As this unusually warm summer rages on, the box office appears to have borne the brunt of it. Nevertheless, there’s a plethora of films to enjoy this month. It would be understandable if you had forgotten that there was yet another addition to the Marvel Cinematic Universe coming out this month, especially considering the gargantuan successes of Black Panther and Avengers: Infinity War, and yet Kevin Feige and the gang are still hoping audiences will turn out in their swarms for Ant-Man and the Wasp. If big budget blockbusters aren’t your thing, Gemma Arterton stars as a disillusioned stay-at-home mother in The Escape. But of course, there’s plenty more to look out for this month.
Sicilian Ghost Story – 3rd August
When 13-year-old Giuseppe (Gaetano Fernandez) goes missing, his classmate Luna’s (Julia Jedlikowska) love for him drives her unwavering ambition to find him – even if her own family don’t support her. However, the further she searches, the deeper she wonders into a darker plot than she should imagine.
Part coming-of-age story and part fairy tale, this Italian feature screened at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival to much acclaim. Still, its plot is rooted in a true case from the 90s when a young boy was murdered on the orders of a member of the Sicilian Mafia in order to keep his father quiet. This may not be the cheeriest of the bunch, but it will certainly be a fascinating watch.
Hearts Beat Loud – 3rd August
If you made me pick my favourite character from Parks and Recreation, I would pick Nick Offerman’s Ron Swanson. (I would actually first ask you why you like to ruin other people’s days with horrible questions, but then I’d answer). And now, Offerman gets a chance to shine in a feel-good flick that’s perfect for a warm summer’s eve.
Having lost his wife in a tragic accident, Frank Fisher (Offerman) is trying to ignore the fact that his daughter Sam (Kiersey Clemons) will soon be moving across the country for college. So when he manages to convince her to start a band with him, he can’t help but hope that this might change her mind about leaving – even if this thought is rather one-sided.
With a truly fantastic supporting cast (Toni Collette! Ted Danson! Sasha Lane!) and a great soundtrack, this looks like a hidden gem.
The Spy Who Dumped Me – 22nd August
When Audrey’s (Mila Kunis) ex-boyfriend turns out to be a CIA agent, she and her best friend Morgan (Kate McKinnon) become embroiled in an operation far exceeding their expertise.
In all honesty, this doesn’t look all that great: if I had to liken it to something, I would say it’s trying to be the 2015 Melissa McCarthy film Spy, when in reality it’s more like the 2013 Melissa McCarthy film The Heat. But one of its greatest selling points is the pairing of Kunis and McKinnon. While the former’s recent films may not have landed in the way that she’d hoped, the latter is enjoying great success on television, having recently earned an Emmy nomination for her work on Saturday Night Live. Hopefully their chemistry will be enough to liven up this, otherwise average, comedy caper.
BlacKkKlansman – 24th August
Perhaps the most distinct of this month’s releases, Spike Lee will be wanting to make a bit of a comeback to the silver screen, after his 2015 feature Chi-Raq didn’t quite get the awards success he was expecting.
Set in the 1970s, the Colorado Springs Police Department has just hired its first African-American police officer, Ron Stallworth (John David Washington). Keen to make his mark, Ron sets his sights on infiltrating the local chapter of the Ku Klux Klan – a job that requires the help of his colleague (Adam Driver). As they rise through the ranks, it becomes harder and harder to discern the line between their true morals and the lies that they’ve convinced the Klan they believe.
The trailer alone suggests this will be bitingly funny, with a dash of tension mixed in for good measure. Besides, there’s a great crew on board, with producers Jason Blum and Jordan Peele still reeling from their smash-hit horror Get Out. Of all the films coming out this month, this might be the one to watch.
Sarah Quraishi
Featured image courtesy of Georgia Butcher.
Image use license here.
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