The doldrums of Summer begin with August, the typical dumping ground for poorly testing features that they feel won’t make a ton at the box office. Occasionally, studios will post a handful of solid tentpoles in hopes of generating the next surprise hit.

I caution you that despite my best efforts, there will be films moving in and out of August even at this late point in the game.

August 5-7, 2011

The Change-Up

Premise: Two best friends, one living the life of a father, the other living the life of a bachelor, have their minds switched between bodies when they wish to live the other’s life.
Box Office Prospects: $75 M
Expectations: Modest. With all the successful R-rated comedies this year, I would expect this one to do solid business. Jason Bateman deserves a hit.
Oscar Prospects: None

Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Premise: In a prequel to the legendary Planet of the Apes films, a scientist, in an effort to cure Alzheimer’s Disease develops a brain enhancing drug that turns his simian test subjects into creatures smarter than the human race.
Box Office Prospects: $150 M
Expectations: High. Despite Tim Burton’s best efforts to kill the concept, this film looks like it could to solid business among younger audiences keen on films about wanton destruction and also aging fans of the original franchise.
Oscar Prospects: Look for nominations for Visual Effects and perhaps a few other creative categories.

August 12-14, 2011

30 Minutes or Less

Premise: Two budding criminals kidnap a pizza delivery guy, strap a bomb to him and give him a timeframe that he must commit a number of robberies.
Box Office Prospects: $35 M
Expectations: Low. Comedies about terrorist actions aren’t likely to fly with American audiences.
Oscar Prospects: None

Final Destination 5

Premise: The fifth film in the popular horror franchise where fate rectifies itself when sevearl teens escape death when they are supposed to die.
Box Office Prospects: $70 M
Expectations: Modest. This franchise has a built in audience that has given the last two films successively higher grosses. With 3D involved, I expect this one to top the prior film’s $66 million gross.
Oscar Prospects: None

Glee the 3D Concert Movie

Premise: The cast of Glee took their music on the road and this is the concert film that emerged from that tour.
Box Office Prospects: $35 M
Expectations: Low. Concert films just don’t gross as high as studios want them to.
Oscar Prospects: None

The Help

Premise: Although slavery had long been abolished, blacks suffered discrimination well into the middle part of the last century. This film looks at a white woman and her friendship with several black maids in a small suburban town where they are marginalized and mistreated. When she takes those stories and turns them into a sensational article, the color lines begin to break down.
Box Office Prospects: $75 M
Expectations: Modest. I think this could be a break-out hit. Emma Stone is a sensational actress and with able support form Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer, this could be quite the surprise hit.
Oscar Prospects: Depending on how critics and audiences favor the film, we could be looking at one of the year’s early underdogs.

August 19-21, 2011

Conan the Barbarian

Premise: An adaptation of the popular comics and film gives Conan the Barbarian, an aggressive, vengeance-seeking peasant.
Box Office Prospects: $85 M
Expectations: Low. I think this could be a big flop. While there are certainly fans out there, I don’t think they’ll crawl out of the wood works the way the studios are expecting.
Oscar Prospects: None

Fright Night

Premise: When his new next door neighbor’s suspicious activities, combined with recent disappearances in the town, make him believe that his neighbor’s a vampire, he begins looking into the matter only to enrage the vampire who threatens him and his family escalating a life-or-death conflict between the two.
Box Office Prospects: $55 M
Expectations: Low. The original is a great, campy piece of entertainment. The trailer makes this one look a bit too serious-minded, which won’t sit well with fans of the original who are the mostlikely to make this into a hit if any.
Oscar Prospects: None

One Day

Premise: A couple, together and apart, are depicted on the same, single day across several years of their lives.
Box Office Prospects: $60 M
Expectations: Low. This isn’t the kind of film that yells watch me, but it could be a surprise hit with date night crowds.
Oscar Prospects: Lone Scherfig has potential, but this may be too slight and too early in the year to give her much attention.

Spy Kids: All the Time in the World

Premise: The latest film in the kid-friendly espionage franchise finds Jessica Alba and her two step-children going against a time-bending super-villain (Jeremy Piven).
Box Office Prospects: $100 M
Expectations: While the second and third films didn’t quite match the original’s impressive $112 million total, the film will still pull in a sizable audience wanting to see the next film in the series.
Oscar Prospects: None

August 26-28, 2011

Colombiana

Premise: Seeking revenge on the men who murdered her family in front of her a young woman tries to find solace through violence.
Box Office Prospects: $65 M
Expectations: Modest. I can see fans of this sub-genre of action films finding the film quite entertaining. Whether it will break out as a hit remains to be seen, but I’d bet it does solid business.
Oscar Prospects: None

Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark

Premise: Guillermo del Toro has attached his name to this supernatural horror flick about a young girl and her family and the creepy things that happen to them all.
Box Office Prospects: $55 M
Expectations: The horror genre is almost bullet proof. While there are occasionally duds, this one should perform adequately.
Oscar Prospects: None

Our Idiot Brother

Premise: Paul Rudd stars as a moron who finds his lack of intelligence doesn’t quite fit well with the family that must look after him.
Box Office Prospects: $75 M
Expectations: Modest. As I said before, the R-rated comedy appears to be king this year. Whether this will do respectable business or bomb is anyone’s guess. I’m going for “solid performer”.
Oscar Prospects: None

That’s everything for August so far. Come back next month to see what’s not only coming out in September, but get a brief look at what’s coming for the rest of the year. Oscar season is nearly upon us.