By Keith Walther
Summer is fully under way and there is a jam-packed lineup of films set to be released in June. There will be spin-offs, remakes, sequels, but also some originality that may represent the best of what the month has to offer. From a ballerina that does more killing than she does dancing to an exorcism performed by a godfather, there will be an odd assortment of movies catering to many different tastes. These are the biggest releases for you to check out and see which ones may strike your fancy.
June 6th
From the world of “John Wick” comes a new action spin-off that is sure to appeal to fans of the franchise. “Ballerina” features Ana de Armas in the lead role, but Keanu Reeves does come in as his titular character. Look, ever since the “John Wick” movies introduced bulletproof suits, this series has been going downhill. Now, add in arguably one of the worst actresses in Hollywood, and it should ground expectations. One can only hope the action and fight choreography are up to par with the rest of those thrilling movies.
Wes Anderson returns with his latest comedy that has a star studded ensemble, as is per usual for his films. “The Phoenician Scheme” made its debut in May at the Cannes Film Festival, and it’s worth noting that it received mixed reactions, which is fairly unusual for a Wes Anderson film. However, if you are a fan of his unique style, then it is a safe bet you’ll have a satisfying experience at the theater with this one.
Director Mike Flanagan’s latest project once again involves renowned author Stephen King, but this time it is not a horror film as you might expect. “The Life of Chuck” is more of a drama/science fiction broken up into three chapters that features Tom Hiddleston and Jacob Tremblay as the title character. This movie debuted at last year’s Toronto International Film Festival and received plenty of accolades, including the People’s Choice Award for Best Film. This looks to be an interesting story with sweet messaging, so don’t overlook this one.
Next up is a horror film that stars Al Pacino in the role of a priest performing an exorcism. Based on the true story of a young woman’s alleged possession in the late 1920s, “The Ritual” looks to be another in a long list of 1973’s “The Exorcist” wannabes. With an aging Al Pacino headlining, it’s reminiscent of Russell Crowe starring in “The Exorcism” last year and “The Pope’s Exorcist” the year before, both of which were horrible movies. Hopefully, this is significantly better than those, but with a bar that low, it may be best to avoid altogether.
June 13th
Here we go again, another live action remake from an animated classic, but this time it is not Disney doing it so there may be hope. “How to Train Your Dragon” is a DreamWorks production and is directed by Dean DeBlois, the same director of the original 2010 animation as well as the animated sequel. So, it should be a fairly direct representation of this fantastic story that will satisfy fans and newcomers. Of course, the dragons will be displayed using CGI and the human characters portrayed by actors, similar to “Lilo & Stitch,” which released just a few weeks prior. At least it is bound to be better than Disney’s failed live action remakes…right?
For those wanting a laid back rom-com for a date night, you may gravitate towards “Materialists.” This is the sophomore film from Oscar nominated writer Celine Song, who burst onto the scene with 2023’s hidden gem, “Past Lives.” The bad news is it stars one of the worst actresses in the business, Dakota Johnson, who’s caught in a predictable love triangle with Chris Evans and Pedro Pascal. It’s highly recommended you wait for reviews before taking the risk with this flick.
June 20th
Back to the horror genre comes a sequel 18 years removed from the last one to be released. “28 Years Later” finds director Danny Boyle reunited with writer Alex Garland, who worked together on the original film, “28 Days Later,” back in 2002. These are two visionary talents, and they bring in a talented cast that includes Jack O’Connell, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Jodie Comer, and 3-time Oscar nominee Ralph Fiennes. Run, don’t walk, to the theater for this certain to be special horror sequel.
It is no secret that Disney has been producing lower quality films over the past few years, even in the genre of family animation. “Elio” is their latest effort, and to their credit, it is an original storyline unlike the typical sequel or remake they’ve been more inclined to make. On second thought, Disney’s most recent original animations include “Wish” and “Strange World,” which were unmitigated disasters. Even though Pixar handles the animation for this one, don’t hold your breath this will be anything worth seeing.
June 27th
Possibly the most anticipated movie of the month releases on this final Friday, and it looks like an adrenaline pumping masterpiece. “F1: The Movie” is co-written and directed by Joseph Kosinski, who is responsible for the smash blockbuster hit of 2022, “Top Gun: Maverick.” This time, he works with a couple of Oscar winners like Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem, as well as Oscar nominee Kerry Condon. Judging from the previews, he incorporates more of those incredible cockpit shots to put viewers right in the driver’s seat of these impressive racecars that travel in excess of 200 mph. This should be a highly entertaining spectacle that you’ll want to see on the biggest screen you can.
Closing out the month is another horror sequel that will have teenagers clamoring for a ticket. That’s right, everyone’s favorite dancing and killing AI doll is back, but she’s not alone. “M3GAN 2.0” features another, even deadlier AI robot that M3gan will have to fight, with some much-needed upgrades of course. The first movie was laughably dumb and should not have had a sequel, but here we are. If you liked the first movie, then you’ll probably enjoy this as well, but if you’re wanting better quality out of your horror films, then look elsewhere.
