# Premium Channel Premieres: August 2008



## bdowell (Mar 4, 2003)

_Note that I'll update this thread as information becomes available. If you find the information useful, you may wish to subscribe to this thread so you'll receive e-mails as information is added _

*/salute to Starz!'s press office for distributing their information early. Much appreciated!*

All Premiere's on Saturdays, unless otherwise noted

*Note* earlier in the summer months HBO had moved their big movie premiere nights to Sundays. In August they seem to get back to normal 'Saturday night premieres' scheduling.

Also note please that I haven't confirmed that the programs I have listed are actually premiering for the first time on these channels. These programs may have been shown on channels, or on other nites before the dates shown. The information below is just a look at the list of movies and major programs that are upcoming and seem to be showing for the 'first time' (on the network that is shown) on the dates noted.

*HBO*
Touted as HBO's biggies for August: _Generation Kill_ (7-part miniseries based on the award-winning book), _Transformers_, _Hard Knocks Training Camp with the Dallas Cowboys_ (premieres Wednesday, August 6, 10:00 east on HBO)
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August 2 - _Mr. Woodcock_ (8:00 east)
August 2 - _HBO Boxing After Dark: Judah vs. Clottey & Peterson vs. Diamond_ (10:00 east)
Sunday, August 3 - _Generation Kill Part 4: Combat Jack_ (successive Sundays continue the series) (9:00 east)
August 9 - _Transformers_ (Shia Lebeouf, Tyrese Gibson, Josh Duhamel, Anthony Anderson, Megan Fox, Rachael Taylor, John Turturro, Jon Voight, Bernic Mac, John Robinson in the [strike]Mega[/strike] Awesome Blockbuster directed by [strike]the awesomely pompous[/strike] Michael Bay) (8:00 east)
August 16 - _No Reservations_ (Catherine Zeta Jones, Aaron Eckhart, Abigail Breslin, Bob Balaban, Brian O'Byrne, Patricia Clarkson, Celia Watson, Stephanie Berry, John McMartin, Lily Rabe, Jennifer Wade. Directed by Scott Hicks) (8:00 east)
August 23 - _I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry_ (Already premiered on Cinemax in July, gets HBO premiere at this time) (8:00 east)
August 30 - _The Invasion_ (Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, Jeremy Northam, Jackson Bond, Jeffrey Wright, Veronica Cartwright. Directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel) (8:00 east)

*Cinemax*
Touted (in HBO/MAX's July schedule) as Cinemax's biggies for August: Shoot 'Em Up and The Brave One
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August 2 - _Sydney White_ (Amanda Bynes, Matthew Longo, Sara Paxton, John Schneider, Jack Carpenter, Crystal Hunt, Jeremy Howard, Adam Hendershott, Samm Levine, Danny Strong. Directed by Joe Nussbaum). (8:00 east). Updated Snow White story...
August 2 - _Shoot 'em Up_ (Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Bellucci, Stephen Mchattie, Greg Bryk. Directed by Michael Davis). (10:00 east)
August 9 - _Evan Almighty_ (Steve Carell, Morgan Freeman, Lauren Graham, John Goodman, Wanda Sykes, others...) (8:15 east) (Already ran on HBO, makes it's Cinemax debut at this time...)
August 9 - _The Brave One_ (Jodie Foster, Terrence Howard, Naveen Andrews, Nicky Katt, Mary Steenburgen, Jane Adams, James Biberi, Victor Colicchio, Zoe Kravitz. Directed by Neil Jordan) (10:00 east)
August 16 - _Knocked Up_ (Already ran on HBO, starts Cinemax run at this time...) (10:00 east)
August 23 - _The Comebacks_ (David Koechner, Carl Weathers, Melora Hardin, Matthew Lawrence, Brooke Nevin, Nick Searcy, George Back, Noureen Dewulf, Jesse Garcia, Jackie Long, Robert R'ichard, Martin Spanjers, Jermaine Williams, Dennis Rodman, Andy Dick. Directed by Tom Brady. {don't tell me it's a misprint... it's credited that way as a joke by HBO and others...}) (10:00 east)
August 30 - _Death Sentence_ (Kevin Bacon, Kelly Preston, Aisha Tyler, John Goodman, Garrett Hedlund, Leigh Whannell, Matthew O'Leary, Jordan Garrett, Stuart Lafferty, Edi Gathegi. Directed by James Wan) (10:00 east)

*Starz*
Starting in August on Starz, every Wednesday night at 10 p.m. (east coast time) the original Starz series *"Martin Lawrence Presents 1st Amendment Stand-up."*
Other highlights for the month include _Gone Baby Gone_ (8/2/2008); _Daddy Day Camp_ (8/9/2008); Disney's film _Enchanted_ (8/16/2008); _Dan in Real Life_ (8/23/2008); and _Feel the Noise_ on 8/30/2008.
The *"Summer of Stars"* in August includes films starring Johnny Depp, Cameron Diaz, Bruce Willis and Halle Berry.
=====
August 2, 2008 - _Gone Baby Gone_ (Starring: Casey Affleck, Morgan Freeman, and Ed Harris. Directed by Ben Affleck). Critically acclaimed. :up: 
August 9, 2008 - _Daddy Day Camp_ (Starring: Cuba Gooding Jr., Paul Rae and Lochlyn Munro. Directed by actor Fred Savage). Critically panned :down: 
August 16, 2008 - _Enchanted_ (Starring the lovely Amy Adams, Patrick Dempsey and James Marsden).
August 23, 2008 - _Dan in Real Life_ (Starring: Steve Carell, Juliette Binoche and Dane Cook).
August 30, 2008 - _Feel the Noise_ (Starring: Omarion Grandberry, Giancarlo Esposito and Victor Rasuk).

Note that *Encore Westerns* will be featuring a *"Six Gun Salute"* to the larger-than-life Charles Bronson with four of his films.

*Encore* goes with an outer space theme on Labor Day weekend with a Sci-Fi marathon that will include such films as _Independence Day_, _Invasion of the Body Snatchers_, _Repo Man_, _Stargate_, _Alien_, _Aliens_, _Screamers_, _Robocop 1-3_, _The Abyss_, _Contact_, and _The Faculty_. The channel also showcases *"Before They Were Stars"* a day-long August 1st marathon of films featuring actors and actresses before they hit it big. The showcase includes Annette Bening, Alyssa Milano, Mel Gibson, Gwyneth Paltrow, Christian Bale, George Clooney, Reese Witherspoon and others.

*Showtime*
News to come later (when/if the folks in Showtime's press department get something out there for us --  and ).
=====
Friday, August 1 - _Shobox: The New Generation_ (11:00pm)
August 2 - _Shooter_ (6:55 east)
August 2 - _Showtime Championship Boxing: Kirillov vs. Darchinian_ (9:00 east)
August 2 (Showtime Beyond) - _Silence Becomes You_ (10:00 east)
Wednesday, August 6 - _Documentary: Naked on the Inside_ (10:00 east) 
Thursday, August 7 - _Slow Burn_ (8:25 east)
August 9 - _Zodiac_ (9:00 east)
Tuesday, August 12 (Showtime 2) - _EliteXC: Shamrock vs. Baroni_ (9:45 east)
August 16 - _Harsh Times_ (9:00 east)
Tuesday, August 19 (Showtime 2) - _ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series_ (10:00 east)
Monday, August 25 (Showtime 2) - _Vazquez-Marquez: The Trilogy_ (10:00 east)

*The Movie Channel*
The Movie Channel continues their *Splatterday* on Saturdays line-up of horror themed films (double feature of horror themed movies on Saturday nites actually).
(If you aren't a horror fan then it seems that The Movie Channel is going to have slim pickin's for you )
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August 2 - _Snoop Dogg's Hood of Horrors_ (9:00 east)
Sunday, August 3 - _Vegas Vampires_ (2:15AM east)
Tuesday, August 5 - _Cross Bronx_ (8:00 east)
Tuesday, August 5 - _The Box_ (10:00 east)
Wednesday, August 6 - _Deceit_ (8:00 east)
August 9 - _Gacy_ (9:00 east)
August 16 - _Clawed: The Legend of Sasquatch_ (9:00 east)
August 23 - _Curse of the Komodo_ (9:00 east)
August 30 - _Gangs of the Dead_ (9:00 east)

Note schedules subject to change. For informational purposes only. Updated as information becomes available. Enjoy everyone.


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## bdowell (Mar 4, 2003)

Quick comments about some of these movies:

_Mr. Woodcock_ was something I rented on Blu-ray. It was pretty bland and boring.

_Transformers_ was a visual spectacle and more entertaining than I thought it would be. I'd probably rate it higher if not for Michael Bay's pompous attitude. (I still bought the 2 disc HD DVD set though... mostly to take a swipe at him as he was a big Blu-ray fanboy... )

_No Reservations_ was ok though it was *NOT* the movie you are led to believe you're getting based on trailers. Most definitely false advertising in that area. The trailers would have you think it's a comedy when it is much more of drama/tragedy.

_Chuck and Larry_ was funny to me, but others may not appreciate the humor or may be tired of Adam Sandler's type of humor which is abundant here.

_Sydney White_ was something my daughter seemed intersted in, but I don't know if she ever actually watched it.

_Shoot 'em Up_ was a total blast!

_Evan Almighty_ had a nice message and was entertaining enough if you don't have high expectations. Not as good as _Bruce Almighty_ was, but still an entertaining and enjoyable family movie.

_Knocked Up_ was funny, but I didn't see it as the blockbuster, can't stop laughing movie that others did. It was good, but not necessarily great. That said, I bought the HD DVD of same because it had a bunch of extras and parts did seem funnier after re-watching.

I didn't see _Death Sentence_ but remember it when it was in theatres. Vigilante justice after the justice system lets a father down. Could be interesting. Worst case it offers a bunch of actors a single degree of separation between themselves and Kevin Bacon 

I have _Gone Baby Gone_ sitting on Blu-ray disc at home and just haven't made time to watch it yet  I really should make the time as it was reportedly a very good movie. Same with _Dan in Real Life_  and _Enchanted_.

_Shooter_ was fun for me. I enjoyed it as a popcorn flick and thought it was fairly well done.

Hope everyone enjoys the big events for August!

Oh, one more thought, if you can find any sort of feedback forms for HBO and Showtime send them a polite nasty gram taking them to task for taking so long to get their downloadable schedules out, and *FOR NOT* releasing information in a manner as friendly and helpful as that which comes from Starz! Neither are helpful about getting their schedules out or about even putting out press releases that tout their big premieres for the month (even if they don't have final schedules done it would be nice to know what they expect to put out in any given month!)


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## byrdpack (Jan 17, 2007)

Thank you for posting these. I really appreciate the information each month.


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## pablo (Oct 11, 2007)

A couple of non-standard premieres I just noticed on Cinemax:

Sunshine Thu 8/7 12:50 AM

Things We Lost in the Fire Thu 8/7 02:00 PM


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## bdowell (Mar 4, 2003)

pablo said:


> A couple of non-standard premieres I just noticed on Cinemax:
> 
> Sunshine Thu 8/7 12:50 AM
> 
> Things We Lost in the Fire Thu 8/7 02:00 PM


Thanks for catching those.

Note to anyone that is interested in the movie Sunshine -- it starts out as a fairly interesting Sci-fi film that imagines that the sun is about to burn out, with a mission launched to go re-ignite it. Unfortunately it becomes something totally different by the end of the film.

If you are a Cinemax subscriber then it's available to you as part of your monthly sub fee. At that price you might not feel as ripped off as I did in renting it on Blu-ray. I did a short and quick review of the film at Amazon.com when I had watched it.

Some people absolutely loved the film, but it really was one that got a mixed reaction.

Warning that if you read more than a few of the reviews at Amazon you'll find them spoiler filled. I try not to do that, but others aren't as careful.

Anyway, before watching Sunshine you really should check reviews on it a bit and know what you're getting into.


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## pablo (Oct 11, 2007)

There seem to be a few more movie premieres, those are just two that I just scheduled for myself. In addition to these lists, I also do a keyword search for Movie + Premiere and things like this show up sometimes. Strange that they slipped through you, bdowell, but they don't seem to be labeled as premieres in the HBO/Cinemax guide - weird. But they are indeed premieres.


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## pablo (Oct 11, 2007)

A few other "hidden" premieres:

HBO: You Kill Me Thu 8/7 12:55 AM
SHO: When Nietzsche Wept Thu 8/7 10:15 AM
STR: The Jane Austen Book Club Mon 8/11 12:40 AM
MAX: Rocket Science Fri 8/15 02:30 AM


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