Fresh Fiction TV | Editors' Top Pick for June

UnREAL

BALLERS

Step away from books and movies for a one second, won't you? Because I've got a couple of TV show picks that will make your balmy June perfect. Especially if you like to keep your skin a lustrous shade of "untouched by the sun."

UnREAL starring Shiri Appleby is delightful for any fans of reality shows like THE BACHELOR or those of us who just love watching fictionalized versions of people being crazy. The debut Lifetime series follows the ins and outs of a reality competition show called "Everlasting" and the producers who pull the strings behind the scenes. It is addictive, dark and smart -- something we are coming to love from Lifetime as they evolve their offerings from murder of the week movies to rich, complex series like THE LIZZIE BORDEN CHRONICLES and DEVIOUS MAIDS . Just remember, you aren't here to make friends, you're here to win.

Premiered Monday, June 1st. Runs for 10 episodes. My second pick for must-watch June TV is HBO's BALLERS . The Rock stars as Spencer Strassmore, a retired professional football player who is trying to navigate his life off the field. I am obsessed with any and all shows about what goes into making a star in the entertainment industry, and this is a perfect addition to a genre I love. The premiere episode is even directed by Peter Berg, who brought us FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS (which we can all agree is a dramatic masterpiece).

Premieres Sunday, June 21. Runs for 10 episodes.

THE OVERNIGHT

CREEP

June is when summer starts to really pick up, especially with the release of JURASSIC WORLD and Pixar's next great feat INSIDE OUT. And while I'm excited about seeing those flicks, summer is also a great time for films on the indie belt. This month, we have two different but riveting films, oddly from the same filmmaker (Patrick Brice), that you should seek out: THE OVERNIGHT (6/19) and CREEP (6/23).

THE OVERNIGHT centers on two couples (Adam Scott and Taylor Schilling, and Jason Schwartzman and Judith Godrèche) hanging out for a night filled with craziness and laughter. But more than that, this film is about seeing how far one will go when things get a little uncomfortable. We've all been in strange situations, but how you handle it is the interesting thing. That's what THE OVERNIGHT hones in on, and quite effectively-- nearly to the point where the characters' actions stay with you, leaving you to question what you would do in their shoes. Being different can pay off and it does so big time with THE OVERNIGHT.

Like THE OVERNIGHT, CREEP takes people from different walks of life and throws them on the same trail. This time, we have a videographer (played by Brice himself) who takes a job filming the activities of this mysterious man (a creepily good Mark Duplass). It's a mixture of genres, primarily horror and comedy, but damn is there anything like it? No. It'll fry your nerves and have you laughing uncontrollably.

Both films are a perfect storm of weird and awesome, and completely worthy of your attention this month at the cinema.

DOPE

INSIDE OUT

Premiering to critical and audience acclaim at this years’ Sundance Film Festival, DOPE is the coming of age tale of three “geeky” friends trying to survive in a tough Los Angeles neighborhood. Director Rick Famuyiwa previously directed the underrated film of this ilk called THE WOOD back in 1999. DOPE has little star power, but the actors Tony Revolori (THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL), Zoe Kravitz (MAD MAD: FURY ROAD) and Keith Stanfield (SELMA) have a winning track record thus far. Word on the street states that DOPE is a funny, intelligent and surprisingly thought provoking.

DOPE opens June 19.

Pixar has been on a bit of a downturn the past few releases (BRAVE, MONSTER’S U), but have no fear the animation giant is back with a new original story INSIDE OUT. Early buzz for the film states that this is Pixar’s deepest and most lovable film to date. INSIDE OUT chronicles the emotions of a young girl (Kaitlyn Dias) who moves to a new house and experience five chaotic emotions that compete for control of her mind. This film has the comedic talents of Amy Pohler, Mindy Kaling and Bill Hadar, but sometimes all you need is a little heart and soul.

INSIDE OUT opens June 19.