(Bloomberg) -- Heat waves notwithstanding, it hasn’t quite seemed like the dog days of summer just yet. But August’s respite is right around the corner. When you take a break (and we hope you do!), you can while away the hours with Miami detectives, Middle Earth elves, redeemed criminals—even a gonzo Mary Todd Lincoln.
Oh, Mary!Simultaneously idiotic and brilliant, comedian Cole Escola’s play imagines an alcoholic Mary Todd Lincoln lurching through the final weeks of her husband’s life. Escola also stars in the title role. It’s now on Broadway for a limited engagement. Extended through Nov. 10
Sing SingDirector Greg Kwedar’s pulled-from-life film, which is set in the high-security New York prison, showcases the power of theater as a poignant form of artistic expression. A superb Colman Domingo stars alongside a mix of professional and formerly incarcerated actors. In wide release, Aug. 2
CuckooA pulpy thriller from director Tilman Singer pits Gen Z favorite Hunter Schafer (Euphoria) against her dad’s boss, millennial Dan Stevens (Downton Abbey). Schafer’s character Gretchen, an American, has grudgingly moved with her family to a German resort town; as the jump scares and death toll climb, her reticence begins to seem eminently justified. Aug. 2
All That Glitters: A Story of Friendship, Fraud, and Fine ArtThe art dealer Inigo Philbrick was young, handsome and rich, which made the allegations of fraud—and Philbrick’s subsequent escape to the South Pacific, where he was later arrested—even juicier. His rise and fall is recounted by Orlando Whitfield, a former friend and business partner. Aug. 6
Locarno Film FestivalYou’ve heard of Sundance and Cannes, but another film festival beloved by aficionados is slightly off the radar, at least to American audiences. Set in the lovely Swiss lakeside town, just across the Italian border, the star-studded fest is one of the best places to see international independent films well before they make it to theaters. The nightly outdoor screenings for 8,000 people in the town’s Piazza Grande are a major draw. Aug. 7 to 17
The HypocriteIn yet another reminder that our children are inevitably our fiercest critics, Jo Hamya’s book follows a novelist who attends his adult daughter’s play only to discover that its plot skewers him. The inevitable fallout (and conditions that laid the groundwork for the play) is viewed from multiple angles. Aug. 13
Bad MonkeyBased on Carl Hiaasen’s novel and from an executive producer behind Ted Lasso, this comedic series on Apple TV+ stars Vince Vaughn as a former Miami police officer turned health inspector who stumbles into a vast criminal realm. Aug. 14
Paradise Bronx: The Life and Times of New York’s Greatest BoroughFunny, sweeping and written with evident affection, New Yorker contributor Ian Frazier’s magnum opus takes us through the history of the Bronx, from a contested battlefield in the American Revolution, to its halcyon days as a 20th century haven for middle-class upward mobility, to the inherent racism in city planning that led to the borough’s near-destruction in the 1970s. Aug. 20
Rings of Power Season 2Amazon’s big-budget Lord of the Rings spinoff series is back for its second season. Last season, which was reportedly watched by more than 100 million viewers, ended with multiple cliffhangers; expect the action to pick up right where it last left off. Aug. 29
Fool in Love FestivalA lineup that sounds like someone’s fantasy concert rather than an actual event will take place on the grounds adjacent to the SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California. There, attendees will be able to hear Lionel Richie, Diana Ross, Al Green, Chaka Khan, Dionne Warwick and dozens of others. Aug. 31
(Updates with extended dates of “Oh, Mary!”)
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