August’s must-see movies
With the sun setting on Hollywood’s summer blockbuster season and the New Zealand International Film Festival wending its way around the country, August offers plenty of variety for cinemagoers.
Action fans have the return of Gerard Butler’s Secret Service Agent Mike Banning (August 22’s Angel Has Fallen), Mel Gibson-starrer Dragged Across Concrete and the female-led The Kitchen (both August 29). Kids have the animated adventure Here Comes the Grump (August 1) and more canine capers in A Dog’s Journey (August 15).
Drama-wise, there’s Emilio Estevez’s library-set tale of civil disobedience The Public (August 1) and Regina Hall and Haley Lu Richardson team up for Support the Girls (August 1), set on a single day in a ‘‘sports bar with curves’’.
Documentary fans are also well catered for, with investigations into global warming (August 22’s 2040), Tongan culture (August 29’s For My Father’s Kingdom) and an All Black legend (August 29’s Dan Carter: The Perfect 10).
Here are some of the others we are most-excited about.
Hobbs & Shaw (August 1)
In this Fast and Furious franchise spin-off, Dwayne Johnson’s lawman Luke Hobbs teams up with Jason Statham’s British bad boy Deckard Shaw to take on a genetically enhanced villain (Idris Elba) who has plans for global domination. Also stars Vanessa Kirby, Helen Mirren, Eddie Marsan, Cliff Curtis and John Tui.
Diego Maradona (August 8)
After documenting the triumphs and tragedies of the lives of Ayrton Senna and Amy Winehouse, Asif Kapadia now tackles one of football’s most polarising figures.
Constructed from more than 500 hours of unseen footage, the film attempts to shed new light on the Argentinian who lit up stadiums around the globe, but was never far from controversy.
Palm Beach (August 8)
Bryan Brown, Sam Neill, Richard E Grant and Greta Scacchi unite for this Australian dramedy about a group of old friends who come together for an unforgettable weekend. The male trio play three members of a 1970s ‘‘one-hit wonder’’ rock band. Directed by The Thorn Birds’ actress Rachel Ward.
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood (August 15)
Billed as Quentin Tarantino’s penultimate movie, this 1969 Los Angeles-set tale focuses on a faded television actor and his stunt double as they strive to achieve success.
The starry cast includes Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio,
Margot Robbie, Damian Lewis, Al Pacino and Luke Perry.
Herbs: Songs Of Freedom (August 15)
Kiwi director Tearepa Kahi follows up his entertaining and enlightening look at hit song Poi E by investigating the life, times and legacy of the muchloved Pacific Reggae band.
Using archival footage and interviews with the band’s surviving members, he recounts their rise from Stevie Wonder opening act to Slice of Heaven chart-toppers.
Blinded by the Light (August 22)
If cinematic tales inspired by the likes of Queen, Elton John and The Beatles weren’t enough for you in the past year, here’s one that uses the music of Bruce Springsteen to back its story.
Bend it Like Beckham helmer Gurinder Chadha’s latest dramedy focuses on a teenager who uses The Boss’ creations to help him cope with life in Margaret Thatcher’s Britain, circa 1987.
Apollo 11 (August 29)
This documentary uses neverbefore-seen Nasa footage to offer viewers a different perspective on the 1969 moon landing. Todd Douglas Miller made it without using narration, modern-day interviews or recreations.