As lockdown in the U.K. continues - albeit reduced-, the need for entertainment continues to grow and grow. The impact this has had on streaming services has been overwhelmingly positive, with the Chris Hemsworth led action film 'Extraction' being Netflix's biggest ever premiere with 90 million streams. Now not only is that a good fact for your next Zoom quiz - you're welcome - but perfectly encapsulates the desire many have for content in these tough times. We've all been through the libraries of streaming services countless times and with this in mind, I've had a peek into the future releases from the likes of Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc and devised a short list of 10 films to look out for over the month of June. Enjoy!
10. June 1st: The Disaster Artist - Netflix
The story of the most bizarre filmmaking tale of all time,'The Disaster Artist' follows the mysterious enigma that is Tommy Wiseau. Following the process of how his cult classic 'The Room' came to be, this is a highly entertaining piece that explores a film that had an extremely unique presence helming it. Funny and uplifting, The Franco Brothers lead this film based on real events and real people who have undoubtedly left a huge impact on the film industry. The antics and bizarre methods of Wiseau have to be seen to be believed and with 'The Disaster Artist' coming to Netflix at the beginning of the month, it is one to be sure to check out.
9. June 7th: The Dead Don't Die - NOW TV
If the two 'Zombieland' movies have taught us anything, it's that the world needs more of Bill Murray facing off against Zombies. And 'The Dead Don't Die' is about to deliver that, as well as showcasing a great crop of talent on top of Murray. From Adam Driver and Tilda Swinton on-screen to Jim Jarmusch on directing duties, there's a lot of quality on show with this film that looks to be a throwback to the Zombie films of the past. A film that didn't recieve a lot of attention in the U.K., we will finally get a chance to catch up as it is released through Sky's NOW TV.
8. June 12th: Artemis Fowl - Disney +
June 12th is a pretty stacked day when it comes to content with one of these examples being Disney's new release 'Artemis Fowl'. As an adaptation of a novel of the same name, 'Artemis Fowl' looks set to bring a fantastical, science fiction, family adventure that looks to fill the void left absent by theatres. With Sir Kenneth Branagh on directing duties, this film seems to be the family experience will have missed throughout the past few months and is hopefully one that can deliver.
7. June 12th: Da 5 Bloods - Netflix
On the same day as the previous entry comes a new release for a much more mature audience. Following Netflix's success in having faith in allowing great filmmakers to make their passion projects looks set to continue, with Spike Lee next in line. Lee is known for his work focussing on telling the stories of the black community and looks to do so again, in the midst of the fallout of the Vietnam War. Following a group of African-American Vietnam War veterans who search for their fallen leaders remains and hidden treasure, Lee looks set to combine this tale among analysing deeper issues. With the current climate in America right now, I'm not sure there is a better filmmaker to be hearing from right now.
6. June 12th: The Departed - Amazon Prime
If the two new releases don't tickle your fancy for some reason, Martin Scorsese's crime drama 'The Departed' makes a return to Amazon Prime on the same date. A Best Picture winner and the film that earned Scorsese a Best Director Academy Award, 'The Departed' is one of the finest modern crime films you will see. A remake of Hong Kong film 'Infernal Affairs', Scorsese masterfully adopts it to fit the American location, basing off real-life terrifying crime figures such as Whitey Bulger. With an impressive cast featuring Leonardo Di Caprio, Jack Nicholson and Matt Damon, this all-star cast truly bring it in what is a must-see film.
5. June 15th: Hereditary - Netflix
Ari Aster burst onto the scene in 2018 with eerily creepy Horror masterpiece 'Hereditary'. Toni Collette was absolutely robbed of an Oscar nomination in what is one of the genre's best performances, but due to the sad genre bias, she was excluded. Full of mystery and horrific imagery, this is one of the finest horror films of the past decade with genuine frights. Brilliant production design and a committed cast, if you're looking for your horror fix next month, I highly suggest checking out 'Hereditary'.
4. 18th June: Shaun The Sheep: Farmageddon - Amazon Prime
Now taking a dramatic turn away in tone from the previous entry comes a much more family-friendly feature. 'Shaun the Sheep' is a beloved children's character here in the U.K. and with two critically acclaimed feature films under its belt, it only seems to be growing in popularity. Using stop motion animation, this provides an alternative to all the computer-animated films we see so much of. Coming from Aardman, the creators of 'Wallace and Gromit' and 'Chicken Run', for those looking to keep little ones entertained or simply enjoy this specific type of animation, 'Farmageddon' is one for you.
3. June 20th: 8 ½ - Mubi UK
A lot of people will be unaware of the streaming service Mubi which deserves a lot more recognition. The service works differently to others, focussing more on arthouse and foreign films and by releasing different films daily on their platform. Now for any fan of cinema, this is perfect as it looks to showcase underseen or hard to come by films and allows many to see films they would never have come across. I've handpicked '8 ½', a film I actually haven't seen but after a bit of research is one I'm making sure to check out. Regarded as one of cinema's greatest films - ranking in the British Film Institute's Top 10 Films of all time - 8 ½ is a surrealist comedy-drama from the legendary Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini. Fellini is regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers of all time, and with such a huge reputation, I cannot wait to check this one out. Mubi is a great service and one that deserves more attention due to how it opens up the doors for many to access a wide library of films. Much like Netflix and Amazon, it offers a free trial so be sure to give the service and 8 ½ a try.
2. June 26th - Into the Unknown: Making Frozen II - Disney +
The introduction of Disney + has been a massive hit, with the company's wide library being available on-demand, with the likes of the MCU, Star Wars and The Simpsons only a few clicks away. One of the aspects that have somewhat gone under the radar is the number of great documentaries available, with nature, general interest and behind the scenes docs all easily available. The latter of those documentary sub-genres will be providing a very interesting look into Disney's most recent animated venture 'Frozen 2', a visually stunning film with some great musical numbers. With a documentary exploring how the final product came to be, it looks to be a very interesting watch as we see the latest improvements in animation and the use of the highest quality technology. Disney are no stranger to these kinds of documentaries, having success showcasing their Pixar work, and hopefully, this new release will be of similar quality.
1. June 26th: Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga - Netflix
Sadly, the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 was cancelled, robbing Iceland's Daði Freyr of what surely would have been a victory with 'Think About Things'. Nonetheless, those who are looking for their annual Eurovision fix will be pleased to know of the Eurovision based comedy coming out late in June. Starring Will Ferrell and Rachel McAdams as Icelandic singers, this looks to be an underdog story with the weird and wacky world that is Eurovision as its backdrop. There is sure to be wild antics as the competition heats up and, of course, who can forget the bizarre musical numbers as this unique European event is further explored.
With lockdown still being enforced in the U.K., I hope this list was useful for those looking for entertainment within their homes. More importantly, I hope that everyone continues to stick by the rules and work together and sensibly to ensure we don't have a disastrous second wave. Make sure you take the correct precautions and be careful with one another. Hopefully, these films can help during this time and we can all be returning to normality soon enough. Thank you for reading, I hope you've enjoyed reading and added a few films to your watchlist along the way. Stay safe and I'll see you in the next one!
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