August 28, 2026
August can be a strange month for movies. It’s kind of a dead zone in between early summer when we see big tentpole releases and the fall season when the awards contenders generally get their time to shine. And let me tell you – the fall is absolutely loaded with many promising titles. Much like January and February, the month of August has become a bit of a dumping ground for studios. Now, that’s not to say this was a bad month for the box-office. Quite the contrary, the continued success of The Odyssey (now the highest grossing R-rated picture of all-time) and Spider-Man: Brand New Day (over $2 billion and still going strong) have ensured that 2026 will be a resounding success for theaters.
Despite the strong box-office results, there weren’t any “big-title” releases in August. Usually when I am considering what to write about each month, there is a clear “headline” movie – Project Hail Mary, Disclosure Day, The Odyssey were easy picks. This month we’ve got some smaller titles, but fortunately there are some terrific movies to check out – you just have to know where to find them. And that’s what I’m here for. Let’s start with the best film I saw this month.
True Talent on the Screen – Tony
I am sure that I have written thousands of words about how I struggle with biopics of famous people. The cradle-to-grave storytelling device usually falls flat as it inevitably turns into a surface level examination of the film’s subject and it feels like reading a Wikipedia page. I prefer to see a snapshot of a time in the person’s life when we can dive into what is going on at that time and how it may have shaped the rest of their life. Thankfully, that’s the approach director Matt Johnson took with Tony, with Dominic Sessa playing a young Anthony Bourdain.
Now, I know very little about Bourdain, except his popularity as a chef and his tragic death in 2018. I have zero culinary skills and never watch cooking shows, so I’ve never seen any of his television appearances. But that didn’t dissuade me from seeing this movie. In fact, it was one of my more anticipated titles of the year for a few reasons. First, Sessa is a top-notch actor, as we saw with his breakout performance alongside Paul Giamati in 2023’s The Holdovers. Second, Matt Johnson is quickly showing strong filmmaking skills after 2023’s excellent BlackBerry and the bonkers Nirvana the Band the Show the Movie, one of my favorites from this year. The fact that the same person directed all three of these movies might be more impressive than the film Tony itself. Throw in a strong supporting cast, featuring Emilia Jones (CODA), Leo Woodall (star of Tuner, another favorite of mine from this year) and the legend himself, Antonio Banderas, and you have all of the ingredients (see what I did there?) for a great movie.
As the film begins, Bourdain is an aspiring writer, trying to win a fellowship for his upcoming summer break from college. When he misses out on that, he follows his crush Nancy (Jones) to Provincetown and is forced to get a job in a small seafood restaurant owned by an expert chef (Banderas), joining fellow kitchen worker Sal (Woodall). As the summer progresses, Tony pines after Nancy, reluctantly learns how to survive in a kitchen, and lies his way through every situation he faces. It’s clear from the beginning of this film that Tony is a first-rate fuck-up. But we find ourselves rooting for him to get his shit together, probably because we know that underneath that tough exterior is someone with culinary talent that he just needs to unlock. Training with Chef Jose and learning from his co-workers helped him realize that he was not made to be a writer and that his future lies in the world of culinary arts.
What I love about Tony is that there are no nods or Easter eggs to Bourdain’s future as a celebrity chef. This is simply the story about a young man who doesn’t know who he is, who he wants to be, or what the hell he is doing with his life. It could have been the story of a young man named John Smith and be just as compelling. Sessa portrays Bourdain with a fierceness and arrogance that is unearned given his lack of experience. Jones is a great counterpart as his romantic foil, who doesn’t fall for his bullshit. Woodall is on fire in this movie and if you haven’t watched Tuner yet, immediately add that to your watchlist. As for Banderas? He’s great, as always. He portrays the chef with a quiet confidence, but ready to unleash the rage at his workers when they fuck up. The way he takes Bourdain under his wing is sweet, and turns to heartbreak when his protegee repeatedly lets him down. Tony is a perfect film for those August releases that might go under the radar, but are absolutely worth checking out. Tony is now playing in theaters.
Don’t Overthink It – One Night Only
A few weeks ago, one of my favorite podcasts (The Rewatchables) covered About Last Night…, the 1986 romantic comedy starring Rob Lowe and Demi Moore. I watched this movie so many times when I was in high-school, because it was on HBO all the time, that I know it by heart. Nevertheless, I hadn’t seen it in a long time, so I watched it again in advance of listening to the podcast and was still entertained. During the episode, the hosts pointed out something that stuck with me as I was thinking of a new release I had recently seen. They noted that in About Last Night…, it’s just a relationship story – there’s no goofy gimmick attached to it. It works because you have a terrific screenplay (outdated crude jokes and references aside) and four perfect lead actors with Jim Belushi and Elizabeth Perkins joining Lowe and Moore. And sometimes, I just wish Hollywood studios would learn the lessons from the past and not think they need an overly complicated plot device to drive a story.
That brings us to One Night Only, dubbed “The Purge Sex Movie” by some clever online film critics. The premise of the story is predicated on a world where there is only one night each year when single people are legally allowed to have sex. Putting aside the fascist nature of that setup (not exactly a great time in our country’s history for that gag), it’s a ridiculous premise with flimsy reasoning. But I decided to give One Night Only a shot because it stars two talented actors (Monica Barbaro and Callum Turner) and is directed by Will Gluck (Easy A and Anyone But You.)
Now, this movie isn’t terrible, per se. It’s got some laughs and it certainly doesn’t hurt to have two ridiculously hot people flirting and teasing the audience if they will eventually hook up. And, of course, will they hook up before the clock strikes midnight? But I couldn’t help myself from being distracted by the silly premise at the heart of the movie. I kept getting pulled out of the romantic shenanigans of the two leads by thinking that the underlying story made absolutely no sense. If you can turn that portion of your brain off for ninety minutes, you might be entertained. But, I hope Hollywood can learn something from a movie that’s forty years old. If you’re going to cast two hot people in a romantic comedy, skip the stupid premise and hire a screenwriter to craft a story that actually makes sense. One Night Only will be available to rent on demand on September 8th.
American Idiots on a Road Trip – Nimrods
Based on my last review, you might assume that I need a movie with a perfectly believable plot to enjoy it. I’m going to prove otherwise with this next film, because this plot is also quite ridiculous, but I still had fun. Nimrods is the story of three friends who are punk rockers, aspiring to someday be as big as their favorite band, Green Day. They get a chance to meet the band who are in town for a gig, where they share their demo tape. After Tommy (Mason Thames, star of The Black Phone) shares the experience with his brother, he falls victim to what seems like a harmless prank, but sets up the rest of the movie. Tommy receives a call from a member of Green Day (or so he thinks) inviting his band out to Los Angeles to open up for their show on New Year’s Eve. The call actually came from Tommy’s brother and his friend, but the diehard Green Day fans hear what they want to hear and set out for the mother of all road trips from Kansas City to Los Angeles to see their dreams realized.
Now, on the surface, you would wonder why Tommy and his bandmates would believe that this is a real opportunity. To be fair, they are not that bright, although their drummer seems kind of smart, but is quickly overruled every time he brings up his skepticism. They are simply blinded by their ambitions and can’t let reason get in the way of a good time. So, I was willing to go along with the underlying premise of this absurd plot. As the boys navigate their way across the country, they encounter many obstacles, get a chance to play some songs, get into some arguments, and eventually find their way to LA.
I wouldn’t consider myself a big Green Day fan, but I know the hits and since Nimrods was created by the band and the film’s writer-director Lee Kirk, the soundtrack is wall-to-wall Green Day songs. That makes this a fun experience if you like the band’s music, and you get a nice performance from the real band at the climax of the movie. While this may sound like a commercial for Green Day’s music, I wouldn’t really consider that the case. The characters in the film are pretty fleshed out, and there are plenty of familiar faces popping up in supporting roles, including Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey (co-stars from The Office), Fred Armisen (SNL), and McKenna Grace, the young actress who seems to be in every other movie released this year. The jokes mostly hit, the sentimentality isn’t too schmaltzy, and with a banger soundtrack, I would give this one a solid recommendation. If you are a fan of Green Day, it’s a must-see. Nimrods is now playing in theaters and will be available to rent on demand on September 15th.
An Unconventional Story of Family and Revenge – The Rivals of Amziah King
I think it’s safe to say this will be one of the more unusual titles of a movie I will cover this year, but that doesn’t impact my recommendation of one of my favorites of 2026. Matthew McConaughey is excellent as the title character in this new film from writer-director Andrew Patterson. This is the first picture in seven years from Patterson, whose debut The Vast of Night was a terrific science-fiction noir story. With The Rivals of Amziah King, we have a story that is primarily about a beekeeper who is also a blues musician, and surrounds himself with quite the cast of characters who are his close friends and co-workers.
As the story opens, Amziah has been asked to investigate the recent theft of some barrels of honey, and we learn about the underhanded business that occurs between rivals in this industry. He also encounters Kateri, a young woman who stayed with Amziah and his wife when she was a child in need of foster care. He takes her under his wing to show her the ways of beekeeping and blues, even coaxing her into singing with his band. As the film progresses, the story turns a little darker as Amziah’s business starts to suffer.
I had no idea what to expect going into this movie, but I saw it for two main reasons – I will see anything that McConaughey acts in, because I think he is terrific in every role, and Patterson’s debut picture was so impressive, I just had to see what he would do next. The Rivals of Amziah King is a great combination of multiple genres – family drama, suspense thriller, light-hearted comedy, and some damn good music. The supporting cast is also very strong with newcomer Angelina LookingGlass as Kateri, Kurt Russell as a powerful businessman in the honey industry, and several character actors rounding out the cast. Now, this film is not perfect – there is a storytelling choice halfway through the movie that really frustrated me, and I’m not sure the ending totally works. But I was impressed enough that I would recommend seeing this one if it intrigues you. The Rivals of Amziah King should be available to rent on demand September 15th.
Building a Life After the End of the World – The Dog Stars
You would think that a new movie from a world-class director (Ridley Scott), starring one of the hottest young actors in Hollywood who was nominated for an Oscar this year (Jacob Elordi), another popular young actress (Margaret Qualley), along with two beloved Oscar-nominated veterans (Josh Brolin and Guy Pearce) would be one of the more anticipated films of the year. But for some strange reason, The Dog Stars was unceremoniously dumped in theaters this weekend. I think this movie deserved better, because it’s a very good story with strong performances and beautiful cinematography and a lovely score.
The Dog Stars is set in a post-apocalyptic world, several years after a virus killed most of the population. Hig (Elordi) was a mechanic before the world changed, when he lost his pregnant wife to the virus. Fortunately, he still has his trusty dog Jasper, and bides his time flying his small plane to the remnants of nearby cities to look for supplies, and stopping into his old house where he reflects on the life he once had with his true love. Hig lives with Bangley (Brolin) who is a survivalist by nature, and relishes in keeping watch over their property on an abandoned airfield, shooting trespassers if they get too close. But this is not the life for Hig – he misses his wife and needs connection with someone. So, he sets off to look for other survivors and try to build a new life for himself.
I didn’t know what to expect when I saw The Dog Stars this morning. I love all of the parties involved with this movie, but the early reviews have been pretty rough. I actually quite enjoyed myself, despite a few quibbles I had with the storytelling choices. It’s worth noting that the film is based on the 2012 novel, written by Peter Heller. Elordi is very good and has strong chemistry with Brolin. Pearce is solid as a rancher that Hig encounters while on his journey. He is protective of his daughter (Qualley), who is also mourning the loss of a spouse, and develops feelings for Hig. Unfortunately, her character is underwritten, but she makes the best of the role with her performance. It helps that Scott filmed this on location (with Italy standing in for Colorado), so we have beautiful scenery throughout the movie.
I wasn’t thrilled with a sequence where Bangley defends himself against a group of invaders that felt more like zombies, than desperate people. And I’m not quite sure how I feel about a batshit crazy sequence where Allison Janney portrays a former stewardess running a community living in a converted airport. I kind of loved the bold choice, but boy did it take a crazy turn. These story choices led to some feelings of tonal whiplash that were a little distracting. Minor quibbles aside, I thought this was a very good movie about someone dealing with both the worldwide impacts of an apocalyptic virus, and the simple grief of losing the love of your life. And shouldn’t we just be thankful that Ridley Scott is still directing movies in his late 80s? The Dog Stars is now playing in theaters.
It’s a Blast – Coyote vs. Acme
It’s not often that I include the discussion of a corporate tax write-off in my review of a movie, but the film industry is a business, so here we are. Shortly after the merger of Warner Bros. Studios and Discovery Networks three years ago, the company made a curious announcement as part of their cost-saving strategies. The film Coyote vs. Acme, even though it was completed, would not be released because the studio decided to take a tax loss of $30 million on the film. They decided it would be better financially to put Coyote vs. Acme in a vault and declare it no longer in use (tax speak) so they could get the full benefit. They also did this with Batgirl.
Movie fans and critics were stunned – how could you just take the art that hundreds of people worked on and just….not release it? I guess they decided it wasn’t worth spending additional marketing money to release it in theaters. Put it on HBO Max? Well, that would mean it was “in use” and therefore they couldn’t get the tax write-off. Complete corporate bullshit, and this is coming from someone who spent over two decades in corporate jobs. Flashforward a few years and Ketchup Entertainment, a very small studio, swooped in to take the movie off of Warner Bros.’ hands and put it in theaters, where it debuts this weekend.
Putting that aside – how was the movie? I thought it was terrific. The story is set in a world where people regularly interact with cartoon characters, in the style of Who Framed Roger Rabbit? All of your favorite Looney Tunes characters are featured in this film, but at the center of the story is Wile E. Coyote, who continues to fall on his face trying to catch the Roadrunner. Will Forte (SNL, The Four Seasons) plays Kevin, a personal injury attorney who makes a living by suing Acme Industries (the corporate behemoth who runs everything) for minor nuisance complaints. When Coyote realizes that the dozens of Acme products have caused him harm over the years due to their malfunction, he recruits Kevin to sue Acme.
What transpires over the course of 100 minutes of Coyote vs. Acme is a terrific combination of Looney Tunes sequences similar to the ones we all watched as kids and your typical underdog story with Kevin taking on the big bad corporation. I had a blast watching this one, and the animation looks spectacular. There are even sequences that flash back to the classic cartoons where we see how long Coyote has been suffering.
The premise of the movie is pretty good, if you don’t take the legal merits of the case too seriously. Let’s be honest – we’re not watching The Firm. We’re here to see cartoon characters doing crazy shit and make us laugh. It’s also worth pointing out that Forte is excellent, especially when you consider he performs so many scenes acting opposite blank spaces that will be filled in by animators in post-production. For his sake, and all of the other people who worked on this film, I’m so glad it’s getting the proper release it deserves. So, in addition to seeing a very good movie this coming week, you could also stick it to Warner Bros. for their corporate bullshit. Coyote vs. Acme is now playing in theaters.
It’s Dino-Mite! – The End of Oak Street
Anne Hathaway is back with her fourth movie of 2026, following Mother Mary, The Devil Wears Prada 2, and The Odyssey. This time she faces something far scarier than the castle full of suitors she encountered in her last film. In The End of Oak Street, a family wakes up one day to discover that their neighborhood has somehow been transported in time. How far back? Oh, about 65 million years. How did they figure that out? Oh, you know, when they started getting chased by dinosaurs on their street!
Our story takes place in the mid-80s where Denise (Hathaway) and Greg (Ewan McGregor), along with their two kids and dog, are the typical suburban family. Their marriage is on thin ice due to the usual problems, and the kids are struggling to make friends. They are keeping it together, but you can tell it probably won’t last. One night, a mysterious light appears in the sky and when the family awakens the next morning, they have lost power and water. As they go exploring around the neighborhood, they encounter some new dino-friends. And no, they are not the friendly kind. From there, we are off on an adventure to see how the Platts can survive and somehow get back to their correct place in the universe.
It’s best to go into your viewing experience of The End of Oak Street without worrying about the science and logic behind the phenomenon that the Platt family encounters. Yes, we can get some explanations in the latter third of the movie, but as with most high-concept action stories, just go with it. The real fun here is watching the interaction between the dinosaurs and the people, which has all of the thrills and fun (and terror) that we experienced with Jurassic Park over thirty years ago. Bonus points for the online critics who dubbed this one “Jurassic Cul-de-Sac.”
Hathaway is terrific, as always, as the badass mom who tries to protect her kids, all while dealing with a wet noodle of a husband. McGregor is a little miscast as Greg, but he doesn’t significantly drag the movie down. I just wish director David Robert Mitchell found a better match for what Hathaway brings to the screen. You might think that Oak Street would feel like a Jurassic Park homage, but the movie I most thought of during my screening was Poltergeist. You have the 80s suburban setting with a family terrorized by a strange phenomenon. There are some scary moments and plenty of blood, but a number of the interactions between the dinosaurs and the people play for laughs as well.
Now, I found the ultimate resolution of the movie a little overcomplicated, likely due to the reported delays in finalizing the film after test screenings confused viewers. Ultimately Mitchell delivered a solid follow up to 2018’s Under the Silver Lake, but I have to admit I am more excited for his next project – the sequel to 2014’s outstanding horror movie It Follows. Hopefully we see They Follow next year. In the meantime, if you want some fun jump scares with dinosaurs chasing suburbanites, The End of Oak Street is now playing in theaters and should be available to rent on demand in late September.
That’s all for this week. This week, I’m headed out to Heaven’s Amphitheater to see my favorite band (Dave Matthews Band) at the Gorge for the third straight year. It never gets old to listen to wonderful music with members of my family, while looking at an incredible landscape of the best that nature has to offer. I’ll be back next month for a look at more new movie releases. Thanks for reading and if you would like to be notified about future posts, you can subscribe below.