Our picks of June's UK/ROI new releases.
Words by Eric Hillis
We'll be well and truly into Summer Blockbuster Season in June, but there are surprisingly few mega-budget franchise movies coming our way over the month. In fact, remove Transformers: The Last Knight and the line-up resembles one more befitting of February or October. That means we have more enticing releases headed our way than we're accustomed to in the summer months. Here are the 10 movies releasing in UK/ROI cinemas (well, for the most part) that have caught our attention.
Wonder Woman
Bear with us here. Though female led comic book movies have given us their share of turkeys in the past (Catwoman, Elektra, Supergirl), the early word on director Patty Jenkins' take on the fantastic femme is that, unlike recent DC Comics adaptations (Batman V Superman, Suicide Squad), this one's a blast, a film that eschews darkness and grit for primary coloured fun.
In cinemas June 1st.
After the Storm
When it comes to depicting the simple joys of existence as a member of the human race on this often turbulent rock we call home, nobody does it quite like Japan's Hirokazu Koreeda. His last movie, Our Little Sister, topped our 2016 end of year list, and while After the Storm isn't quite on the level of his recent work, second tier Koreeda is still essential cinema.
In cinemas June 2nd.
The Shepherd
Though they were made by Italian filmmakers, most Spaghetti Westerns were actually shot on location in Spain. Fitting then that from that country we now get a thrilling contemporary western in director Jonathan Cenzual Burley's gritty tale of a shepherd clinging to his patch of land in the face of threats of violence from ruthless land-grabbers.
In cinemas June 2nd. Read our review
From the Land of the Moon
Any cinephile will know the frustration of reading about the many films playing at Cannes, only to then have to wait an age before said films arrive in cinemas. In June 2017 we're still getting movies that played in the 2016 competition, like this period romance from director Nicole Garcia. Marion Cotillard plays a woman trapped in a loveless arranged marriage who falls for a wounded soldier during a stay at a spa.
In cinemas June 9th.
My Cousin Rachel
Previously filmed in 1952 with Richard Burton and Olivia de Havilland, Daphne du Maurier's novel now gets a new adaptation from director Roger Michell. This one stars Sam Claflin as a man who plots revenge against his cousin (Rachel Weisz), who he believes is responsible for the death of her husband. His plans are hampered when he begins to fall for the possible killer.
In cinemas June 9th.
The Mummy
We can't say we weren't disappointed to learn of Universal's plans to reboot their classic Monsters Universe as a series of action, rather than horror movies. That said, it's impossible not to get excited for a big action fest starring Tom Cruise, so in this case at least, we'll allow it.
In cinemas June 9th.
Slack Bay
Another movie that premiered at 2016's Cannes festival is Bruno Dumont's Slack Bay. As with his TV mini-series P'tit Quinquin, this one's another offbeat comedy set in a small rural French village. And there's yet another police investigation, this time into the disappearance of tourists who seem to be falling prey to cannibals.
In cinemas June 16th.
Souvenir
After a string of movies in which she played disturbed, depressed or deranged protagonists, it's nice to see Isabelle Huppert get a chance to try her hand at some light entertainment for a change. Souvenir sees her cast as a former Eurovision winner coaxed out of retirement by her younger lover. Huppert sings? Bring it on!
In cinemas June 23rd.
Baby Driver
Ansel Elgort is a music-obsessed getaway driver in Edgar Wright's love letter to the action cinema of Walter Hill. Anyone sick of the CG car chases of the Fast & Furious franchise will find Wright's old school practical stunt fest a breath of fresh air. Jon Hamm, Kevin Spacey and Lily James also feature in an impressive cast.
In cinemas June 28th.
Okja
The Netflix controversy continues unabated as arguably their largest scale original production skips cinemas, aside from a limited release, and debuts on the streaming service. Korean auteur Bong Joon-ho helms this all-star sci-fi romp about a young girl who runs away with the titular beast, a 'super pig', pursued by Tilda Swinton's Cruella DeVille-esque villain.
In (some) cinemas and on Netflix June 28th.