Happy Friday! In case you missed yesterday’s post, we’re quickly getting caught up with this year in film. As always, the June films have been added to the Letterboxd list.

Ballerina – Theaters, June 6th, available to rent

I’m really glad the branding folks at Lionsgate decided to drop the “From the World of John Wick:” from the title, giving this Ana de Armas vehicle a little more breathing room. Len Wiseman, best known for his involvement in the Underworld series of films, takes his crack at the John Wick universe – the first attempt not directed by Chad Stahelski who stays on as a Producer. Based on the reviews I’ve seen online, that’s probably the largest issue with the film. Stahelski, a stunt coordinator turned director, infused every action scene with a tight choreography and visual style all his own.

That I continue to rave about Stahelski is part of the problem, but de Armas seems game to take up a portion of the Wick mantle. The set pieces I’ve seen are fun, and the cinematography and coloration keeps you squarely in the John Wick oeuvre – a world that is always populated with a fantastic cast of characters.

The Phoenician Scheme – Theaters, June 6th, streaming on Peacock

Guess what? Wes Anderson can still make Wes Anderson movies. As with most of his films since The Royal Tenenbaums, Anderson pulls together a staggering cast of actors, many regulars of his previous films. That this is Michael Cera’s first Anderson film seems bizarre, as few people seem to embody the dry wit and affect of the Wes Anderson style better – Juno especially springs to mind.

His hyper stylized color pallet and scene framing is instantly recognizable if you play games like Framed (framed.wtf), and actors seem to buy in completely to his tone and format. I’m always happy when our film auteurs get to make new films, so I’m excited to watch Wes Anderson’s latest!

The Life of Chuck – Theaters, June 13th, available to rent

Based on one of Stephen King’s non-horror short stories, The Life of Chuck strikes a decidedly optimistic tone that much of his other work does not. The director, Mike Flanagan, is also better known for his horror work, including his previous King adaptations, Doctor Sleep and Gerald’s Game. I’d imagine these previous forays into the Stephen King world garnered him good will with King himself. Reportedly the two consulted regularly in preproduction phase of the movie, with King stepping back once filming commenced to let Flanagan make the movie his own. That kind of collaboration makes me eager to watch this film, especially with Tom Hiddleston in the titular role.

Materialists – Theaters June 13th, available to rent

Pedro Pascal seems unavoidable these days, with an outsized presence in both film and television. Paired with Chris Evans (having quite a busy year as well) and Dakota Johnson and you have an incredibly attractive love triangle. Johnson plays a matchmaker that can give good advice, but can’t figure her own love life out, being pulled between the broke actor Evans and the rich suitor Pascal. I don’t know if the title gives away the resolution, but it seems like a fun framing for a film.

Surprisingly, this is only Celine Song’s second movie after her fantastic debut with Past Lives. Both films center around a woman looking at two potential outcomes of her life, with Past Lives looking back at the choice with some distance, and Materialists right in the thick of it. If Song’s third movie involves love triangles, we may need talk, but with the positive critical response Materialists is garnering, she’ll definitely get another film soon.