June 2023 Movies Ranked

With June now coming to a close, it is time to share my thoughts and ranking of the 9 June movies that I saw. June was a pretty good month for movies. I saw more movies this month than I have in any other month. I would also go positive on all of these films which is pretty rare in a month. I enjoyed almost all of these movies to some degree and did not have much disappointment. With that being said, here are my thoughts and ranking of the 9 June new releases that I saw.

9. No Hard Feelings

No Hard Feelings is one of the weakest movies of the month but it is still entirely watchable. This movie is quite funny and really shows Jennifer Lawrence's comedic talents. She can pull off both the physical humor and also the awkward cringy humor. She also manages to have great chemistry with the male lead of the story who plays Percy. The two can play off of each other so well and have some great banter. The story also does a great job of getting the two characters to help each of grow and change. Maddie becomes a better person because of Percy and Percy comes out of his shell and becomes a much more confident person because of Maddie. This movie also does a decent job of being a coming-of-age story for Percy as he learns the ways of the world and readies himself for college. As this is at the bottom of the list, there are a couple of things holding it back. The biggest issue is that there are a few plot threads that just never get resolved. There is a scene where Percy encounters this other girl where it is clear that she is interested in him but then nothing ever comes of it. There are a few avenues they could have gone with it but just didn't. I am also just not a huge fan of the raunchy sex comedy genre. I just don't get some of the jokes and don't find them as funny as others do. But that is more a me issue than a movie issue. Overall, this was an entertaining enough movie that just had some key story issues that put it at the bottom of the list.

Grade: B- Score: 6.5/10

8. Flamin' Hot

Flamin' Hot was an unplanned movie I saw. I watched it on Hulu on the last day of the month without knowing anything about it. It actually turned out fairly decent. I thought the movie had a fun high energy to it. Everything was highly dynamic and fast-moving. The story goes at a pretty fast pace leaving no room for things to get slow. The story is very simple as it follows Richard Montanez on his journey from custodian to the creator of Flamin' Hot Cheetos. I quite enjoyed the character of Richard. He is very likable with such a fun personality and a determination to never give up. I also enjoyed the unique storytelling aspect where it would cut to Richard telling the story while dubbing over other characters' voices. This reminded me a lot of Luis's stories in Ant-Man. I had a lot of fun with this movie and it was a solid way to spend 90 minutes of my time. What keeps this movie towards the bottom is just that the story itself doesn't do anything new. It follows the corporate brand biopic formula pretty hard. It does it well but the story itself is pretty generic. I also felt the whole subplot with Richard's daddy issues was a bit out of place and didn't add much to the story. Finally, to really enjoy this movie, you have to suspend some level of disbelief. It has been many known that this movie is mostly fictionalized and several scenes are very clear of that as that is not how real life works. If you can get past that, you'll have a good time. In the end, this was a very entertaining movie that if you can suspend some disbelief, will be a good way to spend 90 minutes.

Grade: B- Score: 6.9/10

7. Transformer: Rise of the Beasts

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts is a significant step up from the Michael Bay era of Transformers movies. The story here is much simpler, the action is less "boomy" and the characters are more likable. This movie gives a much more streamlined story and doesn't go overboard with the number of subplots and side characters. Mirage is a really fun addition to the franchise. He has such a fun energy and always has some fun one-liners or jokes. The action in this movie is also a lot of fun. It is still over the top but it isn't absurd like a Michael Bay film. The human characters are also a lot of fun. They both have their own goals and personality and something about them that just makes them fun to watch. Finally, the addition of the Maximals was so cool. I really liked seeing the robot monkey punch the bad guy in the face. There are a few things that keep this from number one. The first issue is that it does take a good while to get going. We don't get any Transformer action for about 30 minutes. The movie's villain was also a bit generic. He didn't have anything to him that made him stand out. I also felt that the Maximals were underutilized. I wish they would have had a larger presence in the film. Finally, I felt that the CGI was a bit questionable at times. In the end, this was a fun Transformers film that kept me entertained but had a few too many issues to allow it to be the number-one film.

Grade: B Score: 7/10

6. Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny

Indiana Jones and the Dial of the Destiny was one of my most anticipated movies of the year. However, the film ends up being a more middle-ground Indiana Jones film. Of course, it is fun to see Harrison Ford back as Indiana Jones. He still manages to have the same charm even when being 80 years old. There are also a lot of solid action sequences in the film. The parade chase and Tuk Tuk chase are both a lot of fun to watch. The sequences still use quite a bit of CGI but it is not at the level of most modern blockbusters. I also enjoyed the new addition of Helen as well as Dr. Voller. It was also a lot of fun to see Sallah again after 40 years. Finally, I felt that this film delivered a decent enough close-out to Indy's story. Unfortunately, the film as a whole pales in comparison to the original trilogy. It doesn't have the lows of Crystal Skull but it doesn't capture the magic of the original either. The biggest reason for this is the use of CGI. Indiana Jones is known for the practical stunt work and effects but this movie instead uses quite a bit of CGI. It isn't as excessive as Crystal Skull but it just doesn't feel like Indiana Jones. I also thought the third act and ending were a little weird. I wasn't a fan of the direction the finale went and while the ending did close things in a satisfying way, it definitely could have been better. Overall, while it was fun to see Indiana Jones again, the movie is not good enough to justify its existence.

Grade: B Score: 7.2/10

5. Extraction 2

Extraction 2 is a fun back-to-basics action movie from Netflix. Extraction 2 follows Chris Hemsworth's Tyler Rake as he is sent on a new mission to rescue an imprisoned family. Just like the first film, Extraction 2 feels like a throwback action film and is just a lot of fun to watch. The way this movie runs just reminded me so much of that action we get from the '80s and '90s action movies. The action itself is very well done and is the standout part of the movie. The action is very practical with very real stunt work being done. The film is also shot in a way that makes you feel like you are right there in the story to the extent that the cameramen sat on the hoods of the cars to get that perfect action shot. The stunt work is very practical with no reliance on CGI. You can really tell that the stunt coordinator knew what they were doing. The effects are also very practical with no CGI. The action that is happening is very real with explosions and risky action. Finally, some of the action shots were very well done. There is one sequence that is designed to feel like a continuous 20-minute shot with the camera moving through the sequence and following the characters without a cut. As is normal with these types of films, the quality of the plot and characters takes a back seat to the action. The story is very thin, the characters don't have much to them and their motivations are pretty forgettable. However, that is usually the case with these types of films. Overall, this film achieves exactly what it is going for with great action sequences and stunt work. It may not be the best movie in the genre but it is definitely a fun time.

Grade: B Score: 7.5/10

4. Asteroid City

Asteroid City is the most unique movie I saw this month and probably the most unique movie I have ever seen. Wes Anderson's style is just so unique, there isn't much of a way to describe it. His style just has this level of charm and small-scale nature to it that you can't help but like it. This movie has a good amount of humor in it. It isn't in your face laugh out loud funny, but more subtle humor that will give you a chuckle when something happens in the background or when a line gets said. I also really liked the Sci-Fi aspect of it. How certain things looked and the special effects that were used remind me a lot of 1960s Sci-Fi alien stories. I also quite liked how the movie addresses the appearance of the alien and how it impacts different people in the town. There are several scenes where the camera is just sweeping across the town and stopping at different conversations the people are having about the alien incident. It felt very effective and was an interesting way to do things. I also enjoyed how self-aware the movie was. Half of the film is the story about this town while the other half is about the (fictional) director trying to make this movie where the characters in the movie play the roles in the story while also playing themselves as actors of this movie. It is just so interesting to see these two stories be intercut. The only issue I had with the movie was that the ending got a bit confusing for me just in the cutting between the two stories. In the end, this was a very unique movie from a director that I am going to start looking more into.

Grade: B+ Score: 8/10

3. Elemental

Elemental is Pixar's newest film and a lot better than most of its more recent films. It is a fun original story and Pixar's take on the Rom-Com genre. I really enjoyed the Rom-Com aspect of the film. I felt that the relationship between Ember and Wade was very natural without any weird obsessions. I also quite liked the world-building in this movie. Element City is just a cool setting to have and it is so fun to see how all the different elements live their lives. I also felt that this film was very funny. Probably one of the funniest Pixar films. It has jokes that are fun for both kids and adults as well as jokes that just the adults will appreciate. I also really liked the message of the film. It is all about following your dreams while still honoring your parent's legacy. What keeps this film back for me is that there was just a bit too much going on with the plot being pulled in a few too many directions. I also felt the conflict between Wade and Ember was a bit forced. It felt like it was included just for the sake of having conflict than actually adding something useful to the story. In the end, this is still a solid film and a great return to form for Pixar.

Grade: B+ Score: 8.3/10

2. The Flash

The Flash was another one of my most anticipated movies of this year and it did not disappoint. This movie was a lot of fun. It had a great tone and energy and was just an absolute blast to watch from beginning to end. This is probably one of the funniest DCEU films. It has so many jokes from various characters but they all fit naturally into the story. There are no abrupt cuts in the tension just to get a joke. The action was also very cool. It was so fun to see the Flash, Batman, and Supergirl fight all of these bad guys. The speed force scenes were also quite cool. I really enjoyed how they shot and edited those. The coolest thing about this movie is the return of Michael Keaton as Batman. It was just so fun to see him back in action. The movie also handles him very well. He seems like an older version of his character in the 80s film. He doesn't get randomly quippy like so many films are today. Everything about him just fits with how his character was in his films. I thought the story itself was very well done. It is easy to follow with little to no side plots or tangents. It is just a very straightforward story pretty much following the Flashpoint plot from the comics. The movie also has a lot of emotional moments and delivers a very satisfying emotional ending. Finally, I felt the cameos were handled quite well. They didn't take over the movie but delivered just the right amount of fun moments to satisfy the fans. The only issue I have with the film is the CGI. The CGI as a whole just looks terrible. There is a scene with some babies that just looks awful. Overall, this is a very fun movie with some satisfying moments and a lot of heart. If the CGI would have looked better, this would have been a near-perfect film.

very fun

Grade: A Score: 9/10

I. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse

Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is the biggest surprise of the year for me thus far. It is not overstating things to call this movie a masterpiece. The animation looks so good in this film and is like nothing ever seen before. The handling of each universe is so well done. Not only do they have different colors but each Spider-being and world looks like it was animated completely different from any of the others. It is just so interesting to see all of these slightly different variations of animation in a scene together. The movie also does a great job of covering the multiverse. We get to cover multiple different universes and have prolonged scenes in each. The story itself is extremely compelling as it is all about what makes some Spider-Man and whether their destiny is set and has to fit in this Spider-Man mold. The movie also does a great job of giving us a natural next step for all of these characters. They all feel like a natural continuation of themselves from the previous films. We also get a lot of great growth from Miles as he learns how to balance his life and become his own Spider-Man. We also get a lot of growth from the other character. The movie spends a lot more time with Gwen as we get a bit more of her back story and relationships. The conflict in this movie is also handled very well. We get different viewpoints on how to handle the main issue and it is just so interesting to see the different opinions. In the end, this is a fantastic film and one of the few movies I have given a 10/10 to.

Grade: A+ Score: 10/10

What was your favorite movie this month?

• 0%Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
• 0%The Flash
• 0%Elemental
• 0%Asteroid City

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