There is more to the June cinematic calendar than Summer blockbusters. Outside of the mega-million franchise scene, the hearts of smaller independent movies beat on. Here are this month’s best.
The Tribe
Director: Myroslav Slaboshpytsky
Starring: Grigoriy Fesenko, Yana Novikova, Rosa Babiy, Alexander Dsiadevich, Yaroslav Biletskiy, Ivan Tishko, Alexander Osadchiy, Alexander Sidelnikov, Alexander Panivan
Opens June 17th
One of the most buzzed-about movies of the recent festival circuit, Myroslav Slaboshpytsky’s The Tribe is one of the most shocking, devastating and unique cinematic experiences you are likely to have all year. The story, which follows a young student at a boarding school for the deaf as he becomes entwined in a world of crime and prostitution, is told with no dialogue or subtitles. The Tribe is a slow-burning, difficult but compelling movie which favors wide shots and which has been described as “an “unprecedented cinematic accomplishment.”
Love & Mercy
Director: Bill Pohlad
Starring: Paul Dano, John Cusack, Paul Giamatti, Elizabeth Banks, Kenny Wormald, Jake Abel, Erin Darke, Joanna Going, Brett Davern
Opens June 5th
After Brokeback Mountain, The Tree of Life and 12 Years a Slave, director Bill Pohlad tackles the biopic genre with Love & Mercy, a retelling of Beach Boys’ frontman Brian Wilson’s career, where he is played by both Paul Dano (60s Wilson) and John Cusak (80s Wilson). While biopics tend to often fall prey to self-serving scripts and poor casting, Love & Mercy is both accessible and memorable.
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence
Director: Roy Andersson
Starring: Holger Andersson, Nisse Vestblom
Opens June 3rd
No one can accuse Roy Andersson of not taking his time. Only his third film in the past 15 years—and the first in over seven—A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence was, nonetheless, worth the wait. The winner of last year’s Golden Lion, A Pigeon is a smart, dark comedy about the passing of life, replete with deadpan humor, long, slow takes, sketches and even musical numbers.
Gabriel
Director: Lou Howe
Starring: Rory Culkin, David Call, Deirdre O’Connell, Emily Meade, Louisa Krause, Lynne Cohen, Alexia Rasmussin
Opens June 19th
Lou Howe’s directorial debut is an accomplished, mature and compelling drama starring Rory Culkin in the titular role as the emotionally and mentally compromised Gabriel. The movie, a well-written character story, rages with knife-wielding intensity and features some standout performances from a talented ensemble cast that gives it sustained life.
Me and Earl and the Dying Girl
Director: Alfonso Gomez-Rejon
Starring: Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, Olivia Cooke, Connie Britton, Nick Offerman, Molly Shannon
Opens June 12th
Called the “tear-jerker of the Summer,” Me and Earl and the Dying Girl swept Sundance earlier this year: the movie took home both the Audience and Jury Prizes at the Sundance Film Festival in January. If the accolades aren’t enough of an enticement, perhaps it’s the critical consensus, which calls the movie “charming and poignant… [with an] appeal that’s bound to last,” that will get you into the theater, to watch this touching story about a boy named Greg who strikes up a friendship with a girl stricken with Leukemia.