NOW , THAT ' S A SHARK
T
V ’ s Shark Week may be over , but Shark month is just beginning on the big screen as Jaws ’ bigger , badder and much older ( prehistoric in fact ) brother , The Meg swims into theaters on August 10 . And if monster sharks aren ’ t your thing we have a bunch of other goodies to keep you entertained before summer ends . Sorry , no superheroes this month – but we ’ ve got R-rated Muppets !
By Lori Vernon
Jason Statham in The Meg
The Meg Directed by John Turteltaub Rated : PG 13 • August 10
Based on Steve Alten ' s bestselling novel , Meg : A Novel of Deep Terror , a deepsea submersible is attacked by a massive creature , previously thought to be extinct . Lying disabled at the bottom of the deepest trench in the Pacific with its crew trapped inside time is running out . Jonas Taylor ( Jason Statham ), a deep-sea rescue diver , is recruited by a Chinese oceanographer ( Winston Chao ) to save the crew from this unstoppable threat : a pre-historic 4-ton , 75-foot shark known as the Megalodon .
The Darkest Minds Directed by Jennifer Yuh Nelson Rated : R • August 3
When teenagers mysteriously begin to develop powerful new abilities , they are declared a threat by the government and sent to detention camps . Ruby ( Amandla Stenberg ), the most amazingly powerful sixteen-year-old anyone has encountered , escapes her camp and joins a group of runaway teens seeking a safe harbor . They soon realize that the adults in power have betrayed them and running is not enough . They must band together and wage a resistance using their collective power to take back control of their future . Bradley Whitford , Mandy Moore , Wallace Langham , Gwendoline Christie and Harris Dickinson also star .
The Spy Who Dumped Me Directed by Susanna Fogel Rated : R • August 3
Audrey ( Mila Kunis ) and Morgan ( Kate McKinnon ) are best friends from L . A . who find themselves unexpectedly thrust into an international conspiracy when Audrey ’ s ex-boyfriend ( Justin Theroux ) shows up at their apartment with a team of deadly assassins hot on his tail . Much to their surprise , the duo jumps into action , finding themselves in Europe running from assassins and a suspiciously charming British agent ( Sam Heughan ) as they devise a plan to save the world - and themselves .
BlacKkKlansman Directed by Spike Lee Rated : R • August 10
In the early 1970s , Ron Stallworth ( John David Washington - son of Denzel ) is the first African-American detective to serve in the Colorado Springs Police Department . Determined to make a name for himself , Stallworth bravely sets out on a dangerous mission : infiltrate and expose the Ku Klux Klan . The young detective soon recruits a more seasoned colleague , Flip Zimmerman ( Adam Driver ), into the undercover investigation of a lifetime . Together , they try to take down the extremist hate group from the inside . The film features Topher Grace and Ryan Eggold .
The Happytime Murders Directed by Brian Henson Rated : R • August 24
This Muppet movie is definitely not for the kiddos ! As the tagline goes …” NO Sesame . ALL Street .” As the stars of The Happytime Gang TV show are mysteriously being murdered , two mismatched detectives must join forces to save the day . Connie Edwards ( Melissa McCarthy ) a type-A , sugar-addicted human , and Phil Phillips , her ex-partner , a crass , harddrinking disgraced ex-cop puppet ( voice of Bill Barretta ) with a connection to one of the victims – must put aside their huge differences to stop the killings and catch the culprit . Unfortunately , the evidence begins to point to Phil as the lead suspect , and he must go on the run to solve the crimes .
Juliet , Naked Directed by Jesse Peretz Rated : R • August 17
Based on the novel by Nick Hornby , Rose Byrne plays Annie , the long-suffering girlfriend of Duncan ( Chris O ' Dowd ) - an obsessive fan of obscure rocker Tucker Crowe ( Ethan Hawke ). When the acoustic demo of Tucker ' s hit record from 25 years ago surfaces , its release leads to a lifechanging encounter with the elusive rocker himself .
14 illinoisentertainer . com august 2018