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Monday, June 3, 2024
Top 20 Movies to Look Out For In June (2024)
According to: Selina
20 – Under Paris
(6/5) Director: Xavier
Gens Writer: Sebastien
Auscher, Yannick Dahan, Xavier Gens, Maud Heywang, Yaël Langmann, Olivier
Torres Actors: Bérénice
Bejo, Nassim Lyes, Anaïs Parello, Iñaki Lartigue, Léa Léviant Genre: Action,
Drama, Horror Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 41min IMDb Blurb: Sophia, a brilliant scientist comes to know that a
large shark is swimming deep in the river. I simply cannot get enough sharksploitation. I tend to even enjoy
the bad ones, and this one seems more in the mid-range. Never-the-less, I’m the
target audience. 19 – Daddio
(6/28) Director: Christy
Hall Writer: Christy
Hall Actors: Dakota
Johnson, Sean Penn, Marcos A. Gonzalez, Shannon Gannon Genre: Drama Rated: R Length: 1h 41min IMDb Blurb: A woman taking a cab ride from JFK engages in a conversation
with the taxi driver about the important relationships in their lives. Movies starring mainly two people are a rough sell. Those
two actors need to be enough to hold the attention of the audience. There are
some successful flicks, but a lot of them do wind up falling flat. When it
comes to Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn (Asphalt City, Flag Day, The Gunman),
I blow hot and cold with both. I need to see which way the wind goes before I
commit to anything higher than 19 for Daddio. 18 – The Present
(6/13) Director: Christian
Ditter Writer: Jay
Martel Actors: Shawn
Balentine, Jaden Betts, Bryan Billy Boone, Iman Crosson, Michael Daruler, David
Eisen, Isla Fisher, Ryan Guzman, Symera Jackson, Mason Shea Joyce, Greg
Kinnear, Madeline Logan, Sarah Jane MacKay Genre: Comedy Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 26min IMDb Blurb: A brilliant boy discovers that he can manipulate
time using a family heirloom. He soon teams up with his siblings in returning
to the time of their parents' separation, with hopes of changing the outcome. I might have had The Present up higher on my list if
it was last year. It looks quirky and fun, full of fantasy. Seeing the same
thing from the perspective of kids with parents going through a separation is a
bit too close to home for me now, but that doesn’t change how good the film
looks. 17 – Ghostlight
(6/14)
Director: Kelly
O'Sullivan, Alex Thompson Writer: Kelly
O’Sullivan Actors: Keith
Kupferer, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Tara Mallen, Dolly De Leon, Hanna Dworkin,
Dexter Zollicoffer, H.B. Ward, Tommy Rivera-Vega, Alma Washington Genre: Comedy,
Drama Rated: R Length: 1h 50min IMDb Blurb: When a construction worker unexpectedly joins a
local theater's production of Romeo and Juliet, the drama onstage starts to
mirror his own life. It’s important in a coming-of-age flick to get the parents
just as right as the kids or it feels like there’s something missing. It looks
like Ghostlight does just that; giving the parents some things to work
out alongside the kids. That opens it up to being relatable to people of all
ages. 16 – Tuesday
(6/14) Director: Daina
Oniunas-Pusic Writer: Daina
Oniunas-Pusic Actors: Arinzé
Kene, Lola Petticrew, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Leah Harvey, Ellie James, Taru
Devani, Jay Simpson Genre: Fantasy Rated: R Length: 1h 51min IMDb Blurb: A mother and her teenage daughter must confront
Death when it arrives in the form of an astonishing talking bird. This trailer took a hard left turn. What I thought was just
going to be a heartbreaking drama suddenly became a fantasy, and it caught my
attention. A decent cast with a unique concept, I think Tuesday is going
to be a fantastic watch – even if we do need a ton of tissues. 15 – Am I Ok?
(6/6) Director: Stephanie
Allynne, Tig Notaro Writer: Lauren
Pomerantz Actors: Dakota
Johnson, Sonoya Mizuno, Jermaine Fowler, Kiersey Clemons, Molly Gordon, Whitmer
Thomas, Sean Hayes, Tig Notaro, Odessa A’zion Genre: Comedy,
Drama, Romance Rated: R Length: 1h 26min IMDb Blurb: Lucy and Jane have been best friends their entire
lives. Only when Lucy embarks on a personal journey, will she face a test of
her friendship, and her sense of self, on a path she may not be entirely ready
to take. Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades of Grey, The Social Network,
Madame Web) is getting a ton of work lately. Am I Ok? Would look more
cringey without the way she plays the lead role in the trailer. Instead, it
winds up feeling more endearing. There’s always the possibility that the
trailer shows all her best moments, but I think that won’t happen here. Am I
Ok? Is exactly the kind of movie Johnson could elevate. 14 – The Watchers
(6/7) Director: Ishana
Shyamalan Writer: Ishana
Shyamalan, A.M. Shine Actors: Dakota
Fanning, Georgina Campbell, Olwen Fouéré, Siobhan Hewlett, Shane O’Regan,
Hannah Howland, Oliver Finnegan Genre: Fantasy,
Horror, Mystery Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 42min IMDb Blurb: A young artist gets stranded in an extensive,
immaculate forest in western Ireland, where, after finding shelter, she becomes
trapped alongside three strangers, stalked by mysterious creatures each night. The trailer for The Watchers is interesting. It’d be
higher up on my list, except M. Night Shyamalan’s (Old, Split, The Last
Airbender) name doesn’t carry the weight it once did. That’s unfortunate,
because I don’t know the first thing about his daughter, Ishana Shyamalan (Servant). I’m interested in what she can do with this concept though. 13 – Horizon: An
American Saga Chapter 1 (6/28) Director: Kevin
Costner Writer: Jon
Baird, Kevin Costner Actors: Kevin Costner,
Abbey Lee, Sienna Miller, Jena Malone, Dale Dickey, Isabelle Fuhrman, Will
Patton, Tom Payne, Jamie Campbell Bower, Sam Worthington, Michael Rooker,
Thomas Haden Church, Giovanni Ribisi, Luke Wilson, Danny Huston Genre: Drama,
Western Rated: R Length: 3h 1min IMDb Blurb: Chronicles a multi-faceted, 15-year span of pre-and
post-Civil War expansion and settlement of the American west. I know. A western film on my top 20 is damn near unheard of.
I’m notorious for absolutely despising western films. They all feel roughly the
same to me – unless they have another genre woven in, like with Serenity
(2005). In fact, the only single genre western I’ve ever enjoyed is 3:10 to
Yuma (1957). Even then, there were parts that made me roll my eyes. In the case of Horizon: An American Saga Chapter 1, I
can’t deny the efficacy of the trailer. It would still take a lot for me to
actively sit down and watch it… but just having the desire to is strange for
me. Deserves to be noted. 12 – Trigger
Warning (6/21) Director: Mouly
Surya Writer: John
Brancato, Josh Olson, Halley Wegryn Gross Actors: Jessica
Alba, Mark Webber, Anthony Michael Hall, Alejandro De Hoyos, Tone Bell, Jake
Weary Genre: Action,
Thriller Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 46min IMDb Blurb: A skilled Special Forces commando (Jessica Alba)
takes ownership of her father's bar after he suddenly dies, and soon finds
herself at odds with a violent gang running rampant in her hometown. I’m a fan of Jessica Alba (Idle Hands, Honey, Sin City)
from way back in her Dark Angel (2000-2002) days. I’m always happy to
see a new flick with her in it. In this case, the trailer looks decent. A solid
action. I’m just hoping they didn’t show all the exciting parts in the coming
attractions. 11 – Bad Boys:
Ride or Die (6/7) Director: Adil El
Arbi, Bilall Fallah Writer: Chris
Bremner, Will Beall, George Gallo Actors: Will
Smith, Martin Lawrence, Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Paola Núñez, Eric
Dane, Ioan Gruffudd, Jacob Scipio, Melanie Liburd, Tasha Smith, Tiffany
Haddish, Joe Pantoliano Genre: Action,
Adventure, Comedy Rated: R Length: 1h 50min IMDb Blurb: When their former captain is implicated in corruption,
two Miami police officers have to work to clear his name. Bad Boys is a series I’m always going to be
interested in. Even though Will Smith (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Men in
Black, King Richard) is slapping comedians and Martin Lawrence (Martin,
The Soul Man, Death at a Funeral) is definitely too old for this shit. It’s
just an iconic series that I couldn’t not want to watch the next one of. I hope it’s worth it.
10 – The
Bikeriders (6/21) Director: Jeff
Nichols Writer: Jeff
Nichols Actors: Jodie
Comer, Austin Butler, Tom Hardy, Michael Shannon, Mike Faist, Boyd Holbrook,
Norman Reedus, Damon Herriman, Beau Knapp Genre: Crime,
Drama Rated: R Length: 1h 56min IMDb Blurb: After a chance encounter, headstrong Kathy is drawn
to Benny, member of Midwestern motorcycle club the Vandals. As the club
transforms into a dangerous underworld of violence, Benny must choose between
Kathy and his loyalty to the club. I got a very Sons of Anarchy (2008-2014) vibe from
the trailer for The Bikeriders. The blurb even reminds me of a story arc
from the show. I’m all for seeing a flick that brings me back to that feeling. There’s a fantastic cast involved, and it’s written/directed
by Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter, Loving, Mud) – a man that has not made a
dud film yet. I have absolute faith that The Bikeriders is going to be
incredible. 9 – Trim Season
(6/7) Director: Ariel
Vida Writer: David
Blair, Sean E. DeMott, Cullen Poythress, Megan Sutherland, Ariel Vida Actors: Bethlehem
Million, Alexandra Essoe, Ally Ioannides, Bex Taylor-Klaus, Juliette Kenn De
Balinthazy, Jane Badler, Ryan Donowho, Cory Hart Genre: Horror,
Thriller Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 40min IMDb Blurb: A group of young people go to a remote marijuana
farm where they hope to make quick cash. But, they discover the location's dark
secrets and now must try to escape the mountain on which they are trapped. I am not the wake and bake type. I usually wind up ignoring
most media that revolves around marijuana. I have nothing against it, or people
who use it, but I know I’m going to miss a lot of the references and some of
the humor will be lost on me. At least, I assume it will be. I was ready to
write Trim Season off as ‘not for me’ because of that. The trailer made that impossible. If you ask me, most movies could take a cue from Trim
Season’s trailer. It left me with a bunch of questions that I want answers
to. That’s what a trailer is meant to do, and what a lot simply don’t. As a
result, I’m super interested in seeing something that I would have written off
immediately if it had weaker coming attractions. 8 – Kinds of
Kindness (6/21) Director: Yorgos
Lanthimos Writer: Efthimis
Filippou, Yorgos Lanthimos Actors: Emma
Stone, Jesse Plemons, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Hong Chau, Joe Alwyn,
Mamoudou Athie, Hunter Schafer Genre: Comedy,
Drama Rated: R Length: 2h 44min IMDb Blurb: A man seeks to break free from his predetermined
path, a cop questions his wife's demeanor after her return from a supposed
drowning, and a woman searches for an extraordinary individual prophesied to
become a renowned spiritual guide. I love anthologies. Give me some nicely framed short stories
all put together by a genius director – which Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things,
The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer) is – and I’m a happy girl. In
this case, there’s also an insane cast. Emma Stone (La La Land, Poor Things,
Cruella), Jesse Plemons (The Power of the Dog, The Irishman, Civil War),
Willen Dafoe (Spider-Man, The Lighthouse, The Florida Project), Margaret
Qualley (Kenzo World, Novitiate, Poor Things), Mamoudou Athie (The
Get Down, The Boy and the Heron, Black Box), Hong Chau (The Whale, The
Menu, Asteroid City), and Joe Alwyn (The Favourite, Harriet, Mary Queen
of Scots) are all fantastic additions to a flick like this. The best part of an anthology? If you don’t like one story,
the next one could always be better. 7 – Hit Man (6/7) Director: Richard
Linklater Writer: Richard
Linklater, Glen Powell, Skip Hollandsworth Actors: Adria
Arjona, Glen Powell, Retta, Austin Amelio, Molly Bernard, Mike Markoff, Bath
Bartley Genre: Action,
Comedy, Crime Rated: R Length: 1h 55min IMDb Blurb: A professor moonlighting as a hit man of sorts for
his city police department, descends into dangerous, dubious territory when he
finds himself attracted to a woman who enlists his services. When Richard Linklater (Boyhood, Before Midnight, Bernie)
comes out with a new movie, you must take notice. Most of his stuff is
relatable and humorous. He very rarely goes to a place of cringe or something
over-the-top. It’s almost a given that anything he puts out will be a fun
watch. Hit Man in general has a cute concept, and even the
trailer made me laugh. It’s going to be a good one. 6 – The Exorcism
(6/21) Director: Joshua
John Miller Writer: M.A.
Fortin, Joshua John Miller Actors: Russell
Crowe, Ryan Simpkins, Sam Worthington, Chloe Bailey, Adam Goldberg, Adrian
Pasdar, David Hyde Pierce Genre: Horror,
Thriller Rated: R Length: 1h 33min IMDb Blurb: A troubled actor begins to exhibit a disruptive
behavior while shooting a horror film. His estranged daughter wonders if he's
slipping back into his past addictions or if there's something more sinister at
play. Just about every cinema fan knows the behind-the-scenes
stories that follow certain kinds of horror flicks. Like the trailer suggests,
movies like The Exorcist (1973) and The Omen (1976) have a ton of
horrific stories of things that have happened on set. Trust the Dice has seen plenty of movies that play with the
idea, my favorite probably being The Cleansing Hour (2019). That film
goes into what happens when a fake exorcism becomes real. I thought, even
watching that flick, that a movie depicting those kinds of behind-the-scenes
stories would be fantastic. I’m pretty sure Cat and I had a whole conversation
about it. Probably on stream. And here it is. I am hoping we’ll get to see The Exorcism this month
when it comes out, because I’m absolutely loving the trailer. 5 – Thelma (6/21) Director: Josh
Margolin Writer: Josh
Margolin Actors: June
Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Chase Kim, Richard Roundtree Genre: Action,
Comedy Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 37min IMDb Blurb: When 93-year-old Thelma Post gets duped by a phone
scammer pretending to be her grandson, she sets out on a treacherous quest
across the city to reclaim what was taken from her. June Squibb (Nebraska, About Schmidt, Godmothered) is
a national treasure. I’ve said it before and I’m positive I’ll be saying it
again. Seeing her in this outstandingly adorable trailer was so much fun that
it’s impossible to not look forward to the movie. It’s going to be hilarious. 4 – Ultraman:
Rising (6/14) Director: Shannon
Tindle, John Aoshima Writer: Shannon
Tindle, Marc Haimes Actors: Christopher
Sean, Rob Fukuzaki, Hiro Nakamura, Gedde Watanabe, Tamlyn Tomita, Keone Young Genre: Animation,
Action, Adventure Rated: PG Length: 1h 57min IMDb Blurb: Ken Sato, a superstar baseball player who returns
to Japan to become the latest hero to carry the mantle of Ultraman. However, he
is compelled to raise a newborn kaiju monster, the offspring of his greatest
enemy as his own child. Ultraman, as a hero concept, lends himself phenomenally to
the animation medium. In this specific case, I can’t get passed just how clean
the art looks. I’m a huge fan of the art style chosen. I would watch just about
any animation film in this style. Ultraman: Rising has the added benefit of looking
cute. I can see my daughter actually agreeing to watch it with me, making it
fun for the whole family. 3 – Latency
(6/14) Director: James
Croke Writer: James
Croke Actors: Sasha
Luss, Alexis Ren Genre: Action,
Horror, Thriller Rated: PG-13 Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: When Hana, a professional gamer who suffers from
acute agoraphobia, receives new equipment that enhances her game, she begins to
wonder if it is reading her mind - or controlling it. I was immediately intrigued by the plot of Latency. I’ll admit that the whole ‘stuck in a video game’ idea isn’t
exactly unique. We’ve seen it done quite a few times since Tron (1982). Latency
seems to take that idea and crossbreed it with that psychological, ‘is anything
really happening’ thriller tension that I love. Latency isn’t usually the kind of film that finds
itself this high up on one of my Top 20s. What intrigues me most about it is
the inclusion of writer/director James Croke (Shift, The Mirage, Australian
Summer). Although this is Croke’s full-length feature debut, he’s
shown some serious success as a production designer for shorts. Not one of
which has below a 7.0 on IMDb. That’s insane. I’m dying to see what he can do
with something like Latency. 2 – A Quiet
Place: Day One (6/28) Director: Michael
Sarnoski Writer: Michael
Sarnoski, John Krasinski, Bryan Woods, Scott Beck Actors: Joseph
Quinn, Djimon Hounsou, Alex Wolff, Lupita Nyong’o, Thea Butler Genre: Drama,
Horror, Sci-Fi Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 40min IMDb Blurb: A woman named Sam must survive an invasion in New
York City by bloodthirsty alien creatures with ultrasonic sound hearing. The Quiet Place movies are super tense. I love the
way the story unfolds and the characterizations. Obviously, A Quiet Place:
Day One is going to be slightly different, but I imagine it’s going to have
the basic general feel. It’s missing key actors like Emily Blunt (Edge of
Tomorrow, The Devil Wears Prada, The Adjustment Bureau) and Millicent
Simmonds (Wonderstuck, Bumblebees, Andy Mack), but gives us absolute
powerhouses in the form of Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave, Us, Little
Monsters) and Djimon Hounsou (Gran Turismo, The King’s Man, How to Train
Your Dragon 2). It’s a fair trade off. Not only that but seeing how the actual invasion started is
going to be interesting. 1 – Inside Out 2
(6/14) Director: Kelsey
Mann Writer: Dave
Holstein, Meg LeFauve Actors: Amy
Poehler, Phyllis Smith, Lewis Black, Tony Hale, Liza Lapira, Maya Hawke, Ayo Edebiri,
Paul Walter Hauser, Kensington Tallman, Diane Lane, Kyle MacLachlan, Yvette
Nicole Brown, Bobby Moynihan, Paula Poundstone, John Ratzenberger, Flea, June
Squibb Genre: Animation,
Adventure, Comedy Rated: PG Length: 1h 40min IMDb Blurb: Follow Riley, in her teenage years, encountering
new emotions. Showing sarcasm as a literal chasm is my favorite thing
ever. I found it so much funnier than I probably should have. I had to step
away from YouTube and calm myself down. It was just such a perfect dad joke. The original Inside Out (2015) had some icon moments.
None more-so than that one Bing-bong moment that became an audio file on TikTok.
People who’ve never seen the film can still quote it. With that kind of staying
power, it’s impossible to not look forward to the sequel.
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