By Ken Kaplan, Entertainment Scene

If you could see just one newly released movie per week, which four in August should they be?

Start off by joining The Other Guys, an action-comedy starring Will Ferrell, Mark Wahlberg, Samuel L. Jackson and Eva Mendes, directed by Adam McKay. New York City detective Gamble (Ferrell) is a forensic accountant more interested in paperwork than hitting the streets, and Hoitz (Wahlberg) has been stuck as his partner ever since an embarrassing public incident involving a quick trigger finger. Gamble and Hoitz idolize the city’s top cops, but when an opportunity arises for the “other guys” to step up, things don’t quite go as planned. Also opening: Flipped, Mao’s Last Dancer, Middle Men, Step Up 3-D and Twelve.

Starting Friday the 13th, watch out for The Expendables, featuring Sylvester Stallone, Jason Statham, Jet Li, Eric Roberts, Mickey Rourke, Bruce Willis and Arnold Schwarzenegger. In this action-adventure, directed by Stallone, a team of mercenaries are on a mission to overthrow a South American dictator. Also opening: Eat Pray Love, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World and Tales from Earthsea.

The third week of August, switch up summer’s dog days with The Switch, a romantic-comedy romp with Jennifer Aniston, Jason Bateman and Jeff Goldblum. Kassie (Aniston) is a fun-loving single woman who despite her neurotic best friend’s (Bateman) objections decides it’s time to have a baby—even if it means relying on a charming sperm donor (Wilson). Kassie’s plans go awry due to a last-minute switch that isn’t discovered until seven years later when Wally finally gets acquainted with her son. Also opening: Lottery Ticket, Nany McPhee Returns, Piranha 3-D and Vampires Suck.

Finally, take in the criminally thrilling Takers, starring Matt Dillon, Paul Walker and Hayden Christensen. A notorious group of criminals (Walker, Christensen) continue to baffle police by pulling off perfectly executed bank robberies. They’re in and out like clockwork, leaving no evidence behind and lying low in between heists. But when they attempt to pull off one last job with more money at stake than ever before, the crew may find their plans interrupted by a hardened detective (Dillon) hell bent on solving the case. Also: Centurion, Going the Distance and The Last Exorcism.

Ken Kaplan owns Entertainment Scene. Look it up online at www.entertainmentscene.com.