The summer movie season has finally arrived! 2023 has already provided us with some truly memorable films this year, but the best is yet to come. June is the month of summer blockbusters, escaping the heat in a cool theater, and finally being warm enough to go to a drive-in movie (my personal favorite). In particular, this June feels like a return to form that the summer movie has been lacking since the pandemic. Why? Because it’s stacked with some huge releases! We here at The Rolling Tape have narrowed down the ten biggest films to watch out for this month, starting with…

Ruby Gillman, Teenage Kraken

This new Dreamworks Animation film continues the tradition of making movies where the archetypal antagonist and the archetypal protagonist swap roles! Instead of the Kraken being the villain, Ruby Gillman, the teenage Kraken, is the hero of this story. The animation looks wonderfully colorful, and having actors like Jane Fonda and Toni Collette lend their vocal talents makes this aquatic adventure all the more refreshing. 

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts

As the second Transformers film to not be directed by Michael Bay, Transformers: Rise Of The Beasts looks to breathe new life into the franchise by introducing the incredibly obscure Maximals and Predacons into their already massive collection of characters. Want to see a real glow-up? Check out the poster above and then take a look at the Beast Wars: Transformers (1996-1999). 

Indiana Jones and The Dial of Destiny

Since Indiana Jones is easily one of the most important heroes of all time, director James Mangold has his work cut out for him with this fifth and final film. Considering what he was able to do with Logan (2017), he’s more than capable of providing a satisfying send-off for a beloved icon. Plus, bringing on Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Mads Mikkelsen to join the incomparable Harrison Ford feels like a variety of matches made in heaven! If the trailers are anything to go by, this movie is going to blow our fedoras off..thankfully there’ll be just enough time to pick it up before the temple door closes. 

Elemental

In the past few years, Disney Pixar has released some truly unusual films. Some have questioned life and death itself, while others just operate inside the mind of a 13-year-old girl. That being said, a romantic comedy allegory was not on my Pixar bingo card. Nevertheless, the wit and charm behind all of Pixar’s greatest films have already proven to be an elemental part of this movie!

The Flash

As a superhero film that bridges the gaps between generations, The Flash has surfaced as one of the most important superhero films this year, especially for DC. Controversies surrounding the lead actor aside, will this action-packed story give us the exhilaration of The Speed Force, or will we all be too distracted by Michael Keaton playing with our nostalgia goggles for 2.5 hours? 

Past Lives

A24 is looking to continue its stranglehold over my heart and wallet with Past Lives. This is the directorial debut of Celine Song, who also wrote this film. Coming out of the Sundance Film Festival, it became abundantly clear that this movie would remain in the public film consciousness long after its release date. With a MetaScore of 95 and a Letterboxd average score of 4.3, this subtle romantic drama has already made its case for everyone’s year-end lists.

No Hard Feelings

Little to no films in today’s entertainment landscape dare to be this overtly horny. Harkening back to the raunchy comedies of the mid-2000s, No Hard Feelings has a simple premise that lets its humor do the talking. That, and Jennifer Lawrence in one of her most committed roles since X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019). All jokes aside, this film could be the jumpstart that the mainstream comedy genre desperately needs. Remember when The Hangover (2009) made $469 million worldwide on a $35 million dollar budget? I sure do…

Asteroid City

Wes Anderson is a polarizing figure across the wide world of media. His films are so stylish that AI and TikTok trends had to try their hands at replicating it. The failure of those AI and TikTok projects is a testament to the meticulous genius of Wes himself. Asteroid City, his newest film, has the potential to be his most idiosyncratic yet. That’s saying a lot coming from the guy who also made The French Dispatch (2021) and Grand Budapest Hotel (2014), and those are just his most recent live-action films! The cast is so stacked that it would take a whole other article to mention them all. If you like Wes Anderson’s other work like we do, this is a no-brainer #1. If you’re not a fan… just watch his 2 minute commercial titled American Express: My Life. My Card (2006). That will tell you everything you need to know. 

Article Courtesy of Gabe Lillianthal

Feature Image from ‘Asteroid City’ via Universal Pictures