Weekend Watch - June 2022 Recap
Welcome back to the Weekend Watch where each week we react and review a new piece of film or television and give you a recommendation on whether to watch it. This week, we’ve come to the end of the month of June and have a recap of all the critically acclaimed films that released this past month. Usually, we break them down into three categories – long shots, possible things, and sure things – based on their likelihood of making it onto this site’s list of Greatest Films of All Time. June, as best as I can tell, has nothing that was a sure thing, which remains pretty par for the course for the month (basically since Wonder Woman). With that being said, there are a few films that should be on your radar because they have potential with the right push to reach the heights of Greatness.
Long Shots:
Watcher: This indie horror thriller about a woman and her husband on vacation in Europe across the street from a potential serial killer has had success among critics. Its small following and mixed audience reviews will most likely keep it out of the top 1000 films, but apparently its twists on the tropes of Rear Window and the like have some people excited enough to make it worth mentioning.
Crimes of the Future: David Cronenberg’s latest outing was highly successful at its Cannes release, but its extended standing ovation does not seem to be extended to its actual ratings. The film features strong performances from its supporting women (Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart) but also offers a reportedly weak commentary and fairly straightforward story. For Cronenberg fans, this is probably a must-see but not so much for everyone else.
Fire Island: LGBT+ Pride and Prejudice set in the modern day at a massive gathering of the community on Fire Island. It’s a highly ambitious film and works well as a fully sold-out romantic comedy/retelling of Jane Austen, which is why critics have been so high on it. Unfortunately, “the gays” get some mixed reviews from “the straights” and will probably not make much of a splash once the awards start coming, but I really enjoyed this one.
The Phantom of the Open: A golf comedy about the worst round in British Open history starring Mark Rylance sounds like just the type of wholesome comedy that I need in my life right now. Unfortunately, its reviews from critics and fans are just barely above the average level and not quite at greatness, but still, it remains a long shot because of what Rylance’s name brings to the table.
Hustle: The best film Adam Sandler has put out since Uncut Gems blends NBA drama with heartfelt family issues in what feels like the most honestly Sandler film that he’s put out in some time. It has solid reviews but none that are quite enough to get it over the hump, and for the most part, movies about team sports only make it onto the list if they are documentaries, so don’t expect to see a Hustle review any time soon, unfortunately.
Lightyear: The latest Pixar film has somehow managed to hit a sweet spot in terms of bad reviews – delivering gay content to bring “that” section of review bombers to the table alongside one of the least risky Pixar films in a while, alienating the real cinema people at the same time. This film is honestly only on the long shots list because of the studio behind it, otherwise it would not be worth mentioning, sadly.
The Black Phone: Honestly, this could probably be up in the next section if it wasn’t a horror film. This movie has all the people talking about it in a positive way. People love Ethan Hawke’s performance, they like the originality, and they like the horror. Unfortunately, that still only translates to a 65 Metacritic Score and an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes. Horror’s limited track record in awards season keeps this sadly as a long shot to make the list.
Wildhood: This indie coming-of-age film about two brothers looking for their mother and reconnecting with their indigenous heritage checks a lot of boxes in terms of its viability come awards season. Sadly, its fan reviews are ridiculously lopsided in comparison with those of critics, and its indie nature will probably keep it out of contention.
Mad God: A stop-motion horror film that took 20 years to make has critics buzzing and audiences frustrated. This refreshingly different addition to the genre of animation has not fared so well among fan ratings as it has among the critics, and with so many other animated features being released this year, it’s hard to imagine this winning the awards that it will need to make it onto the list.
Possible Things:
Good Luck to You, Leo Grande: This sex-positive film about a middle-aged widow who hires a sex worker to help her discover her sexuality, featuring Emma Thompson, has created quite a buzz in certain circles. It is a fairly simple film but heartfelt and incredibly well-acted, discussing themes that are rarely covered in any conversations, let alone film. Emma Thompson’s name attached also adds credibility come awards season, so we’ll see if it gets the push it needs to make it to the big time.
Official Competition: A Spanish comedy featuring Penélope Cruz and Antonio Banderas about making a film that will be one of the greatest ever. It is a satire about filmmaking, which tends to do well with awards voters. This should at least garner some looks in the Foreign Film categories and could potentially pull some acting nominations as well. With everything that it still needs to go right though, it will stay only as a possibility for now.
Cha Cha Real Smooth: Sundance success that gets bought by Apple TV+, where else have we seen this? Oh yeah, last year’s Best Picture winner CODA. This is not to say that Cha Cha Real Smooth brings everything to the table that CODA did, but the formula is certainly there – an indie film about a relevant issue (autism) that basically everyone cares about with some romance thrown in as well and a solid performance from an underappreciated actor (Dakota Johnson). I’m not saying that this is a sure thing, but it’s definitely a possibility.
The Janes: An incredibly timely HBO documentary about women who orchestrated safe abortions during the days before Roe v. Wade, this one has the makings of another Best Documentary Feature for the company. Due to its controversial subject matter, though, it will remain a possibility and not quite a sure thing just yet.
Elvis: Baz Luhrmann’s biopic of the King of Rock and Roll has released to stellar scores from audiences, above average ratings from critics, and just enough awards buzz to keep this one on the edge of being a possibility. Luhrmann has mixed success when it comes to awards, but young actors playing musicians tends to do well with awards voters, so Butler might bring home some nominations when the time comes.
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On: This wholesome film based on an early-2010s YouTube video would be a sure thing if it had a few more viewers. A24’s limited release model is keeping this one fairly low on the rating count, but those that it does have are consistently high. As more people see this one, I hope it continues to do well. I just don’t know that it will get any kind of awards love, and I’m not fully convinced that it’s something that will do well with wider audiences, so it’s going to stay a possibility for now.
