Terrifying hybrid dinosaurs. Inter-dimensional time travel. Indonesian genocide survivors. Jason Statham. Yep, it’s just another month at the Ritzy Cinema. Film contributor Adam Marshall guides you through June’s cinematic highlights.
Despite no Spielberg in the director’s chair. Despite the gaping absence of Jeff Goldblum. Despite the shoddiness of the other sequels. In the scaly animitronic face of it all, it’s still difficult not to get caught up in the excitement of the new JURASSIC WORLD (from 12 June). Latest action-hero-in-chief Chris Pratt is at the heart of the…action, as the eponymous theme park tries to quell falling visitor numbers by developing a hybrid dinosaur known as Indominus Rex. Full marks for guessing that not all necessarily goes to plan. Clever girls.
If removing yourself one step from reality tickles your fantasy fancy, then you’ll no doubt want to keep an artificial eye on SCI-FI LONDON 15 (short for the word-limit hassling London International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film – from 29 May). This year’s programme features a series of world premieres and Q&As. And if the thought of warp speeds and phasers bring you out in a cyber rash, then fear not – the films on show are far more cerebral. TERMINUS (6 June), in which a small town American discovers a life changing phenomenon sounds intriguing. As does the Mexican EL INCIDENTE (1 June), which is billed as ‘Tarkovsky directing Groundhog Day’ – sufficient to baffle cinephiles and casual film goers alike.
Can you believe that the horrific spate of prostitute killings in Suffolk perpetrated by Steve Wright took place more than eight years ago? LONDON ROAD (from 12 June) – Artistic Director of the National Theatre Rufus Norris’s big screen adaptation of the award winning play of the same name – is based on interviews with Wright’s neighbours, who found themselves at the epicentre of national headlines in 2006. It takes a cast with the gravitas of Olivia Colman, Tom Hardy and Anita Dobson to give such events the sensitivity they deserve, and they will also be giving a satellite Q&A from the National Theatre in a special screening on 9 June.
All sounding a little sober? SPY (from 5 June) reunites Bridesmaids star (Melissa McCarthy) and director (Paul Feig) for a James Bond-esque secret agent spoof. Jude Law and Jason Statham are acting on her majesty’s secret service as her mentors, and Miranda Hart also appears to be in it for some reason. Do we expect you to talk? No, we expect you to chuckle along merrily.
Looking for more excuses to avoid the sun? Then you can hug it out with the small-to-big screen shenanigans of those chaps from ENTOURAGE (date TBC) or delve back into post-revolution Indonesia with THE LOOK OF SILENCE (June 12) – Joshua Oppenheimer’s documentary follow up to the remarkable The Act of Killing.
