Friends, movie goers, assembled geeks, the summer movie season is upon us. It is a time of hype, anticipation, jubilation, and at times unfortunate disappointment. Sometimes it’s hard to tell if a movie is going to be good even when the reviews start rolling in… if they come in time for you to make your decision at all. Luckily, we’re here to help you with your decision.
In this installment of the summer movie guide, we’re going over all the August releases to figure out if they’ll be worth your hard earned cash and, more importantly, your time.
Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation
- Release Date: July 31st
- Director: Christopher McQuarrie
- Writers: Drew Pearce, Christopher McQuarrie, Laeta Kalogridis, Will Staples, and Bruce Geller
Will it be good? With that many writers credited, it’s easy to get a little anxious. But the simple fact of the matter is that Rogue Nation has been getting stellar reviews thus far. With a 97% with thirty reviews, it’s a safe bet that the movie will be worth your time. That, and the fact Tom Cruise has been on a pretty good streak the last few years. Say what you will about his personal life… the man works hard to entertain us.
Verdict: If you like action movies, see it in the theater.
Fantastic Four
- Release Date: August 7th
- Director: Josh Trank
- Writers: Simon Kinberg, Jeremy Slater, and Josh Trank
Will it be good? We’ve been hearing very mixed things about this one behind the scene… though most of its negative. The fact that most of the film felt like it was being hidden from the public is also another point against it, though what we have seen looks fairly good. Still, it’s hard to judge this one because of all the negative buzz. That, and Fantastic Four isn’t exactly a beloved property at this point. The fact they’re making it gritty as well also has us raising an eyebrow.
Verdict: Wait for reviews, though we’re leaning toward it being decent.
The Man From U.N.C.L.E.
- Release Date: August 14th
- Director: Guy Ritchie
- Writer: Guy Ritchie and Lionel Wilgram
Will it be good? Guy Richie knows how to entertain with buddy films as he’s proven on many occasions. A revival of an old TV show, The Man From U.N.C.L.E. has a lot going for it with a great cast and a fun premise. The trailers have been pretty good, so it’s possible we’re in for a nice action romp.
Verdict: It’ll probably be fun at the very least, though we’re not sure if it’s worth seeing at the theater or not. Depending on reviews, you may want to wait until it’s on HBO. Still, it’ll probably be a solid way to kill two hours if you want to go to the movies.
Straight Outta Compton
- Release Date: August 14th
- Director: F. Gary Gary
- Writers: Andrea Berloff and Jonathan Herman
Will it be good? The production has gone through great pains to keep this one as accurate as possible to the real life story, including shooting in the very dangerous neighborhoods where the members of N.W.A. lived. Eazy-E will also be played by his son, Lil Eazy E. The production’s commitment to the story is commendable, so we’re willing to believe it will satisfy fans of the genre and N.W.A.
Verdict: If you like biopics or rap, you’ll probably want to check it out in the theater.
Masterminds
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onOblb6W_yw
- Release Date: August 19th
- Director: Jared Hess
- Writers: Chris Bowman, Hubbel Palmer, and Emily Spivey
Will it be good? Probably not, judging from the trailer. But it could be dumb fun if the actors have good chemistry together.
Verdict: If you like dumb comedies, you’ll probably want to catch this one on cable.
Hitman: Agent 47
- Release Date: August 21th
- Director: Aleksander Bach
- Writers: Skip Woods and Michael Finch
Will it be good? Rupert Friend and Zachary Quinto are two fantastic actors, which is why it’s baffling to see them in this film. The trailer is loud and obnoxious, which is the exact opposite of everything that the game series stands for. The lead screenplay writer also seems to be Skip Woods, who worked on A Good Day To Die Hard and X-Men Origins: Wolverine.
Verdict: Skip it.
Sinister 2
- Release Date: August 21th
- Director: Ciaran Foy
- Writer: Scott Derrickson and C. Robert Cargill
Will it be good? The original Sinister was a huge success thanks to a small budget. The director of the first, Scott Derrickson, has returned to write the film so we’re willing to bet it’ll be more of the same. Horror movies are fairly critic proof, especially sequels to beloved horror films. Therefore, we see this one being a financial success despite its quality.
Verdict: If you liked Sinister, you’ll probably like the sequel. If you didn’t like Sinister, you’ll probably want to hold off as this seems like more of the same… just with a bigger budget.
