Why yes, you do have some movie-watching to do these summer holidays… Dominic Corry perused Neon’s extensive movie catalogue for some of their best films—and discovers titles for all tastes.
Fast X
Watch on NeonWhen there’s nowhere else left to go, including space, there’s only one option for a giant franchise like this: get Jason Momoa in there. The honorary New Zealander’s villain performance in Fast X must be seen to be believed, and it adds a unique, disturbed, cackling quality to this gargantuan action movie. The plot sees Vin Diesel’s Dom Torretto once again forced into all manner of vehicular mayhem, and once again former enemies become allies, which this franchise loves to do. Although it’s difficult to picture them ever doing that with Momoa’s Dante, considering what he gets up to here. There’s also a giant pile-up of insane car action and multiple Marvel-style credits cameos, helping to set up what is purported to be the final film in the series.
Joy Ride
Watch on NeonAn increasingly rare example of a big studio comedy, this uproarious girls trip movie is committed to breaking down Asian stereotypes at every turn. Rising star Ashley Park (Emily in Paris) stars as Audrey, who, having been raised by her adoptive American parents, decides to use a work trip to China to seek out her roots. Accompanied by her best friend Lolo (Sherry Cola), and connecting with a successful actress pal Kat (Stephanie Hsu, an Oscar nominee for Everything Everywhere All At Once) and Lolo’s cousin Deadeye (Sabrina Wu, who steals the movie), the four end up on a haphazard adventure across Asia. Gleefully sex-positive and unafraid to “go there” on several occasions, Joy Ride is a welcome contemporary take on frivolous ’80s comedies about young people getting mental.
Hypnotic
Watch on NeonSomewhat overlooked during a brief theatrical run, this big-budget reality-warper from legendary director Robert Rodriguez (Machete, Alita: Battle Angel) has several nifty cinematic ideas up its sleeve. Ben Affleck plays a man tormented by the abduction of his daughter who starts receiving mysterious clues about her whereabouts. William Fichtner, one of the all-time-great character actors in everything from Armageddon to Crash, gets a rare chance to sink his teeth into a great villain role, and there are fun supporting turns from Rodriguez favourites Jeff Fahey and Jackie Earle Haley.
Book Club: The Next Chapter
Watch on NeonAfter having their joie de vivre rejuvenated by reading Fifty Shades of Grey in the 2018 sleeper hit Book Club, Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, and Mary Steenburgen return as… Diane, Vivian, Sharon and Caroline in this charming sequel that sees the four friends travelling to Europe for Vivian’s wedding to Arthur (Don Johnson). Will they lose their luggage? Will there be unexpected romance? Will the girls end up in a rural jail? This is the kind of movie that delivers exactly what it promises, and serves as an effective showcase for the charismatic leads.
Nude Tuesday
Watch on NeonKiwi comedy firecracker Jackie Van Beek (Wellington Paranormal, The Breaker Upperers) and director Armagan Ballantyne (The Strength of Water) came up with this one-of-a-kind movie in which Van Beek and Aussie actor Damon Herriman (Once Upon a Time In Hollywood) star as a married couple who attend a spiritual retreat to try and rejuvenate their marriage. Kiwi comedy legend Jemaine Clement plays the sexed-up guru. However, the entire film is spoken in a made-up, gibberish language with subtitles in English. It’s an incredibly bold gambit which somehow works, resulting in a modern Kiwi comedy classic with no shortage of weird sounds.
The Pope’s Exorcist
Watch on NeonSettling in nicely to the exploitation phase of his career, Russell Crowe plays Father Gabriel Amorth, the titular demon extractor, who was apparently a real person. The plot sees Amorth encountering a case of child possession which leads him to a conspiracy kept hidden by the Vatican. Described by Crowe himself to Flicks as “a weird one”, this horror was better received than the recent Exorcist sequel. Plus any film in which Franco Nero plays the Pope has to be doing something right.
65
Watch on NeonCriminally underappreciated in theatres, this high-concept sci-fi action thriller sees Adam Driver’s space traveller crash land on Earth 65 million years ago. In addition to having to contend with then-still-living dinosaurs, he discovers a stowaway played by Ariana Greenblatt (Barbie). Written and directed by Scott Beck & Bryan Woods, the team that wrote A Quiet Place, 65 possesses a similarly pulpy drive, and the dinosaur action outdoes anything seen in the most recent Jurassic World sequel. Driver ably carries the movie, and makes for a great action leading man.
Dungeons & Dragons: Honour Among Thieves
Watch on NeonJust when it seemed like Hollywood had forgotten how to make big, fun blockbusters, along came this unexpected delight to remind us that you can still have a good time with a movie that cost over $100 million. After decades of crummy attempts at adapting the popular role-playing fantasy game into a movie, the property finally got the respect it deserves with this playful and surprising adventure. Funnier than it has any right to be, this will delight both D&D fans and those less acquainted with the fantasy genre.
Scream VI
Watch on NeonYou’ve got to hand it to filmmaking collective Radio Silence (three guys who previously made 2019’s Ready or Not), in 2022 they resuscitated the long-dormant Scream franchise with (the confusingly titled) Scream, then proceeded to up the ante with this even-more-impressive New York-set follow-up that centred around the same group of characters, led by Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega as sisters Sam and Tara. With plans for Scream VII a bit up in the air now that Barrera and Ortega are no longer involved, Scream VI might be the last chance you have to spend time with these characters.
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Watch on NeonSome movies simply never get old. This 1971 classic remains as charming—and charmingly off-kilter—as ever, more than fifty years after it was made. And with the Timothée Chalamet-starring prequel Wonka now in theatres, there’s never been a better time to revisit Gene Wilder’s performance as the enigmatic candy magnate. Films about children in mortal peril shouldn’t be this much fun.
