Predictions: Weak August Slate

"Predictions" is a monthly article discussing next month's film releases, our picks for you to watch and for you to save your money. Currently, August looks to stay strong near the beginning then abruptly falling apart near the end in terms of film quality.

August is usually a dead month with rarely little to offer in terms of box office stature and interesting releases. The tentpole blockbuster is released near the beginning of the month while a smaller indie film is placed at the middle or end.

Last year's August slate proved to be quite packed with strong standouts. Suicide Squad opened the month to box office success (largest box office in the month of August), followed swiftly by the critical darling Pete's Dragon and the raunchous Sausage Party.  The runaway hit Don't Breathe ended the month on a good note. Kubo and the Two Strings and Hell or High Water also made for a great release slate. August of 2015 proved to be quiet while 2014 had the singular success in Guardians of the Galaxy.  

This August brings a couple hopeful blockbusters and many interesting indies, but throws a constant barrage of unwanted sequels, prequels, and team-ups. 

Here's our picks to watch for August:

Blockbuster: The Dark Tower - August 4, 2017

Indie: Ingrid Goes West - August 11, 2017

Darling: Wind River - August 4, 2017

Ingrid Goes West hasn't been picking up the best reviews. A comedy focusing on a stalker traveling across the country to forge a friendship with her Instagram obsession; Ingrid Goes West may be the month's runaway hit. Meanwhile fans of Stephen King can get their quick fix with The Dark Tower before September's It steamrolls through. Taylor Sheridan comes back with another thrilling film in Wind River. Elizabeth Olsen and Jeremy Renner star in this murder mystery taking place in the cold, snowy Wyoming. 

Here's our picks to miss for August:

Annabelle: Creation - August 11, 2017

The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature - August 11, 2017

The Hitman's Bodyguard - August 18, 2017

Franchises haven't had the best luck this summer and Annabelle: Creation looks to keep the trend going. A prequel to the prequel of the The Conjuring series (Annabelle was the first prequel), Creation goes back to when the freaky looking doll was first made. The Nut Job 2: Nutty by Nature will be the month's go-to, poorly animated film, along with Leap! while The Hitman's Bodyguard looks to be a humorless buddy flick. 

Other films that can make an impact are Kathryn Bigelow's true-life drama Detroit and Steven Soderbergh's comedy caper Logan Lucky. 

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