With the superhero frenzy behind us and the full fury of Summer’s heat upon us, it’s time to put our inner 8 year-olds to bed (they’ve had quite a run lately, thanks to Thor/Green Lantern/Transformers 3) and hit the theaters for some more varied fare. The release lineup for August is a promising one, with a few steps outside the traditional lines of feel-good Summer flicks. And of course, CraveOnline’s got all you need to know about the month’s releases, right here in the August Movie Guide.
THE CHANGE-UP
Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Jason Bateman, Olivia Wilde
Directed By: David Dobkin
Opening: August 5
The Change Up centers on a responsible family man (Bateman) who switches bodies with his best friend, a lazy man-child (Reynolds). Hilarity undoubtedly ensues as the single most original plot concept in the history of cinema unfolds in what is sure to be side-splitting hilarity from start to finish. Right.
CraveOnline's Call: If you missed the expertly nuanced sarcasm in the description, you might want to revisit. Both Reynolds and Bateman are at the top of their game, so there's undoubtedly a few laughs to be found here - so long as you don't expect any originality in the storyline.
RISE OF THE PLANET OF THE APES
Starring: James Franco, Brian Cox, Andy Serkis, John Lithgow
Directed By: Rupert Wyatt
Opening: August 5
Rise of the Apes is a completely new take on one of 20th Century Fox's most beloved and successful franchises. Oscar®-winning visual effects house Weta Digital – employing certain of the groundbreaking technologies developed for Avatar – will render, for the first time ever in the film series, photo-realistic apes rather than costumed actors.
Rise of the Apes is an origin story in the truest sense of the term. Set in present day San Francisco, the film is a reality-based cautionary tale, a science fiction/science fact blend, where man's own experiments with genetic engineering lead to the development of intelligence in apes and the onset of a war for supremacy.
CraveOnline's Call: Those eyes! Franco be damned, we're in for this prequel - especially because the inevitable ending means that humans don't win. At least not this time.
GLEE: THE 3D CONCERT MOVIE
Starring: Dianna Agron, Lea Michele, Chris Colfer, Naya Rivera
Directed By: Kevin Tancharoen
Opening: August 12
Twentieth Century Fox Television and Twentieth Century Fox Film have partnered with Glee creator Ryan Murphy to produce Glee Live! 3D!, a film of the blockbuster Glee Live! In Concert! North American tour. Twentieth Century Fox will release the film - for a special limited two-week engagement
CraveOnline's Call: Also included in the ticket price: a strong likelihood of the sky ripping open and armageddon descending as the opening credits roll. Twee, pristine and chipper robot children lip-synch to pre-recorded songs and show the world that a solution to every problem is just a song away. Kill it with fire.
