Typically, this is how it works in August: The movie studios throw one last Hail Mary to the box-office gods in the first week of the month, and then basically take the next six weeks off. Rise of the Plane of the Apes, Guardians of the Galaxy, Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby, We’re the Millers and a couple of Bourne films have all occupied the first week slot that Suicide Squad hopes to take advantage of this weekend before the summer season sputters to an end.

There are, however, gems yet to be had this month, although not any as likely to break-out the way Straight Out of Compton did in the middle of last August.

Nevertheless, here’s 5 movies that might help beat the August doldrums.

Don’t Breathe (August 26th) — I saw Fede Alvarez’s follow-up to Evil Dead at SXSW earlier this year. It’s the most intense horror thriller I’ve seen in a very long time, and the blind man played by Stephen Lang who terrorizes Jane Levy for 90 minutes is flat-out terrifying. There’s definitely some break-out potential for this film late in the summer.

War Dogs (August 19th) — Todd Phillips (The Hangover trilogy) returns with his first film in three years. Based on a true story, it’s about two young men, David Packouz (Miles Teller) and Efraim Diveroli (Jonah Hill), who won a $300 million contract from the Pentagon to arm America’s allies in Afghanistan. Bradley Cooper also shows up. The trailers suggest an obnoxiously bro-y but ultimately funny film, and the “true story” aspect raises the level of interest slightly.

Southside with You (August 26th) — The movie about Barack and Michelle Obama’s first date on an evening in 1989 and their first kiss outside an ice cream parlor looks insanely adorable. It might just offer a much-needed reprieve from politics late in the month.

The Hollars (August 26th) — The John Krasisnki directed film also stars Krasinski, as well as Richard Jenkins, Sharlto Copley, Anna Kendrick, Charlie Day, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Josh Groban, Randall Park, and character actor Margo Martindale. The cast alone makes it worth a look, even if it does look like a sentimental cross between Garden State and Junebug.

Hell or High Water — Ben Foster, Jeff Bridges, and Chris Pine with deep, West Texas accents robbing a bank to save the family farm in a movie written by the guy who wrote Sicario. I am in.

Dustin is the founder and co-owner of Pajiba. You may email him here, follow him on Twitter, or listen to his weekly TV podcast, Podjiba.