IMDb Staff Picks for August: Arno K.
by IMDb-Editors | created - 9 months ago | updated - 9 months ago | PublicIMDb is made for fans, by fans. Take a look at our #StaffPicks as Arno shares his top five must-see titles for the month of August.
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1. Foundation (2021– )
TV-14 | 60 min | Drama, Sci-Fi
A complex saga of humans scattered on planets throughout the galaxy all living under the rule of the Galactic Empire.
Stars: Jared Harris, Lou Llobell, Leah Harvey, Terrence Mann
Votes: 96,360
My partner is one of those people who read Isaac Asimov in high school, and he long hoped the writer's Foundation novels would make it to the screen. After burning through Season 1 recently, we now stay up late on Fridays to watch new S2 episodes. I have to take notes on my phone to keep track of timelines and which version of Hari Seldon is where, but I think this is the best show currently out there — even after taking a few wobbly, Star Wars-y steps into the uncertain future of the Galactic Empire this season.
Season 2 now streaming on Apple TV+
2. Physical (2021–2023)
TV-MA | 30 min | Comedy, Drama
A woman struggling in her life as a quietly tortured housewife finds an unconventional path to power through an unlikely source: the world of aerobics.
Stars: Rose Byrne, Rory Scovel, Dierdre Friel, Paul Sparks
Votes: 12,829
I was one of those people who was duped by this show at first, thinking it was an '80s satire, and even though Rose Byrne was my favorite bridesmaid, the first two seasons took up space on our Plex server for far too long. Now that we have Apple TV+ (see my "Foundation" fixation), I'll burn through all 3 seasons of "Physical," which seems to have made a smart decision to not stretch out this dark crystal fantasy for too long.
Season 3 now streaming on Apple TV+
3. Corner Office (2022)
PG-13 | 101 min | Comedy, Mystery
As Orson, The Authority's newest employee, finds himself trapped in the absurdities of corporate life, his alienation deepens when he discovers a room he's told doesn't exist.
Director: Joachim Back | Stars: Jon Hamm, Danny Pudi, Sarah Gadon, Christopher Heyerdahl
Votes: 4,897
I hold on to the belief that someone out there is creating the next great role for Jon Hamm. Until then, his latest indie is a workplace curio that features Danny Pudi from "Community" and an ambiguous setting. What era is Hamm's mustache from, or the secret room he discovers? Beats me for now.
Movie available on VOD on Friday, August 4
4. Medusa Deluxe (2022)
R | 101 min | Drama, Mystery
A murder mystery set in a competitive hairdressing contest. Extravagance and excess collide, as the death of a contestant sows seeds of division in a community whose passion for hair verges on obsession.
Director: Thomas Hardiman | Stars: Luke Pasqualino, Lilit Lesser, Clare Perkins, Kayla Meikle
Votes: 1,882
Maybe you remember the striking trailer from earlier this summer — it credited hairstylist Eugene Soulemain, who created pieces for Lady Gaga and has a long history in the fashion world. The most encouraging reviews for this A24 whodunit say writer/director Thomas Hardiman for sure knows how to write dialogue, and his cast is note perfect in their delivery. Despite near-universal agreement the screenplay fizzles at its midpoint, this is the sort of director I like to keep tabs on from the beginning.
Movie available on VOD on Friday, August 11
5. The Last Voyage of the Demeter (2023)
R | 118 min | Fantasy, Horror
A crew sailing from Varna (Bulgaria) by the Black Sea to England find that they are carrying very dangerous cargo.
Director: André Øvredal | Stars: Corey Hawkins, Aisling Franciosi, Liam Cunningham, David Dastmalchian
Votes: 49,267
A documentary could be made about the two decades it took to get this period horror movie made. You might already know the story (it's "Dracula on a ship," basically and awesomely) is lifted directly from Bram Stoker's OG source material, but were you aware there was a point where Neil Marshall was going to direct Viggo Mortensen as the captain of the Demeter?
In theaters on Friday, August 11
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