August Summer Blockbusters

Catch up on the last batch of summer movies. Read more…

After highlighting the biggest movies that came out in July (which saw Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince raking in $274 million and counting in the US alone), it's time to preview the last batch of the biggest summer movies coming out in August.

G.I. Joe : Rise of The Cobra
Based on the popular action figures (and the cartoon series I used to watch all the time as a kid), G.I. Joe is an action packed summer movie filled with amazing fight sequences, great special effects, and a lot of explosions. The story follows Duke and Ripcord as they join an elite international team called "G.I. Joe", a top secret unit who are highly skilled and use the latest in ultra high-tech equipment. Their current assignment is to go after Destro, an infamous arms dealer, and destroy the extremely dangerous weapon that he created. If it goes to the wrong hands, it can be used to destroy the world. Directed by Stephen Sommers (The Mummy and The Mummy Returns) and starring Channing Tatum, Sienna Miller, and Marlon Wayans. The movie already earned $56 million on its opening weekend in the US (which is the 4th highest debut for an August film ever!) and a sequel is in the works.

Julie & Julia
From Nora Ephron, the director of Sleepless In Seattle and When Harry Met Sally, comes the story of Julie Powell, (played by Oscar nominee Amy Adams) a 30-year-old woman who is not satisfied with her life. She decides to do something exciting by reading, "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" by Julia Child (played by Oscar winner Meryl Streep) and cook all 524 recipes herself. The story of her quest is interwoven with depictions of Julia Child's own life in Paris in the 1940s and '50s.

The Time Traveler’s Wife
The film is about Henry, a librarian who has a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel when he is stressed. He falls in love with Claire and they get married. As time goes on the movie explores the heartbreaking situation where Claire must deal with her husband leaving her unexpectedly, sometimes for long periods of time. The film is based on the prize-winning novel by the same name and stars Eric Bana and Rachel McAdams.

Inglourious Basterds
Directed by the one and only Quentin Tarantino (Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction) and starring Brad Pitt, Diane Kruger, and Mike Myers, this violent movie is set during World War 2 and weaves together two different story lines. A teenage Jewish girl escapes to Paris after witnessing her family's brutal death at the hands of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa. There she reinvents herself as the owner of a movie theater and plots her revenge. At the same time, Lt. Aldo Raine leads a group of Jewish-American soldiers behind enemy lines to torture and brutally kill Nazis in an attempt to demoralize the Reich. The film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May and received positive reviews.

The Final Destination
This is the fourth installment in the hugely popular Final Destination series. The series tell stories seeing terrible events before they occur. This time the story follows Nick O'Bannon as he is about to enjoy a day at the racetrack with a big group of his friends. He is suddenly overcome by a gruesome, detailed premonition of the stands going up in flames. He manages to evade the horrific reality by getting his friends out in time, but as we know well by now, death is not easily cheated. The film is directed by David R. Ellis, who brought us Snakes On A Plane. For brave fans, the movie will also be available in 3D.

Halloween 2
Picking up immediately where the 2007 Halloween remake left off, the story follows Laurie Strode as she battles against her own personal demons after defeating her murderous brother Michael Myers. But seemingly enough, Michael isn’t dead and is back again to claim his revenge. Rob Zombie is back as writer and director in the sequel after breaking Labor Day weekend box office records with his first remake in 2007. Halloween 2, however, will not be a remake of the original Halloween 2.

District 9
Much like Cloverfield before it, this film is shrouded in secrecy and the filmmakers have been keen not to release too many details about the plot. All we know is that an alien race has come to Earth and is stranded in Africa. They later become treated and seen as yet another mistrusted minority. Oscar-winner Peter Jackson of the Lord of the Rings trilogy produces the film. The movie has been stirring a lot of positive hype and people are excited to see how the special effect turn out. Make sure you check out the trailer!