Best New Movie Bets: June 6 | 'Edge of Tomorrow', 'Fault in Our Stars' & 'Anna'

"Edge of Tomorrow"

Director Doug Liman can often be hit or miss, for example his 1999 film “Go” was a brilliant indie that rightly became a cult hit. While his 2008 sci-fi effort “Jumper” would qualify as a miss. He helmed the monster hit “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” which was light popcorn entertainment and the decent “The Bourne Identity”, a consummate actioner that would give life to a strapping trilogy.

Liman’s latest aligns him with pop culture icon, Tom Cruise and a mother-load of special effects. In a bit reminiscent of 2011’s “Source Code”, Cruise’s character dies and repeatedly comes back to life, acquiring the skills necessary to defeat an alien invasion. "Edge" is an adaptation of the graphic novel "All You Need Is Kill" by Hiroshi Sakurazaka.

Bolstering interest for the film is Cruise’s presence and what appeared from the trailer to be an appealing chemistry with co-star Emily Blunt. Blunt has proven herself in similar sci-fi fantasies. She was the unsung vital component of 2012’s “Looper” and her feisty screen persona could breathe life into Cruise’s string of lackluster on-screen pairings. The special effects while bountiful do appear to be well done. Tom Cruise + Emily Blunt + Sci-Fi Action= Worth a Watch. Click here to Read Eclectic Pop's Review

"The Fault in Our Stars," starring Shailene Woodley

You’ll be hard pressed to find a love as pure and tragic as that of Gus (Ansel Elgort) and Hazel’s (Shailene Woodley). Two likable lead characters that are good and upstanding, young people played with astounding breadth by its leads, “The Fault in Our Stars” should easily find an audience this weekend. The cancer epidemic takes center stage as it coils around the life of the film’s main and supporting characters. Hazel and Gus meet at a cancer support group and a love story soon blossoms, changing their lives forever. Gus, the funny laidback romantic, takes on the serious and sweet realist, Hazel, and its kismet.

As movies featuring young love go, this one springs out of a friendship that is infectiously optimistic and authentically cultivated. In this adaptation of John Green's best-selling novel, there are no clichés to be found and its raw honesty is refreshing. Startlingly magnificent turns by Laura Dern, Sam Trammell and Nat Wolff help bring life to a film about dying. Audiences should know this film is haunting and heavy, its thematic dealings heartbreaking. Click here to read Eclectic Pop’s Full Review

"Anna," starring Taissa Farmiga

Spanish director Jorge Dorado’s limited release features turns by film veteran Mark Strong and rising star Taissa Farmiga. “Anna” (also known as “Mindscape”) is a part of the now rarely produced genre of psychological thrillers. Mark Strong stars as a detective with telepathic abilities who enters the mind of Farmiga’s Anna to determine if the exceedingly intelligent teen is a sociopath or a misunderstood victim. 

Farmiga, a proven scene stealer in the otherwise forgettable “The Bling Ring” has what it takes to to go toe-to-toe with seasoned vets. In the indie comedy “At Middleton”, she faced off with her older sister Vera [Farmiga] and the results were quite impressive.

This plotline should provide another chance for her to show off her impressive range. Combining a hardboiled detective story with sci-fi elements is an intriguing prospect. With mystery films being tossed in favor of CGI action-fests, a contemplative thriller could prove the perfect anecdote.

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