Welcoming the summer vacation in July and August, many exciting movies are being released one after another, including the long-awaited “Friends: The Reunion 2”, heartwarming film “Dreaming of Dogs”, Marvel Studios’ blockbuster “Deadpool and the Werewolf”, as well as a Korean inspirational film starring Girls’ Generation member Yuri. Each one is a must-see! Let’s take a look at the recommended movies for July together!
“Garfield: Brave the World”
The latest animated film “Garfield: Courageous World” starring the globally beloved Garfield cat (voiced by Michael Pena) and his dog friend Odie was released on June 22nd. The movie tells the story of Garfield and Odie being kidnapped by a mysterious enemy, leading to an unexpected reunion with Garfield’s long-lost father, the wild stray cat Fat Cat (voiced by Stephen Lam), who appears on the big screen for the first time. Garfield and Odie are forced to follow Fat Cat, embarking on a crazy, hilarious, and heartwarming outdoor adventure, while uncovering the unknown mysteries of their origins.
Mei Ah Entertainment invited Golden Horse Award winner Lin Xue to voice the character Ah Fei for the first time in an animated film; while Garfield is voiced by the talented actor Mak Pui Tung, the two of them formed a fresh father-son duo for the first time in their collaboration, experiencing adventures together during the dubbing process, which also brought back memories of their childhood with their fathers.
The appearance of the two people perfectly resembles the father and son, Garfield and Jon. Although it was their first collaboration, they worked very well together. Not only did they have good chemistry, but their preferences were also very similar to Garfield’s – they both hated Mondays and loved Sundays when they could relax.
“Brain Games 2”
The long-awaited “Inside Out 2” has started its preview on June 29th and will officially premiere on July 11th! Hailed as one of Disney and Pixar’s top masterpieces, the 2015 “Inside Out” grossed a whopping $858 million worldwide, winning the Oscars and Golden Globe Awards for Best Animated Feature. With a mind-blowing world of creativity, the sequel continues the grand adventure, becoming a favorite among audiences worldwide, eagerly anticipating its release. After a 9-year wait, all five “Emotions” return in “Inside Out 2,” each with their unique characteristics, facing an unprecedented crisis and embarking on a brand new adventure!
Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” introduces new emotional characters, continuing the story from the previous film. The protagonist, Riley, is now 13 years old, and her five “emotions” – Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust – used to keep her brain headquarters in order. However, one day a demolition team arrives to renovate the headquarters, led by new emotion officers, Envy and Bitterness. Joy, Sadness, and the others are imprisoned and become “suppressed emotions,” leading to a more complex and unpredictable storyline that takes the audience through an emotional explosion!
Disney and Pixar Animation have always excelled in being both fun and touching. This time, with the theme of growth, I believe audiences of all ages will resonate. Children can enjoy the delightful characters and humor, teenagers and parents will experience touching moments together, and adult viewers will have an added layer of nostalgia. It is definitely the top choice for watching movies this summer!
It is worth mentioning that the Cantonese dubbed version, featuring a lineup of the most popular idols, offers a more down-to-earth and humorous take. This includes Collar member Ivy Su Yalin voicing Ah Lok, Stephanie Wang voicing Ah Chiu, Wong Ching Yee (Ah Ching) voicing Ah Jiao, Li Ying voicing Ah Sin, Zhang Manzi voicing Ah Yin, and Jeffrey Wei Chun Sang voicing Ah Kong!
“The Bad Guys 4”
“The Bad Guys: Reign of Chaos” arrives at episode 4, where the adorable troublemaking Minions continue to bring laughter as usual. This time, they boldly lead the audience into another fun new generation! The world’s most popular bad guy, Sharp Brother, upgrades to become a father again, with his newborn son and successor, Sharp B, always causing mischief. This time, Sharp Brother must face his archenemy, Evil Lord Max, who, along with his girlfriend Valentina, escapes from prison and seeks revenge on Sharp Brother! The family is forced to go on the run, with Sharp Brother transforming into a special agent of the Anti-Bad Guys Alliance, along with the “special weapons” trained in secret. Can they successfully join forces to fight against the forces of evil?
“Dolphin Dynamic Life”
“Girls’ Generation” member Yuri starred in the Korean inspirational film “Dolphin Leap Life,” directed by up-and-coming Korean director Pei Dourui, which will be released in Hong Kong on July 6th. The story is based on the director’s own experiences.
Yuri plays the role of a journalist named “Nayeong” who lives in a small seaside village in the movie. She prioritizes family life, loves taking care of her loved ones, enjoys her job as a journalist at the newspaper, and relishes the simple life in the village. However, her family has different ideas. Her mother (played by Ji Hae-yeon) is determined to sell their old house in their hometown, while her younger brother (played by Hyeon Woo-sik) dreams of city life and decides to move to Seoul to explore a new life. Even her longtime colleague chooses to resign for better living conditions.
Faced with sudden changes, Naying was confused and felt unprecedented confusion. Encouraged by a new friend (played by Shen Xixi), she learned to change herself through contact with bowling, breaking out of her comfort zone, and rediscovering hope in life.
Yuri took on the role of the female lead in a Korean inspirational film for the first time, showcasing mature and delicate acting skills, breaking through with a bare-faced performance. She worked alongside veteran actress Ji Hae-yeon and rising star Hyun Woo-sik to interpret the unspeakable emotions between family members. This film premiered at the Jeonju International Film Festival, sparking widespread discussion and subsequently receiving invitations from other renowned film festivals such as the Seoul Independent Film Festival, the Mount Jiri Film Festival, and the Vancouver Asian Film Festival in Canada.
Further reading:
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“In the Dream of Woof Woof”
The French tragicomedy animated film “Dog Man Dreams” won the Oscar for Best Animated Feature Film. It was released on June 20th and has been praised as the animated version of “The Artist” and “Zootopia,” perfectly capturing the essence of 1980s New York. Directed by Spanish director Pablo Berger, this heartwarming film, based on Sarah Warren’s comic, tells the story of a dog and a robot’s inseparable friendship in Manhattan, New York City in the 1980s without any dialogue.
The single dog tired of lonely single life and decided to purchase a smart robot as a companion. The two hit it off immediately, wandering the streets of New York day and night. Just when they thought they had found each other in life, fate forcibly separated them after a beach party. The dog returned to its lonely daily life with longing, while the robot lay alone on the beach fantasizing about being back with the dog… In this endless journey of longing, is there a chance for a fresh start?
“DDDD Devil’s Destruction”
The animated film “DEAD DEAD DEMON’S DEDEDEDE DESTRUCTION” is adapted from the manga of the same name by Inio Asano. It will be released in two parts on July 11th and 25th, with YOASOBI’s main vocalist Ikura (Rira Ikuta) and popular singer Ano voicing the two main characters. Both parts will feature theme songs sung by Ikura and Ano, with the first part’s theme song “Zetsu Zetsu Zetsu Zetsu Seiiki” by Ano feat. Ikura, and the second part’s theme song “Seishun Ouka” by Ikura feat. Ano.
The movie tells the story of three years ago, on August 31st, when a massive “invader” mothership suddenly descended upon the skies of Tokyo, humanity facing an impending doomsday. Since then, despair has gradually seeped into people’s daily lives. Those huge flying saucers continue to hover in the sky, circling the entire world incessantly. However, in such a time filled with despair and unknowns, the high school girls Sanae Koyama and Olan Nakagawa are just about to embark on their youth.
The two of them made sufficient preparations to interpret their respective roles well. Ikeda stated that in order to fit the role, he conducted a large amount of research and investigation, striving to portray the character’s personality traits to the fullest. Ono revealed that she doesn’t usually speak quickly, but in order to match the character’s setting, she deliberately sped up her speech. She shared that due to the influence of the character, her speech speed has also increased in real life. During a radio program, she unconsciously spoke faster and was reminded by the program director to slow down her speech.
The movie is based on a parallel world. Ikuta said that he has loved singing since he was a child, and he even sings for up to about 18 hours a day. Therefore, he believes that his parallel world self would also be involved in music-related work. On the other hand, Ano admitted that he has a bit of a NEET personality, and may not necessarily do the kind of work he does now, possibly just being lazy at home.
“Deadpool and Wolverine”
Marvel Studios’ annual blockbuster “Deadpool & Wolverine” will be released on July 24th! Starring Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman, this marks Deadpool’s official entry into Marvel Studios’ first R-rated MCU film. With stunning CGI action scenes, it promises to be a visual and auditory entertainment extravaganza. Fans are eagerly anticipating more cameo appearances and plenty of surprises in this installment, making it a must-watch!
One of the main characters, Deadpool (played by Ryan Reynolds), had already made up his mind to retire from the world of violence and leave behind the grudges of the underworld. He settled down in a used car dealership, living a quiet life, but when the world faces an apocalyptic crisis, he has to put on his tight-fitting battle suit once again. He joins forces with another universe’s Wolverine (played by Hugh Jackman) to undertake a significant mission that will change the history of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, fighting for love and friendship!
Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds are good brothers who know each other well both on and off the screen in the movie. After “X-Men Origins: Wolverine”, the two have had the most passionate collaboration in 17 years! The unconventional and foul-mouthed Deadpool and the fan-favorite Wolverine are back, the two superheroes have sparked strong chemistry for the first time, with a love-hate storyline and killer dialogue, their power is unstoppable! Hugh Jackman returns to the role of Wolverine after “Logan”, he has already teased this yellow-clad Wolverine, completely different from the Wolverine in the “X-Men” series that audiences have seen before, bringing a completely new look in all aspects!
In addition to the two main characters, the returning cast in this episode is at its peak, with Brianna Hildebrand once again playing the emotionally sensitive, reality-warping, material-manipulating, and precognitive character Negasonic Teenage Warhead, and Morena Baccarina playing Deadpool’s girlfriend Vanessa, both bravely facing life and death with Deadpool. Another highlight is the introduction of the new character Dogpool, like Deadpool’s animal incarnation, with Peggy the dog playing Dogpool, who in real life was rightfully crowned the ugliest dog, making it irresistibly lovable!
