It has already been a bizarre summer for movies, it’s only going to get stranger in August before the upheaval of the festival circuit is further set upon us and awards season kicks into high gear. Until then, while there are certainly interesting films to get us by, we’re going to continue to be hit with a smorgasbord of odd selections, from hard-hitting documentaries to the most ridiculous action flicks the genre could hurtle our way.
In a month with a new Richard Linklater film, number of Sundance smash hits, and even some Bruce Springsteen thrown in for good measure, there’s plenty by way of variety. It’s just that in a summer that’s seen so many films have short shelf lives when it comes to public conversation, few of them instantly attract attention, meaning that the gems are in stronger need of seeking out.
All that being said, here are the August films we think are worth checking out:
“Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw”
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Jason Stratham, Vanessa Kirby, Idris Elba
Synopsis: Lawman Luke Hobbs and outcast Deckard Shaw form an unlikely alliance when a cyber-genetically enhanced villain threatens the future of humanity.
What You Need to Know: It’s tough to say if you really need to have seen each and every one of the prior installments of the “Fast and Furious” franchise before seeing “Hobbs & Shaw.” When the story entails so many increasingly ludicrous fight sequences (not a negative in this case) and goofy chemistry between Dwayne Johnson and Jason Stratham, the film can survive on those core aspects alone. Directed by the helmer of the bruising “Atomic Blonde” and “Deadpool 2,” David Leitch is able to bring a stylized eye to a series always on the cusp of losing its momentum. Our critic applauded the effort, writing “Making the plunge into full-on Saturday Morning cartoon territory with its ludicrous over-the-top-ness, “Hobbs & Shaw” is a quippy, explosively kick-ass, utterly preposterous buddy romp that injects some much-needed nitrous oxide into an otherwise stale summer movie season.”
Release Date: August 2nd
“Luce”
Cast: Octavia Spencer, Naomi Watts, Tim Roth
Synopsis: A married couple is forced to reckon with their idealized image of their son, adopted from war-torn Eritrea, after an alarming discovery by a devoted high school teacher threatens his status as an all-star student.
What You Need to Know: Best known for his short films and music videos, director Julius Onah made a strong impression at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival with his feature film “Luce.” Starring Octavia Spencer (who our critic said delivers the best performance of her career) and Naomi Watts, the film tackles timely topics without any sense of hesitation, all too willing to confront some of our deepest traumas and demons head-on. As our critic said of it, “Luce” is “A dissecting, and even confrontational, look into the American Dream.”
Release Date: August 2nd
“Scary Stories We Tell in the Dark”
Cast: Zoe Margaret Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush
Synopsis: A group of teens faces their fears in order to save their lives from a book that is full of nightmares.
What You Need to Know: Alvin Schwartz “Scary Stories We Tell in the Dark” is a touchstone that many children gobbled up and now, as adults, remember fondly – even if the stories themselves left us petrified long after we came to the last page. Director André Øvredal (“Trollhunter”) and producer Guillermo Del Toro have worked to bring these fantastical, terrifying stories to life and while it’s been slapped with a PG-13 rating, with the base material and the creative minds behind it there’s no doubt that some of the imagery will be lasting. Del Toro has mastered the art of marrying horror with fairytales, no one element being seen without the other, making him a perfect visionary to help bring these works to life.
Release Date: August 9th
“The Kitchen”
Cast: Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, Elisabeth Moss
Synopsis: The wives of New York gangsters in Hell’s Kitchen in the 1970s continue to operate their husbands’ rackets after they’re locked up in prison.
What You Need to Know: Cinema is oversaturated with gangster films, but even so, presented with a twist on the genre with the wives of gangsters taking over their work when they’re imprisoned is an easy sell to bring audiences back. First time director Andrea Berloff has – from what we’ve seen from trailers and posters alone – has created something stylish that stands out among the otherwise dull grays of the month. The cast is phenomenal, especially the three leads in Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish and Elisabeth Moss, and it’s taking a genre that so often has been male-dominated and making it undeniably female-focused.
Release Date: August 9th
“The Peanut Butter Falcon”
Cast: Shia LaBeouf, Zack Gottsagen, Dakota Johnson
Synopsis: Zak runs away from his care home to make his dream of becoming a wrestler come true.
What You Need to Know: Marking their first feature-length film, directors Michael Schwartz and Tyler Nilson have created something special with the coming of age drama “The Peanut Butter Falcon.” Starring Shia LaBeouf and Dakota Johnson, the film was met with a mostly positive response when it debuted at this years SXSW. Our critic commended the film for discovering a real find in Zack Gottsagen, an actor living with Down Syndrome, who is reportedly the “heart and soul” of the film. He went on to praise the film, writing “By keeping the humor rooted in the performances and only letting sentimentality creep in when necessary, Nelson and Schwartz have crafted a film that feels refreshing, unique, and emotional.”
Release Date: August 9th