Five Films You Can’t Miss in June 2015

Jurassic World

It’s been 22 years since Steven Spielberg’s Jurassic Park was first released, a pioneering blockbuster that offers about as much as you could possibly have in the cinema. The two sequels that followed weren’t quite so fulfilling, tarnishing a franchise that may have been best left alone. However in a current market where blockbusters are proving to be of a high quality, and are entrusted to resourceful, innovative filmmakers such as Colin Trevorrow; it gives us hope yet that this feature, with the dependable Chris Pratt in the leading role, could be a return to form and breath new life into this franchise again.

London Road

The idea of a musical film based around a real life set of murders is a rather intriguing one to say the least, but one that was realised on stage to great acclaim in Rufus Norris’ popular production. The director is now helming the film adaptation too, maintaining a handful of the original cast while introducing the likes of Olivia Colman and Tom Hardy into proceedings. Based around the Ipswich murders back in 2006, here’s a film you’re unlikely to have seen anything similar to – and that, irrespective of your thoughts on a movie, is never a bad thing.

The Look of Silence

Joshua Oppenheimer’s The Act of Killing is one of the most profound, affecting and staggeringly brilliant documentaries of the last decade. Focusing on the Indonesian genocide, the director bravely met with the former leaders of the death squads, asking for them to recount their own memories from the time, and to reenact their savage killings. Now, in this follow-up, the filmmaker’s subjects are the victims, as he sets off with a family member of somebody who was murdered – and has him confront those involved. Expect to cry, expect to gasp and expect to leave feeling you’ve just witnessed a masterpiece. Again.

Minions

Despicable Me has a fervent fan base, making a real mark in the box office with the triumphant duo of endeavours. Why? Because of the Minions. Of course there are other good characters, and a strong narrative to boot – but the real draw here, are the minute yellow creatures that wonder around speaking gibberish and getting themselves into all sorts of trouble. It seems somewhat obvious to then have a film made specifically about them, and you do fear that perhaps over-exposure could work against them, as maybe it’s their brief appearances which make them so special. But then on second thoughts, the idea of a whole film centring around them is so exciting, who cares?

Slow West

It’s your debut feature film, and you can have any actor in world cinema to be your leading man – who do you go for? Because for John Maclean, he’s done what any other debutant would do, and cast Michael Fassbender – a decision that elevates this title accordingly; taking a promising Western, and resulting in a triumph. Based around a youngster (played by Kodi Smit-McPhee) embarking on a laborious journey across the States to be reconnected with his true love, Fassbender plays a bounty hunter – in a brilliantly simplistic, nuanced and stylistic turn that could well mark the start of a truly prosperous career for this filmmaker. Fassbender’s seal of approval certainly helps. It worked for Steve McQueen anyway.