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Friday, August 2, 2024
Top 20 Movies to Look Out For In August (2024)
According to: Selina
20 – The Union (8/16)
Director: Julian
Farino Writer: Joe
Barton, David Guggenheim Actors: Mark
Wahlberg, Halle Berry, J.K. Simmons, Mike Colter, Alice Lee, Jessica De Gouw,
Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Jackie Earle Haley Genre: Action,
Comedy, Thriller Rated: PG-13 Length: 2h 13min IMDb Blurb: Mike, a down-to earth construction worker, is
thrust into the world of super spies and secret agents when his high school
sweetheart, Roxanne, recruits him on a high-stakes US intelligence mission. The Union looks like good turn-your-brain-off
fun. I doubt it’ll have much in the way of substance, but it should be cute,
funny, and full of action. Halle Berry (Kingsman: The Golden Circle, The
Call, X-Men: The Last Stand) and Mark Wahlberg (The Departed, Ted, Max
Payne) are both generally good actors, though Wahlberg can be a bit more sporadic than Berry. I still tend to find both performing reliably. If both actors bring their A-games, this could be a decent
flick. 19 – Borderlands
(8/9) Director: Eli
Roth Writer: Eli Roth,
Joe Crombie Actors: Cate
Blanchett, Kevin Hart, Edgar Ramírez, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ariana Greenblatt,
Florian Munteanu, Janina Gavankar, Jack Black, Benjamin Byron Davis, Olivier
Richters, Gina Gershon Genre: Action,
Adventure, Comedy, Sci-Fi, Thriller Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 42min IMDb Blurb: Based on the best-selling videogame, this all-star
action-adventure follows a ragtag team of misfits on a mission to save a
missing girl who holds the key to unimaginable power. A decent cast is heading up this popular video game movie.
Of course, that’s the key phrase, isn’t it? “Video game movie.” We’ve got a
few good ones, some phenomenal video game TV adaptations… but the majority of
these films are not the best. I want to put it higher, but my optimism isn’t as elevated as
I’d like it to be. Eli Roth (Hostel, Death Wish, Grindhouse) directing
does make me a bit more hopeful. If someone were going to pull off Borderlands,
it would be him. 18 – Skincare (8/16) Director: Austin
Peters Writer: Sam
Freilich, Austin Peters, Deering Regan Actors: Nathan
Fillion, Elizabeth Banks, Lewis Pullman, Michaela Jaé (MJ) Rodriguez, John
Billingsley, Erik Palladino Genre: Thriller Rated: R Length: 1h 37min IMDb Blurb: Famed aesthetician Hope Goldman's skincare business
faces sabotage when rival Angel Vergara opens a boutique across the street.
Aided by friend Jordan, Hope seeks to uncover who's trying to ruin her
reputation. I’m unfamiliar with the true story Skincare is based
on. Because I don’t know what happened and who was held accountable (if
anyone), this film has a mystery aspect to it that’s really interesting. Most
mysteries involve some kind of murder, which doesn’t seem to be the case here. Of course, Skincare is labeled as a single-genre thriller, which means that it could wind up being much darker than is being portrayed. The trailer leans into the thrills a little but otherwise makes it seem a little cute and fluffy. It seems like there might be more comedy than most
single-genre thrillers. We’ll have to wait and see. 17 – Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In (8/9) Director: Soi
Cheang Writer: Kin-Yee
Au, Tai-Lee Chan, Li Jun, Kwan-Sin Shum, Yi Yu Actors: Louis
Koo, Sammo Kam-Bo Hung, Richie Jen, Raymond Lam, Chun-Him Lau, Philip Ng, Tony
Tsz-Tung Wu, German Cheung Genre: Action,
Crime, Thriller Rated: R Length: 2h 6min IMDb Blurb: Follows troubled youth Chan Lok-kwun as he
accidentally enters the Walled City, discovers the order amidst its chaos, and
learns important life lessons along the way. I’m a huge fan of these gangland-style dystopian films. This
one brings to mind action scenes like those from Bullet Train (2022)
mixed with a setting from Dredd (2021). Both films that I absolutely
adored. Movies based on action graphic novels/mangas tend to have some
sick fight scenes. Especially if there’s a ballsy director at the helm. I’ll admit that I don’t know anything about Soi Cheang’s (Mad Fate, Limbo, Kill Zone 2) style. I’m hopeful that he’s got what it takes to
elevate Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In because it seems like the
kind of story that deserves attention. 16 – Duchess (8/9) Director: Neil
Marshall Writer: Neil
Marshall, Charlotte Kirk, Simon Farr Actors: Sean
Pertwee, Colm Meaney, Stephanie Beacham, Philip Winchester, Charlotte Kirk,
Colin Egglesfield, Yan Tual, Pau Poch, Hoji Fortuna, Mellissa Laycy Genre: Action,
Crime Rated: R Length: 1h 54min IMDb Blurb: Follows a tough, working-class, petty criminal who
morphs into an anti-heroine to be reckoned with in a murky underworld, in the
treacherous world of diamond smuggling. A good, solid revenge story with a ton of action and a
badass female lead is right up my alley. Cat is a fan of Charlotte Kirk (Ocean’s Eight, The Lair,
The Reckoning), the lead in this flick. I haven’t loved many of her films, but I have nothing against her acting style in general. Director Neil Marshall (Tales of Halloween, Game of Thrones, The Lair) is also hit or miss for me, but he did create The Descent (2005), which is a fantastic horror
film. So he definitely has greatness in him. I’m looking forward to Duchess. By the end, I hope to have a better idea of how I feel about Kirk and Marshall. 15 – The
Instigators (8/2) Director: Doug
Liman Writer: Chuck
MacLean, Casey Affleck Actors: Matt
Damon, Hong Chau, Casey Affleck, Jack Harlow, Alfred Molina, Michael Stuhlbarg,
Owen Earls, Natalie Carter, Ron Perlman, Rob Gronkowski, Toby Jones Genre: Action,
Comedy, Crime Rated: R Length: 1h 41min IMDb Blurb: Follows two robbers who must go on the run with the
help of one of their therapists after a theft doesn't go as planned. The Instigators looks hilarious. There’s something to
the idea of a therapist accompanying your basic action hero (or anti-hero) on
one of their excursions. There’s a lot of room for odd-couple behavior there,
and banter galore. We all know how I feel about banter. Matt Damon (IF, Oppenheimer, The Last Duel) is a good
choice for this part. I’m interested in Casey Affleck’s (Gerry, I’m Still
Here, Light of My Life) writing credit in The Instigators as well. He
has a decent track record, but I’m not familiar with any of his writing on a personal
level. Damon and an Affleck together, however, is usually cause for
celebration. 14 – The Supremes
at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat (8/23) Director: Tina
Mabry Writer: Gina
Prince-Bythewood, Tina Mabry, Edward Kelsey Moore Actors: Julian
McMahon, Sanaa Lathan, Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor, Mekhi Phifer, Uzo Aduba, Tony
Winters, Craig Tate, Kadianne Whyte, Deja Dee Genre: Comedy,
Drama Rated: PG-13 Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: Follows a trio of best friends known as "The
Supremes" who, for decades, has weathered life's storms together through
marriage and children, happiness and blues. The trailer for The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat
is so good that it makes me want to read the book the movie is based on. It
seems like a fantastic story about the ups and downs of life with good friends
by your side. That, along with the insane cast involved in this movie, makes it an absolute must-see. The name threw me off. I thought it was going to be
something much different than what it is. I wish it was called something else. Whatever the case, though, I’m going to have tissues
standing by when I watch. 13 – AfrAId (8/30) Director: Chris
Weitz Writer: Chris
Weitz Actors: David
Dastmalchian, Riki Lindhome, Katherine Waterston, Keith Carradine, John Cho,
Havana Rose Liu, Lukita Maxwell, Greg Hill, Ashley Romans, Ben Youcef, Isaac
Bae Genre: Horror,
Mystery, Sci-Fi Rated: PG-13 Length: 2h 3min IMDb Blurb: The Curtis' family is selected to test a new home
device: a digital assistant called AIA. AIA learns the family's behaviors and
begins to anticipate their needs. And she can make sure nothing - and no one -
gets in her family's way. A Disney movie called Smart House (1999) came out almost 30 years ago. It was a cute flick about a family moving
into a smart house that seemed like a dream. AfrAId is basically Smart House for adult
horror fans with a fun cast. John Cho (Star Trek, The Graduates, Cowboy
Bebop) is someone I look forward to seeing, and so is David Dastmalchian (Oppenheimer,
Dune: Part One, The Suicide Squad). There’s a lot of room for mischief and
fun with those kinds of actors in this kind of flick. They do well with horror,
but they also have fantastic comedic timing. I don’t think there’s much comedy
in AfrAId, but there are sci-fi elements. I believe that timing will translate over well. 12 – Mission:
Cross (8/9) Director: Lee
Myung Hoon Writer: Lee Myung
Hoon Actors: Jolene
Kim, Hwang Jung-min, Kim Joo-hun, Jeon Hye-jin, Yum Jung-ah, Jeong Man-sik Genre: Action,
Comedy, Crime Rated: Unrated Length: 1h 40min IMDb Blurb: In the ultimate test of marriage, an
agent-turned-househusband gets tangled in a perilous mission with his detective
wife, who's clueless about his past. I’ve seen a lot of American-made films like this. A former
assassin/spy getting tangled up in “one more job” with their layman spouse is
one of those comfort recipes I turn to when I need a simple,
no-thoughts-necessary film to turn to. For when life has gotten chaotic, and
there’s been no time to turn off. A little action, a little comedy… it very
rarely steers me wrong. I’ve never seen a Korean version of that recipe. If you’ve been following Trust the Dice for any length of
time, then you know I’m all in for Korean cinema. Mostly, what I’ve been
seeing, though, are horrors. I’m extremely interested in what this kind of
action/comedy looks like from a Korean perspective. 11 – Strange
Darling (8/23) Director: JT
Mollner Writer: JT
Mollner Actors: Willa
Fitzgerald, Kyle Gallner, Barbara Hershey, Ed Begley Jr., Steven Michael
Quezada, Madisen Beaty, Bianca A. Santos, Giovanni Ribisi Genre: Horror,
Romance, Thriller Rated: R Length: 1h 36min IMDb Blurb: Nothing is what it seems when a twisted one-night
stand spirals into a serial killer's vicious murder spree. This thriller looks so straightforward that I’m almost
positive there’s a twist. However, the trailer also conveys a harrowing feeling that makes me think it would be fine without one. Strange Darling is written and directed by JT Mollner
(Sugartown, The Red Room, Flowers in December), a master of shorts. His
full-length feature debut wasn’t the greatest thing in the world, but his short
films are amazing. If he learned from Outlaws and Angels (2016) than
this new full-length movie should be much better. I could not talk about this film without mentioning Kyle
Gallner (Scream, Smile, Red State). There are bigger names involved in Strange
Darling but not one of them draws me more than Gallner. He was amazing in The
Cleansing Hour (2019) – which is one of my favorite horror films I’ve seen
in the past few years. As simple as it was, it was outstanding. He’s part of
the reason why. I cannot wait to see him as the main antagonist here.
10 – My Penguin
Friend (8/16) Director: David
Schurmann Writer: Kristen
Lazarian, Paulina Lagudi Ulrich Actors: Jean
Reno, Adriana Barraza, Rochi Hernández, Nicolás Francella, Ellen C. Camp,
Alexia Moyano, Amanda Magalhães, Pedro Caetano Genre: Drama,
Family Rated: PG Length: 1h 37min IMDb Blurb: Inspired by a true story; an enchanting adventure
about a lost penguin rescued from an oil spill, who transforms the life of a
heartbroken fisherman. They soon become unlikely friends, so bonded that even
the vast ocean cannot divide them. The trailer for My Penguin Friend was so cute that I
got a little misty-eyed. Not only that, but I AM familiar with the true story
behind this film. I’m very interested in seeing a reenactment of what went down
between this penguin and the fisherman who befriended it. 9 – The Wasp (8/30) Director: Guillem
Morales Writer: Morgan
Lloyd Malcolm Actors: Naomie
Harris, Natalie Dormer, Dominic Allburn, Jack Morris, Leah Mondesir-Simmonds,
Rupert Holliday-Evans Genre: Thriller Rated: Unrated Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: Follows Heather and Carla, they will meet after
having not spoken in years. Heather is about to present a very unexpected
proposition that could change their lives forever. The Wasp is an interesting take on the hired killer
idea. Instead of following someone hiring an established killer, they try to
hire someone they remember having an easy time mercy killing an animal when
they were younger. There are so many ways this flick could go. We could get a
serial killer origin story, have the person being solicited turn on the protagonist, or see a story where things go right, but there’s regret
and tension. Because I don’t know where The Wasp is going, I want
to see it even more. 8 – Rob Peace (8/16) Director: Chiwetel
Ejiofor Writer: Jeff
Hobbs, Chiwetel Ejiofor Actors: Jay Will,
Mary J. Blige, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Amila Cabello, Curt Morlaye, Caleb Eberhardt Genre: Biography,
Drama Rated: R Length: 1h 59min IMDb Blurb: Based on a true story, a brilliant young man puts
his bright future at risk to help his father. A lot of films are based on true stories this month. I’m not
familiar with most of them. Including this one. That said, I am more than
interested in seeing what it’s all about. That feeling of doing something wrong in order to help a
loved one is something a lot of people can commiserate with. I’m guessing this
particular story gets extreme, of course, but that relatability is going to
make Rob Peace an easy choice. Even for people who aren’t usually into
films like it. In addition, with Chiwetel Ejiofor (12 Years a Slave, Serenity, Doctor Strange) writing/directing and acting in Rob Peace, we’re sure to get a quality piece of work that will tell the story well. 7 – The Killer (8/23) Director: John
Woo Writer: Brian
Helgeland, Josh Campbell, Matt Stuecken, John Woo Actors: Nathalie Emmanuel,
Sam Worthington, Aurélia Agel, Omar Sy, Diana Silvers, Saïd Taghmaoui, Eric
Cantona, Hugo Diego Garcia, Nicolas Dozol Genre: Action Rated: R Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: An assassin tries to make amends in an effort to
restore the sight of a beautiful young singer. John Woo (Red Cliff, Hostage, Mission: Impossible II)
is an absolutely legendary action director. I’ve seen a couple of his movies
stumble on script or plot, but when it comes to action, very few can beat him.
He knows how to get the heart pumping and the blood spraying. When he comes out
with a new film, action fans sit up and take notice. Nathalie Emmanuel (Furious 7, Maze Runner: The Scorch
Trials, Game of Thrones) is going to absolutely rock this part. She
embodied it in the trailer so much that I almost didn’t recognize her. I cannot wait to see how well this turns out. 6 – Blink Twice (8/23) Director: Zoë
Kravitz Writer: Zoë
Kravitz, E.T. Feigenbaum Actors: Naomi
Ackie, Channing Tatum, Alia Shawkat, Christian Slater, Simon Rex, Adria Arjona,
Haley Joel Osment, Liz Caribel, Levon Hawke, Trew Mullen, Geena Davis Genre: Dark
Comedy, Psychological Thriller, Mystery, Thriller Rated: R Length: 1h 42min IMDb Blurb: When tech billionaire, Slater King, meets cocktail
waitress, Frida, at his fundraising gala, he invites her to join him and his
friends on a dream vacation on his private island. As strange things start to
happen, Frida questions her reality. Blink Twice looks like a creepy psychological
thriller. I love my thrillers with a bit of, “Is this really happening?” I find
it’s the subgenre that takes the most amount of brainwork to really sus out
what’s going on. The endings have a wide range of options, too, so they’re more
difficult to predict. I’m excited to see Zoë Kravitz (The Batman, Kimi,
Divergent) put out her first full-length feature film as writer/director.
She’s been learning the business all her life, so she’s got a kind of
experience that most people wouldn’t. Channing Tatum (21 Jump Street, Foxcatcher, Deadpool
& Wolverine) took on a great air of creepiness for Blink Twice,
and he’s working alongside a fantastic roster of actors. I think this flick is
going to be a winner. 5 – Harold and
the Purple Crayon (8/2) Director: Carlos
Saldanha Writer: David
Guion, Michael Handelman, Crockett Johnson Actors: Zachary
Levi, Lil Rel Howery, Zooey Deschanel, Benjamon Bottani, Tanya Reynolds,
Jemaine Clement, Alfred Molina, Pete Gardner, Camille Guaty, Ravi Patel Genre: Animation,
Adventure, Comedy Rated: PG Length: 1h 32min IMDb Blurb: Inside of his book, adventurous Harold can make
anything come to life simply by drawing it. After he grows up and draws himself
off the book's pages and into the physical world, Harold finds he has a lot to
learn about real life. I love kid movies that explore the idea of imagination
becoming real or jumping into a place that supposedly only exists in the
imagination. Of course, my favorite of these movies is The Neverending Story (1984). For kids who grew up in difficult situations, imagination is often
one of their only comforts. A movie like Harold and the Purple Crayon goes a long
way with kids who lean on their imaginations for support. I’m mildly familiar with
the books (I have a 6-year-old), but seeing the same kind of idea brought into
the real world is something I think kids could enjoy a great deal. The line-up for Harold and the Purple Crayon elevates
the movie to a place where I think even adults could get into it. Zachary Levi
(Shazam!, American Underdog, Thor: Ragnarok) is a decent actor, and Lil
Rel Howery (Get Out, Free Guy, Eureka!) has the comedic timing of the
greats. Zooey Deschanel (New Girl, 500 Days of Summer, Our Idiot Brother)
is also an incredible comedic actor, and the only person better at narrating
than Alfred Molina (The Instigators, Spider-Man 2, The Forger) might
have been Morgan Freeman (Se7en, Million Dollar Baby, Now You See Me)
himself. I’m looking forward to seeing this flick. 4 – Jackpot! (8/15) Director: Paul
Feig Writer: Rob
Yescombe Actors: John
Cena, Awkwafina, Simu Liu, Seann William Scott, Rosanna Scotto, Murray Hill,
Becky Ann Baker, Holmes, Imani Love, Bobby Lee Genre: Action,
Comedy Rated: R Length: Unknown IMDb Blurb: In the near future, a 'Grand Lottery' has been
newly established in California - the catch: kill the winner before sundown to
legally claim their multi-billion dollar jackpot. I love everything about this trailer. It’s hilarious, the
plot feels unique, and the actors involved are all fantastic. John Cena (The
Suicide Squad, Bumblebee, Ricky Stanicky) and Awkwafina (Ocean’s Eight,
Crazy Rich Asians, Jumanji: The Next Level) together make for a hell of a
comedy team, while Cena and Simu Liu (Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten
Rings, Barbie, Kim’s Convenience) are action superstars. In an
action/comedy like this – it’s a dream cast. I feel like the idea for Jackpot! could have been
born from one of those TikTok POV videos. I absolutely adore those things, and I
follow a lot of creators who do them. It’s where they take ridiculous “what ifs”
and make stories out of them. Things like: “what if there was a deadly game of
mother may I constantly ongoing?” (One of my favorites.) Jackpot! has
that “what if the lottery was deadly?” quality to it. I’m here for it. 3 – Trap (8/2) Director: M.
Night Shyamalan Writer: M. Night
Shyamalan Actors: Josh
Hartnett, Ariel Donoghue, Saleka Shyamalan, Alison Pill, Hayley Mills, Jonathan
Langdon, Mark Bacolcol, Marnie McPhail, Kid Cudi, Russ, Marcia Bennett, Vanessa
Smythe, M. Night Shyamalan Genre: Crime,
Horror, Mystery Rated: PG-13 Length: 1h 45min IMDb Blurb: A father and his teen daughter attend a pop concert
only to realize they've entered the center of a dark and sinister event. I’m so enthralled by the premise of Trap that not
even M. Night Shyamalan (Knock at the Cabin, Split, Sixth Sense) writing
and directing can turn me off from it. I have no idea what kind of ridiculous
twist he’s going to put at the end, and I don’t care. I want to see the hell out
of this movie. I adore Josh Hartnett (Lucky Number Slevin, 30 Days of
Night, Black Hawk Down). He’s got a range that he didn’t receive a lot of
credit for when he was younger, but people are more on board these days. He can
do anything he’s offered. I cannot wait to see him as, presumably, a serial
killer stuck in a trap. It’s a new one for him, and he’s going to absolutely
kill it. (Pun semi-unintended.) 2 – Alien:
Romulus (8/16) Director: Fede
Alvarez Writer: Fede
Alvarez, Rodo Sayagues, Dan O’Bannon, Ronald Shusett Actors: Isabella
Meced, Cailee Spaeny, Archie Renaux, David Jonsson, Aileen Wu, Spike Fearn,
Robert Bobroczkyi Genre: Horror,
Sci-Fi, Thriller Rated: R Length: 1h 59min IMDb Blurb: While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space
station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most
terrifying life form in the universe. Alien (1979) is a horror/sci-fi staple. If you like
either genre, you likely love Alien. Not all of the sequels are up to
par, of course, but the design of the titular antagonist is one that’s firmly
engrained in pop culture. Alien: Romulus seems to be a return to the layout and
anxious, claustrophobic fear of the original. Some of the visuals are a little… questionable. Not in a low-budget kind of way, either. More in a hentai kind of
way. It makes everything feel that much more disturbing. 1 – The Crow (8/23) Director: Rupert
Sanders Writer: James O’Barr,
Zach Baylin, William Josef Schneider Actors: Bill
Skarsgård, FKA twigs, Danny Huston, Josette Simon, Laura Birn, Sami Bouajila, Karel
Dobrý, Jordan Bolger, Sebastian Orozco, David Bowles, Trigga Genre: Action,
Crime, Fantasy Rated: R Length: 1h 51min IMDb Blurb: In this modern re-imagining of the 1994 cult
classic, "The Crow," soulmates Eric and Shelly are brutally murdered.
Given a chance to save her, Eric must sacrifice himself and traverse the worlds
of the living and the dead, seeking revenge. I said it earlier, I love a good revenge story. The Crow
is one of those great vengeance plots that attract me. Of course, anyone who’s
seen the 1994 version is going to have trouble letting go of Brandon Lee’s (Rapid
Fire, Showdown in Little Tokyo, Legacy of Rage) Crow character. As good as The Crow (1994) was, it wasn’t even in its
final form when Brandon Lee died. It could have been even better. A lot of
people are very attached to that movie because of that. Bill
Skarsgård (It, Barbarian, John Wick: Chapter 4) has an uphill battle
ahead of him to get people to give him the kind of chance he deserves. I’m optimistic. The trailer looks great. Movies to Look Out For According to: Cat
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