The best movies new on Netflix, Max, Prime and Hulu this June

Happy June, Polygon readers. The weather is getting warmer, the sun is shining brighter, and you’re probably spending more time outside. Good for you! But there are still plenty of reasons to sit on the couch, fire up the air conditioning, make some popcorn, and watch some great movies.

Each month we round up the best movies newly available on Netflix, Hulu, Max, Prime, and other streaming services, and this June is a good one to pick from. We’ve got an underrated John Carpenter thriller new on the Criterion Channel, two standout early works from directors who have big releases this summer, and more.

Here are the new movies on streaming services you should watch this month.

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Editor’s Choice: Attack on District 13

Where to watch: Criterion channel
Genre: Action thriller
Director: John Zimmermann
Pour: Austin Stoker, Darwin Joston, Laurie Zimmer

Often imitated but never surpassed, John Carpenter’s 1976 crime thriller is one of the most thrilling 91 minutes ever put to screen. Now playing on the Criterion Channel as part of the “Synth Soundtracks” collection. Carpenter’s second feature film (after Dark Starand only two years earlier Halloween Changed Everything), the film is about a police officer (Austin Stoker) and a convicted murderer (Darwin Joston) who team up to defend the eponymous precinct from a heavily armed street gang.

The original was shot on a very low budget of about $100,000. Attack on District 13 is a masterpiece of efficient cinematography that makes the most of the film’s cramped conditions to build tension and stage action sequences. It is also an early glimpse of many of the skills that would make Carpenter one of the great masters of genre film. —Pete Volk

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New on Netflix

tangerine

Genre: Drama
Director: Michael B.
Pour: Kitana Kiki Rodriguez, Mya Taylor, James Ransone

Director Sean Baker is the first American to win the Palme d’Or since Terrence Malick won for The Tree of Life in 2011. Baker’s new film, Anorais about a sex worker (Mikey Madison) in a difficult relationship with a Russian oligarch. The film hasn’t been released in the US yet, but this big award is a good reason to revisit one of Baker’s early projects. Tangerine – another story about sex workers, but in a completely different style.

Shot with three iPhone 5S phones, tangerine follows two transgender sex workers in Los Angeles who are best friends. One of them has just been released from a brief prison stint and has heard that her boyfriend has been cheating on her. The two try to find him and get to the bottom of this secret in a raw and funny dramedy that looks great despite the technical limitations of the equipment. If you enjoyed Baker’s later films – The Florida Project And Red Rocket — or look forward to the Golden Palm Anorabut I didn’t take time for tangerinenow is your moment. —PV

New on Hulu

Working girl

Genre: Romantic comedy
Director: Michael Nichols
Pour: Sigourney Weaver, Harrison Ford, Melanie Griffith

Mike Nichols’ (The final exam) The 1988 romantic comedy classic was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, Best Director and Actor nominations for Melanie Griffith, Sigourney Weaver and Joan Cusack. A class comedy about a secretary who steps in for her injured boss, only to find that the boss is trying to take credit for her hard work. This is a light-hearted comedy with a stellar cast that also serves as a sort of time capsule for late 1980s New York and is an excellent companion piece to 9 to 5.

Working girl also inspired a particularly funny episode of Bob’s Burgers: the premiere of the 5th season “Work Hard or Die Trying, Girl”, a mashup of Working girl And Die Hard. —PV

New at Max

to pain

Genre: theatre
Director: Lee Isaac Chung
Pour: Steven Yeun, Han Ye-ri, Alan Kim

Lee Isaac Chung’s to pain is an American story in the purest sense: Jacob (Steven Yeun), a Korean-American father who dreams of a better life for himself and his children, moves his family from California to Arkansas to pursue his dream of becoming a farmer. As they navigate the challenges and hardships that come with this strange new life in the Ozarks, he and his family learn the true meaning of what it means to build a home. From our list of the best movies of 2020:

Minari is a novelistic and warmly realized film about everyday life and recognizing the gifts of what’s right in front of you. And the perspective comes from a star-studded cast: In addition to Yeun, who plays a piercing patriarch, Han Yeri delivers a touching performance as a mother who sticks with her wayward loved ones, newcomers Noel Cho and Alan S. Kim defy every bad cliche to play silly and lovable children, and well-known Korean actress Yuh-Jung Youn cements her legacy in a film that’s quintessentially American.

Next for Chung: the mega-blockbuster Twisterswill be in theaters this summer. —Toussaint Egan

New on Prime Video

Koyaanisqatsi

Genre: documentary
Director: Gottfried Reggio

Consisting mainly of time-lapse shots of cities and natural environments, Koyaanisqatsi is a fascinating time capsule of 20th century society on the threshold of the new millennium, challenging its audience to reflect on the symbiotic relationship between humanity and the Earth and whether, as the English translation of the film’s title suggests, life as we know it has become unbalanced.

The film has been mentioned and parodied countless times since its premiere in 1982, including in the 2007 announcement trailer for Grand Theft Auto 4which includes a track from Philip Glass’ legendary score. Take the time to appreciate this monolith of majestic, introspective cinematography. -THE