Entertainment

12 Summer Movies By Women You Won't Want To Miss

by Kayleigh Hughes
NEON

This summer is going to be, to put it simply, a pretty amazing season for movies. There are lots of exciting blockbusters, bizarre and hilarious comedies, unique indie films, and intense action movies. And the best part of all is that tons of these fantastic summer movies are written or directed by women, as they very well should be. To help guide you through the releases set for summer of 2017, I've compiled a bunch of those movies made by women, so that you can go see them and give them the support and recognition that they deserve.

Given that summer feels like it gets longer every year, and we're all heading to the movies in droves in early June even if technically it's not considered summer, I've extended the seasonal movie love to include anything released in June, not just the ones that slide in after June 20. Because the sooner you can start your own personal "women filmmaker" summer cinema tour, the better, right? Mark these release dates down on your calendar and get excited, because whether you love superheroes and fight scenes, quiet emotional tension, raucous pratfalls and laughs, or anything in between, the women of Hollywood are making movies for you. Go see them.

1

'Wonder Woman' (June 2)

Let's start off strong, like, Amazonian strong, with one of the most anticipated movies of the year, Wonder Woman. The film stars Gal Gadot as the hero herself and is directed by the awesome Patty Jenkins, who, after Rachel Talalay with Tank Girl and Lexi Alexander with Punisher: War Zone, is only the third woman to direct an American superhero movie.

2

'Megan Leavey' (June 9)

Directed by Blackfish director Gabriela Cowperthwaite and written by Pamela Gray, Annie Mumolo, and Tim Lovestedt, this Iraq War biopic starring Kate Mara is about a marine corporal and her combat dog. It will definitely make you cry.

3

'Rough Night' (June 16)

Directed by Lucia Aniello and co-written by her and Paul W. Downs, Rough Night stars an incredible cast (Scarlett Johansson, Kate McKinnon, Zoë Kravitz, Ilana Glazer, and Jillian Bell) and is about a bachelorette party that ends in a stripper's death. The comedy's plot has also sparked important conversation about the dangers faced by sex workers.

4

The Beguiled (June 23)

Adding some Southern Gothic vibes to your summer movie plans is The Beguiled, directed by Sofia Coppola and adapted by her from a novel by Thomas Cullinan. The cast features Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst, Elle Fanning, and Colin Farrell.

5

'Girls Trip' (July 21)

Girls Trip, directed by Malcolm D. Lee, was written by an outstanding screenwriting team of four featuring three women, Tracy Oliver, Erica Rivinoja, and Karen McCullah, alongside fourth writer Kenya Barris. The movie stars Regina Hall, Jada Pinkett Smith, Queen Latifah, and Tiffany Haddish as four friends who reconnect during an adventurous weekend in New Orleans.

6

'The Bad Batch' (June 23)

Writer and director of the fantastic Iranian vampire Western film A Girl Walk Home Alone At Night, Ana Lily Amirpour, is back with The Bad Batch, a brutal, bloody, and deeply dusty "romantic horror-thriller" starring Suki Waterhouse, Jason Momoa, and Keanu Reeves.

7

'The Big Sick' (June 23)

Amazon Studios/Lionsgate

Comedy writer Emily V. Gordon and husband, comedian Kumail Nanjiani, wrote The Big Sick (directed by Michael Showalter) about their relationship, and it's a funny and tearjerking look at family, illness, and love starring Nanjiani and Zoe Kazan. Don't miss it.

8

'Wish Upon' (July 14)

This supernatural horror film, directed by John Leonetti and starring Joey King, Ryan Phillippe, and Ki Hong Lee, features a screenplay written by Barbara Marshall, whose previous credits include Viral, Triple Dog, and the television show Terra Nova.

9

'Landline' (July 21)

Amazon Studios

Obvious Child writer and director Gillian Robespierre returns with Landline, directed by Robespierre and co-written by her and Elisabeth Holm. Landline stars Obvious Child's Jenny Slate alongside Edie Falco and John Turturro as family members living together in 1995 Manhattan.

10

'Detroit' (Aug. 4)

Academy Award winning director Kathryn Bigelow directs this intense film about the 1967 Detroit Riots, which stars John Boyega, Jacob Latimore, and Will Poulter.

11

'Logan Lucky' (Aug. 18)

Nicholas Hunt/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

The screenplay for Logan Lucky, which is directed by Steven Soderbergh, was written by newcomer Rebecca Blunt. The offbeat heist film stars Channing Tatum, Daniel Craig, and Adam Driver.

12

'Home Again' (Sept. 8)

Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images

This romantic dramedy (I'll never let go of that portmanteau) starring Reese Witherspoon, Michael Sheen, and Lake Bell is the writing and directorial debut for Hallie Meyers-Shyer, and it tells the story of a single mom whose life changes when she decides to let three young men live in her home as they try to make a movie.

Let these amazing, talented women guide your summer moviegoing decisions, and you can't go wrong.