Film fanatic who can't stop writing about/talking about/ and even make films. Follow me on Twitter: @JustinQuizon and on Tumblr: http://justinquiz.tumblr.com/

And like that….August is done. We now bring to you guys the last new movie releases for the month of August.

It’s been pretty low key this month. Pretty much, the only movies fighting for box office attention have been Guardians of the Galaxy and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.

Will any of the new  films win this week and over take the Marvel Space guys or the Ninja turtles? Lets find out…..

LastWeekend

What’s it about? When an affluent matriarch gathers her dysfunctional family for a holiday at their Northern California lake house, her carefully constructed weekend begins to come apart at the seams, leading her to question her own role in the family.

My thoughts? Patricia Clarkson is a hell of an actress, and it’s nice to see her take front and center of a film for a change. Normally she’s the kind of character actress that kills it in a supporting role or in a memorable scene or two. She seems like she’s gonna deliver a solid performance in what looks to be a quiet little drama.

TheNotebook

What’s it about? Twin siblings enduring the harshness of WWII in a village on the Hungarian border hedge their survival on studying and learning from the evil surrounding them.

My thoughts? So…..this ISN’T a reboot of the Rachael McAdams and Ryan Gosling flick? Whew, I was really confused. (I kid of course) Interesting looking film. I’m pretty intrigued to see the dark and disturbing areas it will explore, especially regarding the psychological damage the main characters will experience.

LifeofCrime

What’s it about? Two common criminals get more than they bargained for after kidnapping the wife of a corrupt real-estate developer who shows no interest in paying the $1 million dollar ransom for her safe return.

My thoughts? It’s no shock to realize that this movie is based on an Elmore Leonard book. I see his tone, plot ideas, and characters all over this trailer.  I also like the cast quite a bit, but judging from the trailer alone, this film feels like it’s missing a spark that’s hard to nail in a Elmore Leonard adaptation. Tarantino got it when he made Jackie Brown. Scott Frank got it when he wrote Get Shorty. I just don’t know if this one does too.

StarredUp

What’s it about? A troubled and explosively violent teenager is transferred to adult prison where he finally meets his match – a man who also happens to be his father.

My thoughts? I kinda love the angle of a character like this being stuck in prison with his father. There’s a lot of really great places to go with that idea, and Jack O’Connell seems to be quite mesmerizing in this flick.

TheNovemberMan

What’s it about? An ex-CIA operative is brought back in on a very personal mission and finds himself pitted against his former pupil in a deadly game involving high level CIA officials and the Russian president-elect.

My thoughts? Everyone needs to have their own Taken style film, and Pierce Brosnan is no exception. This honestly looks like fun, and I kinda dig that it’s basically a Never Say Never style film for Brosnan. Yes, it’s not actually a Bond flick, but I’m sure they won’t mind if you want to pretend it’s the later years of Pierce’s version of the character. Hell, he’s even teamed up with a Daniel Craig Bond Girl (actress Olga Kuylenko). Action looks decent, and Brosnan still has the charisma to be pretty dang bad ass in a movie.

AsAboveSoBelow

What’s it about? When a team of explorers ventures into the catacombs that lie beneath the streets of Paris, they uncover the dark secret that lies within this city of the dead.

My thoughts? I know, I know…I’m an asshole when it concerns POV movies like this one. So ok, I’ll be fair and say this one actually looks pretty neat. Its got some great bits of horror moments and imagery. One would hope that the Dowldle Brothers (who wrote MANY POV horror flicks) have developed a real knack for this style. You would assume that they got pretty good at making these kinds of movies, right? So if you still dig on POV flicks, I hope  you like this one. Like I said, there’s some awesome ideas in this thing…..I just wish it was shot like a traditional film. IMSORRYIMSORRYIMSORRY.

TheCongress

What’s it about? An aging, out-of-work actress accepts one last job, though the consequences of her decision affect her in ways she didn’t consider.

My thoughts? I’m that jerk that never saw Waltz with Bashir. Just gonna admit that. Been wanting to, but never got around to it. But this film? The new movie from Waltz with Bashir‘s director Ari Folman. That film has my undivided attention and I don’t want to miss it. This film looks spectacular, and the blending of the  meta with the fantasy/sci fi is an ambitious endeavor that I look forward to checking out. The animation and the visuals alone look lush and imaginative and I’m also intrigued with how complex the story seems to be. The reviews have been strong so I can’t wait to check it out myself.

What about you guys? Did any of these grab your attention, or are you gonna see Guardians of the Galaxy again? Don’t get me wrong, I do love GoTG too, but I think we got some cool looking films that will worth looking for. Let me know in the comments below which of the new films being released this week is grabbing your attention the most!

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