily an action film that takes
place in our world, not too long from now. So, it could still wind up being a
good ‘turn your brain off film’. That means that there are two roads the script
can take to make the movie watchable.
I’d say the odds are in this film’s favor.
12 – 2 Minutes of
Fame (6/16) – VOD
Production/Distribution:
Codeblack Entertainment, Lionsgate, Lionsgate Home Entertainment
Director: Leslie
Small
Writer: Devon Shepard,
Yamara Taylor
Actors: Andy
Allo, Keke Palmer, Kimrie Lewis, RonReaco Lee, Katt Williams, Deon Cole, Jay
Pharoah, Valery M. Ortiz, Madeleine Byrne, Jim Wise, Johnny Berryman, Nena Za
Genre: Comedy
Rated: R
Length: 97
minutes
IMDb Blurb: An up-and-coming stand-up comic moves to L.A. to
pursue a film career after video clips of his act make him an online sensation.
I was first taken by Jay Pharoah’s (Unsane, White Famous,
Ride Along) impressions. They were really good and made me think of Robin Williams
(The Face of Love, Happy Feet Two, World’s Greatest Dad). He was
animated and the voices were seriously so spot on that you have to picture the
face of the person he’s emulating. Your brain just gives you no choice.
The plot is a little more basic. Guy following his dreams has
to decide between his new life and his family. At least, that’s what the
trailer is representing it as. I hope there’s more to it, though. Because if
Pharoah’s acting is as amazing as his impressions, he deserves better than
that.
I’m all for giving it a chance.
11 – Infamous (6/12)
– VOD
Production/Distribution:
SSS Entertainment, El Ride Productions, Lucidity Entertainment, Beer Money
Worldwide, SSS Film Capital, Vertical Entertainment
Director: Joshua
Caldwell
Writer: Joshua
Caldwell
Actors: Bella
Thorne, Jake Manley, Marisa Coughlan, Amber Riley, Billy Blair, Robert Peters,
Michael Sirow, Paul T. Taylor, Kyle Jacob Henry, Jennifer Rader, Madi Bready,
Joey Oglesby, Aaliyah Muhammad, Damon Carney, Rose Lane Sanfilippo, Mike Page
Genre: Crime
Rated: Not Rated
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: Two young lovers rob their way across the
southland, posting their exploits to social media, and gaining fame and
followers as a result.
Here we have a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde story. Not the
most original thing in the world, but the trailer makes it feel intriguing
again. There’s a social media aspect that deepens the story and updates it.
Bella Thorne (Speechless, Ride, I Still See You)
looks perfect for the part she plays. She could have been born for it. I’m less
familiar with Jake Manley (A Dog’s Journey, Brotherhood, The Order) –
but I can say that casting was spot-on with Thorne.
10 – Shirley (6/5)
– VOD
Production/Distribution:
Los Angeles Media Fund (LAMF), Killer Films, Mechanism Digital, Neon, September
Film, Madman Entertainment
Director: Josephine
Decker
Writer: Sarah Gubbins,
Susan Scarf Merrell
Actors: Elisabeth
Moss, Logan Lerman, Michael Stuhlbarg, Odessa Young, Steve Vinovich, Ryan
Spahn, Adelind Horan, Molly Fahey, Ava Langford, Allen McCullough, Edward O’
Blenis, Alexandria Sherman
Genre: Biography,
Drama, Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 107
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A famous horror writer finds inspiration for her
next book after she and her husband take in a young couple.
This trailer is creepy as all hell. I don’t know what the
hell is going on in it, but I want to find out. I imagine there’ll be a lot of
psychological thrill in it, which I absolutely adore.
Elisabeth Moss (The Invisible Man, Us, Light of My Life)
is also one of the best actresses that have been rising in the past few years. I’m
probably going to single out everything she does. Her being in the film immediately
makes the whole damn thing worth watching. She’s also backed up by some great
supporting actors like Logan Lerman (Hunters, Fury, Noah) and Odessa Young
(The Stand, Assassination Nation, The Giant).
As a momentary digression, there’s some dialogue shown that
I just really like. When someone asks the main character what she’s writing now
and she says, “a little novella I’m calling ‘None of your Goddamn Business’,” oh
man can I relate to that. I don’t like to talk about my projects while they’re
in the works, I also prefer not to have people read them before they’re done
and ready for editing. It’s just the way I work. It doesn’t matter, people
always have this idea that they have the rights to what you’re doing –
especially if they’re family. They’ll ask how the book is coming and then
snicker or get super offended that you won’t give them a copy of what you have
so far. I roll my eyes a lot. I wouldn’t be surprised if that shit is what
drives the main character crazy.
Whatever the deepest parts of the plot are, I can be sure
that there’s going to be some kind of twist that makes watching Shirley
a necessity.
9 – Outback (6/9)
– VOD
Production/Distribution:
Outback The Movie, Story Posse, Lionsgate Home Entertainment, Bonsai Films
Director: Mike
Green
Writer: Mike
Green, Brien Kelly
Actors: Kym
Cramp, Brendan Donoghue, Lauren Lofberg, Taylor Wiese, Jim Winton Porter
Genre: Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 86
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Down Under for an adventure-filled vacation, a
young American couple quickly find themselves stranded in the unforgiving
Australian outback.
Survival films are almost always – at the very least –
interesting. You get a few humans, put them in an impossible situation and
watch how they try to fight their way to safety. There’s no real ‘enemy’ except
for the land that they’re up against.
The Australian Outback is notoriously dangerous and
inhospitable – especially to people who are as inexperienced as this trailer
makes the main characters seem. I’m very interested in seeing just what
direction the story takes.
I don’t know the urban legend this movie is based on, but
because that is what inspired this story, I expect a dark outcome. Most urban
legends, in my experience, end very poorly for the people involved. I tend to
appreciate a dark ending, so I’m even looking forward to that.
8 – The Last Tree
(6/26) - VOD
Production/Distribution:
Prodigal Film & TV, Privateer Pictures, British Film Institute, Picturehouse
Entertainment, ArtMattan Productions, Front Row Filmed Entertainment, Destiny
Distribution, Picturehouse Cinemas
Director: Shola
Amoo
Writer: Shola
Amoo
Actors: Nicholas
Pinnock, Denise Black, Tuwaine Barrett, Samuel Adewunmi, Gbemisola Ikumelo,
Ibrahim Jammal, Layo-Christina Akinlude, Ruthxjiah Bellenea, Jayden Elijah,
Demmy Ladipo, Tai Golding, John Akanmu, Ameen Mustapha, Rasaq Kukoyi, Shaqai
White, Jack Chadwick, Yazzmin Newell, Sofia Chilvers, Yvan Zahui
Genre: Drama
Rated: Not Rated
Length: 98
minutes
IMDb Blurb: After a happy childhood in the countryside, a
teenager moves to London, where he must navigate an unfamiliar environment on
his road to adulthood.
This film is truly terrifying, even though it’s not a
horror. It follows a boy who is raised by a woman who loves him and is then
pulled away to live in a completely different situation out of nowhere. I imagine
it’s a foster child situation where the mother becomes able to care for him after
a while – at least that’s what I’m getting from the trailer.
It’s terrifying because I can’t imagine what that would be
like. Living with one very good mother and then being torn away by another.
However, it’s hard to fault a mother for wanting her child back after a time of
separation.
There are very few single-genre dramas that draw me in like
this one. I think it will be fascinating to see what comes of the main
character and his situation.
Keep tissues nearby. I foresee some ugly crying.
7 – The King of
Staten Island (6/12) – VOD
Production/Distribution:
Apatow Productions, Perfect World Pictures, Universal Pictures, Universal
Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE), United International Pictures (UIP),
Universal Pictures International (UPI)
Director: Judd
Apatow
Writer: Judd
Apatow, Pete Davidson, Dave Sirus
Actors: Pete Davidson,
Bel Powley, Ricky Velez, Lou Wilson, Moises Arias, Carly Aquilino, Marisa Tomei,
Maude Apatow, Robert Vidal Iii, Pauline Chalamet, Lynne Koplitz, Joseph Paul
Kennedy, Kevin Corrigan, Bill Burr, Steve Buscemi, Jay Rodriguez
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: 136
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Scott has been a case of arrested development since
his firefighter dad died. He spends his days smoking weed and dreaming of being
a tattoo artist until events force him to grapple with his grief and take his
first steps forward in life.
I know that Pete Davidson (Saturday Night Live, Set it
Up, Trainwreck) is hit or miss with people. Even for me, he has his good
and his bad moments. That said, I do tend to enjoy his comedy – at least when
he gets personal. When Davidson delves into his personal life, he feels easier
to relate to and it shows how much heart is behind the dark jokes.
This looks like a film that’s going to delve into those
parts of his comedy that really bring out who he is as a person. Honestly? I’m
really here for it. I want to see what he does with his story.
The trailer tells you all you really need to know. Davidson
lost his father at an early age and it sent him spiraling. That’s a story a lot
of people can relate to. In The King of Staten Island I imagine that we’ll
get to see how Davidson was finally able to pick himself up. I love stories like
that. They offer hope to people who have hit rock bottom.
So, aside from the fact that I’m looking forward to learning
more about Pete and watching how his outstanding comedic timing factors in, I
also enjoy the kind of plot featured in general. Regardless of who’s involved.
I think this will be worth a watch.
6 – Irresistible
(6/26) – VOD
Production/Distribution:
Busboy Productions, Plan B Entertainment, Focus Features
Director: Jon Stewart
Writer: Jon
Stewart
Actors: Steve
Carell, Rose Byrne, Mackenzie Davis, Natasha Lyonne, Topher Grace, Chris
Cooper, Debra Messing, Will Sasso, Brent Sexton, Eve Gordon, Alan Aisenberg,
Jason Davis, C.J. Wilson, Andrea Frankle
Genre: Comedy,
Drama
Rated: R
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: A Democratic strategist helps a retired veteran run
for mayor in a small, conservative Midwest town.
I originally wanted to skip this because of how overly political
it is… but I just can’t. I mean, it’s a comedy written and directed by Jon
Stewart (Rosewater, The Daily Show, Real Mature) that stars Steve Carell
(Space Force, Welcome to Marwen, Vice). I couldn’t dream of a more
perfect pairing.
I’m 100% here for this film. It looks hilarious. If you lean
right in US politics, you might need to put your put your feelings in your back
pocket to enjoy the film, but otherwise I think most people will be fine.
The trailer just looks hilarious, but I’d never expect less
from that pairing.
5 – Becky (6/5) –
VOD
Production/Distribution:
Yale Productions, BondIt Media Capital, BoulderLight Pictures, Buffalo 8
Productions, SSS Entertainment, SSS Film Capital, United Talent Agency (UTA),
Quiver Distribution
Director: Jonathan
Milott, Cary Murnion
Writer: Nick
Morris, Ruckus Skye, Lane Skye
Actors: Joel
McHale, Kevin James, Lulu Wilson, Amanda Brugel, Robert Maillet, Ryan McDonald,
Mike Dara, Chandra Michaels, James McDougall, Gage Graham-Arbuthnot, John D.
Hickman, Isaiah Rockcliffe, Andrew Siwik, Charles Boyland, Marksu Radan
Genre: Action,
Thriller
Rated: R
Length: 100
minutes
IMDb Blurb: A teenager's weekend at a lake house with her
father takes a turn for the worse when a group of convicts wreaks havoc on
their lives.
Kevin James (Little Boy, Kevin Can Wait, Sandy Wexler)
is normally very typecast. In fact, I think he’s played the same character 18
times, just with different names. That means I’m VERY excited to see him play
something completely different. He didn’t just step away from his type a little,
he broke the fuck out of it. You can barely recognize him in the trailer.
Even if the trailer or the plot looked boring, I’d have put
it on the list just because I’m dying to see Kevin James play the nazi ex-con
villain. But that’s not the case. The trailer looks bad ass and the plot feels
a little like what would happen if Home Alone (1990) was a thriller.
Whether the end result is good or bad, I’m in this one for
the trip.
4 – Greyhound (6/12)
– Apple TV+ (This film has been postponed until July. It will be eligible for the July Top 20.)
Production/Distribution:
Columbia Pictures, Stage 6 Films, Zhengfu Pictures, BRON Studios, Creative
Artists Agency (CAA), Creative Wealth Media Finance, FilmNation Entertainment, Playtone,
Sycamore Pictures, Apple TV+, China Film Group Corporation, Sony Pictures
Releasing, United International Pictures (UIP), Universal Pictures International
(UPI)
Director: Aaron
Schneider
Writer: C.S.
Forester, Tom Hanks
Actors: Tom
Hanks, Elisabeth Shue, Stephen Graham, Karl Glusman, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Lee
Norris, Tom Brittney, Devin Druid, Rob Morgan, Grayson Russell, Maximilian Osinski,
David Maldonado, Michael Benz, Matthew Zuk, Dave Davis, Craig Tate, Ian James
Corlett, Casey Bond, Matt Helm, Narendra Singh Dhami, Ian Pala, Jeff Adler
Genre: Action,
Drama, History
Rated: PG-13
Length: Unknown
IMDb Blurb: Early in World War II, an inexperienced U.S. Navy
captain must lead an Allied convoy being stalked by Nazi U-boat wolfpacks.
I’m excited to see Tom Hanks (The Post, Toy Story 4,
Sully). Likely, any film he appeared in would have made this list, especially
if he had a hand in writing it, but Greyhound is up at #4 on its own
merits as well.
I picked up Apple TV+ specifically for this film.
It’s one of the two movies on this list that gives us
another perspective of World War II – a subject that I am particularly
interested in. Instead of showing us the battlefield for the umpteenth time, Greyhound
takes a look into how our forces got there to begin with.
You can see a hell of a lot of action in the trailer. Enough
to speak to even those of us that don’t tend to go for historical films. And
there’s the added thrilling claustrophobia of the submarine and the twist of
the inexperienced main character going through a trial by fire (sometimes
literally).
I believe this movie has the ability to really speak to
audiences and become a favorite of many – if it was done right.
3 – Da 5 Bloods (6/12)
– Netflix
Production/Distribution:
40 Acres & A Mule Filmworks, Netflix
Director: Spike
Lee
Writer: Danny
Bilson, Paul De Meo, Kevin Willmott, Spike Lee
IMDb Blurb: Four African American vets battle the forces of man
and nature when they return to Vietnam seeking the remains of their fallen
Squad Leader and the gold fortune he helped them hide.
Spike Lee (She’s Gotta Have It, BlacKkKlansman, Chi-Raq),
Delroy Lindo (Malcolm X, The Good Fight, Malicious) and Chadwick Boseman
(21 Bridges, Black Panther, Message from the King) are really reason
enough, but there are so many other reasons to be looking forward to Da 5
Bloods.
Watching the trailer, you’re transported back to a time of
war and uncertainty in some scenes, while in others you’re looking at the story
of some former soldiers going back to where they served. There’s this back and
forth that makes me think there’s going to be some serious story telling
involved.
On top of that, we don’t really get many movies like this.
Sure, we’ve revisited the Vietnam war and the soldiers that fought in it many
times, but not like this. Rarely ever are the soldiers we see on screen (from
that war) black.
With Spike Lee you’re always bound to get something
outstandingly original. With this film, you’re also going to get a perspective
that Hollywood simply doesn’t delve into enough.
We’ll be reviewing this one shortly after it comes out.
2 – SHEPHERD: The
Story of a Jewish Dog (6/29) – VOD
Production/Distribution:
FocusFox Studio, JDOG Films, Signature Entertainment
IMDb Blurb: SHEPHERD is based on the award-winning and
bestselling Israeli novel, "The Jewish Dog," by Asher Kravitz. Kaleb,
a beloved German Shepherd, is separated from his Jewish family when the
Nuremberg Laws are enacted in WWII Berlin. He is adopted by an SS Officer who
trains him to attack and round up Jews at a concentration camp. Kaleb is well
cared for and good at his job until one day when he is distracted by a familiar
scent. His original master, a young boy named Joshua, has arrived as a prisoner
of the camp.
For all my research into World War II and the holocaust, I
never considered what happened to the pets of Jews. I see dogs as such a force
of light and good that I have trouble picturing them even living during that
time. This film goes into the life of one of those dogs.
Just from the trailer, I get a really good idea of the story.
Dog is taken from a Jewish family and trained to work with the Nazis. Jewish
family is taken to a concentration camp. Dogs are the most loyal beings in the
entire world and this one recognizes its original family. Dog and little boy
escape into the wilderness.
The trailer is catchy and heartbreaking. Personally, though,
I would have gone for the movie either way. The holocaust is a subject that I will
always feel is important to learn about and remember. This film is based on a
book that is tells the true story of a dog that actually existed. A dog that helped
a little Jewish boy escape.
I don’t see an MPAA rating for this one, but judging from
the ‘Family’ genre it’s listed on IMDb as being a part of, I feel like the
ending probably won’t be the worst possible outcome. Then again, it is based on
something that actually happened… so the ending could be something straight out
of left field that is bleak as hell. (I’m not familiar with the book, though
the movie could take the ending in a different direction anyway.)
This is another movie that will require a box of tissues
nearby.
1 – Artemis Fowl
(6/12) – Disney+
Production/Distribution:
Marzano Films, Tribeca Productions, Walt Disney Pictures, Disney+, Walt Disney
Studios Motion Pictures
Director: Kenneth
Branagh
Writer: Eoin
Colfer, Michael Goldenberg, Adam Kline, Conor McPherson
Actors: Colin Farrell,
Josh Gad, Judi Dench, Ferdia Shaw, Hong Chau, Miranda Raison, Grace Molony,
Nonso Anozie, Adrian Scarborough, Simone Kirby, Nikesh Patel, Taylor James,
Gerard Horan, Joshua McGuire, Lara McDonnell, Jimmy Vee, Tamara Smart, Jake
Davies, Conor MacNeill
Genre: Adventure,
Family, Fantasy
Rated: PG
Length: 115
minutes
IMDb Blurb: Artemis Fowl, a young criminal prodigy, hunts down
a secret society of fairies to find his missing father.
Artemis Fowl was always destined for my Top 20. Theaters
open or not.
I’m beyond surprised that Disney opted to release it on
Disney+ instead of waiting for theaters to open, but I’m also really happy
about it.
This is a series based on books that are usually recommended
to people who enjoyed the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson book series’. I’ve
been waiting for the movie to come out since I heard it was happening.
The trailer does not disappoint.
There’s a lot of the fantastic in it and Disney has the
funds to pull that kind of thing off brilliantly. That makes me think that we didn’t
just get the best scenes in the trailer with nothing left to watch in the film.
Something that can easily happen with a movie like this.
Also, the cast is nothing to sneeze at. Ferdia Shaw, the boy
playing the titular character, is a newcomer. However, he’s performing
alongside Dame Judi Dench (Victoria & Abdul, Red Joan, All is True),
Colin Farrell (In Bruges, The Gentlemen, Dumbo), and Josh Gad (Frozen
II, Little Monsters, The Angry Birds Movie). He couldn’t have asked for a better
way to build his acting experience.
Of course I'm looking forward to this.
Movies to Look out For
According to: Cat
Jungle Beat: The Movie .20
Lost Bullet .19
Tainted .18
Mr. Jones .17
The King of Staten
Island .16
Irresistible .15
Becky .14
Shirley .13
Da 5 Bloods .12
A Whisker Away .11
The Clearing .10
Eurovision Song
Contest: The Story of Fire Saga .9
