Now Streaming: August 2018

New Month Means New Streaming Options!

With the cost of going to new movies getting more and more expensive, it’s no wonder that people would rather just wait until streaming them is an option. Well, if you’re strapped for cash than I’ve got good news for you, there are a lot of great looking movies and series coming to streaming services like Prime, Hulu, and Netflix. August looks to have a little bit of everything, but to be honest, it’s the original content that I’m the most excited for. Then again, that’s probably because I pretty much see every movie when it hits theaters. For those of you balling on a budget (I‘m right there with you after spending more than I’d like to admit on tickets and large sodas) there’s still plenty to keep you entertained in August.

Prime

Hoosiers– August 1st

Uncle Drew hit theaters last month, which inspired a list of the best basketball movies of all time. Well, if you’re a sports fan than you’re not going to miss this classic tale of white guys learning to play high school basketball. While a lot of us might not pay much attention to high school basketball but bear in mind that this movie takes place in Indiana and there really isn’t anything else to do. As much as I poke fun at it, this is a classic that definitely deserves to be added to your queue whether your a sports fan or not.

Black Mask– August 1st

This is a film back from the heyday of Jet Li high kicking kung-fu action flicks. This time around he’s playing a Chinese superhero who has to do battle with evil mutants in order to save the city. In other words, this is as far as you can get from “high art” but it’s an awesome movie that’s still a lot of fun even to this day. As much as I love the new John Wick approach to fight sequences, there’s something entrancing about watching kung-fu masters use wildly impractical but jaw-dropping moves.

The Usual Suspects– August 1st

As painful as it is to admit that Kevin Spacey is a creep IRL, I still respect a lot of the work that he’s done. After all, movies are the sum of their parts, if they’re any good, and The Usual Suspects is one of the greatest heist movies of all time. To be honest, I would even go so far as to say this film is on my list of the best films ever made. If you haven’t seen this flick yet, you’re going to want to do yourself a favor because it’s a movie that completely changed the way I look at filmmaking and storytelling.

Gringo– August 17th

My initial review of Gringo wasn’t that flattering, but since enough time has passed, this is one movie I’m actually curious about giving a second shot to. Afterall, everything about it should have worked on paper, which is why I’m still giving it a shout out on this month’s Now Streaming. It features an all-star cast playing out all sorts of odd and eccentric characters. There’s a lot that was going for Gringo, which is why I’m looking forward to giving it another chance.

Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan (Season 1)- Augusts 31

John Krasinski tackles one of the greatest spy roles of all time in this Amazon original series. He plays Jack Ryan, who has been played by the likes of Alec Baldwin, Harrison Ford, Ben Affleck and Chris Pine. While a lot of people might think of Krasinski as Jim from The Office, his recent work in films like The Quiet Place and 13 Hours has proven he’s more than just a loveable goofball. That’s why I’m excited to see what he can do in this new action series from Prime.

Hulu

Leaving Las Vegas (Showtime)- August 1st

Before Nicolas Cage became known for terrible movies, he was a bonafide Academy Award-winning actor. More importantly, though, I read recently about the rise of alcohol-related deaths in young people and think that this film about a writer committing suicide by drinking himself to death will probably serve as a warning for many in my generation. It’s an incredibly dark movie, but it’s heartfelt and one that will haunt you in the best possible ways after you finish watching it. Like Hoosiers and The Usual Suspects, this is a classic that belongs in your queue.

Marshall– August 4th

One of the films I regret missing in theaters last year after the rebirth of Stars & Popcorn is this biopic about the first African American to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. With the fact that Donald Trump will get a chance to elect a new Justice, I think it’s appropriate to take a look at a movie that will remind us all who we need sitting on the bench. This is a part of history that not many people know about and it’s a good opportunity to learn you something new. Best of all it stars Chadwick Boseman of Black Panther fame, so it can’t be “that bad.”

Borg Vs McEnroe- August 10th

A few months ago this film was still making its rounds through the festival circuit (and eventually to theaters for a limited release) and it was getting pretty good buzz. I’m a bit surprised to see it streaming so soon on Hulu, but it is a movie I am definitely interested in seeing and will be marking it on my calendar. You don’t have to be a tennis fan to want to see one of the great sports rivalries of all time play out in the comfort of your own home.

The Secret of Marrowbone– August 16th

Horror movies are my guilty pleasure. So, when I see one is hitting a streaming service that actually looks watchable I let out a tiny squeal of joy every time. While I doubt this is going to be on the same level as Hereditary, I think that it actually looks like a pretty intriguing haunted house flick. It tells the story of siblings hiding the death of their mother from the world in order to avoid being separated from each other. Of course, that gets a little complicated once an evil presence starts to terrorize them.

Stan Against Evil (Season 2)- August 17th

Back when Scrubs was on Doctor Cox was probably my favorite character, which is why I’m excited to get a chance to watch the next season of John C. McGinley. If you’re a fan of the recently canceled Ash vs Evil Dead, then you’ll probably enjoy this series that is very much in the same vein. It’s far from PC though, so if you’re not down for watching a cantankerous old man who hates… Everyone, then you’re probably not going to like it. Me though, well, I let characters like this satisfy my buried anger issues so I don’t have to.