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
War for the Planet of the Apes
Loren: The first of these movies made me very uncomfortable with all the Malfoy abusing ape parts. I have yet to bother with the sequel so the same will probably hold true for this one.
RDT: Well damn, I guess I’m the outlier this week. I really liked the first two. So count me in for the 3rd, and final (nobody believes that, right?), film in this trilogy.
Rick: I can’t bring myself to care about this prequel story arc. I feel like it’s more interesting not knowing how it all happened. Also, spoiler alert from 1963: The apes win.
Jen: Dammit Dicky-Dick! Well I’m out now. Kidding… although I have seen all the original Apes films, I’ve not seen any of this new series and I’m sort of OK with it.
Wish Upon
Loren: It’s good to see that Barb is still a killjoy that presumably gets what she deserves. In this case what she deserves is being in this standard ass looking fable.
RDT: Horror. Not my thing.
Rick: So, it’s “The Monkey’s Paw” shoved into a Hellraiser-esque mechanical box. It’s not the worst idea, though it has the same look of nearly every lower budget studio horror movie that’s come out in the last decade. Maybe once it hits home video.
Jen: Meh, it sure is a horror movie.
Battle Scars (Limited)
Loren: War movies are not my thing. I like my violence less realistic and hopefully involving Nicholas Cage.
RDT: Not gonna lie, for the first 30 seconds of that trailer, I thought it was a documentary. When I saw the lap dance I was like “Damn, they really got personal.” Then I saw the JAG guy and was like “Oh. I’m an idiot.” As to the quality of the film, doesn’t look ½ bad. Maybe…?
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
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Loren:
RDT: It’s good. Not perfect. But still, really, really good.
Rick:
Jen:
A Ghost Story
Loren: “A meditative poem about the enormity of time.” K.
RDT: Ok, that looks terrible, pretentious as fuck. But I’m still kinda curious. The whole ghost thing is weird. So, I’ll likely check it out streaming.
Rick: In.
Jen:
Do You Take This Man (Limited)
Loren: I don’t know you guys, that looks pretty gay. And also a pretty wonderful character piece. I don’t know that I’ll see it but I bet it’s pretty good.
RDT: I dunno, other than the gay aspect of it, it looks like a fairly standard story. I like the cast though. So, I may check it out eventually.
Rick: What RDT said, though I’m not sure I’ll ever get around to it.
Jen: This feels like one of those “West Side” stories of affluent LA-ites that live a life so different from me as to be unrecognizable as co-habitants of the same city. But, Mackenzie Astin. So, toss up?
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
Baby Driver
Loren: This looks like it’ll hit all the right buttons for me, even though it’s got Jamie Foxx and my nemesis Jon Hamm in it. In.
RDT: Just read what Rick wrote.
Rick: I’m a sucker for heist movies, car stunts without digital trickery, and Edgar Wright. Bring it on.
Jen: This is the type of movie I usually give a “meh.” A Tarantino wanna-be twenty years too late to be relevant. However, at least from the trailer, this movie is doing it all with such strong style and panache that I do actually want to see it. I can’t put my finger on what makes this so much better than countless other “one last job/heist gone wrong” so I’d have to say it’s Edgar Wright firing on all cylinders (so to speak). I look forward to this one.
Despicable Me 3
Loren: Without having seen Despicable Me 2 or Minions, I feel I would be lost. Pass.
RDT: Ok, I occasionally chuckle at the Minions memes. I do. But these movies have never resonated with me, except the “It’s so fluffy!” bit from the first one. That still makes me laugh. I’ll probably see this eventually. I guess.
Rick: There are few things in this world I find more annoying than the Minions. I will not subject myself to this.
Jen: I can’t believe this series is still happening. Even my three year old is over the Minions at this point. Although we did get a really cute happy meal toy where you pull him back and then he zips across the table – that was very popular, but I think it’s due more to the action than the character. If it had been, say, Lightning McQueen or the Boss Baby she would have enjoyed it just as much. So… no.
The Little Hours
Loren: I love these people, but I don’t understand.
RDT: This cast will get me to watch this movie….when it’s streaming.
Rick: I love all of these actors, but this feels like a five minute sketch stretched out into 90 minutes. Even if it turns out to be good, I’ll wait for home video.
Jen: I agree with Rick on this one, but this does feel like it could be a great time-killer on a planless Friday night.
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
Transformers – The Last Knight
Loren: I don’t HATE these movies but I don’t really like them. I can’t see myself seeing this in the theater but the weird Arthurian stuff mixed with the even weirder choice of taking the best Transformer and making him the bad guy has me slightly intrigued. Streaming for sure.
RDT: Yeah. This franchise can go fuck itself.
Rick: Look, I know these movies aren’t particularly good (with the exception of Dark of the Moon. I’ll go to bat for that one.), but they play right into my sense of nostalgia. I was that kid who would rush home from school to watch the original series, and I’ve seen nearly every animated incarnation since. Transformers has gone to some weird places in the thirty-plus years it’s been around, and what Bay and Co. are introducing here isn’t entirely out of step with what’s come before. The introduction of elements from the original Transformers: The Movie and the third season of the series, along with bringing back Frank Welker as the voice of Megatron is enough to keep me engaged. So, yeah, I’m in for this.
Jen: King Arthur + Robots + Mark Wahlberg – Any integrity = ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
The Big Sick
Loren: Yeah, I’m not usually the one to rush out to see a romantic comedy in the theater but this looks really great. I like the semi-autobiographical nature of it and it actually looks funny. It deserves all the money it can get.
RDT: I love Kumail and Emily (V. Gordon – I find it difficult not to say her whole name). I regularly listened to their video game podcast back in the day and have been super stoked for this movie since it first crossed my path. I will definitely see it this weekend.
Rick: I won’t rush out to see this in theaters, but it’ll make the queue when it hits Netflix.
Jen: I think I’ve mentioned how much I love Kumail in this space before. I’ve been waiting for this since its smash premier at Sundance. The reviews are glowing and the trailer is funny. The hubby and I may even get a babysitter to make this a night out.
The Beguiled
Loren: That certainly takes a turn doesn’t it? I was all prepared to be like, “well, that’s definitely a movie with some actors we know” but then there’s the poisoning and the unwilling amputation. I may not see it, but at least it’s something against the grain.
RDT: Didn’t see that coming, that’s for sure. I was going to say it sure does look different, but then I saw Rick’s comment mentioning it was a remake. So, yeah. Regardless, it’s likely not for me.
(They cut his dick off, don’t they?)
Rick: I’m usually not one for remakes (the original 1971 version stars Clint Eastwood and was directed by Don Siegel), but this looks so artfully done I can’t help but to want to rush out and see it.
Jen: I’ve never seen the original but this trailer sure peaked my interest. I don’t think I’ll make it to the theater to see it, but if reviews are good, I’ll seek it out on streaming down the line.
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
Cars 3
Loren: The trailers are kinda dark and ominous for a Pixar movie. Even if it’s as “adult” as Toy Story 3, I have no attachment to these characters and see this franchise as a cash grab.
RDT: This looks kinda dark for a Pixar movie. Regardless, I only saw the first one and have no desire to revisit the Cars-verse.
Rick: This is one of the few Pixar outings that I can’t bring myself to care about.
Jen: Well this certainly looks better than the Cars 2, but that’s not saying too much. I’m really unsure what the message is here? Is it about aging? Second chances? Believing in yourself? Not selling out? Selling out? The idea that Lightning McQueen would be put off by stuff with his image on it when I see at least four Lightning McQueen backpacks at preschool every day strikes me as, dare I say, ironic? So, probably a no.
Rough Night
Loren: One of the movies I hate the most in this world is Very Bad Things. It’s awful. This looks to be that but with ladies. Maybe this can replace that horrendous movie in my brain, but I’d have to actually see it to make that happen.
RDT: I like the cast, but that’s about it. I’m sure I’ll give it a watch once it hits the stream.
Rick: Meh. Looks like the original title (Rock That Body ) was dropped in favor of something more generic. And is it me or does Jillian Bell play the same character in everything she’s cast in?
Jen: Those who know me, know I love a wild girls-night-out. It feels like this could have been a fun female The Hangover. Instead it looks like an un-fun female Very Bad Things. Maybe buzz and reviews will prove me wrong and I’ll check it out, but likely I’ll just have my own actual night out instead of watching theirs.
