While it’s been, to put it mildly, a dismal summer movie season, there’s always hope for a few last surprises in August, even if the month has long been reputed to be a dumping ground for sub-par product. Even if the political season has you down, the movies can still be a great source for escapism and good times. My pick for Movie of the Month looks to have both in droves.
READ MORE: 12 Films To See In July
“Kubo and the Two Strings” is the latest film from the small, Portland-based animation house Laika, and if the excellent trailers haven’t got you stoked, allow me to pour it on. The company has been getting better with every film, starting with “Coraline,” through to “ParaNorman” and 2014’s excellent, underrated “The Boxtrolls.” So if you’re into animation, Laika’s films are must-watch, standing proudly apart from behemoths like Disney and DreamWorks. I can’t wait to catch ‘Kubo’, but there’s also plenty of other great choices that will end your moviegoing summer on a high note.
“Suicide Squad”
Synopsis: A secret government agency recruits imprisoned supervillains to execute dangerous black ops missions in exchange for clemency.
What You Need To Know: Despite a rough patch earlier this year with ‘Batman V. Superman,’ the DC Extended Universe soldiers on with the next iteration that’s been building buzz ever since Comic-Con last year, when production had only just begun. Now it will be released this weekend, and after another relentless marketing push by Warner Bros., will the movie live up to the hype? Since it looks like a fun midpoint between Zack Snyder’s brand of grim/dark and colorful “Guardians Of The Galaxy”-style antics, we sure hope there’s more fun to be had that hasn’t already been dished out in trailers and clips. Sure, I still need to be convinced about Jared Leto’s juggalo Joker, but this has a good chance at washing the ‘Dawn Of Justice’ taste from our mouths.
Release Date: August 5th
“Little Men”
Synopsis: A new pair of best friends have their bond tested by their parents’ battle over a dress shop lease.
What You Need To Know: When our critic caught Ira Sachs‘ latest at Sundance this year, he compared it to the filmmaker’s previous “Love Is Strange,” remarking on how much the two films speak to each other while focusing on much different generational conflicts: ” ‘Little Men’ is as modest as its title, and lacks the quiet majesty of its predecessor. But it covers a lot of the same ground, using NYC as the backdrop for a simple story about a small personal crisis that represents something much larger.” Sachs’ brand of deceptively simple humanist filmmaking is a real treat, and could be just the thing for the smart, adult moviegoer this time of year.
Release Date: August 5th (Limited)
“Pete’s Dragon”
Synopsis: A near-feral child is found in the woods of the Pacific Northwest; he claims to have been raised by a giant green dragon called Elliott.
What You Need To Know: Disney’s recent run of live-action remakes reached a peak earlier this year with “The Jungle Book.” Now comes “Pete’s Dragon,” the company’s latest remake and seemingly a much riskier prospect, but our own Kevin Jagernauth recently reviewed the film, calling it “a lovely, enduring and homespun antidote to summer movie spectacle.” And that’s just the thing we wanted to hear about this latest from indie darling David Lowery —many Playlisters were big fans of his “Ain’t Them Bodies Saints.” He’s without doubt a curveball choice for taking on a film that is a somewhat goofy musical in its original form. Disney also seems to be happy with the results: the studio has already hired Lowery to turn his talents towards a new version of “Peter Pan.”
Release Date: August 12th