The latest entry in Ethan Coen's queer trilogy, a Jeff Buckley documentary and the rare children's horror flick in August movies

“The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a Ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning," wrote Natalie Babbitt in "Tuck Everlasting." Now into August's second week, we're officially zooming toward the fall season — which means you only have a few weeks left to enjoy a lazy day of free AC at the multiplex before the ride is over. This month's new releases include a documentary about a gone-too-soon musician, a kid's film that doesn't pander to its audience and a buzzy new horror movie.

'It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley'

It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley - Official Trailer | Directed by Amy Berg - YouTube

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Singer-songwriter Jeff Buckley is beloved for only having released one record during his lifetime — although that record, "Grace" is widely considered a perfect album. Buckley died in a swimming accident at age 30 while making his sophomore project, so most fans know little about the musician behind the angelic voice and earnest folk-rock output. A new documentary from Amy Berg focuses on Buckley's most intimate relationships, "finally" filling out the "missing details of his life," said Film Independent. Though "It's Never Over" spans "Buckley's infancy, his rise to fame and his untimely death," some of the "most arresting footage captures early performances at defunct East Village coffee house Sin-é," said Madison Bloom at Pitchfork. Those sets "present unvarnished early versions of the songs that would populate 'Grace.'" (in theaters now)

'Sketch'

SKETCH | Official Trailer | In Theaters Aug 6 | Angel - YouTube

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There are arguably not enough children's horror films. In the age of surveillance and parental controls, it is harder for kids to sneak into R-rated movies or even stream them online. But introducing children to low-stakes scary situations helps them learn, grow and foster imaginative capabilities. Enter "Sketch," Seth Worley's debut feature, about a little girl whose drawings come to life, including the menacing ones of "grotesque and hostile" creatures. The movie is a nice break from the sometimes predictable stylings of Pixar or Disney, plus "it's the rare film to authentically channel the spirit of Amblin Entertainment's '80s children's classics without resorting to narrative or aesthetic mimicry," said Nick Schager at The Daily Beast. (in theaters now)

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'Weapons'

Weapons | Official Trailer - YouTube

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Zach Cregger made a splash with his first feature "Barbarian" in 2022, a horror flick about the dangers of booking an Airbnb as a single woman. Outfitted with a twist few viewers saw coming, this was the "kind of debut that signaled the coming of the next Ari Aster or Jordan Peele," said Ryan Lattanzio at IndieWire. Cregger's much-anticipated second project is even more ambitious, using a "disappearing elementary school class as a jumping off point for an interconnected horror epic inspired by [Paul Thomas Anderson's 1999 movie] 'Magnolia.'" The story of 17 children who mysteriously vanish from their homes on the same night reportedly has a "finale that's so outlandish" you will "laugh-gasp in appreciation," said Manohla Dargis at The New York Times. (in theaters now)

'Honey Don't!'

HONEY DON'T! - Official Trailer [HD] - Only in Theaters August 22 - YouTube

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"Honey Don't!" is the second movie in a proposed trilogy from director Ethan Coen; the first was 2024's under-the-radar "Drive-Away Dolls." Both flicks star Margaret Qualley as a queer heroine, and this one positions her as Honey O'Donoghue, a "private detective in Bakersfield who has the deep voice and steady gaze of a hard-boiled femme fatale from the 1950s," said Owen Gleiberman at Variety. The Coen Brothers duo have been working separately for years now, but Ethan remains in collaboration with his wife, co-writer and editor Tricia Cooke. "It's been seven years since the Coen brothers made a film together, and in that time, the career of each brother has played out in a surprising way." (August 22, in theaters)

'The Roses'

THE ROSES Trailer (2025) Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch - YouTube

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Can a man handle having a female partner who is more successful than he is? That is the core question in "The Roses," a reimagining of the 1989 divorce satire "The War of the Roses." If you are tired of traditional romcoms, your interest may be piqued by the chaotic escapades of Olivia Colman and Benedict Cumberbatch, who star here as Ivy and Theo, an increasingly volatile pair navigating her career triumphs amid his burgeoning resentment. Directed by Jay Roach ("Meet the Parents," "Austin Powers") and written by Tony McNamara ("Poor Things"), "The Roses" seems bound to be, at the very least, a hilarious romp. (August 29, in theaters)