Favorite First-Time Watches of June 2025
My June movie watching was more prosperous than I could’ve expected. Seven films I saw that I think are worth recommending!
Dead Mail (2025) – Kyle McConaghy & Joe DeBoer
Shudder is the one streamer every horror fan should be subscribed to. Giving young and elder filmmakers equal chances and free reign to create their vision. You don’t always get a winner, but they’re always at least interesting.
An ominous help note with blood on it finds its way to a 1980s post office. It leads a dead letter investigator to a kidnapped keyboard technician.
Low budget and filmed to look like it was made in the 80s. It feels, at times, scarily real, especially with the help of two great performances from John Fleck and Tomas Boykin.
Candy Land (2022) – John Swab
Now comes a movie that I couldn’t recommend to everyone. But if you’re a true sicko horror fan this one is for you!
Seemingly naïve, Remy leaves her religious cult to find a new life. She gets in with a group of truck stop prostitutes. However, the Johns and the prostitutes begin to end up dead, violently dead.
It’s a self-aware, violent, gory time. Not for the regular Joes, but the horror hounds will love it!
Dragged Across Concrete (2018) – S. Craig Zahler
Some say S. Craig Zahler’s films are Right-Wing propaganda. Looking at “well-to-do” white men falling into a life of crime, looking for a better life.
I think this is a reductive look, as this film and Brawl in Cell Block 99 are both films that follow men already either in the criminal underworld or not far from it.
We get that we’re not supposed to completely like/trust Brett (Mel Gibson) and Anthony (Vince Vaughn). The casting of Mel Gibson (In his best role in years) is a testament to this. They have a history of police brutality, leaving them unable to advance in the department.
Brett and Anthony decide to rip off a thief post-heist after they’ve been suspended once again. I went into this film expecting a loud a brash shoot-em up.
Instead, it’s a quiet character study about the lengths we go to help our loved ones. With some signature Zahler brutality.
It’s long but is well paced. Just be open-minded if you decide to watch this one.
Red Hook Summer (2012) – Spike Lee
Finally getting through the rest of Spike’s filmography. It’s a rollercoaster ride with high highs and low lows, and a lot of interesting films that don’t totally work. His post-2000s work is rocky at best, on the rise since 2018.
So, going into this one, I had pretty low expectations. It doesn’t completely work and is maybe a little long, but its unexpected turns and amazing central performance by Clarke Peters give you enough to chew on for hours after the credits roll.
Flik is sent from Atlanta to the housing projects of Brooklyn to live with his uncle Reverend Enoch (Da Good Bishop Enoch Rouse). Old pasts are revealed as Flik and his uncle get to know each other.
Ocean’s Thirteen (2007) – Steven Soderbergh
Most people were disappointed with Steven’s follow-up to Ocean’s Eleven. Sodie likes to try things, sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t. I think Ocean’s Twelve lands somewhere in the middle.
I think 12 is probably a more interesting movie, but 13 is a blast. It’s like Steve is a chef, and everyone loved his first dish. Then for his second, he tried a variation, and the restraint rioted. Then he brought out the burger everyone fell in love with.
It’s everything I wanted from an Ocean’s sequel. I even want to stay at Pacino’s hotel, even if it is gaudy.
High and Low (1963) – Akira Kurosawa
I finally watched this because Spike Lee has a remake coming next month, also why I am trying to finish Spike’s filmography.
I cannot believe I waited so long to watch this film, because now having seen it, it has made my 100 Greatest Films I have Seen list I keep in a personal spreadsheet.
Toshiro Mifune stars as a powerful executive whose driver’s son is kidnapped amidst the hostile takeover of his shoe company. I was expecting a long ransom standoff, but that’s only the first half of this film.
I’m excited for Spike’s Highest to Lowest. I’ve heard it’s a more fun version of Kurosawa’s classic.
Speed Racer (2008) – Lana Wachowski and Lilly Wachowski
Based on the 60s Japanese Anime, Lana and Lilly took an incredibly ambitious swing. Like Marty McFly shredding on the guitar, they were not ready for this yet, but their kids loved it. Speed Racer is going through a reappraisal for good reason.
This movie looks incredible today. Which is amazing considering how nice our TVs are now, it makes many films of the past look worse. But the large budget was worth it, even if this did flop. It’s like watching live-action anime. It’s a little too long, but still worth your time.
