A Reel Preview: The Year in Film 2019 - Episode VIII

With August comes the final month of the Summer Movie Season. The air may still be warm, but those cool winds of Oscar Season are just around the corner. In the meantime, here are the notable releases for the coming month. 

It all revs up with…

FAST AND THE FURIOUS: HOBBS AND SHAW – This spin-off of the endless FAST AND THE FURIOUS franchise has Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham reprising their characters from the main series…teaming up to face a super-powered threat played by Idris Elba. Helen Mirren and Vanessa Kirby co-star. 

THE KITCHEN – This crime drama, which is based on the Vertigo comic book mini-series of the same name, has the wives of Irish mobsters taking over organized crime operations after their husbands are arrested. It stars Melissa McCarthy, Tiffany Haddish, and Elisabeth Moss. 

SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK – This horror/monster film is based on the children’s book series of the same name, where a young tortured girl turns her life into a collection of scary stories. It is directed by Andre Ovredal (TROLLHUNTER), and produced by Guillermo del Toro (THE SHAPE OF WATER). 

THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON – A young boy with Down syndrome runs away to become a professional wrestler, and is befriended by a drifter who helps him along. It stars Shia LaBeouf, Dakota Johnson, John Hawkes, Jon Bernthal, Bruce Dern, and Zack Gottsagen. 

DORA AND THE LOST CITY OF GOLD – A live-action adaptation and continuation of the Nickelodeon TV series. Isabela Moner plays the lead role. 

THE ANGRY BIRDS MOVIE 2 – The sequel to the 2016 animated hit. This time the birds and pigs form an alliance to combat a new threat. It features the voices of Jason Sudeikis, Josh Gad, Danny McBride, Leslie Jones, Bill Hader, Awkwafina, Sterling K. Brown, and Peter Dinklage. 

47 METERS DOWN: UNCAGED – The sequel to the 2017 horror film. This time four teen girls scuba-dive to an underwater city, only to be trapped in a labyrinth of caves surrounded by sharks. Johannes Roberts returns to direct. 

BLINDED BY THE LIGHT – Inspired by the true story of journalist Sarfraz Manzoor, who as a teen has his life changed when he discovers the music of Bruce Springsteen. 

ANGEL HAS FALLEN – The third film in the OLYMPUS HAS FALLEN series. This time, Secret Service agent Mike Banning (Gerard Butler), finds himself framed for an assassination attempt on the President (Morgan Freeman). 

DON’T LET GO – In this time-travel horror film, a man receives a call from his dead niece in the future, and he works to prevent her death before it happens. David Oyelowo (SELMA) stars. 

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Next month, Reel Speak previews the month of September.