June 2025: Reviews Roundup

Cannes fatigue is real, and while a whole slew of titles noteworthy, contentious, or otherwise irresistible has earned the attention of the media, the gap between their French premiere and their international debut come fall, as with the gap between that and their wide theatrical release, means that for this brief intermezzo we will have to look elsewhere. Save for MI:8 and The Phoenician Scheme, which we covered last month, and the Aussie creature-feature Dangerous Animals, which we’re doing here, the month of June typically offers respite from the festival circuit. Major summer releases, such as Celine Song’s much-awaited Materialists and the longer-gestating sequel to 28 Days/Weeks Later, have drawn theatergoers in droves — not quite the numbers achieved by Squid Game’s final season, but respectable enough. We’ve not entirely ditched the festivities, though, as Tribeca this year offered a smattering of generally engaging fare. But ask many an InRO writer and they’ll point to the upcoming FIDMarseille (8–13 July) and Locarno (6–16 August) as the real indicators of brat summer’s commencement. For now, our racetracks are seeing action from a real mélange of vehicles: the tentpole F1, no Top Gun, is nonetheless making waves, and outside the express lane android M3GAN, bullfighting Serra, live-action dragon trainer, sex itself, and more are giving Pitt and Kosinski a run for their money. If the month is dry and arid, don’t be sorry, baby; there’ll be plenty more hot milk come July.