Films that ought to be on your August watch-list

We're almost halfway through the year, and if you're feeling those midyear blues, don't worry—cinema is here to save the day. To help you shake off the gloom, we've curated a list of the most exciting film releases to look forward to in the next few months.

Mothers’ Instinct

In theatres on August 2

The mothers are mothering! Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain are reuniting (like a bolt from the blue) for the first time since Interstellar (2014) for Benoît Delhomme’s debut psychological thriller. A remake of Olivier Masset-Depasse’s 2018 Belgian movie of the same name, the plot follows two best friends and neighbours Alice and Céline who live a perfect 1960s American life. But when tragedy hits, things take a turn for the worse, and friends become enemies. Our 'instinct’ tells us this one’s going to be a blockbuster... what does yours?

It Ends with Us

In theatres on August 9

Book nerds, rejoice! Colleen Hoover’s TikTok-famous book has been adapted into a highly anticipated movie starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. The story follows Lily Bloom who moves to Boston to open a flower shop (very true to her name), where she falls in love with Ryle, only to be interrupted by her first love, Atlas. In a conversation with an American magazine, Lively said the team has done their best to honour the book and that the movie works even by itself.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice

In theatres on September 6

The 1988 quirky horror-comedy-fantasy Beetlejuice is getting a sequel after 36 long years. Tim Burton’s latest project will star an impressive cast, including Jenna Ortega, Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Monica Bellucci, Justin Theroux, Catherine O’Hara, and Willem Dafoe, among others. The Deetz clan will move back into their Winter River home for the sequel, where chaos will unleash, once again. But don’t worry, it’ll only mean more entertainment for us!

Call Me Bae

Streams on Amazon Prime Video from September 6

Ever wondered what Schitt’s Creek would’ve been like with an Indian twist? Well, wonder no more. Ananya Panday’s new eight-part Prime Video series will follow the life of Bella ‘Bae’ Chowdhary, a girl who goes from riches to rags and resorts to hustling in Mumbai after a scandal turns her world upside down. We’re certain this Dharmatic Entertainment production—directed by Collin D’Cunha and created by Ishita Moitra—will be your next binge. So yes...jot that down!

Khel Khel Mein

In theatres on August 15

Written and directed by Mudassar Aziz of Happy Bhag Jayegi (2016), this dramedy has a star-studded cast, which includes Akshay Kumar, Taapsee Pannu, Vaani Kapoor, Fardeen Khan, Ammy Virk, Aditya Seal, and Pragya Jaiswal. It is set to release this Independence Day, as is tradition for most Akshay Kumar movies. A remake of Perfect Strangers (2016), the story is about a group of friends who end up revealing secrets about each other at a dinner.

Stree 2

In theatres on August 15

Listen up all you horror junkies, Rajkummar Rao and Shraddha Kapoor’s horror-comedy Stree (2018) is getting a sequel this Independence Day. Produced by Maddock Films and Jio Studios, Stree will be making a comeback to our screens, and we can only hope she kidnaps more men this time (JK). Sorry for burying the lede but the movie will also star Pankaj Tripathi, Abhishek Banerjee, and Aparshakti Khurana—we know you’re already seated!

Lead image credit: Pexels

This article originally appeared in the July-August 2024 issue of Cosmopolitan India.

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