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
Kong: Skull Island
Loren: Let’s see, pretty people, giant ape fights, the 70’s, John C. Reilly John C. Reillying it up. I’m in.
RDT: Yup, count me in, too.
Rick: You’d be hard-pressed to find a bigger Kong fan than myself. One of the first things you see when you walk into my apartment is a poster for the 1933 original that stretches seven feet in diagonal. I’ve watched/read about that film’s history, its sequels, its remakes, and everything in between. I love giant monster movies. So why is it that I have zero desire to see this? Because I know it’s a setup for some unnecessary “cinematic universe”. As much as I love Marvel’s triumph in world building, it’s inadvertently created this belief that, in order for properties to be successful, they need to have some gigantic crossover universe. So, from here forth, King Kong and Godzilla exist in the same world. I just…They don’t need to fight. Again. It was fun and campy in 1962. Now it just feels forced; like you’re not confident enough to make your different franchises work on their own, so you mash them together hoping it’ll somehow make it better. No. Just no. Stop it. Also, most of the stuff in this trailer, apart from the time period, looks no different than Peter Jackson’s take on the character. And don’t even get me started on that movie…
Jen: There are things that look fantastic in this trailer and things that could end up being downright silly, but I’m giving it my money either way. If nothing else, I get to spend a couple of hours looking at Tom Hiddleston and Brie Larson – and they are very pretty.
Raw (Limited)
Loren: Vampires? Was that about vampires?
RDT: Yeah, I’m out for this. (But I’m glad it’s not about zombies…)
Rick: 
Jen: Ick. No. No way. That being said, I really like this idea and how unique it is. So, please support it if you’re the type with a strong stomach.
Badrinath Ki Dulhania (Limited)
Loren: What Jen said, except you don’t need to pick one for me. I’m fine.
RDT: Ditto on the what Jen said.
Rick: *reads Jen’s entry* Yep. Exactly that.
Jen: All of the Bollywood movies I see trailers for seem to be about a couple who *should* get married but aren’t for some reason. The people are gorgeous, go to fun places, have wacky adventures, and dance, dance, dance – and the whole thing is awash in beautiful color. Can someone just pick one for me to watch and I can skip the rest?
The Ottoman Lieutenant (Limited)
Loren: I’m good. For like a multitude of reasons that I don’t even want to bother explaining.
RDT: All this trailer did was remind me that I need to buy a new chair and ottoman for my apartment.
Rick: I might be misremembering, but this is basically The English Patient, right? Regardless, I’m okay with skipping this one.
Jen: Is that Darrio from Game of Thrones? I spent the whole trailer trying to figure that out, then wondering why his name wasn’t listed in the YouTube description when he is the eponymous Lieutenant of the title. I didn’t really catch the rest. So probably not going to see this.
Personal Shopper (Limited)
Loren: What a bizarre take on a ghost story. I don’t know if I find it intriguing enough to go see, but if it ends up being good and at our Horror Night one year I won’t be upset.
RDT: So we like Kristen Stewart now….? Anyway, this looks creepy but not super scary. Maybe?
Rick: Yes. More of this, please.
Jen: This looks great. I love seeing cool-looking original ideas and twists on stuff we’ve seen a thousand times. I’m not running out to see this, but when it pops up streaming I’d definitely give it a watch.
Love & Taxes (Limited)
Loren: What was that? I don’t know if a monologue about tax law/evasion can sustain me for 90 minutes.
RDT: I am intrigued. If I remember it when it ends up streaming, I’ll give it a watch.
Rick: I think I’d rather see the one-man show live than watch this movie. Nevertheless, I’ll keep this on my radar and give it a go when it hits home video.
Jen: So this guy is sort of Ron Jeremy meets Spaulding Gray? Now insert a cut and paste of what RDT wrote.
The Other Half (Limited)
Loren: They made that seem darker than a pretty standard love story. But why? There doesn’t seem to be any reason for that to be the case.
RDT: Yeah, what Rick and Loren said.
Rick: Tatiana Maslany (Orphan Black) is inordinately talented, but I don’t really know what to make of this. Like Loren mentioned, the hints of some dark undercurrent have little resonance. I’m all for a tragic love story, but I’ll wait for reviews.
Jen: Tatiana Maslany is the bomb, but this feels like a Lifetime movie, right?
This Beautiful Fantastic (Limited)
Loren: What is even happening this week? I don’t think I could be less interested in a story if I tried and then they went and threw a smiling Moriarty at me and I was completely out.
RDT: Meh.
Rick: Feels like some kind of shitty, pedestrian version of Amélie. Pass.
Jen: Quirky! That guy with the glasses is super hot though. Who is he? Jeremy Irvine? Huh, wow very attractive from the Google Image search. He was in War Horse. Ok maybe I saw him there. He’s got a couple of things coming up this year, I’ll have to keep an eye out. What was I supposed to be writing about here? Oh, yeah, I’m not going to see this movie.
The Sense of an Ending (Limited)
Loren: It may not be a movie for me but at least it looked like a movie.
RDT: I’m just stealing from everyone this week, aren’t I? (Aka, what Rick said.)
Rick: This taps into the fascination I have with memory and how malleable it is. Doesn’t hurt that the cast is exceptional. I’m in.
Jen: This does look like a movie. I’m probably not going to see it, but I applaud those who do.
Streaming/TV
Buddy Thunderstruck – Season 1 (Netflix)
Loren: It’s like a cross between Johnny Bravo, Talladega Nights, and The Fantastic Mr. Fox. Sure why not. Also, I believe a friend is writing on this so I’ll throw it in the queue just for that.
RDT: I have too many tv shows with real people to add this to the list.
Rick: What Loren said.
Jen: Loren really summed this one up.
Burning Sands (Netflix)
Loren: It’s interesting to see the take on hazing through an African American Fraternity’s eyes. I’m not sure I want to watch these guys get beaten for two hours just to join a Fraternity but that’s just me.
RDT: Years ago, I was talking to a friend who was in a fraternity in college. He was annoyed because I kept calling it a “frat.” Finally, he said, “Dude, stop calling it a ‘frat.’ It’s fraternity. Would you call your country a ‘c—’?”
“No, that’s a sorority.”
Was that story offensive? Or funny? Or both? Neither?
Anyway, this looks ok, I guess,
Rick: Admittedly, this looks well done all around, but I don’t know how much different from every other fraternity hazing movie this can really be. I’m a solid maybe.
Jen: There is an audience for this movie, but I’m not it.
Love – Season 2 (Netflix)
Loren: I didn’t watch season 1, I probably won’t watch season 2.
RDT: What Loren said.
Rick: I couldn’t even make it through the pilot when the first season premiered. I’m good, thanks.
Jen: I got through about 4 episodes of the first season of this before I gave up and moved on. The characters were a bit too unlikable and their relationship never felt real. Odds are I’m not going to jump back in at this point.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CqtAeQx1Qno
Jerrod Carmichael: 8 (HBO)
Loren: I’m not too familiar with Carmichael’s other work but there were a few laughs in that trailer. I might check this out, or at least have it on while I’m doing some housework.
RDT: I guess his sitcom is kinda funny (never seen it), but he’s never popped up on my radar for stand-up comedy. Maybe…?
Rick:
Jen: Sure, I know nothing about Carmichael, but Netflix/HBO stand up specials are great for a laundry watch so I’ll give this one a try.
So that’s your upcoming weekend in review. Let us know what you saw, liked and/or hated.
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From Hollywood,
–Loren, RDT, Rick, and Jen