August brings us even more films as we enter the back half of a wild year. I’ve got some actions films, a science fiction movie and an online flick, so I hope you’ll find something that catches your eye.
Right out of the gate is The Suicide Squad, a soft reboot/stand-alone sequel to the financially successful but critically panned Suicide Squad. (Yes – it’s the same title, but without a ‘the’ at the front. Awful, I know.) The film brings back characters like Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) and Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), and adds newcomers like Bloodsport (Idris Elba) and Peacemaker (John Cena), among many others. The plot seems to be similar to the previous film and sends the aforementioned squad of prison inmates on a mission that most would call … suicidal, with a successful mission equaling lesser prison sentences. Directed by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy) it looks a whole lot better than the first one (which doesn’t say much) and should be a fun ride. The film releases on Aug. 6.
Next, an action thriller called The Protégé, releasing Aug. 20. Starring Maggie Q as an assassin looking for revenge after her mentor (Samuel L. Jackson) is murdered, the films follows in the footsteps of John Wick with slick fight and gun choreography, coupled with a simple and enjoyable premise: kill all things that stand in the way of what you want. Directed by Martin Campbell (Casino Royale), the film features Michael Keaton as the likely scene-stealing, morally grey antagonist.
For the final theatrical release, a mind-bending film called Reminiscence. The thriller stars Hugh Jackman as Nick Bannister, a man who offers citizens of a seemingly war-torn future world the opportunity to relive their own memories. Everything becomes complicated when he meets Mae (Rebecca Ferguson) who has a mysterious past that Nick digs into through dreams and memories. Written and directed by Lisa Joy, known for her work co-creating the show Westworld with her husband Jonathan Nolan, the sci-fi film surely has the wild story and setting going for it. Along with being Joy’s directorial debut, this will be one to look out for if you’re aching for a mind bending narrative. It will be out on Aug. 20.
For the online choice, check out the film First Love. Released in 2019, it follows a boxer and a call girl who get inadvertently mixed up in a drug smuggling scheme. It has multiple plotlines that thread together, making for a fun blending of violence, comedy and romance. I enjoyed it thoroughly and can’t wait to watch it again. It is streaming on Amazon Prime.
