June 2022 is a big month for Jurassic Park fans. Jurassic World Dominion, the third and final chapter in the Jurassic World trilogy, not only features several actors from the last two movies, including Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, but also sees the return of several key actors from the original Jurassic Park trilogy, including Sam Neill, Jeff Goldblum, and Laura Dern.
However, many other exciting movies are coming to theaters this month as well. From a glossy biopic about one of the greatest musicians of all time (Elvis) to a long-awaited return from a renowned horror filmmaker (Crimes of the Future), this June looks like it has something for everyone. If you’re planning to go to movie theaters in the next four weeks, here are some films you should look out for.
Watcher (June 3)
65%
6.6/10What’s it about: An American actress who moves into an apartment in Romania with her boyfriend notices that someone across the street is watching her.
Who will love it: Horror fans, anyone looking for a tense thriller.
Preview: People who like movies that make them paranoid, such as Rear Window and The Conversation, will probably enjoy this new modern thriller that seems to take ideas from those movies and flip them on their heads. Moreover, the film’s lead actress, Maika Monroe, is no stranger to horror-thrillers (she was the star in the excellent It Follows), so being stalked by a serial killer is right up her alley. It also helps that movie received mostly positive reviews when it premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival.
Crimes of the Future (June 3)
What’s it about: In a future where humans mutate their bodies, a performance artist takes his organ transformations to new extremes.
Who will love it: Body horror fans, David Cronenberg enthusiasts, weird families.
Preview: After eight years of not releasing a film, David Cronenberg finally returns to his body horror roots with Crimes of the Future, a movie that he says is not related to his 1970 film of the same name. With a cast that includes Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, and Kristen Stewart, this new movie looks to explore human evolution in ways that are very grotesque and disturbing. Too bad it will probably scare away many casual moviegoers.
The Phantom of the Open (June 3)
65%
7.3/10What it’s about: A cheerful man enters the British Open Golf Championship even though he’s not very good at golf.
Who will love it: Golf fans, comedy enthusiasts, biopic lovers.
Preview: Anyone hoping for a feel-good British comedy should definitely check out The Phantom of the Open. Several talented actors including Mark Rylance, Sally Hawkins, and Rhys Ifans come together to deliver a movie that looks to be as funny as it is heartwarming.
Benediction (June 3)
78%
6.9/10What it’s about: A World War I veteran writes poetry about his experiences on the Western Front.
Who will love it: Poetry fans, British drama enthusiasts, anyone needing a good cry.
Preview: Renowned British poet Siegfried Sassoon will finally have his complex story told on the big screen. It also helps that Sassoon will be played by two esteemed actors, Jack Lowden and Peter Capaldi, who both play the famous poet and illustrate how complicated his life was. The film, with its praised direction and cinematography, is surely going to be an awards contender.
Jurassic World Dominion (June 10)
What’s it about: Humans and dinosaurs struggle to coexist in the modern world.
Who will love it: Jurassic Park fans, dinosaur lovers, almost everyone.
Preview: Despite the middling critical reception of the last Jurassic World film, it still made over $1 billion at the worldwide box office, and this movie is likely to do the same. Even if the script is as ludicrous as the prior two films, it will still be fun to see the old cast and the new cast in the same movie. We’re hoping this Jurassic Park film, which promises to be the final one, lives up to the legacy of the original, but we’ll settle for a nice time at the movies.
Lightyear (June 17)
What’s it about: Buzz Lightyear attempts to return home with the help of several recruits and a robot companion.
Who will love it: Toy Story fans, Pixar enthusiasts, Chris Evans stans.
Preview: Even though Lightyear is an origin story for the beloved Toy Story character Buzz Lightyear, it does not take place in the same universe as the Toy Story movies and is instead the movie that Andy must have watched as a kid. Regardless of if general audiences will understand that Lightyear isn’t a prequel to Toy Story, it still has the potential to be a fun, action-packed space adventure for all ages. The film is also significant because it’s the first Pixar movie since early 2020’s Onward to receive a theatrical release, so a lot is riding on its success.
Elvis (June 24)
What’s it about: A young man from Memphis teams up with a Dutch talent manager to become one of the biggest music sensations of all time.
Who will love it: Elvis fans, music biopic enthusiasts, Baz Luhrmann die-hards.
Preview: Almost 70 years after his debut, the King of Rock and Roll is finally getting his own feature-length theatrical film. Austin Butler plays Elvis Presley and the trailers are making it seem like he’s putting his all into the role. If Baz Luhrmann can elevate the typical music biopic formula with his over-the-top directing style, then this movie is definitely going to be a treat for fans and non-fans alike. Its enthusiastic reception at Cannes indicates the film is a winner, provided you have a taste for excess and spectacle.
The Black Phone (June 24)
79%
7.4/10What’s it about: A young boy who is kidnapped by a serial killer and held captive inside a soundproof basement discovers a phone that he uses to communicate with the killer’s past victims.
Who will love it: Ethan Hawke fans, Blumhouse enthusiasts, anyone who liked It (probably).
Preview: Ethan Hawke already played a bad guy earlier this year in the Marvel streaming series Moon Knight, but the trailers for The Black Phone depict him as an even more terrifying villain. Scott Derrickson, the director of 2012’s Sinister and 2016’s Doctor Strange, returns with an intriguing concept that will hopefully attract enough casual moviegoers to make a profit. After all, the movie received mostly positive reviews when it premiered at two film festivals last year: Fantastic Fest and Beyond Fest.
Press Play (June 24)
What’s it about: A young woman uses a mixtape to travel back in time so that she can save her boyfriend from dying.
Who will love it: Music lovers, romantic drama enthusiasts, anyone who loves listening to mixtapes on a Sony Walkman.
Preview: Writer/director Greg Björkman combines romance with time travel to create a movie that is hopefully as interesting as it sounds. Despite being relatively under the radar, Press Play still features several well-known actors in its supporting cast such as Danny Glover and Matt Walsh. The film’s leads are engaging, and the film’s tropical location lends itself well to summer movie escapism.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On (June 24)
80%
7.7/10What’s it about: A one-inch-tall shell enlists a documentary filmmaker to help him find his family.
Who will love it: Animation junkies, A24 die-hards, anyone who loves shells.
Preview: This feature-length adaptation of the 2010 short film combines mockumentary filmmaking with stop-motion animation to create a movie that looks to tug on viewers’ heartstrings. Jenny Slate reprises her role as Marcel alongside several actors who are new to the source material, including Rosa Salazar, Thomas Mann, and Isabella Rossellini. Film fans who want to see an indie animated movie have something to be excited for with Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.
