Mission Impossible and Crazy Rich Asians: The movies you should not miss in August 2018

Clear the calendar because these are the movies to catch in August …

Mission Impossible – Fallout

Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Release date: August 2
Runtime: 147 mins

The early reviews from overseas frame this as one of the best action films since Mad Max: Fury Road. But let’s see if it lives up to the hype, we are talking about the sixth instalment after all. This film will have Tom Cruise executing some mind-blowing stunt work, while joined by the usual cast. But there’s some new names in the franchise – Angela Bassett, Vanessa Kirby, and Henry Cavill.

Dr. Knock

Director: Lorraine Levy
Release date: August 2
Runtime: 113 mins

The 1923 satirical play by Jules Romains is adapted to 1950s France, and sees the title character (Omar Sy) try to con villagers out of their money by pretending to be a doctor. This could be the pick of the month. French with English subtitles. You may recognise Sy from The Intouchables (2011), X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014), and Jurassic World (2015).

BlacKkKlansman

Director: Spike Lee
Release date: August 16
Runtime: 135 mins

Director Spike Lee turns the spotlight onto the remarkable true story of Ron Stallworth, an African American detective who infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan.
John David Washington, who plays Stallworth, is the son of legendary actor Denzel Washington – and teaming with him is Adam Driver – fresh off some fine performances in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and Logan Lucky.

C’est La Vie!

Director: Olivier Nakache, Eric Toldeano
Release date: August 9
Runtime: 117 mins

The two filmmakers earlier made the box office hit The Intouchables (2011), and this comedy focusses on a weary Wedding Planner about to experience the most testing day of his working life – in a 17th century French palace! Like a Robert Altman film we see all the different roles required to make this wedding memorable. Guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.

The Spy Who Dumped Me

Director: Susanna Fogel
Release date: August 9
Runtime: 117 mins

On paper this looks like a lot of fun, Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon are caught up in an international conspiracy when Mila discovers her ex-boyfriend is a spy.
Look, this theme has been done to death, but in the hands of the two capable actresses, and supported by Justin Theroux and Sam Heughan, it could still deliver some quality comedy.

Book Club

Director: Bill Holderman
Release date: August 23
Runtime: 103 mins

There’s some star power in this film – Diane Keaton, Mary Steenburgen, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Andy Garcia, Don Johnson and Richard Dreyfuss.
The four women run a monthly book club and their newest novel is none other than the erotic Fifty Shades of Grey. Cue the comedy! This rom-com is the directorial debut of Bill Holderman off a screenplay he and Erinn Simms wrote.

Crazy Rich Asians

Director: Jon M. Chu
Release date: August 30

From the director of Justin Bieber: Never Say Never, comes this rom-com about an Asian American girlfriend who finally meets her boyfriend’s family and discovers that he is filthy rich. Like filthy, filthy rich. On the surface, the film looks like a heap of fun but dig deeper and you’ll see there has been some backlash about the casting and its diversity.
I don’t think that should stop you from checking it out.

The Insult

Director: Ziad Doueiri
Release date: August 30
Runtime: 112 mins

A serious legal drama from Lebanon, about a minor argument over a drainpipe that escalates into a national trial. The story slowly unfolds revealing past sectarian grievances that affect everyone to this day. The director was the former camera assistant for Quentin Tarantino on Pulp Fiction and Reservoir Dogs. The Insult was nominated for the Foreign Language Oscar.