I'm a little bit late on this post, but I saw a lot of movies in June. It was a strange month, because the movies that I watched were either very good or bad. To give you a breakdown of the parts of the ranking, numbers 9-11 are movies that I really didn't like, numbers 5-8 are movies that I find watchable and have things to like about them, and numbers 1-4 are all movies that I loved. That said, here's my ranking of every movie I watched in June 2021.
11. F9
Where to begin? F9 started as a dumb action movie that had enough plot for me to grip on to, but then it became a mindless action movie that had zero logic or sense. It violated all the rules it had previously established during the first half of the movie, making for a truly mind-numbing experience. Vin Diesel carries a cast of bad actors. The only thing that saves this film is the fun chemistry between Ludacris and Tyrese Gibson. Otherwise, F9 is a total dumpster fire.
10. North by Northwest
My expectations for North by Northwest were significantly lowered by the disappointment I suffered from Vertigo. But North by Northwest fell even further than Vertigo. A clunky script and oddly written characters overshadow Hitchcock's masterful eye for suspense. A few intense and great scenes simply cannot make up for the somewhat boring and strange story that this script creates from what seems like it should be a thrilling concept.
9. Footloose
The pinnacle of 80s corniness, Footloose may have been great in 1984, but does not hold up today. It's an overly dramatic teenage cheese-fest. The soundtrack may be catchy and Kevin Bacon plays a very charming and likable lead, but the idea of dancing being outlawed is so utterly ridiculous that it almost dooms the film from the beginning. The way that the dancing is visualized and used as a plot device doesn't help the film either, making it a very, very strange and unintentionally funny viewing experience.
8. Click
I'd say there's a relatively big jump in quality from Footloose to Click. I do not plan on rewatching those bottom three movies, and I would say I found Click watchable. I am not an Adam Sandler fan, but the film doesn't rely on his usual bag of tricks. An interesting concept that is seemingly executed well soon deteriorates into a very dark, futuristic setting that makes for a dramatic shift in tone that I was not prepared for. This takes away from the entertainment of Click, and I'm not sure whether I liked it or not because of that.
7. Zero Dark Thirty
I don't like watching movies across multiple sittings, and it took me three sittings to watch Zero Dark Thirty. That definitely took away from my enjoyment of the film. I liked Jessica Chastain and could appreciate Kathryn Bigelow's direction, but I don't think that the story did it for me. The process of taking down Osama bin Laden was a slow, long operation that took years, and I think that that was really hard to squish into a film. The story then suffers because it tries to tell all these moments throughout the mission, making it feel very episodic. I don't think that that's a good thing here.
6. The Hangover
I have to keep this in mind: I've never been to Las Vegas. I've never been to a bachelor party. I've never been drunk, high, or hungover. All these things contribute to my experience watching The Hangover. There were definitely parts where I laughed, but most of the jokes don't completely land for me, simply because I'm a teenager, not an adult. This movie is meant for adults who know how crazy Vegas is. That's why I put it here. Because this is funny, quality movie. I'm not the target audience, and that's why I didn't enjoy it as much.
5. Luca
The latest film from Pixar, Luca met my expectations. With that said, my expectations were not high. The film feels very familiar and has some very forced elements, specifically the villain. It doesn't feel like Pixar. It feels like an animated film from another studio trying to copy Pixar. There are some emotional moments and the character arcs are good, but there are just some huge, gaping problems with this movie that I'm shocked were not tightened up with another rewrite of the script.
4. Scream
Once again, huge jump in quality from Luca to Scream. Click to Luca were films that I found watchable. I really, really liked Scream, and then my top three are films that I absolutely loved. Anyway, Scream is so good because it transcends the horror genre. It blends comedy and horror so very well. Ghostface is one of the best slasher villains. I love the gimmick and the mystery surrounding him. Scream is a love letter to horror movies, and I think it works as that. Despite a problem with a subplot and some generic elements, this film is a ton of fun to watch.
3. Get Out
All three of these next films are basically tied. I had to make a cemented decision, but keep in mind that I love all three of these movies pretty much equally. Starting with Get Out. I liked it more on my second viewing. The discomfort that slowly turns into unease that slowly turns into outright horror is executed so well. Jordan Peele directs the crap out of this movie. Daniel Kaluuya gives one of the best performances of the last ten years. And the script is so complex: it has a deep, intelligent plot. It has social commentary. And it has black comedy. I don't know how it works, but it does. If you have not, do yourself a favor and watch Get Out.
2. A Quiet Place Part II
Speaking of intense movies, A Quiet Place Part II keeps you on the edge of your seat from beginning to end. John Krasinski also does a fantastic job with the direction for this movie. It's made so that you hear every single sound made, even before the monsters arrive. You could literally hear a pin drop. The movie expands the world of the quiet place, and leaves at a spot where you cannot wait for Part III.
1. In the Heights
In the Heights is the event of the summer (hopefully until Black Widow). The film has a great story, characters, and joyous musical numbers that get you pumped up about life. Anthony Ramos leads a cast of wonderful actors that will likely end up leading the Oscar nominations. I absolutely adored In the Heights. If you want a feel-good movie that will make you appreciate the little things in life, open up HBO Max or go to the theater and watch In the Heights.
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