New movies to watch in July

Summer blockbuster season continues with the return of the God of Thunder, Jordan Peele going extraterrestrial, Minions (for some reason) and more new movies to watch in July. And a few old movies, too.

Summer means terrasses and hanging in parks, but when the heat hits you hard, it’s time to go to the movies! If you want to maintain the summer as a collective experience, the return of Thor with Thor: Love and Thunder (July 8) will likely satisfy your need for humour, romance and metal. In this new adventure, Thor not only faces off against the killer of Gods but also searches for inner peace. (Read our review of Thor: Love and Thunder.)

For a different kind of big event, the Fantasia International Film Festival is finally back to a full in-person event. Running from July 24 to Aug. 3, the festival is a treat for genre fans of all sorts — horror, fantasy and comedy, with films from all over the world. Check out a screening, go to a master class and go grab a beer at McKibbins at the end of the night. 

In a similar spirit, one of our most anticipated films of the year also touches on genre cinema. Jordan Peele’s Nope (July 22) is his third feature and while he seems to be staying within the realm of horror, this time the threat seems to be coming from the skies. The film features an all-star cast including Steven Yeun, Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer.

Maybe you’re saddled with babysitting duties or you want to bring the whole family out for a movie event. Some highlights of big-screen family movies coming out in July include Minions: The Rise of Gru (July 1), Marcel the Shell With Shoes On (July 8) and Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris (July 15). Unless you’re a Minions fetishist, if you had to bet your money only on one of these, we recommend Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, a stop-motion animation described as “almost too cute,” featuring the voice talents of Jenny Slate, Isabella Rossellini and Canadian darling Nathan Fielder. 

For something a little different, an adaptation of the bestselling novel Where the Crawdads Sing (July 15) is also making its big-screen debut this month. Produced by Reese Witherspoon’s production company, the romantic thriller centres on the life of a young woman who was raised in the swamps of the deep South. She finds herself entangled in a love triangle and a murder. The film stars rising star of Normal People and Fresh, Daisy Edgar-Jones. 

If documentary is more your thing, you have a lot to choose from. First up, Beba (July 1) is a raw, poetic self-portrait in which young, NYC-born Afro-Latina Rebeca “Beba” Huntt stares down historical, societal and generational trauma. The critically acclaimed Fire of Love (July 22) takes an in-depth look at the love affair and work of volcanologist couple Katia and Maurice Krafft, who died during an eruption in 1991. For something local, Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song (July 15) takes a look at Cohen’s legacy as seen through one of his most famous songs, “Hallelujah.” 

Every summer, the Cinémathèque Québécoise features an extensive summer program and this year they’re doing a spotlight called Les incontournables, focusing on some of the most important movies of the first half of the 20th century. This is a perfect opportunity to brush up on your Letterboxd stats and the July program features (among others) movies like Citizen Kane, The Blue Angel, City Lights, Nosferatu, The Best Years of Our Lives, Rome: Open City, Rashomon and The Bicycle Thief. 
Finally, there are many opportunities to check out movies outside. In the southwest, there’s Film Noir au Canal with screenings every Sunday from July 17–Aug. 21. Cinéma sous les étoiles is back with over 40 screenings across the city from June 29 to Sept 6. Cinéma Public is launching its outdoor summer series at Livart called Bleu soir, which is already underway. Festivals like RIDM and Cinémania are also doing some screening events, so be sure to follow their pages, too. ■

This column originally appeared in the July 2022 issue of Cult MTL. See what’s screening in local cinemas here.

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