Which of these are you going to watch? |
The summer releases are getting hotter this month, but it is not your regular summer where you get excited from the explosions, but having these wet, hot and fun titles that makes you want to bath in the sun or dance with your happy feet.
Korean and Japanese film fans will have much to celebrate this July as well, but for anyone who is not looking to blow their eyes and brains out, there are also cooler and slower titles to enjoy.
So put on your shades and don't miss these recommended titles coming out this July!
Ant-Man and the Wasp
You may have wondered where Scott Lang and gang were during the climatic end of "Avengers: Infinity War" but Marvel fans wouldn't be waiting long to find out. Set between the events of "Civil War" and "Infinity War", Scott Lang is under house arrest for siding with Captain America, as he tries to balance his home life and his superhero life. Meanwhile, Hope Van Dyne and Hank Pym are on the run from the law but eventually make their way to Scott's front door with a new mission to dig up the past. This would be the formal introduction of Evangeline Lily suiting up as The Wasp, making this their formal partnership in the MCU that was seen in the comics. Paul Rudd, Michael Pena, Michael Douglas reprise their roles for the MCU, while introducing Laurence Fishburne and Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost from the comics.
General Release Date: 4 July
Shoplifters
After taking time off from his usual exploration of family themes to make "The Third Murder", Hirokazu Kore-eda is back in top form to even score his first Palme d'Or from the Cannes Film Festival. Centred on a father who raises a family of thieves and pickpockets, they stumble upon a homeless young girl and take her in under their wing even as they could ill afford it. Shot in 35 mm film for its warm and grainy texture, this can be seen as a spiritual sequel to "Like Father Like Son" as Kore-eda once again examines what makes a family in the societal context. Lily Franky and Kirin Kiki make their fifth collaboration with the director, while introducing child actors Sasaki Miyu and Jyo Kairi.
General Release Date: 5 July
Believer
Director Lee Hae-young of "Like a Virgin" fame returns with a new outing since 2015's "The Silenced". In this Korean-remake of Johnnie To's "Drug War" from 2012, an investigator cooperates with a lowly gang member of a large drug cartel to bring down its masterminds. Blowing up the Korean box office where it is still showing, "Believer" lends in a lot sleeker and stylish to replace To's grit and grim tone in the original; a style that suits the cast of the Korean thriller which has Chong Jin-woong, Ryu Jun-yeol, Kim Sung-Ryoung, Park Hae-Jun, Cha Seoung-Won and the final role of Kim Joo-Hyuck before his unfortunate accident.
General Release Date: 5 July
The Accidental Detective 2
But if betrayals and thrills aren't in your alley for your Korean movie, then there is the sequel to the 2015 action comedy. After the success of their little investigation in "The Accidental Detective", amateur sleuth Dae-Man and real detective Noh decide to work together and start a private investigation agency. After a stint of boring cases of infidelities, debts and missing cats, they are hired to find the truth of a woman's fiancee. To crack their new case, they also get the help of Yeochi, an online businessman with some interest to work as a private eye. The series gets a new director in Lee Eon-heem but the lovable duo of Kwon Sang-woo and Sung Dong-il reunite with Lee Kwang-soo joining as the third wheel.
General Release Date: 12 July
The Big Day
When funeral manager Nuo Yan pops the question to his girlfriend Su Yu, all she wanted was a simple wedding where they could be happy. But this could not be further from what they planned. As preparations for their big day causes upsets and strains in the relationship between the couple and their in-laws, they are saddled by traditions, debts and expectations on what should happen on their big day. This romantic comedy by director Lee Thean-Jeen is an examination of the pressures and necessity to meet with the traditions of the Chinese wedding, tied by the pretty couple of Taiwanese Amber An with Singapore's Desmond Tan.
General Release Date: 12 July
Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again
Pregnant and a little lost on how she would become a mother, Sophie is visited by Tanya and Rosie at her mother's villa and tells her about how her mother came to own the villa, met all of Sophie's fathers and raised Sophie on her own. Ten years since the spectacle cast had us singing along to ABBA songs, they are out to do it again and set us swinging to "Dancing Queen". With new director Ol Paker on the helm, this is the major reunion for the entire cast starting with Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Christine Baranski, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Stellan Skarsgård, and Dominic Cooper. Lily James, Jessic aKeenan Wynn, Alexa Davies, Jeremy Irvin, Hugh Skinner and Josh Dylan will play as the younger selves of the main characters, and Cher makes a special appearance as Sophie's grandmother who comes uninvited. So be ready to put on your dancing shoes and dance throughout the night.
General Release Date: 19 July
Hotel Transylvania 3: A Monster Vacation
It's summer and the Dracula family are going on holiday on a cruise ship. On board the cruise, Dracula is having some hard time getting used to being under the sun, but soon finds himself under the spell of the cruise captain, who turns out to be the granddaughter of an old enemy. Director Genndy Tartakovsky was not planning to make a third installment after closing the loop on Dracula's family, but was later inspired by a miserable family vacation. Reuniting with his all-star voice cast of Adam Sandler, Andy Samberg, Selena Gomez, Kevin James, David Spade, Steve Buscemi and Keegan-Michael Key, "Hotel Transylvania 3: Summer Vacation" is co-written by Tartakovsky and "Austin Powers" writer Micheal McCullers.
General Release Date: 19 July
Mission: Impossible Fallout
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After failing a mission, the world is put into danger once again and Ethan Hunt is not going to stop until he finishes what he started. Back home, however, the CIA is having doubts about Ethan's loyalties for not obeying orders and send out their own agents to find out the truth behind Ethan's actions. Even though this is the sixth installment in the "Mission: Impossible" franchise, there would still be a few first in this sequel. This could be the first time we would see more of Ethan's own personal story that led him to join the IMF and could be the first time you would get to see Cruise hurting himself onscreen from performing one of his many "Mission: Impossible" stunts. "Rogue Nation" director Christopher McQuarrie also becomes the first returning director of the series. Also returning is the same IMF crew of Simon Pegg, Ving Rhames, with Rebecca Ferguson, Sean Harris, Alec Baldwin, and Michelle Monaghan reprising their roles. Henry Cavill also joins the franchise with his infamous moustache that they had to remove for "Justice League".
General Release Date: 26 July
Hotel Artemis
In a future Los Angeles, criminals check in to Hotel Artemis run by a nurse when they get injured. When two bank robbers check in with their latest haul, the collection of assassins, arms dealer and mob bosses who are staying in the hotel concoct a dangerous mix as interests are about to explode. Although this is the feature debut of screenwriter and producer Drew Pearce, he has managed to get a strong cast led by Jodie Foster as the operator of the titular hotel. Checking in are a cast that has Sofia Bautella, Jeff Goldblum, Jenny Slate, Zachary Quinto, Charlie Day, and Dave Bautista.
General Release Date: 26 July
Pulang
Based on a true story of a Malay sailor who set sail around the world for 61 years, leaving behind his wife and children, in search for a better future for them. Directed by Kabir Bhatia since "Bisik Pada Langit", "Pulang" is looking to be more than a testament of true love, as it is also a period piece that starts in the 1940s during the Japanese and British occupations. For the adventure on the high seas and war scenes, it would also be heavily effects laden, shot on green-screen sets and could be a testament to the level of expertise of Malaysian effects artists: making this probably one of the most ambitious Malaysian movie of 2018. Remy Ishak stars as the ambitious sailor, alongside with Puteri Aishah Sulaiman, Azrel Ismail, Erwin Dawson, Juliana Evans and Alvin Wong.
General Release Date: 26 July
Cinema Online, 01 July 2018