A new month is here! Which means we’re here to share some films our team watched this June.
Disclaimer!
These monthly roundups will include more mainstream titles than our usual lists, as our goal here is to document anything good (or not so good) we watched in the past month.
It can be hard to keep up with regular movie-watching when so many other things are happening in the world, so we do this to remember first, share second, and uplift third.
That being said, we hope you enjoy this roundup! Feel free to leave a comment with your June watches, or tell us what you think about ours.
This list is available on our Letterboxd here, check it out!
How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies
“Lahn Mah (Thai: หลานม่า)” (2024)
directed by Pat Boonnitipat
Sophia’s Review:
"How to Make Millions Before Grandma Dies" is a 2024 Thai comedy-drama directed by Pat Boonnitipat. The story follows M, a university dropout who's down on his luck and short on money. Desperate for a change, M volunteers to take care of his terminally ill grandmother, Amah, hoping for a potential inheritance. The film beautifully captures the generational gap and the love that bridges it. This movie hit a little too close to home and it reminded me of my own grandmother that recently passed away. The movie beautifully captures the unconditional love of a grandparent and their unwavering desire to see us succeed and be happy. The film highlights the importance of cherishing and prioritizing every moment we have with the ones that make us feel loved.
Danis’ Review:
If anyone wants a great cry from this film and or just to experience a really heartwarming and heartbreaking story between a grandmother and her grandson, this film is exactly that. The performances from every actor who was involved in this film, they all should be winning an award for it cause it’s such a simple story, but the complexities of showcasing a story like this could easily falter if the melodrama was overly done or tone-deaf. This is a really good film and I can definitely relate to it on such a personal level and yeah it just reminded me of the moments I had with my own grandmother. Even though it’s a story that’s been told before and there are other films that have captured this same exact thing in a much more revolutionary way, this film here is still worth watching and it’s seriously beautiful.
Available: In Cinemas!
Shin Godzilla (2016)
directed by Hideki Anno and Shinji Higuchi
Danis’ Review:
It’s a Godzilla movie so if you’re down for that or if you like kaijus well this one here is a really good one and surprisingly it actually makes you quite emotional towards the big dude himself. So yeah, check this one out if you just love monster films and there are some social commentary things here but it’s mostly just alright, Godzilla’s the main feast.
Available on: Astro Go
The Bear, Season 3 (2024)
created by Chris Storer
Danis’ Review:
The Bear is BACK! It continues directly after that downright gut-punch ending of season 2, and well all I can say is if you’re a fan of this show, the first episode of season 3 is one of the most unique portrayals of a flashback that I’ve ever seen from a show and honestly the other episodes are just as good as the first one or they’ve eclipsed it (very much a tradition with this show), but yeah the first episode is a trendsetter and i’m so glad it started off that way.
Available on: Disney+
Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022)
directed by Halina Reijn
Sophia’s Review:
"Bodies Bodies Bodies" is a 2022 black comedy slasher film directed by Halina Reijn. The movie offers a fresh take on the classic whodunit genre, combining suspense, dark humour, and social commentary to deliver a gripping and entertaining experience. This movie was an unforgettable rollercoaster of emotions as I found myself constantly second-guessing every character. What really struck me was how the film uses social media and modern technology as integral plot elements to critique the self-absorbed nature of youth culture.
Available on: Prime
The Black Phone (2021)
directed by Scott Derrickson
Sophia’s Review:
"The Black Phone" is a 2022 supernatural horror film directed by Scott Derrickson, based on Joe Hill's short story. The story follows a 13-year-old boy being held captive in a soundproof basement of a serial killer nicknamed “The Grabber”, he discovers an old, disconnected black phone that mysteriously allows him to communicate with The Grabber’s previous victims. The film's atmosphere is intensely claustrophobic and suspenseful. I could feel the boy’s fear and desperation, making me root for his escape with every ring of the phone. The ghostly voices guiding him provided an eerie but hopeful touch, adding layers to the story that kept me engrossed.
Available on: Netflix
Missing (2023)
directed by Will Merrick and Nicholas D. Johnson
Shekinah’s Review:
If Unfriended were filled with more twists and incorporated way more desktop applications, this movie would be it. Missing tells the story of a rebellious teenage daughter, June, who finally gets a break for freedom, when her protective mother abruptly informs her that she is going to Colombia on holiday with her new boyfriend. As June throws multiple ragers after her mum’s departure, she finds herself having to cope with feelings of sudden grief arising from her late father’s passing, and abuses alcohol as a means to cope (for anyone suspicious, no, I cannot relate to this behaviour at all). The next day, however, upon waking up in a frazzled, hungover state, she remembers that her mother had strictly instructed her to pick them up from the airport at 11 am – to which she then rushed to the airport immediately. Arriving at the airport, though, she realises that they are nowhere in sight. Facing relentless hours of searching and arriving at multiple dead ends, she then turns to the power of technological advancement to piece together clues. The entire movie is “filmed” on her iMac, making the film seem a lot like a trippy Apple commercial. If you’re an individual with a naturally low attention span and a high intolerance to draggy scenes, this fast-paced thriller is definitely for you!
Available on: Netflix
The Craigslist Killer (2011)
directed by Stephen Kay
Shekinah’s Review:
This movie was just a glimpse into my dark and twisted mind tbh. Just kidding.
Based on the real-life story of the infamous Craigslist Killer who lived in Boston, this film tells of a charming and approachable man who falls in love with a kind, and equally-gorgeous woman. While their lives together are seemingly perfect, albeit fast-paced (they had gotten engaged within several months of dating), Phillip Markoff ‘The Craigslist Killer’ would pursue his crimes on women he found on Craigslist’s Erotic Services section – all while his fiancee lay asleep and unaware. The movie scenes bounce back and forth between his “flawless” relationship with his fiancee, his track record of stellar performance in Medical school – and his night-time, horrific rendezvous. While the movie might make you roll your eyes at several points, I do think it’s a pretty decent analysis of the Halo Effect and its power, especially amongst crimes committed by white folk (think Dahmer, but involving a criminal who has no known history of antisocial personality disorder).
Available on: Netflix
Panic Room (2002)
directed by David Fincher
Shekinah’s Review:
I have to admit that I spent the better part of this film confused, but I’m glad that the film was comprehensible enough for the average day-dreaming watcher such as myself. While the movie’s trailer had given me the impression of a psychological horror movie, I was surprised to discover that it was more of a thriller-crime film instead! The film tells the story of a woman and her daughter who move into a dimly-lit townhouse. During their house tour, they are shown a panic room that cannot be broken into once shut. Upon the arrival of burglars during their first night in, they run to seek shelter in the panic room. However, much to their horror, the large sum of money that the burglars wish to claim is within the panic room itself! The entire movie then revolves around the mother and daughter’s experience in confinement, as well as the ongoing banter between the burglars, as both parties try to negotiate a way to achieve their end goal successfully. This heart-racing film will definitely have you at the edge of your seat, pining for a safe escape of the mother and daughter duo.
Available on: Netflix
Lucky Fish (2022)
written and directed by Emily May Jampel
Komal’s Review:
[Previously mentioned in: Coming-of-age Roundup]
Emily May Jampel’s directorial debut is a stunner. Lucky Fish is short and sweet, a perfect film to me. Tenderly showcasing a small, glowing moment of sapphic girlhood in a Chinese restaurant, this film feels like a young girl’s fantasy come alive, and had me giggling along as I watched them like the fish in the tank. A perfect recommendation for June!
Available on: YouTube
Big Take (2024)
written and directed by Alex Brooks
Komal’s Review:
A mini-masterclass on excellent technical filmmaking. With its no-frills premise, solid acting, and phenomenal use of cinematography and sound design, this film comes together and grips your attention for its entire 4 minute-span with ease. When a movie looks and sounds this good, I almost don’t even care what it’s about.
Available on: YouTube
FRICK! (2023)
written and directed by Mateo Bekich & Patrick Keleher
Komal’s Review:
[Previously mentioned in: Coming-of-age Roundup]
Still criminally underrated since my mention of it in the coming-of-age roundup, but it has 1,000 new views so that’s really thrilling! One of the best shorts on YouTube - real, devastating, heartwarming, touching, funny, eye-opening - everything you can hope for in a film. The leads have electric chemistry and phenomenal talent (Patrick Keleher, what can’t you do?), and the film is edited brilliantly. If you only catch one of my picks, let it be this one! GTG, gonna binge everything else these two have made.
Available on: YouTube
That's the end of our June ‘24 roundup! Tell us what you think of our picks, and then tell us yours!
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