Words: Zoe Dickens
Like most of us, Netflix’s programming schedule was arranged with the notion that, come June, we’d be spending the majority of our time outside enjoying the weather. Of course, the global coronavirus pandemic means we are, instead, stuck inside searching endlessly for something new and diverting to keep us occupied for a few hours. Which is really a polite way of saying the streaming service’s content is a little, well, lighter than usual this month.
That’s not to say there isn’t plenty worth tuning into though. If you’re a reality TV fan you’re in for a treat – we’re talking multiple seasons of Real Housewives, Keeping Up With The Kardashians and Below Deck joining Netflix in June. However, if, like us, you’re of the opinion real life is offering up about as much reality as you can handle right now, we’ve rounded up some escapist gems to whisk you away. Here’s what to watch on Netflix in June 2020…
No Country For Old Men, 1 June
The Coen Brothers’ Western crime epic might not seem on the surface like the perfect summer film but, trust us, if you’re looking to shut out the rest of the world for a few hours, there are few movies that will have you so instantly engrossed as this cat-and-mouse thriller. Starring Javier Bardem, Tommy Lee Jones and Josh Brolin, it tells the story of an escaped hitman on the tail of a Vietnam vet who happens across $2.4 million in drug money and cleaned up during the 2007 award season, taking home no fewer than 76 gongs.
Wimbledon, 1 June
Don’t get too excited – Netflix hasn’t somehow found a way to resurrect the world’s most famous tennis tournament. But it is offering up perhaps the next best thing in the 2004 tennis-based rom com starring Kirsten Dunst and Paul Bettany. Okay it might not be as nail biting as watching Andy Murray come back from two sets down in a mammoth final match but it should help fill some of the sport-shaped hole in your life for a couple of hours.
Queer Eye Season 5, 5 June
Okay, we know we said we weren’t watching reality TV right now – but we’ll make an exception for Queer Eye. As you’ll know if you’ve seen so much as a single episode of this hugely popular makeover show, it is the life-affirming hug we could all do with at the moment. After their brief jaunt to Japan, the Fab Five are back in the States and helping the stylistically challenged residents of Philadelphia to turn their wardrobes, homes and lives around.
Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, 5 June
As of early June there is still no indication that cinemas will be re-opening any time soon, which means we’re facing a long summer without its usual roster of blockbuster silliness to sink our teeth into. Luckily, over on Disney+ you’ll find more Marvel superhero films than you know what to do with, while Netflix is bringing us the second instalment in the Jurassic World franchise this month. Chris Pratt, Bryca Dallas Howard and Jeff Goldblum all reprise their roles in this Jurassic Park reboot set three years after Isla Nublar, aka Jurassic World, has been abandoned. A team of mercenaries is sent to collect DNA from the remaining dinosaurs and, you guessed it, the dinosaur’s do not remain on the island…
Da 5 Bloods, 12 June
Directed by Oscar-winner Spike Lee and starring Chadwick Boseman, this war drama tells the story of four African-American Vietnam veterans who return to the county five decades later in search of the remains of their fallen squad leader – and, just maybe, some buried treasure. Flitting seamlessly between humour, emotion and horror, this band of brothers tale explores themes of race, tested patriotism and a history of black bravery that has gone uncelebrated in American history.
Hereditary, 15 June
Alongside Jordan Peele, writer and director Ari Aster has helped usher in a new wave of prestige horror films – and 2018’s Hereditary is among his finest. This critically acclaimed movie follows the Graham family – with Toni Collette offering a star turn as mother Annie Graham – after the death of its secretive matriarch Ellen. When Ellen’s grave is desecrated, things take a dark turn and the family is plagued by a series of disturbing supernatural events leading to a climax that will stay with you for days. Not for the faint-hearted.
Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, 26 June
The film you all thought was a joke when it was first announced is finally here. Eurovision stars Will Ferrell (who also co-wrote and produced) and Rachel McAdams as Fira Saga – an Icelandic singing duo on their way to fulfilling their dream of representing their country at the Eurovision Song Contest. Also featuring Pierce Brosnan, Demi Lovato and Dan Stevens, yes this is a parody which pokes fun at the inherent craziness of the Eurovision Song Contest – but it’s lovingly done.
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