What to Watch in July

With the exception of the barnstorming “Inside Out 2”, now the highest grossing film of 2024, May and June have been an underwhelming couple of months at the Box Office, with major releases such as “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga” massively underperforming despite strong critical reception.

Major studious will be hoping the enthusiasm surrounding Pixar’s latest release will encourage audiences to flock back to the cinema throughout the summer months. The biggest films of July are undeniably “Deadpool & Wolverine” and “Despicable Me 4”, the latest instalments in two of the highest grossing franchises of the past decade. There is also the long awaited sequel to the 1996 disaster film “Twister”, the first ever film to be released on DVD -fun fact.

Outside of streaming, there are three low budget horrors that have my interest peaked: POV slasher “In a Violent Nature”; psychological thriller “Longlegs”, directed by Osgood Perkins (son of “Psycho’s” Anthony Perkins); and the third instalment in Ti West‘s critically acclaimed “X” Trilogy, “MaXXXine”.

Beverly Hills Cop: Axel F (15)

Dir: Mark Molloy

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Taylour Paige, Judge Reinhold, John Ashton, Paul Reiser, Bronson Pinchot, Kevin Bacon

Synopsis: After his daughter’s life is threatened, wisecracking Detective Axel Foley (Eddie Murphy) teams up with a new partner and some old pals to turn up the heat on a conspiracy.

MaXXXine (18)

Dir: Ti West

Cast: Mia Goth, Elizabeth Debicki, Moses Sumney, Michelle Monaghan, Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Lily Collins, Giancarlo Esposito, Kevin Bacon

Synopsis: In 1980s Hollywood, adult film star and aspiring actress Maxine Minx (Mia Goth) finally gets her big break. However, as a mysterious killer stalks the starlets of Los Angeles, a trail of blood threatens to reveal her sinister past.

The Imaginary (PG)

Dir: Toshiyuki Momose

Cast: Kokoro Terada, Rio Suzuki, Sakura Ando, Riisa Naka, Takayuki Yamada, Atsuko Takahata, Issey Ogata

Synopsis: Rudger, an imaginary boy born from the imagination of a young girl named Amanda, learns he will disappear if Amanda forgets him. He arrives in a town where imaginary friends who have been forgotten by humans live.

Longlegs (15)

Dir: Osgood Perkins

Cast: Maika Monroe, Blair Underwood, Alicia Witt, Nicolas Cage, Michelle Choi-Lee, Dakota Daulby

Synopsis: FBI Agent Lee Harker (Maika Monroe) is assigned to an unsolved serial killer case that takes an unexpected turn, revealing evidence of the occult. Harker discovers a personal connection to the killer and must stop him before he strikes again.

Despicable Me 4 (PG)

Dir: Chris Renaud

Cast: Steve Carell, Kristen Wiig, Pierre Coffin, Joey King, Miranda Cosgrove, Stephen Colbert, Sofia Vergara, Steve Coogan, Chris Renaud, Madison Polan, Dana Gaier, Chloe Fineman, Will Ferrell

Synopsis: Gru (Steve Carell) welcomes a new member to the family, Gru Jr., who’s intent on tormenting his dad. However, their peaceful existence soon comes crashing down when criminal mastermind Maxime Le Mal (Will Ferrell) escapes from prison and vows revenge against Gru.

Fly Me to the Moon (12A)

Dir: Greg Berlanti

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Channing Tatum, Ray Romano, Woody Harrelson

Synopsis: Sparks fly between a marketing executive and a NASA official as he makes preparations for the Apollo 11 moon landing.

In a Violent Nature (18)

Dir: Chris Nash

Cast: Ry Barrett, Andrea Pavlovic, Cameron Love, Cameron Love, Reece Presley, Liam Leone, Charlotte Creaghan, Lea Rose Sebastianis, Sam Roulston, Alexander Oliver, Timothy Paul McCarthy, Lauren Taylor

Synopsis: When a group of teens takes a locket from a collapsed fire tower in the woods, they unwittingly resurrect the rotting corpse of Johnny (Ry Barrett), a vengeful spirit spurred on by a horrific 60-year old crime. The undead killer soon embarks on a bloody rampage to retrieve the stolen locket, methodically slaughtering anyone who gets in his way.

Twisters (12A)

Dir: Lee Isaac Chung

Cast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Glen Powell, Anthony Ramos

Synopsis: Haunted by a devastating encounter with a tornado, Kate Cooper (Daisy Edgar-Jones) gets lured back to the open plains by her friend, Javi (Anthony Ramos), to test a ground-breaking new tracking system. She soon crosses paths with Tyler Owens (Glen Powell), a charming but reckless social-media superstar who thrives on posting his storm-chasing adventures. As storm season intensifies, Kate, Tyler and their competing teams find themselves in a fight for their lives as multiple systems converge over central Oklahoma.

Thelma (12a)

Dir: Josh Margolin

Cast: June Squibb, Fred Hechinger, Richard Roundtree, Parker Posey, Clark Gregg, Malcolm McDowell

Synopsis: Thelma (June Squibb) Post is a 93-year-old grandmother who loses $10,000 to a con artist on the phone. With help from a friend and his motorized scooter, she soon embarks on a treacherous journey across Los Angeles to reclaim what was taken from her.

Crossing (15)

Dir: Levan Akin

Cast: Mzia Arabuli, Lucas Kankava, Deniz Dumanli

Synopsis: Lia (Mzia Arabuli), a retired teacher, has vowed to find her long-lost niece, Tekla. Her search takes her to Istanbul where she meets the lawyer Evrim (Deniz Dumanli).

To the End (TBC)

Dir: Sebastian Cort

Synopsis: To the End is a 2024 British documentary film about the rock band Blur’s reunion in the 2020s and their first album in eight years, The Ballad of Darren. 

Deadpool & Wolverine (15)

Dir: Shawn Levy

Cast: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin, Matthew Macfadyen

Synopsis: Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) is recovering from his injuries when he crosses paths with the loudmouth, Deadpool (Ryan Reynolds). They team up to defeat a common enemy.

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