June 2020 Review: The Best Movies I Saw Last Month
Originally published July 9, 2020
June was whirlwind. With everything going on in the world, and there is plenty, it’s felt chaotic and overwhelming. They say that horror thrives in times of great turmoil, so I wonder what great art will be made from 2020 over the next few years. I guess time will tell.
Overall, I ended up watching 48 movies. On top of watching fewer movies than the previous month, the quality of movies was also sadly lower. Of the 48 films I watched, I rated 18 of them to be bad or terrible. Seven of those films earned a 3/10, which is something I reserve for some of the worst films I watch (for a film to earn lower than a 3, I have to consider it a film I hate which normally takes a lot to accomplish).
BEST #3) Bad Samaritan (2018); Director: Dean Devlin; United States
While attempting to rob a wealthy man’s house while he’s out to dinner, a young man stumbles upon a woman chained up on the second floor. After unsuccessfully trying to free her, the would-be burglar makes it his mission to bring her abductor to justice, even at great personal cost to himself. I’ll admit that Bad Samaritan had been on my watchlist for a very long time and I had begun to dread watching it for some reason. I am so glad that I ignored that instinct because Bad Samaritan is an absolute RIDE. Bad Samaritan drips with dread and tension in every scene. I had this bad feeling in the pit of my stomach throughout the entire film, it really hit hard for me. David Tennant gives a riveting performance as Cale Erendreich, the abductor with the dark and mysterious past. I’d say without Tennant’s performance the film would not have been as enjoyable. Leading man Robert Sheehan gives a solid performance, as does the rest of the supporting cast. While it doesn’t offer much new to the serial killer thriller genre of horror, Bad Samaritan delivers classic chills and frightening chase segments that will leave your pulse pounding.
Overall Score? 8/10
BEST #2) The Poughkeepsie Tapes (2009); Director: John Erick Dowdle; United States
Boxes of tapes depicting the extreme depravity of a New York based serial killer are examined by a team of detectives attempting to crack multiple cold cases of missing people upstate. The Poughkeepsie Tapes features only some of the stories of the murderer’s voracious appetite for torture and murder. As much as found footage has inundated the market since 2007, The Poughkeepsie Tapes still feels fresh and energetic compared to many of its contemporaries. What it lacks in plot, it makes up for incredibly well-directed scenes of tension, suspense, and carnage. For fans searching for more visceral films, The Poughkeepsie Tapes offers many disturbing and downright terrifying scenes filled to the brim with nightmarish imagery and sounds. Ben Messmer delivers an incredible performance as the deranged killer, without ever showing his face. Messmer’s voice and body language alone evoke goosebumps throughout his performance and often linger when the story cuts back to the procedural portions of the film. While The Poughkeepsie Tapes is chock full of shocking moments, one scene, in particular, stands out in my mind as extra jarring. I won’t go into too much detail to avoid spoilers but trust me when I say you’ll watch it and know exactly what I am referring to here. Guaranteed to put you on edge, The Poughkeepsie Tapes is not for the faint of heart, but it will satisfy your need to be scared.
Overall Score? 8/10
BEST #1) The Wicker Man (1973); Director: Robin Hardy; United Kingdom
Sent to a mysterious island populated by free-spirited pagans, an investigator attempts to get to the bottom of the disappearance of a young girl. The longer he stays, the deeper he tangles himself in the island’s bizarre customs and rituals. Preceding the campy and maligned 2006 Nicholas Cage remake (which I will admit to seeing first many years ago), this 1973 adaptation exhibits confidence in its slow-burn dread and deep social commentary. I found the story of The Wicker Mann captivating. Between a clever script and adept direction, The Wicker Man provides real suspense and intrigue. Even though I already knew where the story was heading, the journey is still wrought with plenty of tense and frightening moments. Edward Woodward and Christopher Lee give incredible leading performances as Sergeant Howie and Lord Summerisle respectively. Lee in particular injects a kind of sunshine-y and sinister energy into his role as the leader of the island community that complements Woodward’s straight role, Sergeant. I also appreciated the commitment to deconstructing themes of puritanism and the roles of sex and death within society. It added an additional, thoughtful layer to the film notably absent from the remake, which made for an even more pleasureful viewing experience. A cult-classic with much to chew on for cinephiles and casual audiences alike, The Wicker Man is a must-watch for fans of 70s, slow-burn, and cult horror.
Overall Score? 9/10
