The long drawn out evenings of summer may be tailor-made for a pint in a beer garden, dusting off your BBQ or strolling in your local park. And the cinema, might seem a bit of a waste of that glorious sun.

However, I’d like to make an argument that lately, cinema listings have been rather copious with great films. Films that, despite the blessings of temperatures above 10 degrees, might be worth a watch on the big screen.

The Big Sick

[Image sourced: http://variety.com]

IMDb: 8.1

Rotten Tomatoes: 98%

The Big Sick is the rom-com we’ve been waiting for. One that can actually be described as genuinely ‘good’ against the other more serious genres. It follows the true story of Kumail, a Pakistani comic, and his relationship with a student called Emily. It features your typical rom-comian ups and downs with a splash comical relief. It is directed by the writer of Wet Hot American Summer and is produced by rom-com royalty Judd Apatow (40 year old virgin, Knocked Up, This is 40) so you can be assured that you’re in safe hands.

Dunkirk

[Image sourced: http://metro.co.uk]

IMDb: 8.4

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%

Christopher Nolan returns with his first historical film which attempts to take you out of yourself and transport you to the horrific realities of war. Nolan’s flare for gravity pairs faultlessly with the remarkable WWII event. Although there’s little in the way of dialogue, it only seems to accentuate the ticking tension. Dunkirk has an ensemble cast including, Fionn Whitehead, Kenneth Branagh, Mark Rylance, Cillian Murphy, Tom Hardy and even Harry Styles.

A Ghost Story

[Image sourced: https://www.tynesidecinema.co.uk]

IMDb: 7.8

Metacritic: 84%

Directed by David Lowery, A Ghost Story is not a horror but a spooked drama depicting grief, love and the enormity of our lives here on earth. Casey Affleck, a sheeted ghost haunts his bereft wife, Rooney Mara, whilst journeying through his memories and history. The film demands patience and mind ready to contemplate. However, the cinematography by Andrew Droz Palermo in this film is beautiful regardless.

Logan Lucky

IMDb: 7.1

Rotten Tomatoes: 93%

 Former heart-throb and villain, Channing Tatum and Adam Driver, leave their type-cast roles at home to become the brothers, Jimmy and Clyde Logan under the direction of Steven Sodenburgh. And, they’re not the only ones trying to break out of the type-cast box as Daniel Craig returns to the screen as a southern jailbird. Jimmy and Clyde set to reverse their family curse through a NASCAR robbery. The perfect action-comedy that’s even been quite highly critically acclaimed, with Roger Ebert giving it 3.5 out of 4.

Atomic Blonde

[Image sourced:http://www.slashfilm.com]

IMDb: 7.1

Rotten Tomatoes: 75%

Atomic Blonde has been described as a film that may start a new wave of killer women (The Guardian). Although the plotline has been somewhat under scrutiny, the character, Lorraine Braughton (Charlize Theron) has been highly acclaimed. Many have said that instead of replacing Bond with a woman, we should just start making franchises with better female characters. Atomic Blonde could be the beginning of said franchise. The film itself is set in Berlin during the Cold War.  With the wall about to fall it follows Lorraine, an elite spy as she investigates the murder of a colleague. The neon lights, bluey filters and 80’s soundtrack, sets the perfect tone for this predictable pleasure of an action flick.