CL’s Guide to Summer Movies – August Edition!

Well, here we are. It’s the end of the summer. We’re packing up, back to school shopping, contemplating new haircuts, hanging out with friends before it’s time to hit the books again. I move in in two weeks for RA training. I am devastated. But, thankfully! There’s some more good movies headed to theaters this month. July’s films were really great, especially Despicable Me, Inception and Salt, so August has some big shoes to fill. Thankfully, I don’t think it’ll suffer.

So, if you have time between getting ready for school, why not have a night out with your friends and check out one of these four flicks?

Movie: The Other Guys
Release Date: 8/6/2010
Cast Highlights: Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg are the stars. Samuel L. Jackson, Dwayne Johnson, Eva Mendes also star.
Synopsis: Allen Gamble (Ferrell) and Terry Hoitz (Wahlberg) admire the hotshot cops and all of their glory. Gamble is perfectly happy doing paperwork, but sitting in an office is driving Hoitz absolutely insane. The chance to prove themselves arises, and shenanigans follow as things don’t go according to plan.
Why I’m Excited: The previews have me cracking up. I hate how much I love Will Ferrell. I’m completely in love with Mark Wahlberg. Samuel L. Jackson and Dwayne Johnson are funnier than I think, also. I think this will be the funniest movie of the summer since Get Him to the Greek and I’m actually really excited for this. Check out the preview on their website to see what I mean.
Website: http://www.theotherguys-movie.com/

Movie: Step Up 3D
Release Date: 8/6/2010
Cast Highlights: Alyson Stoner (from previous Step Up films and Camp Rock), Harry Chum Jr. (Mike Chang from Glee), Sharni Vinson, Rick Malambri, and Adam G. Sevani all star. Also a few So You Think You Can Dance alum are in the film.
Synopsis: From what I can grasp, it’s kind of like a dance off. Some friends and New York street dancers are against a worldly group of dancers.
Why I’m Excited: Okay, truth be told I was not excited for this because I did not like Step Up and I didn’t even see Step Up 2. But seeing the preview in 3D got me excited. I think this concept in 3D will be awesome and I think it’ll be visually stunning.
Website: http://www.myspace.com/stepupmovie

Movie: Eat, Pray, Love
Release Date: 8/13/2010
Cast Highlights: Julia Roberts stars as Elizabeth Gilbert. Javier Bardem, Billy Crudup, James Franco, Viola Davis also star.
Synopsis: A woman realizes that she’s not getting what she wants out of life and decides to pick up and leave for a year, hitting India, Indonesia, and Italy. Along the way, she gets more in touch with herself and what she wants.
Why I’m Excited: This movie looks amazing! It looks lovely and sweet and I need to see this movie. I need it in my life. I think it’s definitely going to calm my nerves about potentially moving across the country for grad school. I really think it’s going to be a great movie.
Website: http://www.letyourselfgo.com/

Movie: Going the Distance
Release Date: 8/27/2010
Cast Highlights: Drew Barrymore and Justin Long (real life on-and-off couple) star. Christina Applegate, Jason Sudeikis, and Charlie Day also star.
Synopsis: It’s about a couple (Barrymore and Long) trying their hardest to maintain a long-distance relationship while 3000 miles away from one another.
Why I’m Excited: This movie looks like the sweet little chick flick that I have been waiting for since Letters to Juliet. I love Drew Barrymore and just about every movie that she’s in and I also love Justin Long, especially after He’s Just Not That Into You. Plus Charlie Day, Jason Sudeikis, and Christina Applegate are hilarious. I think this will be the perfect balance of sweet and hilarious.
Website: http://going-the-distance.warnerbros.com/

Well, that’s it! An honorable mention is The Last Exorcism, which is a horror movie due out August 27th. I was going to add it, but the poster was horrifying and it scared me to look at it (I’m a big baby), but it’s about a priest giving an exorcism and it’s so messed up and goes horribly wrong, as all horror movie exorcisms tend to do. If you’re into scary films, check it out.

Are there any August movies you’re dying to see? Any movies from earlier this summer that struck you? Have any good nights out with friends this summer to any of the movies? Let us know!

Briana Simko is a senior English and Theater Arts major at Duquesne University and a proud sister of Alpha Sigma Tau. She absolutely loves movies, to the point where she’s applying to grad school for Cinema Studies. She’s sad  that the summer is over and that she’s packing up to go back to school, but glad to see her friends and also glad that she’s that much closer to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part I.