Every month, Fresh Fiction's editors pick the movies and TV show they're excited to
watch, and then check out Fresh Fiction Editors' Top Picks for June to see what books have
our
editors' attention!
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).
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.
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.