Hey everyone! Sergio here with some updates for the month of June. May has been chaotic getting into a new schedule and rhythm. Bond keeps getting delayed and that’s on me due to forgetting guests we had come to town and plans that were made. I’m trying to get things done early as I have a birthday trip on the horizon. June is my birthday month and I’m very excited to share this month’s line-up with you. I cheated in the list on this one with release dates. Yet, it’s understandable given how this month will flow. On a sadder note, the final entry for the month is now bittersweet given the sudden passing of actor Ray Liotta. Let’s reflect on the month of May before heading into the June lineup.

Reflection on May’s Cinema Revue Lineup

The elephant in the room here is that Poison Ivy was originally planned to be here. Unfortunately, it was not available to stream or rent anywhere including a local video store. If it ever hits these platforms,I will get to it and write a proper review. I had it scheduled when it was still ready to stream on Criterion Channel. Those rights lapsed by the time to review. Sometimes plans change and it sucks. I hope From Russia With Love made up for it.

Howard’s End was a true surprise because British period dramas are not my usual scene. This film has me more curious about diving into the Merchant-Ivory Productions canon soon and those well-known hits. I think what I enjoyed the most of the film that it is all about miscommunication. Even though people are speaking about there plights and struggles, there is not a whole lot of listening to help build stronger bonds. The dialogue is the star of the film here and it elevates the film to great heights. IT was a brilliant start to the month.

Lethal Weapon 3 is mid at worst, fun at best. I’m still of two minds about it because it is enjoyable to see, but the magic of the first to films is slowly slipping away. “The magic is back again” is the tagline of this film and, while there is clver chemistry still, it is losing much of its bite. Murtagh’s struggle in the film is still fantastic. Danny Glover is such a gifted and remarkable actor that he could go from wacky comedy to dramatic beats in an instant. I’m going to watch the fourth film soon and see how that one is. The promise of Jet Li battling Mel Gibson is inticing.

What is not inticing is Alien 3. I did get yelled at by a friend for not liking it, but that’s fine. None of my word is gospel (as much as alll writers wish it to be) and every movie deserves love. David Fincher was giving a bad deal, but the most remarkable parts of the film remain his direction. Fincher’s works would go on to define a style and craftsmenship in cinema and, oddly, a lot of that is present here even if the script is a bit hard to swallow.

Sister Act came at the end of one of the roughest weeks of having to work in a newsroom due to the Buffalo shooting, Ulvalde shooting and the wave after wave of mass shootings. This film did warm my heart and make me feel something that was very much needed after everything. It’s silly, sure, and it’s not going to win awards, but sometimes you need a movie that is going to make you forget about the world for two hours. Sister Act was that film for me this week. I didn’t go into it in the review because I wanted to save it for the reflection.

What happened in the mass shootings is tragic and the fact that those in powers refuse to do anything to change the laws is asinine. There needs to be an outright ban on assualt weapons and handguns outright. Those who care more about their guns than the lives of those around them need to take the hardest look in the mirror. Those in power in Texas and in the Senate also should not rest easy one bit until something is done. Screw your guns.

Here’s the rankings for May 1992

• Howard’s End – 4.5 out of 5 (★★★★½)
• Lethal Weapon 3 – 3.5 out of 5 (★★★½)
• Alien 3 – 2 out of 5 (★★)
• Sister Act – 4 out of 5 (★★★★½)

JUNE 2022 LINEUP

6/7 – Patriot Games, directed by Phillip Noyce

Oh yeah, we are in “Dad movie” territory. Is there political intrigue? Is it based off a Tom Clancy novel? Does it star Harrison Ford? This movie says “yes” to all these questions with a hint of the IRA. The 90s loved having the IRA involved as the bad guys (see 1994’s Blown Away for the most ridiculous example). I enjoyed The Hunt for Red October, so I’m curious to see how this one goes with Ford taking over for Alec Baldwin. There’s going to be so much finger pointing, you won’t believe it.

6/14 – Porco Rosso, directed by Hayao Miyazaki

Here’s the cheat of the month as it released on the 19th of June in Japan, but I wanted to get it in here somehow. Also, the other option was Housesitter and that’s not a compelling enough premise to review and discuss. Porco Rosso is a personal favorite of mine that is an underrated gem in the Miyazaki-directed Studio Ghibli canon. You’ve got aeroplanes and the dopest line ever uttered in an animated film. Also for those who watched this dubbed in English, congrats, you get back-to-back Michael Keaton films thanks to the next film.

6/21 aka My Birthday – Batman Returns, directed by Tim Burton

The Bat. The Cat. The Penguin. I adore this film and to be to get my thoughts as to why that is is going tobe great. It’s grown on me so much in the recent years that I have grown attached to it. There’s something about it that remains unmatched, but only few directors ever reached the same heights it does when it comes to showing their vision of a comic book-based world.

6/28 – Unlawful Entry, directed by Johnathan Kaplan

Despite playing a villainous role in the film, this one will still be heartbreaking. This was planned out months before his death. It’s going to be weird to write about Liotta in past tense rather than present. Liotta effin’ ruled and Kurt Russell having to go toe-to-toe with him is going to rule. These are two stars that command the screen, so it’ll be fun to see them duke it out.

BOND UPDATE: NEW BOND REVIEW EACH FULL WEEK IN JUNE!

To make up for the lack of Bond reviews, there will be a new review of the rest of the Sixties entries each full week in June starting on the 10th and ending July 1st. This allows me time to actually watch them and get into writing about them. Here is the list below of the next entries:

6/10 – Goldfinger

6/17 – Thunderball

6/24 – You Only Live Twice

7/1 – On Her Majesty’s Secret Service