Upcoming Releases — August (Saturday)

Well, the summer is nearly over. So, too, is the summer movie season. There are just a few blockbusters left, and a few movies that have some promise. August is always an unpredictable month for films, and this year is no different. Here's a look at the highlights.

Friday, August 3:
Total Recall — This is a re-make, of sorts, of the classic Arnold Schwarzenegger film. Some of the details have been changed, and the characters have been changed. This, allegedly, skews closer to the original source material. Colin Farrell has developed into a reliable main lead, so this could be a good chance for him to build on that with a sci-fi action vehicle. As with all re-makes, this will likely be subject to some intense fan scrutiny.

Diary of a Whimpy Kid — Dog Days — This is the third in the "Whimpy Kid" series. Doubtless if you like the books and/or the films, you will be happy to see this one back.

Friday, August 10:
The Campaign — This is the perfect tonic for political burnout. This looks to be an outstanding comedy about a pair of men (Will Ferrell and Zack Galifianakis) running for Congress. The trailers look hilarious and this could be one of the first strong summer comedies.

The Bourne Legacy — This is the fourth movie in the "Bourne" series, but the first without star Matt Damon. The trailer is sketchy, but this could be a chance for Jeremy Renner to show his action chops in yet another major franchise.

Hope Springs — This is a romantic comedy for the older set. The film features Tommy Lee Jones and Meryl Streep as a long married couple looking to get that spark back in their relationship. Steve Carell is the man trying to make that happen for them. This looks like a fun, funny film.

Wednesday, August 15:
The Odd Life of Timothy Green — This looks like an odd family film. Jennifer Garner and Joel Edgerton star as a couple that wish so hard for a child that one grows out of the ground. It's a strange concept but seems to be a family film.

Friday, August 17:
The Expendables 2 — This is the second installment of the action franchise built around 1980s and 1990s action heroes. Sylvester Stallone and his crew are back for more butt-kicking fun.

Paranorman — This animated film has a supernatural twist. The trailers make it hard to get a read on the intended audience, but this could be an interesting sleeper animated film.

Sparkle — This film will likely gain traction for the performance from Whitney Houston, who passed away this year. The film also features Jordin Sparks and is a musical set in the 1960s about a Motown super group.

Friday, August 24:
Premium Rush — This is an action adventure from director David Koepp starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt. It's about a bike messenger. Yep, we're at that time of year...

The Apparition — A ghost story starring Ashley Greene of "Twilight" fame. This has "B" movie written all over it.

Hit and Run — This is a comedy starring Dax Shepherd and Kristen Bell. It has a wild plot and seems like the kind of movie that appears in this last August dumping ground period.

Friday, August 31:
Lawless — This film has a great cast — led by Tom Hardy and Shia LeBeouf. It looks like an engrossing action/drama about bootleggers. The trailers are promising.

The Possession — The second "B" ghost/horror film in as many weeks. This one is about a demon possession using traditional Jewish lore.