The Half Dozen: 6 Most Interesting Looking Trailers For June 2013
Apparently it’s now June; I’ve been so busy that the only way I really keep track of the seasons, thanks to the monotonous dampness of what now passes for a British summer, is to the more constant and reliable shifts in what’s screening at cinemas. So far, the summer season has been somewhat of a mixed bag, from the soaring heights of Iron Man 3 to the confused science-abusing of Star Trek Into Darkness. The most conspicuous aspect of my own personal film watching is that Iron Man 3 was the last time I gave a film 9/10 or more, and that was in April.
You know me, I like my stats, so I had a look at how the year’s panning out so far. In theory, I’m seeing decent films at about the same rate as any other year I’ve kept tabs on, with about one film in six getting one of the top two marks. This is of course helped by the fact I don’t see everything in the cinemas, but despite missing the odd one or two art house films earlier in the year, I felt the year was panning out reasonably well. But then a closer look at the numbers told a slightly different story.
Between the start of September and the end of January I saw 111 films in the cinema, of which 26 gained a high four star or five star rating from me. From the start of February onwards, I’ve seen 42, of which only four have been worthy of the top marks, and one of those was James Cameron’s Aliens. So in the hope that June is the month that keeps the year on track, even if it doesn’t need to turn it around, these are my six grand hopes for the month, the six films left this month with the highest tracking on Rotten Tomatoes that I might actually get to see in a cinema (sorry, Shun Li And The Poet). I’ve added a few review quotes for each one, to try to understand whether the review aggregator is aggregating praise or general indifference in the guise of positivity. Fingers crossed for June, anyway.
Much Ado About Nothing – current Tomatometer 82%
“I can’t recommend it highly enough.” – Chris Tookey, Daily Mail
“…it’s just a bunch of great actors getting all dressed up and putting on a show…” – Catherine Monk, Canada.com
“This is merely M’eh Ado.” – Tara Brady, Irish Times
Before Midnight – current Tomatometer 97%
“One of the best films of 2013…” – Peter Howell, Toronto Star
“…We are not likely to get a more thoughtful or thought-provoking film than Before Midnight.” – Kenneth R. Morefield, Christianity Today
“A Bracing Look at the Realities if Lovve (sic)” – Charles Koplinski, Illinois Times
Like Someone In Love – current Tomatometer 83%
“From the incredible opening shot onwards, it’s clear Kiarostami’s cinematic language translates perfectly in any setting.” – Phillip Concannon, The Skinny
“Maybe it all serves a purpose, but a movie about empty people doesn’t necessarily have to feel empty itself.” – Tom Long, Detroit News
“Is this the stuff of gripping drama? Not at all. But like nearly all of Kiarostami’s films, it’s the stuff of good conversation.” – Noel Murray, AV Club
This Is The End – current Tomatometer 85%
“This Is the End is the bust-out, badass comedy of the summer. And then some.” – Pete Travers, Rolling Stone
“…it’s stretched out and there frankly aren’t enough jokes in it.” – Tim Brayton, Antagony & Ecstacy
“This is fundamentally a narcissistic venture, undone by the fact that none of these guys are compelling enough to sustain an entire movie without a story.” – Robert Levin, amNewYork
Stories We Tell – current Tomatometer 96%
“This is a warm, brave and thought-provoking piece of autobiography.” – Hannah McGill, The List
“What a great movie.” – Bill Goodykoontz, Arizona Republic
“Suspenseful, unpredictable, mature, tender and funny. A triumph.” – Avi Offer, NYC Movie Guru
The Act Of Killing – current Tomatometer 100%
“Almost every frame is astonishing.” – Catherine Shoard, Guardian
“Documentary cinema has a new apex.” – Blake Howard, 2UE That Movie Show
“One of this decade’s most important and harrowing documentaries…” – Jason Gorber, Twitch
The Movie Evangelist 