August Film Preview: Board the Bullet Train, celebrate Easter Sunday, and more must-see movies

Select theaters July 29; VOD August 5She’s not a huge star, but Rebecca Hall has already proven she can pretty much do it all. As a first-time writer-director-producer she earned acclaim last year with the critically lauded . As an actress Hall has stolen scenes in a variety of ensembles, and there’s probably an alternate Marvel Cinematic Universe where her Iron Man 3 villain is fully honored as initially conceived. Those who caught 2016’s Christine were treated to Hall’s incredible touch with vulnerable, isolated characters in the debilitating grip of mental illness, and we may now be entering the (slightly) more commercial application of her gift with highly interior emotion. Hall’s well-received psychological horror film The Night House kicked things off last year, and a bookend companion piece of sorts arrives now in the form of writer-director Andrew Semans’ tightly wound Resurrection. One of the more gloriously demented offerings , the film centers on a woman attempting to protect herself and her teenage daughter from an abusive ex-boyfriend (Tim Roth), who reenters her life and attempts to reassert control through a series of increasingly outlandish manipulations. It’s no surprise, that filmmakers in this era would be interested in stories about gaslighting, particularly of women. And Resurrection, which enjoys its streaming debut on Shudder following a limited theatrical release from IFC Films, feels like a well-crafted slice of think-piece cinema which sidles up to body horror and gives it a wild nudge. Anchoring it in mesmerizing fashion is Hall, who in the movie’s middle delivers an incredible, nearly seven-minute, uninterrupted monologue of dark personal history which won’t soon leave viewers—no matter what they make of the film’s wild ending. [Brent Simon]

Theaters everywhere August 5If you’ve seen any of the trailers for Brad Pitt’s Bullet Train, you know what to expect—and you may know too much, considering the studio’s eagerness to showcase this star-studded story without so much as a spoiler alert. Brian Tyree Henry, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Joey King, Zazie Beetz, Hiroyuki Sanada, Bad Bunny, and more play a colorful cavalcade of spies and assassins aboard a train from Tokyo to Kyoto, where the simple mission assigned to Pitt’s Ladybug—steal a briefcase—goes violently and delightfully awry. The best casting choice, though, may be a mulleted, smoky-eyed Sandra Bullock as the person assigning Pitt that mission (it’s her second action-comedy with Pitt this summer after ). Zak Olkewicz’s adaptation of Kōtarō Isaka’s satirical thriller novel is directed by John Wick and Atomic Blonde helmer David Leitch, who’s proven his ability to stage elaborate action sequences without sacrificing comedic timing.  [Jack Smart]

Theaters everywhere August 5Horror-comedies can be difficult to pull off, even though each style aims to deliver a thrilling gut-punch that elicits an immediate outburst of emotion. Combined, though, the two disciplines don’t always compute with audiences. We’re curious to see if director Halina Reijn can balance those opposing poles in Bodies Bodies Bodies, which stars up-and-comers like Rachel Sennott, Amandla Stenberg, Maria Bakalova, and Chase Sui Wonders as friends who head out for a weekend house party. After some drugs, some booze, and some making out, the group begins playing the eponymous game, which looks like a fun whodunnit murder mystery. Of course, things take a turn for the bloody when the game’s murders become real. The trailer posits a cross between April Fool’s Day and the emotional riffs of The Descent. On the plus side, A24 is putting out the film with their typical “elevated horror” approach, so there could be more here than meets the eye. However, it also stars Pete Davidson, so maybe it’s not elevated at all. [Don Lewis]

Apple TV+ August 5Peggy Holmes spent the first 20 years of her career as a choreographer (Fabulous Baker Boys, Hocus Pocus), while occasionally acting and dancing. As luck would have it, she shifted into choreographing animated films in 2003 with The Jungle Book 2, then directed Disney’s direct-to-video titles The Little Mermaid: Ariel’s Beginning, Secret of the Wings, and The Pirate Fairy. Now, Holmes takes on her biggest feature yet, Luck. The animated tale follows the adventures of unlucky-but-plucky Sam (Eva Noblezada), a young human who loses her newfound Lucky Penny and ends up on journey to the Land of Luck. She’s accompanied by a standoffish black cat named Bob (Simon Pegg), and meets numerous folks along the way, including Bob’s nemesis The Captain (Whoopi Goldberg), the head of security; Babe (Jane Fonda), a beautiful dragon and the Land of Luck’s CEO; and Jeff (Flula Borg), the unicorn facility engineer. When bad luck from the Land of Luck’s mirror world spills into the Land of Luck itself, everyone must join forces to save the day. Trust us: it’s adorable, perfect for kids, and plenty entertaining for adults who’ll get a kick out of the sublime voice cast. [Ian Spelling]

Theaters everywhere August 5Filipino American stand-up comic and regular Adam Carolla podcast guest Jo Koy stars in this home-for-the-holiday comedy about struggling actor Joe Valencia (Koy), best known for beer commercials, and his son (Brandon Wardell) attending a family Easter dinner—“the Filipino Super Bowl”—full of loud and dysfunctional relatives. Jimmy O. Yang, Tia Carrere, and Tiffany Haddish co-star, with Fil Am trailblazer Lou Diamond Phillips as a fictional version of himself. Director Jay Chandrasekhar is best known as part of the Broken Lizard comedy troupe and the director of their movies (Super Troopers, Beerfest), though he’s also helmed non-troupe comedies like the Johnny Knoxville and Jessica Simpson hit Dukes of Hazzard.Complications include catty aunt feuds, money owed to gangsters, and a successful sister who bails on the proceedings early. Can Joe keep the family together, and do so by delivering his stand-up routine in church, no less? Probably, but you’re not going for a surprise ending. In the manner of My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Easter Sunday looks to provide representation for a subset of viewers who don’t often see themselves on screen, while proving that comedies of family dysfunction are universal in appeal. [Luke Y. Thompson]

Hulu August 5Horror fans are ready to sink their teeth into Prey, the latest entry in the Predator franchise (director Dan Trachtenberg swears it’s not quite a prequel). The trailer had us at the Predator making its notorious, creepy clicking sounds, and the action looks impressive, especially a sequence in which a bear chases a Native American woman, only for the startled beast to be raised high into the air as it goes in for the kill. So, the hunter becomes the prey, which seems to be among the movie’s themes.The woman is Naru (Amber Midthunder), who rises to the occasion as a warrior despite the misgivings of male elders. This is Trachtenberg’s first feature since 10 Cloverfield Lane in 2016, but in between he directed the absolutely bonkers pilot for The Boys and the freaky-as-fuck Black Mirror episode “Playtest.” Much of the cast is Native American or Canadian First Nations, including Midthunder, Stormee Kipp, Michelle Thrush, and Dakota Beavers. The Predator is given life by Dane DiLiegro, an ex-basketball player who was born in the U.S., played in Italy and Israel and, following a move into acting, has appeared in The Walking Dead and American Horror Stories. We’re just praying it’s good. [Ian Spelling]

Netflix August 12Stunt double-turned-actor J.J. Perry makes his directorial debut with the Netflix original Day Shift starring Jamie Foxx as a vampire hunter who poses as a pool cleaner during the day to nab his nocturnal prey. On paper, it sounds silly, sure. But it’s actually a pretty clever device—a guy who knows where a vampire lives needs a day job that grants access to the premises while they sleep. Also a positive is the fact the script is co-written by Shay Hatten (alongside rookie screenwriter Tyler Tice) of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum fame. The reasonably fun trailer suggests there’s also some kind of financial incentive for Foxx’s character to kill vampires, and he needs the cash to pay child support and see his kid. The film also stars Snoop Dogg as a veteran vamp killer and Dave Franco as Foxx’s newbie partner. [Don Lewis]

Theaters everywhere August 12Big, 13 Going on 30, and Freaky Friday vibes radiate from Mack & Rita. During a bachelorette trip for a friend, 30-year-old struggling writer Mack (Elizabeth Lail) steps into a wonky tanning bed and emerges as a 70-year-old version of herself who goes by Rita (Diane Keaton). The question appears to be, will Rita make a love connection with Mack’s charming dog-sitter Jack (Dustin Milligan) before Mack can? The cast is aces, from the effervescent and ageless Keaton to You breakout Lail, as well as seasoned veterans Loretta Devine, Wendie Malick, Lois Smith, and Amy Hill, plus talented rising star Taylour Paige (Hit the Floor, Zola).Directing Mack & Rita is Katie Aselton, best known as an actress whose credits include The League, Legion, and The Morning Show, on which she co-stars with her real-life husband, actor-filmmaker Mark Duplass. She previously helmed (and starred in) The Freebie and Black Rock. There’s nothing wrong with a light romantic comedy, especially in this current environment. And we’re thrilled to see one getting a theatrical release. Here’s hoping that Aselton can pull off the elusive perfect souffle. And she’s got Keaton in her corner not just as leading lady, but as a producer. [Ian Spelling]

Theaters everywhere August 19The cineplex is overdue for a quality man vs. nature movie, and it looks like Beast could be just the thing we’ve been waiting for. Judging by its trailer, it’s in the same vein as Alexandre Aja’s 2019 summer creature feature Crawl, about a woman facing off against a massive alligator in a hurricane-stricken Florida town, or 2016’s The Shallows, featuring Blake Lively going head-to-head with a great white shark. When done well, these pictures demand to be seen on the biggest screen possible, on opening night, with a rowdy audience ready to have fun.The twist of Beast is that it takes a usually water-locked genre and replaces it with the vast expanse of the arid Savanna. Starring Idris Elba as a father on vacation with his two daughters, looking to reconnect with them after the loss of their mother, the movie is set up to be a story about a man who will protect his family against all odds. While out on a safari, of course, things go wrong, and they are hunted by an aggressive, oversized lion. Said trailer (luckily) hasn’t given away too much—just enough to hint that this lion might not be the only threat facing the family. One thing it does show, however, is Elba punching a lion in the face, and that’s enough for this writer to go see Beast immediately. [Brandon Kirby]

Select theaters August 26There are plenty of reasons to catch Breaking in theaters, with its tense recreation of a real-life 2017 standoff at a Wells Fargo bank, but the best one is that this marks the final screen performance of the late, great Michael K. Williams. He plays chief hostage negotiator Eli Bernard opposite John Boyega’s Brian Brown-Easley, a downtrodden Marine veteran who was owed na $892 disability check and resorted to the most drastic of measures to call attention to the injustice. Abi Damaris Corbin’s film (formerly titled 892 at its ) does a brilliant job of illustrating, in flashbacks, the many ways Brown-Easley butted up against a system seemingly designed to deny veterans compensation for their service—all as the police and media presence outside the bank grows and the two tellers inside (played by Nicole Beharie and Selenis Levya) attempt to reason with a man at the end of his rope. Breaking is a story designed to invite empathy, so it was a smart choice to cast actors, like Boyega and Williams, who can seemingly do so effortlessly. [Jack Smart]

Theaters everywhere August 26Relative loner Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) drops a DNA test in the mail, hoping that somewhere out there she may find a family tree. Surprisingly, she uncovers an entire aristocratic clan from England, who promptly invite her to the U.K. for a big family wedding. Presumably expecting something out of Downton Abbey, she accepts. The problem is they failed to tell her two crucial bits of information. One: they’re a family of vampires. And two: she is to be the bride.On the other hand, they’ve probably made a big mistake messing with a toughened veteran of the Game Of Thrones and Fast And Furious franchise player. Give her a stake or two, and things are gonna get Downton Stabby. Sean Pertwee appears to be playing the vampire patriarch, though, and he has a pretty formidable resume as well, having played Alfred on Gotham and fought werewolves in Dog Soldiers. It’s all a pretty drastic change up for director and co-writer Jessica M. Thompson, whose SXSW award-winning The Light Of The Moon dealt with repressed trauma stemming from assault. Here, the trauma and assault all looks to be very much out in the open. And those bloodsuckers won’t live to regret it or repress it. [Luke Y. Thompson]

Theaters everywhere August 31Before he returns to the blazing hot action of Mad Max with its prequel Furiosa (currently in production), writer-director George Miller dips into the fantastical with Three Thousand Years Of Longing. Based on the short story “The Djinn in the Nightingale’s Eye” by Booker prize-winning author A.S. Byatt, the film centers around an encounter in Istanbul between an academic (Tilda Swinton) and a Djinn (Idris Elba) who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. What follows is a battle of wills between a knowledgeable skeptic and a resourceful creature who loves to tell a tall tale. Steeped in Arabian mythology and the One Thousand And One Nights tales, Miller and his co-writer Augusta Gore take an unexpected leap into earnest storytelling. Aided by the palpable chemistry between Swinton and Elba, they spin a fantastical yarn about love, desire, and the need to connect across time and culture. The critical response at Cannes, where the film premiered in May, was surprisingly cool considering the talents behind and in front of the camera. Perhaps audiences will be kinder to this change of pace from the master filmmaker. [Murtada Elfadl]

Also for your consideration at the multiplex: Patton Oswalt and James Morosini bring a wild-but-true catfishing story to the screen in I Love My Dad (theaters everywhere August 5); Owen Wilson and Sylvester Stallone give us refreshingly original superheroes in Secret Headquarters (Paramount+ August 12) and Samaritan (Amazon Prime Video August 26), respectively; Aubrey Plaza stars in both the morally complicated Emily The Criminal and Alison Brie’s thematically complicated Spin Me Round (select theaters August 19); and Kevin Hart, Regina Hall, and Mark Wahlberg look for some Me Time (Netflix August 26). [Jack Smart]