5 must-watch new movies for June: Video

Published Jun 1 2011, 09:00 BST  |  By Simon Reynolds

Two big superhero movies, an explosive robot sequel, a comedy dubbed "better than The Hangover" and a time capsule documentary are our five must-watch movies for June. Take a glance at our preview of the big films hitting cinemas this month and don't forget to leave your comments below if you disagree and think we've missed something out!

X-Men: First Class
Release Date: June 1 in the UK, June 3 in the US.
Why you should see it: X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men Origins: Wolverine didn't quite match Bryan Singer's first two X flicks, but with Singer overseeing director Matthew Vaughn's prequel the franchise is looking to get back on its feet again. We've seen First Class, which is out in the UK today, and let's just say it's a pretty spectacular blockbuster - superheroes colliding with the Cuban Missile Crisis alongside a strong '60s James Bond vibe.



Green Lantern
Release Date: June 17 in the UK and US.
Why you should see it: Christopher Nolan's Batman films aside, the recent comic book movie revival has been spearheaded by Marvel. Green Lantern, an epic space saga starring Ryan Reynolds in the title role, lies just outside the DC Comics top tier so it's a big test to see if audiences are willing to accept a lesser-known superhero. If it's a box office hit, characters such as Flash and Wonder Woman may get fast-tracked to the big screen. The early footage from Green Lantern had some ropey CGI, but we're much more encouraged by the new trailer below:



Life in a Day
Release Date: June 17 in the UK and US.
Why you should see it: This documentary, backed by Ridley Scott and Kevin Macdonald, called for YouTube users to film themselves on July 24, 2010 and submit the results for inclusion in this time capsule-style project. The filmmakers trawled through 4,500 hours (across 80,000 submissions) to form a loose chronological narrative for the day, with the eclectic lineup including one young man sharing a lunch with his father after securing a job and another showing a gay man coming out to his grandmother. Get a preview of Life in a Day with the trailer below:



Bridesmaids
Release Date: June 24 in the UK, opened in the US on May 13.
Why you should see it: Dubbed "better than The Hangover" by one critic, this comedy sees Saturday Night Live's Kristen Wiig play a maid of honour tasked with organising her best pal Lillian's (Maya Rudolph) wedding. Paul Feig and Judd Apatow direct and produce the film respectively, and Wiig herself co-wrote the script with Annie Mumolo. There's a cracking supporting cast too: Rose Byrne, Melissa McCarthy, Ellie Kemper, Matt Lucas and Chris O'Dowd aren't too shabby, are they?



Transformers: Dark of the Moon
Release Date: June 29 in the UK, July 1 in the US.
Why you should see it: It can't really get much worse than Revenge of the Fallen, can it? Even Michael Bay has admitted that he dropped the ball on 2009's sequel, but without a writers' strike to worry about and the introduction of 3D (James Cameron says TF3 is "aggressive" with the format) there's cause for optimism this time out. Brit model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley steps in for Megan Fox as Shia LaBeouf's love interest, while John Malkovich and Frances McDormand are sure to bring a dash of class to the robot carnage.



What movies are you looking forward to in June? Leave your comments below!