June Reviews

After a quiet couple of months, I caught up a bit more managing to fit in 22 films in June. Helped by the influx of movies seen at the Edinburgh International Film Festival (which won't be detailed in this review, but will have their own reviews as I see them – links below).

Edge of Tomorrow
Bad Neighbours
A Million Ways to Die in the West
Fruitvale Station
Belle
22 Jump Street
How to Train Your Dragon 2 3D
X-Men: Days of Future Past 3D
The Art of the Steal
Oculus
Chef
Cold in July

A couple of trips over to Edinburgh for the International Film Festival took up a couple of weekends and I managed to fit in a few films. Click on the links below for reviews for each film or for the round up at the end.

Greyhawk
The Skeleton Twins
Palo Alto
The Green Inferno
We Gotta Get Out Of This Place
Snowpiercer
The House of Magic 3D
A Dangerous Game
Joe
Miss Zombie
EIFF Digest


But here are the reviews of the general releases of June.

Edge of Tomorrow — another stand-alone sci-fi with Tom Cruise at the helm. I'm not a big Cruise fan, but that didn't detract from this smart and action packed thriller. To be honest this should have had much more fanfare surrounding it. With a gritty down-to-earth tone this is great addition to the sci-fi genre, from the comedic groundhog day-esque loop Cruise's character Cage is stuck in to the grueling beach battle scenes. Well worth a watch.

Bad Neighbours — a bit vulgar and childish at moments, but overall a good laugh with some solid comedic actors behind it. Byrne plays another version of the high-strung career woman/working mother while Rogen tries out the grown up man of the house role. With new kids on the block, the couple descend into a parody of cliches and awkwardness - but it works for the type of comedy they are creating here.

A Million Ways to Die in the West — there seemed to be a big miscalculation with the comedy, with a couple of minor funny moments and cameos but these scenes tended to have nothing to do with the plot. It didn't fit in an uncomfortable fashion an ended up feeling sorry for actors in it. Music was good and the sets/costumes too. MacFarlane is maybe not the right fit for the western genre parody, needs a bit more depth than the fart and sex jokes, considering the top class talent collated here.

Fruitvale Station — doesn't quite make the impact this controversial subject should. The emotional core seems forced through scenes such as the dog at the garage and constant reminders about family love. Michael B. Jordan is good, however it's Kevin Durand's small part that captures the drama and intensity the rest of the film lacked. 

Belle — picturesque, moving and highlighting an important decision in British history. Excellent performances from all involved, especially Tom Wilkinson and Sam Reid. The movement of racially tension-filled drama carries on in this film and although it's not as hard hitting as say '12 Years' or 'Mandela', this is relatable even for a period piece.

22 Jump Street — not afraid to make fun of itself, or original material, or what could go wrong. A couple of moments slow the pace a little but overall keeps good time. Chemistry between Tatum and Hill is great with extra sexual undertones - not subtle. A bit more angry Ice Cube is a plus too. Doesn't quite live up to the first but gets A- for effort!

How to Train Your Dragon 2 — with a four year gestation on this sequel, it meant that everything that made you fall in love with the original was back, and bigger and better than ever. Strong characters, wow-factor animation and a plot that keeps you intrigued throughout (there was hardly a peep from the many, many children I shared the cinema with!). Filled with emotional twists and passionate characters, including the dragons, this leaps to the front of my favourites films of the year list. I personally love this franchise but maybe that has something to do with the dragon's cat-like tendancies.

X-Men: Days of Future Past — with my love of comic book characters I popped back in to see this one again, see May's review.

The Art of the Steal — this was a fun little heist movie, although never going to win any awards. Kurt Russell, Matt Dillon and Jay Baruchel play the main trio who, along with several other secondary partners, spend the entire run-time double-crossing and trying to outwit each other. Nothing to shout out about however the cast is likeable and work well together.

Oculus — a horror that continues to second guess at every turn, cleverly combining hallucinogenic visions and flashbacks throughout. Unfortunately the characters were a little shallow and couldn't quite fill the screen and were unable to really create a sense of fear. An interesting concept with a neat, if predictable, twist at the end means that it doesn't go straight to the bottom of the pile, but I won't be looking to see this one again.

Chef — a feel good film with a soft gooey centre and a cheese toastie that has you salivating in the cinema. The only thing it was missing was smell-o-vision to truly make people sick with hunger. Seriously do not see this film if you have not eaten and even after seeing it, it will have you second guessing yourself once you've left – because at the end of the day nothing is going to taste as good as what you've just seen! Other than that there is a small but comfortable cast that have a great sense of chemistry.

Cold in July — the stylised look and dark tone provides an absorbing atmosphere for main actors Michael C. Hall, Sam Shepard and Don Johnson to play around in. The twisty plot keeps your attention throughout and leads you in, until you are just as invested in the characters as they are in each other. Michael C. Hall is impressive as the family man who gets caught in the middle, which gives the audience the relatable character needed to understand the darker goings-on.