The Top 10 Films To See In July

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by Oliver Lyttelton
July 2, 2012 10:59 AM
4 Comments

There are people, we're told, who just rock up to the theater on Friday night and see whatever is coming on next. We have never been those people. We scan the release calendar weeks, even months in advance, in order to check out what's coming to theaters, so we know what we're queueing up for, and when we'll be seeing it.

But it can be a little overwhelming, when every week sees a half-dozen movies or more released, whether wide or more limited. So to help you along your way, we've picked ten films that are unspooling in the next 30 days or so. So with no further ado...

1. "The Dark Knight Rises"
Look, you've probably got your IMAX midnight tickets booked, so this is almost unnecessary to say. But it's certainly the most anticipated film of the month for 90% of the population, and there's no way this wasn't going to be atop this list. After all, while he's had dodgy patches (most notably the third act of "Batman Begins"), Christopher Nolan rarely puts a foot wrong, and trailers so far have been highly promising, suggesting an epic and expansive conclusion to his superhero trilogy. We do have our reservations in advance: will the film suffer from too many characters? Will Bane feel like a disappointment as a villain after the Joker in "The Dark Knight?" Will that two-hour-forty-five running time be indulgent? It remains to be seen. But In Nolan We Trust.
When? July 20th

2. "Alps"
Yorgos Lanthimos' "Dogtooth" was something of a slow-burn; it took over a year from its Cannes premiere to reach U.S. audiences, and even then wasn't exactly a wide release. But it gained the Greek director plenty of fans, made many year-end top 10 lists, and was even an unlikely nominee for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy Awards. His follow-up has had a similarly lengthy path to the U.S, but ten months after its Venice premiere, it will land, and it rocks. About four strangers who operate a service where they stand in for the deceased for those grieving them, it's stranger, richer and more original than even "Dogtooth," and it's beautifully framed construction confirms the director as one of the most exciting talents in world cinema. In a summer that's been a little thin on decent foreign-language fare, this is one of the real treats. Read our original review from Venice here.
When? July 13th

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More: Top 10 Films Of The Month, The Dark Knight Rises, Alps, Ruby Sparks, The Imposter, Searching For Sugar Man, Shut Up And Play The Hits, The Watch, Savages, Easy Money, Killer Joe

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4 Comments

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DG | July 2, 2012 3:05 PMReply

Yay for TDKR, Killer Joe and Alps. I'm on the fence about Ruby Sparks though. Anyone else think Little Miss Sunshine was kinda over rated? I thought it was ok but felt like too much of a conflation of a bunch of other indie movies (the climax sort of felt too similar to the 'SParkle Motion' scene in Donnie Darko for example). The trailer for Ruby looks good tho.

AS | July 2, 2012 11:38 AMReply

Savages
The Dark Knight Rises
Killer Joe

Even if only one of those films blows me away, it'll be a pretty good month. Here's hoping Stone brings the brutal, violent goods this time!

Chris | July 2, 2012 11:31 AMReply

"Never quite came together" is surely one of the nicest things anyone has ever said about Stone's "Alexander."

MARK | July 2, 2012 11:21 AMReply

Only 2 movies on this list have my interest. Well, 1 1/2 really. Dark Knight Rises is an absolute, must-see for me. The Watch looks like it could go either way.