JUNE MOVIE ROUND-UP: Two jewels

Due to a busy summer travel schedule, June was a bit light on first-run movies for me, but I did see two jewels that I wanted to tell you about.

NOW YOU SEE ME: I love a good magic movie, and they don’t come around all that often. Now You See Me was worth the long dry spell. It has touches of The Illusionist, along with a hint of Catch Me If You Can and a healthy dose of Robin Hood, oddly enough. It’s a nonstop who-dun-what that keeps you guessing the whole way through. And with a little help from CGI, the magic is even more magical than it otherwise might be.

The cast is stellar: Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Michael Caine, Isla Fisher, Mélanie Laurent, and of course Morgan Freeman, who I believe is under contract to star in every major studio release in 2013. And that’s fine, because he’s awesome. So is Dave Franco, who I’ve been known to refer to as “the poor man’s Zac Efron.” Yes, He’s James Franco’s little brother, but after seeing him in 21 Jump Street, Warm Bodies, and now this film, it’s clear he’s no poor man’s anything. Keep your eye on that one!

Watch the trailer

LOVE IS ALL YOU NEED: This lovely romantic drama from Denmark was showing in the arthouse theaters for only about five minutes, so you’ve probably already missed it. I would have missed it too if my friend R.V. hadn’t suggested that we check it out. And I’m so glad she did. It was a perfect summer pick-me-up, with a sumptuous Campanian setting and a vintage Italian soundtrack. Yes, the leading lady is recovering from breast cancer (hence the original Dutch title, The Bald Hairdresser). But that personal challenge and many others only serve to make the story more life-affirming in the end.

It compares in many ways to Mamma Mia, but without all the Abba songs. Two young lovebirds are about to tie the knot in an exotic seaside locale, providing the perfect backdrop for parental drama to unfold. And yes, there’s Pierce Brosnan, dashing as always and looking perfectly at home in his Italian villa. As with Mamma Mia, the film is less about the youngsters’ wedding and more about the grownups who are still learning to navigate love’s tricky waters. It’s delightful to watch.

Watch the trailer

WORLD WAR Z: Hope springs eternal

Like many of you, I’ve spent an inordinate amount of time amassing all manner of information about the impending zombie apocalypse. Thanks to TV shows like The Walking Dead and movies like Warm Bodies and now World War Z, I like to think I’m as knowledgeable – and as prepared – as the next uninfected human.

And what I’ve learned is that, aside from an infinite supply of ammunition, the most important item in your arsenal is going to be WD-40. You see, it all goes well until you open that squeaky door, or try to escape by riding off on a squeaky bicycle. Those critters home in on those noises with laser precision, bringing with them their deadly zombie germs and bad table manners. Trust me, countless lives will be saved if we will only take the time to lubricate all the hinges and joints in our homes and offices.

You think I’m kidding but I’m not. While no one really knows how the zombies will look and act when they get here for real, the zombies in WWZ are not to be trifled with. They peck and squawk like rabid chickens. They come out of nowhere, lurching and seizing with epileptic efficiency. They bust their skulls through plate-glass windows with no thought whatsoever as to who’s going to clean up the mess. It’s not pretty.

Fortunately, when the time comes – and don’t think it won’t – I feel certain we will be awash in heroes. After all, life imitates art, does it not? In the case of Warm Bodies, it was a fearless teenage girl who solved the zombie problem. And in WWZ, we have none other than Brad Pitt, a cerebral warrior who is more than willing to carry the weight of the world on his scarf-wearing shoulders. Would we have selected his out of a pile of qualified resumes? Probably not, and not just because his resume wouldn’t have been in the pile to begin with. But if he can save the world from this cataclysmic menace, I’m confident our own heroes will do just as well when it comes our turn.

Watch the trailer here.