The heat is on!! 🥵 It seems like all over the globe, we’re facing some crazy high temperatures due to a massive heat dome covering a big chunk of the central and eastern US. And it’s happening right before America’s 250th celebrations this weekend! I’ll be hanging out at my friend’s place for a summer get-together. I’ll probably avoid most outdoor stuff since I really struggle with heat and humidity.
JUNE VIEWINGS ON LETTERBOXD
I actually saw fewer movies in June than May, mainly because we’ve been doing some home improvements in our living room. The worst one I saw has got to be JLo’s latest rom-com with Brett Goldstein, with a boring title: Office Romance. Here’s my brief, 1.5-star review on Letterboxd:
Office Romance: This predictable drivel is only watchable for the first 15 minutes, but it gets stupider and more off-putting every minute. I’m a completist, so I didn’t turn it off, but it took me 3 days to actually finish this movie, ugh! Roy Kent should just stick with Ted Lasso!
(What I watched in June in the order of viewing)
FULL REVIEWS
TV REVIEW
Widow’s Bay (AppleTV)
UPCOMING REVIEWS
The Invite, The Odyssey, Reading Lolita in Tehran, Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass
TV WATCHES
How To Get To Heaven From Belfast (Netflix)
Three lifelong friends reunite after the death of an old classmate turns a wake into a dark mystery. They embark on a thrilling adventure across Ireland, piecing together enigmatic truths amid complicated lives.
I really missed the amazing Widow’s Bay series, so I decided to find something with a similar feel. How to Get to Heaven from Belfast is a funny murder mystery set in Ireland, packed with quirky characters and crazy situations. Whenever I come across a movie or series based in Belfast, the first thing that pops into my mind is the Troubles, that 30-year conflict between Protestants and Catholics. So, it’s nice to see a Belfast-based series that steers clear of those dark times and focuses on female characters.
Created by Lisa McGee (Derry Girls), this show follows three lifelong friends in their middle age who go on a wild, cross-country adventure after receiving a mysterious email about the death of their estranged childhood friend, Greta (Natasha O’Keeffe). We have Saoirse (a brilliant but always stressed TV writer), Robyn (a bossy mom of three), and Dara (a compassionate but fatigued caregiver), portrayed by Roísín Gallagher, Sinéad Keenan, and Caoilfhionn Dunne, respectively. There’s also an Irish Garda (police) named Liam (Darragh Hand) who gets inadvertently dragged into their shenanigans. I’m not really familiar with any of these actresses, but they’re pretty fun to watch.
I have to admit, the quirkiness and chaotic vibe can get so intense that it almost makes you roll your eyes. I’m always fond of the Irish accent, so that alone is part of the show’s charm. I do have to turn on captions, though, as it can be tricky to understand them at times. Most murder mystery tropes depend on a twist, but I have to say that by the time I hit the halfway mark in the 8 episodes, I had already figured out what was going on with Greta and whether she was actually dead.
I’ve got two episodes left, and even with some pretty wild and uneven pacing, I’m happy I decided to keep watching. Not sure I’ll be up for future seasons though. Widow’s Bay season 2 can’t come soon enough!!
52 Films By Women – 2026 Challenge
I am once again participating in this challenge. Per Women In Film (WIF) organization, the basic rules are simple: watch 52 films directed by women within one year and share what you watched on social media, using the hashtag #52FilmsByWomen to spread the word and get more people talking about the women filmmakers that don’t always get attention.
Just like last month, I also saw 4 new movies #directedbywomen this month. So that brings the tally so far to 32 out of 52, so only 20 more to go until I hit my goal!!
Anyhoo, I ranked the movies on Letterboxd; you can follow my #52FilmsByWomen list as I will be updating it regularly. I have no doubt I’ll be able to at least meet the 2025 tally of 62.
JUNE MOVIE OF THE MONTH
I was curious to check out The Invite as it was one of the most buzzworthy movies at Sundance. I included it in this 10 Highly Anticipated Female-Directed Movies of 2026 list, and I’m glad to say it’s worth the hype! I just saw it last night on the big screen, and it was fun to watch with a crowd, as this dialogue-heavy movie is filled with some hilarious lines and situations. Stay tuned for my review sometime next week!
FLIXCHATTER FILM BLOG 
I have heard good things about The Invite as I heard it is a mass improvement for Olivia Wilde after the chaos of Don’t Worry Darling. I only saw a short, a doc, and one of the WORST FILMS EVER…. I’ve been devoting my time to the World Cup. I hope the U.S. wins tonight though Bosnia & Herzegovina are really good.
Don’t Worry Darling had some neat moments, like the Dita Von Teese burlesque cameo… That second goal was a gem.
I gotta write a summary of the last 2 days including that goal. I need to make a list of the best goals this year. That goal was *chef’s kiss*
Hey EF, I somehow forgot about Von Teese’s burlesque cameo in that. I like Pugh who’s always so watchable, but overall it’s not a good movie.
Yep, she redeemed herself as a director with The Invite after the overhyped Don’t Worry Darling. Her performance is really good as well here, but Penelope Cruz is the clear MVP. I haven’t watched a single match, but it’s fun seeing all the videos on social media about how shocked European/Asian tourists are when they see US food portions, mwahaha! They also say nice things about how friendly Americans are, not as bad as how we’ve been reported in the media.
I have been reading reports on the foreigners view of American venues and such and they said that Mercedes-Benz stadium in my home city is the best so far. Especially for the food prices as I have to shout out to our owner of the Atlanta Falcons/Atlanta United FC who pushes for food and drinks to be affordable. Plus, I just read an English visitor went to a Chik-Fil-A and liked the food but was more into the free sauces.
Those are things about the World Cup that I love but I’m still very pissed off over what happened at the Portugal/Croatia game as Croatia got fucked over. FUCK FIFA and Fuck Crybaby Penaldo.
I only saw one new movie in theater last month, Disclosure Day. But I did see two new movies to me at home, both starring Rachel McAdams. Game Night and Send Help and I enjoyed both very much. Then I watched some older movies I got on 4K. Thunderbolt and Lightfoot starring young Clint Eastwood and Jeff Bridges. It was a heist film that came out in the early 70s and it was one of the few box office misfire for Eastwood at the time. Then I watched another 70s film called Bullet Train, a film that inspired Speed. It’s one of those Japanese 70s thrillers that were shown worldwide back in those days.
I also watched Bumblebee again, this time in 3D and it’s still a great Transformers film that should’ve been a huge hit. Lastly, I watched a film that was a huge hit but it was terrible, Jurassic World: Rebirth. It was as bad as Jurassic Park 3. I can’t believe so many people went to see that film, it was awful!
Hey Ted, I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind reviewing SEND HELP for me… it just looks too gory for me, which is not surprising as it’s a Sam Raimi movie.
Thunderbolt and Lightfoot sounds interesting; I always like a good heist flick! So is the Brad Pitt’s movie Bullet Train a remake of the 70s version?
Yep, JP: Rebirth is a clunker. I gave it a 1.5 and I’m generally quite generous in my rating!
You know, I was actually surprised at how tame the violence was in Send Help. Even though it’s classified as “horror”, the film was more of a dark comedy. The fight towards the end was a bit gruesome but otherwise, it wasn’t that violent. I think you can handle it if you want to watch it. But yeah, I’ll remember to write up a review of it over the weekend.
I haven’t seen Thunderbolt and Lightfoot in a very long time, I remember liking it but it has a dark ending that kind of came out of nowhere. I think that’s why it didn’t do well at the box office. Similar to how On Majesty’s Secret Service ended, it was kind of shocking. But that was the trend around that time. A lot of movies had this unexpected shocking ending. It’s still a good heist film, Eastwood wanted to do something different from his usual action and western films at the time. I think Jeff Bridges got nominated for an Oscar for this film.
Oh no, Pitt’s Bullet Train was based on a Manga graphic novel. This Bullet Train was the inspiration for the 1994 film Speed. It was about a bomber who planted a bomb on a bullet train and if the train slows down below a certain speed, it blows up. But that’s the only similarity between the two films. The Japanese film was told from the perspective of the bomber and there wasn’t a “hero” character like Keanu Reeves in Speed. It was kind of a long film but very good. The film dealt with classism in Japan, it wasn’t a non-stop action like Speed.
Oh right, Pitt’s Bullet Train was based on a graphic novel; I forgot about that. I think Japanese films are more nuanced and not hero-driven like most Hollywood blockbusters. I do enjoy Speed, which I haven’t seen in a while, but the Japanese version of Bullet Train sounds intriguing!
32/52 Movies by Women; you’re on track! Adding The Invite to my watch list. I saw and enjoyed Toy Story 5 last week. Pixar delivers again!
Yeah, I’m hoping I can beat last year’s tally of 62 films by women… we’ll see how many more female-directed movies are released later in the fall!
Glad you enjoyed Toy Story 5, it really is a fun movie! It was my fave movie of the month until I saw The Invite.
You’re almost exactly on pace for 62— should be a nail-biter!🫣😁
Ahah it just might be a nail-biter race to the finish, thanks for the encouragement, EF!
Wonderful posts as always. June was definitely a great month during which I saw several memorable movies. It’s hard for me to choose a favourite but based on pure enjoyment I loved “Disclosure Day” the most. I’ve always been a huge fan of Steven Spielberg and truly feel that this is one of his finest movies in years. I love the way it explores themes of aliens that Spielberg has been interested with throughout his career. Emily Blunt at her absolute best in an Oscar-worthy role. I’m surprised that the film has gotten divisive reactions so far. It’s one of my favourite films of the year so far. Now, I look forward to seeing what July has to offer in terms of movies. It’s been a great summer for movies for sure.
Here’s my thoughts on “Disclosure Day”:
Hey Hasan! Sounds like you love Disclosure Day more than I do, but we agree that Emily Blunt delivers one of her best performances. I think she’ll get an Oscar nom. I don’t know that the reaction is divisive necessarily; I think the general public expected something utterly brilliant and timeless from Spielberg, and I don’t think he delivered. I mean, he already set the bar high with his own sci-fi films. But yeah, July has some exciting films. Are you looking forward to Nolan’s The Odyssey?
Hi Ruth, thanks so much for the comment. I appreciate your feedback as always. Yes, it appears as though I enjoyed “Disclosure Day” more than most people. I guess I’m a sucker for a good sci-fi movie and biased because of my love for Spielberg.
In terms of July movies, I am looking forward most to seeing Nolan’s Odyssey. I have always been a huge fan of the filmmaker and am curious to see how he will follow up Oppenheimer which set the bar high. I also look forward to the new Spider-Man because of my love for the character. Plenty of great movies to see this summer.
Oh yeah, looking forward to the latest Spider-Man flick, too, despite feeling tired of Marvel superhero movies.
I’m a bit worried about the super long runtime of The Odyssey, but hopefully it’ll be so captivating that it won’t feel as long!
WHEW! What a recap!
Lol… Your addiction to Widow’s Bay is a wonderful thing. I’m sure they will get nominations. Only a few more days.. then a week for the costume noms.
I admire your dedication to 52 Films by Women. Right On, Ruth!
I’m liking the costumes in Spider Noir a lot. All the production values are top notch. The series… I’ll wait until I finish watching it all. I have to watch it on my own, as hubs thinks Cage’s acting is terrible.
Super looking forward to your review of The Invite!
🌟❦🌹 ~ 𝕽𝖀𝕵𝕳 ~ 🌹❦🌟
Ahah yeah, I’ve never been so obsessed with a TV show before! I liked Pluribus, but I wasn’t addicted to it like Widow’s Bay. I really wish I discovered it after it had like 3-4 season runs already!
I just added one more film to my 52 Films by Women challenge yesterday, so 19 more to go! I have about 5 female-directed movies to watch in July, woot!!
Yes, the costumes for Spider Noir is great, we probably should focus on that on our collab post. Mwahaha, I think Cage’s acting in that show is amusing, but I can see how someone would think of it as terrible. Have you seen Face/Off? His acting reminds me of his role of Castor Troy in that movie sometimes.
I’ll be writing my review of The Invite tomorrow. Just finished one that really took a lot out of me, and you’ll see why as the post goes up shortly.
˚˖𓍢°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･꧁ᬊᬁ𝕽𝓮𝓢𝒶ᬊ᭄꧂°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
OMG… the emoji line-up is stunning!
Yes, I did see “Face Off”. I liked it…. about. the same as “Con Air”
Now I’ll steal!
˚˖𓍢°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･꧁ᬊᬁ❦❦❦❦❦❦ᬊ᭄꧂°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
Ah yeah, I like Con Air too! Cage is fun to watch when he’s really unhinged. I have a soft spot for Face/Off as the pairing of Cage with John Travolta is a hoot; the movie is so preposterous but in a good way!
Glad you like the emojis. I had to search for something unique just for you, darling!
࿔*:･꧁ᬊᬁ⊹₊˚‧︵‿₊୨ᰔ୧₊‿︵‧˚₊⊹ᬊ᭄꧂°❀⋆.
Lol… it is such a strange movie, but I like it.
Hmmm….Okay!
~~ ꧁ 𝕽 ꧂ ✿ ❦ ✾𝝃✾ ❦ ✿ ꧁ 𝕽 ꧂ ~~