June 2024 Review: The Best Movies I Saw Last Month

Slowly getting back into my mojo, June saw a sharp increase in the number of films I was able to watch. Thanks to taking some time off work and attending this year’s Chattanooga Film Festival, I was able to enjoy some really excellent films. This month I watched 28 films for the first time and re-watched five others. Here are the best!

Re-Watch Highlight: The Midnight Meat Train (2008); Director: Ryûhei Kitamura; United States/United Kingdom

Obsessed with capturing the darker side of the city on camera, photographer Leon finds himself drawn to the city’s subway system. After saving a woman from some petty criminals, Leon is shocked to find that her disappearance is front page news the next morning. Combing through his photos from the previous night, Leon discovers a man stalking her. He decides to act by stalking him, finding himself stumbling down a dark and terrifying rabbit hole of the truth behind so many late-night disappearances on the train. When I first watched The Midnight Meat Train, I was young and had very specific ideas about what was considered good in film. Initially turned off by some of its cheesy cgi kills, I cannot believe how much I missed from the overall experience. The Midnight Meat Train is a harrowing thrill ride, featuring some fantastically choreographed fight sequences and an unbearable level of tension. Furthermore, its story and the odd places it goes makes for such a unique take on what could have otherwise been a run-of-the-mill slasher. Don’t let the title turn you off and make sure you take time to catch The Midnight Meat Train.

Previous Rating: 5/10

New Rating: 8/10

BEST #6) Pin (1989); Director: Sandor Stern; Canada

Leon is obsessed with his father’s anatomy doll, Pin, who becomes both an imaginary friend and coping mechanism whenever his life gets too difficult. Over the years, Pin convinces Leon to do whatever it takes to keep him in his life. This disturbs his sister, Ursula, who finds herself living under her brother’s increasingly erratic rule thanks to Pin’s influence. Pin is a weird and wild ride that keeps viewers guessing on exactly what is going on. Determining how and why Pin has control over Leon is almost as fun as the situational dark comedy that follows as Leon tries to integrate Pin into his adult life. Still, its lighter moments don’t stop Pin from being a disturbing psychological horror film that occupies a unique niche in the horror genre.

Overall Score? 7/10

BEST #5) Cannibal Mukbang (UNRELEASED); Director: Amiee Kuge; United States

Please check out the full review here.

Overall Score? 7/10

BEST #4) In the Name of God (2024); Director: Ludvig Gür; Sweden

Please check out the full review here.

Overall Score? 7/10

BEST #3) Isolation (2006); Director: Billy O’Brien; United Kingdom/Ireland/United States

A remote Irish farm is the setting for a series of brutal and disturbing experiments. Unbeknownst to the man carrying out the grunt work and the two runaways holding up near the property, two scientists have accidentally unleashed a terrifying force of nature when working on genetically modified cows. Isolation is such a dark and fascinating slice of eco-horror. It doesn’t twist the formula entirely, but this little indie film makes some nasty work out of its monstrous antagonist while ringing the alarm on unchecked scientific progress. Under-seen and underrated, Isolation is well worth the watch for those who love to champion independent horror.

Overall Score? 7/10

BEST #2) Trim Season (2024); Director: Ariel Vida; United States