BLOCKBUSTERS & MORE
By Lori Vernon
by a mysterious cosmic force that not only
makes her infinitely more powerful but far
more unstable. As she struggles with this
entity inside her, she begins to unleash her
powers in ways she can neither compre-
hend nor contain. Spiraling out of control,
she begins to unravel the very fabric that
holds the X-Men together. The family must
find a way to save Jean's soul - and our
planet - from the aliens who want to
weaponize this force and rule the galaxy.
Late Night
Directed by Nisha Ganatra
Rated: R • June 7
Described by someone, somewhere as
The Devil Wears Prada meets Broadcast
News, this comedy stars Emma Thompson
as a venerated late-night talk show host
who's at risk of losing her cushy TV gig.
She adds a sole female writer to her staff
(Mindy Kaling, who wrote the screenplay)
in an attempt to make the show a hit once
again.
Anna
Directed by Luc Besson
Rated: R • June 21
Men In Black: International
A
ction is the keyword this month,
as it traditionally is every summer,
and we have some strong and
powerful women tearing up the screen.
From Sophie Turner in Dark Phoenix as a
young Jean Grey; Tilda Swinton wielding
a mean sword in zombie comedy The Dead
Don’t Die, to Tessa Thompson putting on
the last suit she’ll ever wear in Men In
Black: International, to newcomer Sasha
Luss as Anna, a deadly secret-agent assas-
14 illinoisentertainer.com june 2019
sin, the ladies are kicking ass and taking
names.
X Men : Dark Phoenix
Directed by Simon Kinberg
Rated: PG-13 • June 7
In the new film, the X-Men face their
most formidable and powerful foe: one of
their own, Jean Grey (Game of Thrones’
Sophie Turner). During a rescue mission in
space, Jean is nearly killed when she's hit
Touting itself as the “Greatest Zombie
Cast Ever Disassembled” this horror com-
edy/social commentary debuted at
Cannes last month. Frequent Jarmusch col-
laborators Bill Murray, Adam Driver,
Chloë Sevigny, Tilda Swinton, Iggy Pop,
Steve Buscemi, and Tom Waits star in a
raucous, rueful and satirical glimpse at
American habits and desires at the end of
the world — a comically terrifying state of
the nation addressed in a true cinematic
original.
Men In Black: International
Directed by Gary Gray
Rated: PG-13 • June 14
There’s no Will Smith or Tommy Lee
Jones, but the fourth MIB movie does fea-
ture Thor: Ragnarok co-stars Tessa
Thompson and Chris Hemsworth taking
over the reins of MIB. The story is more of
an ensemble piece with a more global
scope than the original. The "Men" in Black
have always protected the Earth from the
alien scum of the universe, and in this new
adventure, they tackle their biggest, most
global threat to date: a mole in the Men in
Black organization. Liam Neeson, Rebecca
Ferguson, and Kumail Nanjiani also star.
Shaft
Directed by Tim Story
Rated: R • June 14
The latest chapter in the franchise
focuses on John Shaft Jr., a.k.a. J.J. (Jessie T.
Usher), a cybersecurity expert with a
degree from MIT, and son of John Shaft
(Samuel L. Jackson). When his best friend
dies, J.J. seeks the kind of help only his dad
can provide. Shaft agrees to help him nav-
igate Harlem’s heroin-infested underbelly.
But Shaft also has his own agenda - and a
score to settle that’s professional and per-
sonal. Regina Hall and Richard Roundtree
(the original Shaft) also appear.
Anna
Directed by Luc Besson
Rated: R • June 21
Beneath Anna Poliatova’s (Sasha Luss)
striking beauty lies a secret that will
unleash her indelible strength and skill to
become one of the world’s most feared
government assassins. The film also fea-
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