Weekend Watch – 3/11/16

Welcome to the Weekend Watch. Where we try to point you towards the best ways to spend your viewing time (or, at least, steer you clear of the garbage).

Movies

10 Cloverfield Lane

Loren: We’ve said it a few times in the Podcast, the cast (of which we know) is good and this looks kinda cool. Will it be? Can’t tell. But I’m definitely cautiously optimistic about it.

RDT: Saw this Wednesday night. I don’t want to spoil it at all. The less you know the better. But it is totally worth seeing. Also, that one guy who we weren’t sure where he came from. His name is John Gallagher Jr. and he was great in Short Term 12, an amazing movie you all should see (currently streaming on Netflix).

Rick: Ever since I saw the original King Kong on WWOR-TV when I was kid, I’ve loved movies with giant monsters of every stripe. Yet, I hate Cloverfield with a passion. The reasons are too numerous to get into here (the biggest is T.J. Miller’s excruciatingly stupid character). That said, I will likely see this follow-up, but it’s going to take a lot to make me forget the sins of its predecessor.

 

The Brothers Grimsby

Loren: This doesn’t look funny right? I think I’m not that big a Sacha Baron Cohen fan. Ali G is kinda funny I guess. Is this a ringing endorsement of this movie?

RDT: I’d heard a little bit about it. But I had no idea it was coming out this weekend. It just looks like a dirtier, less funny, version of Spy. Also, SNL did a better therapist/”the rapist” bit 18 (yes, 18) years ago.

Rick: Nope. The only thing I want to see Sacha Baron Cohen in is a no-holds-barred Freddie Mercury biopic. Knowing that’s never going to happen makes me sad.

Eye in the Sky

Loren: I hadn’t even heard of this until today. That being said it looks pretty good. Though a little too similar to that last season of “24” set in London. Which was not good.

RDT: Like Loren, I knew nothing about this until it popped up here. It didn’t really grab me, though. That cast will get me to see it eventually, but more than likely not in theaters.

Rick: It’s hard to beat this cast (Helen Mirren, Aaron Paul, the late Alan Rickman), but there’s something overly familiar about the plot that makes me hesitant about its quality.

 

Hello, My Name is Doris

Loren: This is very cute. Yeah, I said it. It’s kinda an “Old lady becomes a hipster” movie that we’ve all seen a million times but… wait, we haven’t seen that trope before? Oh, then I stand corrected. In all seriousness, though, it’s not the type of movie I would search out, but I certainly wouldn’t say no to watching it.

RDT: It looks like a significantly better version of The Intern. Will I see it in the theater? Probably not, but I’ll catch it streaming.

Rick: I love me some Sally Field and this trailer warmed my cold, dead heart. The fact that it’s directed and co-written by Michael Showalter (The State, Wet Hot American Summer) only makes me want to see it more.

 

City of Gold

Loren: This one is definitely for the Angelinos reading, but if you live somewhere other than here and want to watch a documentary about a Los Angeles food critic, who am I to stop you?

RDT: I love me a good documentary that doesn’t make me feel guilty for living my life. Again, not one for theaters, but I’ll see it eventually.

Rick: Los Angeles residents might get more out of this documentary about Pulitzer Prize-winning food critic Jonathan Gold, but it’s really for anyone who appreciates excellent food and how you can uncover greatness in unlikely places.

 

Creative Control

Loren: I’m kinda into it. Plus I love me some Reggie Watts. I’ll check this out on Amazon (who distributed it).

RDT: Feels….a little pretentious (It’s in the future, but shot in black and white!). I think I’m gonna pass on this one.

Rick: Kind of looks like a riff on Spike Jones’ Her, but I’m okay with that. VR is coming whether we like it or not, so films about its potential impact are inevitable. And a little comedy thrown in with the sci-fi isn’t a bad thing either.

 

Marguerite

Loren: Looks good, but not for me. I hope that those that see it, enjoy it.

RDT: I have no problem with foreign films or subtitles. But this just didn’t do it for me.

Rick: Those who live in fear of subtitles (or the French) will likely pass on this, but it looks like an interesting exploration of what it’s like to pursue one’s passion in spite of your critics.

 

Bleak Street

Loren: This looks either like a super artsy Lucha Underground. Or, an accurate representation of Lucha Libre wrestling.

RDT: Yeah, I’m just gonna straight up say I don’t get it.

Rick: Bleak Street (La Called de la Amargura), based on the true story surrounding the death of two mini-luchadors in Mexico City, sounds like a noir-style winner on paper. That trailer, though…

 

The Young Messiah

Loren: More like The Young Messi-nah! AMIRITE!?!?

RDT: Go with God (but not with me).

Rick: Even faith-based cinema is not immune to prequels. Though they really should just call it what it is: Jesus Begins.

 

TV/Netflix/Blu-Ray

The Peanuts Movie (released Tuesday, 3/8)

Loren: It didn’t look great to me but then I heard reviews that said the contrary. I might wait for this one to hit pay cable/Netflix but I’m not opposed to it.

RDT: I missed this when it was in theaters. So, I’ll probably catch it on Blu-Ray.

Rick: What RDT said.

So that’s your upcoming weekend in review. Let us know what you saw, liked and/or hated.

As always, you can find us on Facebook and Twitter. And send in your questions/comments to questions@hollywoodpicturenews.com

From Hollywood,

–Loren, RDT, and Rick

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.