Movies Not to Miss: August 2017

Writer: Casey Lee

Which of these are you going to watch?

And so summer ends with but a whimper. While there is no shortage of titles for the action seekers of Hollywood this August, this is an unconventional month that is not purely dominated from Hollywood. We have Asian titles that make up half of our recommendations and also a documentaries that ever so rarely make it onto our big screens that are worth catching.

So to help you wind down your adrenaline with the Fall season coming, here's our list of movies not to miss this August!

Gintama

One of the longest running manga and anime series by Hideaki Sorachi receives its first live-action adaptation. Directed by Yuichi Fukuda, who is no stranger in directing slapstick comedy mixed with exaggerated action from his "Hentai Kamen" days, seems a good fit to balance the serious samurai sword fights with the hilarious antics of its diverse and massive cast of characters. This is one laugh fest that fans of the series will not want to miss to see in Malaysian screens.

General Release Date: 3 August

The Dark Tower

When a young adventurer follows clues that take him to the Mid-World in another dimension, he meets with the Gunslinger, who is on a journey to reach the Dark Tower to save all existence from extinction. This feature adaptation of the renowned sci-fi western fantasy novel series by Stephen King has been long in the making since 2007. Once having J.J. Abrams and Ron Howard attached to direct, the final cut was directed by Nikolaj Arcel, who you might not have heard much in his directing capacity, but we are fans of "The Royal Affair" from 2012 that was nominated for a Best Foreign Oscar for Denmark. If the director doesn't inspire much confidence, we are quite sure the cast makes up for it with Idris Elba as the Gunslinger opposed by Matthew McConaughey as the Man in Black. This feature length is planned to be the start of a transmedia franchise for the novel series, taking place after the end of the novels, and continuing its legacy as a television series with possible feature sequels.

General Release Date: 3 August

Annabelle: Creation

The fourth movie in the highly successful "The Conjuring" series and aprequel to 2014's "Annabelle", "Annabelle: Creation" with a 100% rating on Rotten Tomatoes has already got the critics raving who have been praising it mostly for its vast improvement from its predecessor. The movie finally clarifies the origin of the doll and how it came to be such a terrifying thing. Husband and wife, Sam (Anthony LaPaglia) and Esther (Miranda Otto) open up their farmhouse to a six girls and a Nun from an orphanage, twelve years after the death of their 7-year-old daughter Annabelle. Yeah, you can guess by now what that entails, but also know that scares are aplenty in this one thanks to director David F. Sandberg from "Lights Out".

General Release Date: 9 August

The Battleship Island

During the Japanese occupation, 400 forced labourers from Josean are sent to mine for coal at Hashima Island. Under the cruel supervision of their jailers, some of the workers plan to make an escape. Made with the intent of being a historical fiction based on the real island, director Ryoo Seung-wan is more known for not letting up on the intensity and pace than his historical accuracy. Ryoo is reunited with his "Veteran" lead Hwang Jung-min, who is joined this time by So Ji-sub, Song Joong-ki and Lee Jung-hyun for this thrilling and also depressing prison break.

General Release Date: 17 August

The Hitman's Bodyguard

Top protection agent and bodyguard Michael Bryce is given a new assignment to protect his most unexpected client yet; Darius Kincaid, one of the world's most notorious hitmen and Bryce's nemesis. Bryce needs to ensure that Kincaid is kept alive while he is transported to the International Court of Justice to serve as witness. Once tapped to helm "The Raid" remake, director Patrick Hughes was given to direct this latest action mayhem since "The Expendables 3". While we aren't sure what to make of the chemistry between Samuel L. Jackson without his eyepatch and Ryan Reynolds outside of his Deadpool costume, but having Gary Oldman as an East European dictator and Salma Hayek as an assassin's wife is just too good to pass up for some action comedy.

General Release Date: 17 August

An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power

It's been 10 years since former U.S. vice president Al Gore made his appeal to global leaders on the need to fight climate change, and the progress since then until the signing of the Paris Agreement in 2016 looked like it had achieved its mission. Premiered this year at Sundance, "An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power" tracks the progress that has been made, but has unfortunately taken a drastic turn. With the recent withdrawal of the United States from the Paris Agreement, there is expected to be a new cut to the film. This will be another reminder to the harsh reality and future we could face if climate change is not reversed, and also a time stamp on how international politics has changed the discourse of climate change.

General Release Date: 24 August

Cars 3

Six years after the events of "Cars 2" (2011), we're set to see Owen Wilson return to voice everyone's favourite red racing machine, Lightning McQueen. But this time around, things are set to take a grim turn around the race track thanks to a new generation of racers that use the latest technology to boost their game. Facing unwanted retirement, Lightning gives it his all and suffers a nearly fatal end. Now under recovery, Lightning has got to make his way back with help from his friends. Armie Hammer voiced Jackson Storm, is Lightning's new racing rival and the face of the new generation of racers.

General Release Date: 31 August

American Made

If seeing Tom Cruise in a new franchise property didn't quite cut it for you, perhaps it's time to change gears a little to see him in something that doesn't scream 'franchise potential'. While not quite the type of plane we were hoping to see him in, Cruise plays as the true-to-life story of pilot Barry Seal who becomes involved with the Medellin drug cartel while being hired by the CIA. This is the next collaboration between Cruise and director Doug Liman since "Edge of Tomorrow", and the true story of Seal's exploits and involvement is set in one of the fascinating (and also embarrassing) times of the Reagan administration that follows how deep in bed the United States government was with the Contras.

General Release Date: 31 August