It’s the summer of cinema—you can’t tell us otherwise. With a glut of movies by high-profile auteurs such as Justine Triet, Ryusuke Hamaguchi, and Wim Wenders hitting the silver screens this month, catering to local cinephiles and casual moviegoers, one can’t help but muse that maybe, just maybe, there is still hope for our film industry. Here are the best movies to watch this July 2024.
Fly Me to the Moon
Premieres 11th July in Cinemas
The intensifying space race has left a nation divided. In an effort to repair its public image, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) taps marketing maven Kelly Jones to repackage the Apollo 11 moon landing into something the Americans can rally behind. But it isn’t long before she butt heads with launch director Cole Davis, kicking off their enemies-to-lovers subplot.
Watch the trailer here.
Gold
Premieres 11th July in Cinemas
Are you looking forward to the Olympics? Head to the theatres for Gold and get pumped for a summer of sports. The film follows Jack Tan’s badminton player Cheah Liek Hou who is resolute in overcoming his brachial plexus paralysis diagnosis and shifts his gaze to winning the Paralympic Games instead, working in tandem with the legendary Rashid Sidek, played by Farid Kamil.
Watch the trailer here.
Longlegs
Premieres 12th July in Cinemas
It’s hard to conceal an excitement for Longlegs with its “best serial killer film in recent times” critical consensus. Indie scream queen Maika Monroe of the It Follows and Watcher fame turns in a fearless performance as her special agent Lee Harker attempts to solve a spine-chilling case impeded by twists and turns—including her own connection to the murderer.
Watch the trailer here.
Snow in Midsummer
Premieres 18th July in Cinemas
Chong Keat Aun revisits one of the darkest days in the country’s history—the racial riots on 13th May 1969—in his latest directorial outing Snow in Midsummer. Here, protagonist Eng and her mother find themselves seeking refuge with a Chinese opera troupe as the Prime Minister declares a national state of emergency, causing her to lose contact with her father and brother.
Watch the trailer here.
Twisters
Premieres 18th July in Cinemas
Lee Isaac Chung has been cooking up a storm since his last feature—the Oscar-nominated Minari. His reimagination of the 1996 film Twister stars Daisy Edgar-Jones and Glen Powell as atmospheric scientist Kate Carter and social media star cum storm chaser Tyler Owens, respectively, who are forced to join forces when they witness multiple storm systems converging over central Oklahoma.
Watch the trailer here.
Anatomy of a Fall
Premieres 21st July in Cinemas
Speaking of the Oscars, the film that took home the Original Screenplay gong early this year, Anatomy of a Fall, is finally hitting our theatres this month in conjunction with the Malaysia International Film Festival (MIFFest). The psychological drama delves into the complicated marriage of Sandra and Samuel as the former is entangled in a legal battle when the latter is found dead.
Watch the trailer here.
Evil Does Not Exist
Premieres 21st July in Cinemas
Another must-watch MIFFest title is Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s Evil Does Not Exist. Set in the quaint Mizubiki Village, just on the outskirts of Tokyo, the slow-burn drama documents the looming aftermath of thoughtless modernisation as a city conglomerate plans to build a glamping site in the area. Handyman and single parent Takumi would be the first to witness the corporate hypocrisy.
Watch the trailer here.
Perfect Days
Premieres 21st July in Cinemas
While we’re on the subject of Japanese cinema at MIFFest, do not miss the joyous piece of filmmaking that is Perfect Days. The film chronicles the simple and structured life of Hirayama—a toilet cleaner with interests in music, books, and photography—intimately trailing him around Tokyo as he goes about his day. Perfect Days features an internal, Cannes-winning performance by Kōji Yakusho.
Watch the trailer here.
I Saw the TV Glow
Premieres 21st July in Cinemas
Elevated horror fans would be pleased to hear that Jane Schoenbrun’s I Saw the TV Glow has also joined the MIFFest roster. This coming-of-age, trans allegory is told from the eyes of Owen as he lives his life in the suburbs with daily dread. Things slowly turn for the better, and soon the worst, when his classmate Maddy introduces him to a late-night television show that traffics in the occult.
Watch the trailer here.
Deadpool & Wolverine
Premieres 25th July in Cinemas
The summer blockbuster season wouldn’t be complete without a superhero hovering over the box office. The foul-mouthed Wade Wilson aka Deadpool returns to the big screen to terrorise moviegoers with more sucker punches and profanities. Tasked by the Time Variance Authority to help safeguard the multiverse, he drags James “Logan” Howlett aka the Wolverine into the mess.
Watch the trailer here.