Warner Bros.
May was a rough time for major releases. With The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and A Million Ways to Die in the West, the first month of summer blockbusting got off to a messy start and ended with an equally toxic finish. Although I’m not a fan of Godzilla and X-Men: Days of Future Past, they have their supporters, so maybe May wasn’t as bad of a month as I’m pegging it as. Maybe it’s just that when a studio comedy as tedious and frustrating as A Million Ways to Die in the West comes around, it’s always going to poison the whole calendar page.
Thankfully this summer is about to receive a large improvement, because there’s a terrific blockbuster coming out this Friday.
While the Tom Cruise-starring action movie isn’t tracking so hot, let’s hope the tides change and people flock to Edge of Tomorrow. Plus, there’s a solid amount of releases this month you should plan to see. Here are the must see movies of June 2014:
Edge of Tomorrow
Opens in theaters June 6th
Doug Liman’s (The Bourne Identity) most satisfying blockbuster to date is the kind of summer movie we need more of. It doesn’t take itself too serious, has a great sense of humor, and, believe it or not, is under two hours long.
Liman’s film also has some brains too, going against Tom Cruise’s generally heroic image and having an unbelievably badass, yet human, hero played by Emily Blunt. They’re a terrific pairing in this fast-paced, cool, and exciting alien war movie.
Read Our Review
Check Out Some Clips
A Second Viewing of Edge of Tomorrow
Warner Bros.
Opens in theaters June 6th
Why wouldn’t you see this movie twice? Don’t you want to see more films like this? Not all blockbusters should be derived from already-successful properties, and if a movie like Edge of Tomorrow is a hit, then studios will take notice. That’s not the sole reason to see Liman’s movie twice, though. After you see it, you’ll probably want to see it again.
The Fault in Our Stars
20th Century Fox
Opens in theaters June 6th
So far, everyone who has seen The Fault in Our Stars say it’s a real tearjerker. Fans of the book should be pleased to hear that. People who haven’t read the book should be delighted as well. Unless I’m mistaken, this is one of the few, if only, small-scale major releases that doesn’t feature any guns or explosions. Maybe if this story of a girl with cancer (Shailene Woodley) falling in love is a major hit we’ll see more character-driven films like this in future summers.
Watch the Trailer
Obvious Child
A24
Opens in theaters June 6th
Gillian Robespierre’s film starring Jenny Slate has been earning heaps of praise ever since its Sundance premiere. Kate wrote this from the festival:
“Obvious Child is about a lot of the things that films about twentysomething Brooklynites are about – transition, confusion, heartbreak, bad sweaters – but Robespierre and Slate also use zippy humor and crackling one-liners to talk about something serious in a clever and satisfying way.”
If that description hasn’t sold you, then maybe this will: it’s a romantic comedy about abortion. Fun for the whole family.
Watch the Trailer
How to Train Your Dragon 2
DreamWorks Animation
Opens in theaters June 13th
How to Train Your Dragon was one of the best surprises of 2010. After a not-so-great opening weekend, the animated film slowly caught on, so now we’re getting a sequel. Needless to say, expectations are high. The first film left Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) and his dragon Toothless on such a good note. While Goss’ review was mixed on the film at Cannes, most reviews indicate writer/director Dan DeBlois has made a worthy followup.
Watch the Trailer
22 Jump Street
Columbia Pictures
Opens in theaters June 13th
Directors Phil Lord and Chris Miller wouldn’t make a sequel unless they thought it was the right decision. The majorly successful directors have plenty of options to choose from, so to revisit Schmidt (Jonah Hill) and Jenko (Channing Tatum), they must’ve felt there was more to say with these characters, or at least more laughs to be had. Hopefully this sequel, which plants the two undercover cops in college, is as funny as its predecessor. The buzz coming out from screenings over the weekend is that they’ve done it again.
Watch the Trailer
The Rover
A24
Opens in theaters June 13th
David Michôd’s Animal Kingdom is a great debut film. His intimate family crime drama made him a director to watch out for. His followup, The Rover, is a sweaty post-apocalyptic tale set in Australia, following a man (Guy Pearce) trying to get his car back. While that sounds simplistic, Michôd will likely have something to say beyond a guy going after his automobile. And, if that’s not the case, then it’ll probably be another showcase for Michod’s confident eye for tension.
Read Our Review
Watch the Trailer
Coherence
Oscilloscope Laboratories
Opens in limited release on June 20th and hits VOD on August 5th
The less said about this movie, the better. James Ward Byrkit’s film is an immensely clever piece of suburbia sci-fi, something to see with completely fresh eyes. All anyone needs to know is it’s about a group of friends whose dinner is interrupted by some strange events. What these events entail you should experience for yourself.
But You Can Read Our Review If You Want
And Watch the Trailer
But Maybe Just Go In Blind
Snowpiercer
The Weinstein Company
Opens in in limited release on June 27th
Bong Joon-ho’s s delayed adventure film is worth the wait. To think that Harvey Weinstein wanted to cut 20 minutes out of this tightly paced movie is baffling. The structure is just right, and the same goes for Chris Evans’s compelling anti-hero, Tilda Swinton’s comically nightmarish presence, and some fantastic set pieces. The two hours spent on this unstoppable train in a future ice age goes by in an instant.
Watch the Trailer
They Came Together
Lionsgate
Opens on VOD and in limited release June 27th
Perhaps David Wain’s funniest movie since Wet Hot American Summer. This romantic comedy spoof is Wain’s sensibility through and through. If you’re a fan of his brand of humor, then you’ll love it.
Plenty of Wain’s regulars are present, still hardly ever missing a beat. Paul Rudd and Amy Poehler, to no one’s surprise, are a strong comedic duo, playing an excruciatingly cliche rom-com couple recounting how they met.
Watch the Trailer
Honorable Mentions: Jersey Boys, Willow Creek, All Cheerleaders Die, and Venus in Fur.
What are you looking forward to the most this month?
