“One Child Nation”
Synopsis: After becoming a mother, a filmmaker uncovers the untold history of China’s one-child policy and the generations of parents and children forever shaped by this social experiment.
What You Need to Know: Deeply harrowing and honest portrait of some of China’s darkest history, Nanfu Wang has created something that starts as something closer to a singular narrative before becoming greater than just her story. It was awarded the Grand Jury Prize at the 2019 Sundance, a triumph for a film with such devastating and humanistic insights. Our critic wrote “One Child Nation” is a thoroughly gripping and ceaselessly unnerving investigation into the policy that shaped and devastated China for a generation.”
Release Date: August 9th
“Blinded by the Light”
Cast: Viveik Kalra, Kilvinder Ghir, Hayley Atwell
Synopsis: In 1987 during the austere days of Thatcher’s Britain, a teenager learns to live life, understand his family and find his own voice through the music of Bruce Springsteen.
What You Need to Know: As is the case with many women directors, Gurinder Chadha should have a greater career than she does. While her film “Bend it Like Beckham” is a staple in the eyes of many viewers, perhaps it’s her latest Sundance hit “Blinded By the Light” that will help bring her a greater spotlight. A coming-of-age story about someone guided by the tunes of Bruce Springsteen, the film tackles the not so breezy idea of how music can be instrumental in finding your own voice, especially when you’re a teenager and every emotion is bigger than the bodies that carry them. Our critic saw it at Sundance and called it an “excellent crowd-pleaser,” writing that it “not only reinforces the transformative power that rock and roll can have on an individual’s life but reaffirms the notion that great mainstream storytelling is still possible in familiar crowd-pleasers like this.”
Release Date: August 14th
“Where’d You Go, Bernadette”
Cast: Cate Blanchett, Billy Crudup, Kristin Wiig
Synopsis: A loving mom becomes compelled to reconnect with her creative passions after years of sacrificing herself for her family. Her leap of faith takes her on an epic adventure that jump-starts her life and leads to her triumphant rediscovery.
What You Need to Know: Considering it’s the latest film directed by Richard Linklater and it stars Cate Blanchett along with Billy Crudup, Kristin Wiig, and Judy Greer, the excitement should be greater than it is currently leading up to its release date. Written by Linklater with Holly Gent and Vincent Palmo and based on the novel by Maria Semple, the source material was hugely popular when it was first released. So, while the lead up to the adaptation has seemed suspiciously quiet, even Linklaters “lesser” films are worth watching.
Release Date: August 16th
“Good Boys”
Cast: Jacob Tremblay, Keith L. Williams, Brady Noon, Will Forte
Synopsis: Three sixth grade boys ditch school and embark on an epic journey while carrying accidentally stolen drugs, being hunted by teenage girls, and trying to make their way home in time for a long-awaited party.
What You Need to Know: Your basic buddy comedy with Seth Rogen’s hand in it but aged down to middle schoolers, “Good Boys,” by most estimations, should seem obnoxious. However, the trailers have done a solid job of selling the premise. Gene Stupnitsky directs (his first film) which debuted at the 2019 SXSW. Our critic wrote that the film “ultimately wins you over with the undeniable rapport between these talented young actors and a naturally sweet message that life will always be in flux, and that it’s okay to accept the change.”
Release Date: August 16th
“The Amazing Jonathan Documentary”
Cast: The Amazing Jonathan, Penn Jillette, Judy Gold
Synopsis: What begins as a documentary following the final tour of a dying magician – “The Amazing Johnathan” – becomes an unexpected and increasingly bizarre journey as the filmmaker struggles to separate truth from illusion.
What You Need to Know: For those Avant-garde comedy enthusiasts, there are few things as intriguing as a new project from Ben Berman. Having directed shows such as “Comedy Bang Bang” and “Man Seeking Woman,” Berman possesses a singular, striking absurdist vision of uncomfortable humor which translated well to film. Our critic who saw it Sundance wrote “An eccentric, wild and gripping goose chase of a film, all the jesters at the center of ‘Jonathan Documentary’ are fascinating and this unbelievable film and its rumination of trust and a rumination on the nature of non-fiction filmmaking, is nothing short of amazing.”
Release Date: August 16th
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZ1tzajt2t4
“Cold Case Hammarskjold”
Synopsis: Danish director Mads Brügger and Swedish private investigator Göran Björkdahl are trying to solve the mysterious death of Dag Hammarskjöld. As their investigation closes in, they discover a crime far worse than killing the Secretary-General of the United Nations.
What You Need to Know: A good month for documentary filmmakers, director Mads Brügger brings yet another chilling story to the forefront. An examination of such inexplicable evil and human depravity, the film is aided greatly by the filmmaker’s willingness to not allow questions to remain silent or answers vague, pushing continually to seek out the truth. Our critic called the film “astonishing,” writing “whatever hybrid of non-fiction you want to categorize “Cold Case Hammarskjöld,” it’s nothing short of groundbreaking.”
Release Date: August 16th
