When Should a Movie Be Released?

Welcome back to Projections, the only movie newsletter that thrives in August, the time of year when your other faves are recharging in far-off beach locales.

Historically, August has been a reset for me and, seemingly, all of Hollywood. This time of year is the great inhalation before a lot of hot air is blown through the town. Executives are slowly returning to their posts, stars are gearing up for whirlwind fall festival tours and grueling six-month awards campaigns, and cinephiles are arranging their overwhelming Oct-Nov-Dec screening schedules. I like to spend the month, when not vacationing with my family, prescreening festival titles and hyper-managing the next several months of The Big Picture. This month has been a little different. We’re not taking any episodes off for the show—in fact, we’re going harder than ever.

Last week, the fantastic actor Patrick Fischler joined me for a special discussion about his long and varied career, including working on mega-hits like Speed, Mad Men, and Lost, what he learned from David Lynch, and the best part he’s had that very few people have seen.

Then, Jane Schoenbrun, Gillian Anderson, and Hannah Einbinder swung by to talk about their movie Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma, Eywa, and the majesty of desire. I think I did a pretty good job of holding it together.

This week, actor Will Poulter came through to talk about his new film Union County and his unique and unpredictable career. Will brought a (desperately needed) grace and suavity to the discussion. The film is quite powerful and worth your time, and the chat’s good too.

And then later this week, Matt Johnson returns for the third time this year to go deep on Tony, his remarkable new Anthony Bourdain quasi-biopic.

I mention all of this not just to self-promote, but to underline that movies aren’t taking the month off either. Here’s another sign: