June- Playlist (Movie Suggestions from June releases)

By: Hamza Shafique

This year is overall great for movie goers; June is no exception with some pretty hyped summer movies. So again, it was hard for me to put five movies for five weekends of June. My issue is, when there are big Summer/Eid releases I cannot add smaller drama related releases in my playlist. But I believe its ok as Summer/Eid releases are there to entertain. So here are my top five picks.

WonderWoman (PG13)

Release date: 01 June 2017
Genre: Action
Running Time: 145 min
Language: English
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSB4wGIdDwo
Review: https://dubaidesireviews.blogspot.ae/2017/05/wonder-women-movie-review.html

Plot: An Amazon princess leaves her island home to explore the world and, in doing so, becomes one of the world's greatest heroes

DDR Comment: I have already seen this one before the release and my detailed review is available on the blog. So, without hesitation go for it. Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman is lovable and this film has a perfect blend of glitz and substance.

The Mummy(18TC)

Release date: 08 June 2017
Genre: Action
Running Time: 110 min
Language: English
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjHgzkQM2Sg

Plot: Nick Morton is a soldier of fortune who plunders ancient sites for timeless artifacts and sells them to the highest bidder. When Nick and his partner come under attack in the Middle East, the ensuing battle accidentally unearths Ahmanet, a betrayed Egyptian princess who was entombed under the desert for thousands of years. With her powers constantly evolving, Morton must now stop the resurrected monster as she embarks on a furious rampage through the streets of London.

DDR Comment: Mummy franchise has always been one of my favorite adventure movie series. I have really enjoyed Brandon Fraser along with his family being chased by the Mummies and fighting their way through it. This 2017 Tom Cruise take on Mummy seems different. Previous mummy films were more adventure films on lines of Indiana Jones movie genre and Mummy was seen more as a villain with super powers. Even the action sequences were slightly on light side with comic moments embedded throughout the film.
This one though seems on more serious note with a blend of Action and Horror. Mummy here has more horror aspect to her and action moments in the trailer will remind you of Tom Cruise’s previous Mission Impossible movies. What I am trying to say is that this movie has same narrative as the old franchise but with higher, more serious horror and action quotient.  So, I will suggest when you go for this one, adjust your expectations to a serious Horror-Action rather than a light Adventure movie.

Raabta(TBC)

Release date: 9 June 2017
Genre: Mystery/Drama
Running Time: 150 mins
Language: Hindi
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YXjYfpqg8Z0

Plot: When a human being dies, they lose 21grams from the body. This, they say, is the weight of the soul. The journey of a soul transcends over space and time... beyond the realms of this earth. This film tells the story of two seemingly ordinary individuals, going about their lives until their paths cross and they realize that they belong with one another. Unaware of a connection that was forged several hundred years ago, Shiv and Saira are inexplicably drawn to each other, and it takes them on a hysterical rollercoaster of love, intrigue, entertainment and life (twice over!). When two souls unite, they become one.

DDR Comment: Sushant Singh is one Actor I still haven’t seen on big screen (I saw PK but his role in that was insignificant). To be honest this film looks weird and interesting at the same time. Plot seems to have uncanny resemblance to Sunny Leone’s Ek Paheli Leela and I am also not sure about Jim Sarbh presence in the film as main antagonist (if he is main antagonist). The only other option I had was Oculus inspired Dobara and this one certainly looks better than that. I am recommending it half heatedly because of Sushant Singh only.

Tubelight (18TC)

Release date: 22 June 2017
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 180 min
Language: Hindi
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGQRNKHJwH4

Plot: In a small picturesque town in North India, Laxman (Salman Khan) lives with his younger brother Bharat (Sohail Khan). The two have no other family and are inseparable. Laxman's world comes crashing down, when war breaks out and Bharat gets drafted into the Army. A helpless Bharat leaves a devastated Laxman behind. News from the border only worsens, as the tension continues to escalate. Seeing the carnage around him and worried for his brother, Laxman decides he must stop this conflict and get his brother back. Tubelight is the story of a man's unshakable faith in himself and the love for his family.

DDR Comment: This movie looks a lot like Bajrangi Bhaijan and is from the same maker Kabir Khan. I liked the trailer when I saw it for the first time, Salman in this seems like mentally challenged and story also appears to revolves around his faith (Yakeen) that he can bring his brother back from war. This movie is adaptation of Hollywood film Little Boy and trailer mentions it. So, I got fascinated and saw Little Boy’s trailer. After that I watched Tubelight trailer again and I must say I didn’t like it that much. Dialogues and moments are almost same in both but the impact that Jakob Salvati as a young boy has in little boy’s trailer is lost here with a grown-up Salman Khan in Tubelight. Still I believe It would be decent film considering Kabir Khan and as the trailer says let’s have Faith. Do tell me if you can see shadow of Shahrukh in the trailer as well.

Transformers: The Last Knight (18TC)

Release date: 22 June 2017
Genre: Action
Running Time: 120 min
Language: English
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RU2VZukThI0

Plot: Humans are at war with the Transformers, and Optimus Prime is gone. The key to saving the future lies buried in the secrets of the past and the hidden history of Transformers on Earth. Now, it's up to the unlikely alliance of Cade Yeager (Mark Wahlberg), Bumblebee, an English lord (Anthony Hopkins) and an Oxford professor (Laura Haddock) to save the world.

DDR Comment: Transformers franchise has never been my favorite. I have only seen one and that too in 2011. I still remember when the movie ended everyone started clapping and I was wondering why. Clearly there is something with this graphic heavy, high on style and senseless franchise that doesn’t click with me. When I saw transformers 5 trailer, it looked different and it got me excited about it. Maybe it’s the Anthony Hopkins or Mark Wahlberg presence or the graphics which have improved a lot more with this installment. This one again seems to be graphic heavy, with loud action and interesting plot line, perfect of Eid, where I prefer a no brainer-high on entertainment screen time.

Isn't this visual just gorgeous

Other films that I would suggest but couldn’t make to the list because of format are:

Churchill: A ticking-clock thriller following Winston Churchill in the 96 hours before D-Day.

Cars 3: Blindsided by a new generation of blazing-fast racers, the legendary Lightning is suddenly pushed out of the sport he loves. Proving that No.95 isn’t through yet will test the heart of a champion on Piston Cup Racing's biggest stage!

A Family Man: A headhunter whose life revolves around closing deals in a a survival-of-the-fittest boiler room, battles his top rival for control of their job placement company, his dream of owning the company clashing with the needs of his family.