From cute animated films with talking animals to a critically-acclaimed German comedy about our social decline into a robotic existence, this month has anyone and everyone covered. Whether you’ve subscribed to NEON, pay for Netflix, or dip-n-dive into other territories, July reckons you will never feel bored – and it has the line-up to prove it.
Here’s what’s new and good this month:
New to Neon
The Secret Life of Pets
From the studio behind Despicable Me comes this family animation set in Manhattan that looks at the lives of faithful pets when their owners are away. “Although not a memorable film it did have enough action to entertain throughout. The kids really enjoyed the movie.” -Thepoolepod, FLICKS USER Available now
The BFG
Steven Spielberg and the late screenwriter of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial adapt Roald Dahl’s 1982 novel. “The BFG turns out a winner, blending Dahl’s big imagination with a surprisingly simple tale at its core that’ll defy you to not be won over.” -Steve Newall, FLICKS Available now
Game of Thrones: Season Seven
If you’re a fan of the massive fantasy series, you’re already on top of this. If you haven’t seen it but been meaning to, you can binge the whole series on NEON. Available now
Younger: Season Four
Liza is picking up the pieces of her shattered relationships in the fourth season of the rom-drama. Available now
Ratatouille
Remy the rat is blessed – and cursed – with a refined palatte in Pixar’s culinary family comedy. “It is an animation masterpiece that deserves to be savoured.” -Andrew Hedley, FLICKS Available now
Drive Angry
Nicolas Cage is driving and he’s angry in this action film. “Worth watching and has a deep storyline which is fantastic, loads of risks taken!” -Rebookejj, FLICKS USER Available now
Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children
Tim Burton adapts the bestselling novel about a home for unusually gifted children, ran by the enigmatic Miss Peregrine (Eva Green, Dark Shadows). “Even the most serious-minded adults can enjoy this film.” -Cinemusefilm, FLICKS USER Available from 25 July
Ray Donovan: Season Four
Ray is given a second shot at redemption in the new series to the Liev Schreiber drama. Available from 26 July
David Brent: Life on the Road
Ricky Gervais takes his iconic, ambitious, oblivious character from BBC’s The Office into new, musical territories of wonder/failure. “Brent is funny as ever, but the film around him is rickety as hell.” -Matt Glasby, FLICKS Available from 27 July
Storks
Warner Bros. Animation puts a business-centric twist on the old tale of storks delivering babies in this family-friendly comedy. “What feels like a pretty thin premise ends up being the setting for some very welcome character comedy in this animated lark with more laughs than you might expect.” -Dominic Corry, FLICKS Available from 31 July
New to Netflix
The Incredible Jessica James
The Daily Show‘s Jessica Williams leads this original Netflix comedy as a New York playwright on the romantic rebound. Available from 28 July
To the Bone
Golden Globe nominee Lily Collins (Rules Don’t Apply) leads this drama as a young woman trying to reclaim control of her eating disorder. Available now
Creed
The Rocky franchise passes the torch to writer-director Ryan Cooglar, who is handling Marvel’s Black Panther (in cinemas later this year). “If you thought the franchise has lost its track – watch Creed. If you haven’t seen a Rocky film before – watch Creed. It is a fantastic boxing film at its core.” -Mondoolix, FLICKS USER Available now
Chasing Coral
Sundance-winning doco that raises awareness of the dire fate of coral reefs by filming the phenomenon ‘coral bleaching’. “Did you ever think you’d shed a tear for dying coral?” -VARIETY Available now
The Shawshank Redemption
It’s STILL the Number 1 film on the IMDb Top Films list. “I don’t usually like dramas except Forrest Gump but this movie is definately the best movie I’ve ever seen.” -Garry Herrington, FLICKS USER Available now
The Goonies
The classic ’80s adventure film produced by Steven Spielberg and directed by Richard Donner (Superman). “Shows that Spielberg and his directors are absolute masters of how to excite and involve an audience.” -Roger Ebert Available now
Bad Boys II
Michael Bay’s 2003 action blockbuster sequel stars Will Smith and Martin Lawrence cleaning up the streets of Florida – by blowing stuff up. Available now
Into the Woods
Disney fairytale, fantasy musical – from the director of Chicago – starring Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt, James Corden, Anna Kendrick and Chris Pine. “The film belongs to the divine Ms. Streep, who is by turns funny, vulnerable, philosophical and terrifying as the Witch.” -Leonie Hayden Available now
Big Daddy
Surrogate father-son comedy back when Adam Sandler made good films. Available now
New to Everything Else
Toni Erdmann
Filmmaker Maren Ade’s Oscar and Palme d’Or-nominated German comedy-drama about a father trying to reconnect with his adult daughter. “Brings the words “German” and “comedy” together with a raucous, jubilant, twisted and hugely welcome wallop of wunderba!” -Adamatdramatrain, FLICKS USER Available now
The Red Turtle
Oscar-nominated animated fable with no dialogue, co-produced by Studio Ghibli, about a man stranded on an island with only the company of birds, crabs and turtles. “A desperately beautiful narrative that is all at once joyful, harrowing, miserable, and hopeful.” -FILMINK Available now
David Lynch: The Art Life
David Lynch traces the event that helped shape one of cinema’s most enigmatic directors in this career retrospective documentary. “An essential creative autobiography for all Lynch fans.” -Hollywood Reporter Available now
Handsome Devil
A music-mad 16-year-old outcast at a rugby-mad boarding school forms an unlikely friendship in this Irish coming-of-age tale from director and novelist John Butler. “A rare ‘mainstreamed’ queer tale that doesn’t end in disaster, treat all its gay characters as underdogs or tread a ploddingly predictable path.” -James Croot, STUFF.CO.NZ Available now
The LEGO Batman Movie
Will Arnett voices the blocky Dark Knight once again for this follow-up to 2014’s The LEGO Movie, now putting Batman in the spotlight. “You need to watch it several times in case you missed something the first time around (I’m sure that’s cunningly intentional).” -Alissa Warren, FLICKS USER Available now
The Boss Baby
DreamWorks animated comedy about a seven-year-old who is suspicious of his new, suit-wearing, business call-making baby brother voiced by Alec Baldwin. “Watched this with my seven-year-old and I must say it’s actually quite good, more enjoyable then I expected.” Available now
Kong: Skull Island
Oscar winner Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston, John Goodman, John C. Reilly and Samuel L. Jackson star in Legendary Entertainment’s second installment of their Godzilla-Kong series. “A consistently entertaining hoot,” -Dominic Corry, FLICKS Available now
Winter at Westbeth
Doco exploring the vibrant characters of the elderly residents dwelling in New York’s Westbeth Artists Housing. “It’s difficult to deny the emotional pull of their unyielding quest,” -Aaron Yap, FLICKS Available now
Aftermath
Arnold Schwarzenegger brings his acting game to this drama based on the Überlingen mid-air collision of 2002. “This is a film full of scenes that would be easy to overplay, but which Schwarzenegger tackles with understated perfection.” -Empire Available now
Ghost in the Shell
Live-action adaptation of Masamune Shirow’s classic cyberpunk manga of the same name starring Scarlett Johansson. “Only has surface-level entertainment to offer.” -Steve Newall, FLICKS Available from 26 July
Dance Academy
Follow-up to the twice Emmy-nominated Australian TV series that saw a group of teens through the ups and downs of training at the elite National Academy of Dance. “Newcomers will have a good time, too.” -FILMINK Available from 26 July
Denial
Academy Award winner Rachel Weisz is a writer being sued for libel by a renowned Holocaust denier, played by Timothy Spall. “Spall pulls out yet another mesmerising performance,” -Paul Casserly, FLICKS Available from 26 July
