14 Movies to Watch This August

      As summer draws to a close, August presents an incredibly diverse collection of films. With a blend of notable studio releases, Cannes debuts, and festival favorites from years past, there are numerous appealing options to escape the heat.

      14. Harvest (Athina Rachel Tsangari; Aug. 1 in theaters and Aug. 8 on MUBI)

      One of the most visually stunning films of the year, shot by Sean Price Williams, Athina Rachel Tsangari’s period film Harvest is set to debut this month. In her Venice review, Savina Petkova noted, “An unnamed village, an indeterminate time; somewhere in Britain, at some point in the Late Middle Ages, something is coming to an end. Harvest reflects on the dusk of an ancient social structure without lamenting a lost paradise. That comparison would oversimplify a filmmaker whose work adeptly intertwines the allegorical and the political, as seen in Attenberg or Chevalier. Nine years after the latter, the Greek director returns to feature filmmaking with an adaptation of Jim Crace’s acclaimed novel, marking Harvest as her third film and her first set in a historical context.”

      13. A Little Prayer (Angus MacLachlan; Aug. 29)

      A charming film that has taken quite a journey to reach distribution is finally set to arrive this summer. Angus MacLachlan, who wrote Junebug, has his newest feature A Little Prayer making its debut after premiering at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival, where it was initially picked up by Sony Pictures Classics. Following some undisclosed issues, that deal fell through, but Music Box Films has stepped in, scheduling an August 29 release for the drama, which stars David Strathairn, Jane Levy, Will Pullen, Celia Weston, Dascha Polanco, and Anna Camp. As Jake Kring-Schreifels expressed in his review, “In the serene, tranquil mornings that introduce writer-director Angus MacLachlan’s A Little Prayer, a woman passionately sings gospel songs that resonate down the street. To many waking in this small, North Carolina community, they are an unwelcome distraction, yet Bill Brass (David Strathairn) and his daughter-in-law Tammy (Jane Levy) share a mutual curiosity about her, waking early to uncover her origins. They embark on a quest through their leafy neighborhood to find the source of the songs, but as the spirituals fade away, leaving them in the silence filled only by birdsong, they seem to enjoy the beautiful, unresolved question.”

      12. Suspended Time (Olivier Assayas; Aug. 15)

      The long-awaited Suspended Time from Olivier Assayas, which debuted at the 2024 Berlinale Film Festival, is finally making its way to theaters, with the director already having shot another feature, The Wizard of the Kremlin, set for a Venice premiere. This deeply personal drama, set in 2020, will be released by Music Box Films starting August 15. Rory O’Connor remarked in his review, “The memes won’t let you forget, but 2019 seems like ages ago. That was also the year Olivier Assayas’ Wasp Network premiered at the Venice Film Festival, marking his last feature prior to this. This extended break, aside from Irma Vep for HBO, represents the longest dry spell of his 38-year career. With Suspended Time, a personal essay coupled with a light comedy that feels remarkably fresh, Assayas makes his return, and it’s all the more enjoyable for it.”

      11. Lurker (Alex Russell; Aug. 22)

      One of the most talked-about films emerging from Sundance and New Directors/New Films this year, Lurker is the directorial debut of Alex Russell, known for his work on The Bear and Beef. This cat-and-mouse thriller, featuring Théodore Pellerin, Archie Madekwe, Zack Fox, Havana Rose Liu, Wale Onayemi, Daniel Zolghadri, and Sunny Suljic, is slated for release this month. Daniel Eagan mentioned in our ND/NF preview, “Lurker delves into the obsession with celebrity, offering a sharp, cynical look at a music industry overly focused on viral sensations. Matthew (Théodore Pellerin), a retail clerk, infiltrates the circle of Oliver (Archie Madekwe), a budding pop star. Director Alex Russell presents the film's betrayals as if they were royal intrigues. As their success grows, Matthew's claims to fame become more grotesque. Drawing from his experiences on The Bear and Beef, Russell highlights that talent isn't directly related to fame.”

      10. Souleymane’s Story (Boris Lojkine; Aug. 1)

      One of the standout discoveries from last year's Cannes Film Festival, Boris Lojkine’s Souleymane’s Story received the Un