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
Wide Release
Jigsaw
Loren: Nah, I don’t care about his origins? Solo adventures? Cooking classes? I’ll be honest I didn’t even watch this trailer.
RDT: I haven’t seen a single Saw. So I doubt I’m gonna start with this one.
Rick: I’ve seen all of them in the theater thus far, even the utter waste of a great concept that was Saw: 3D (I’ll spare you all my rant about that movie). We’re seven years removed from the last sequel. Hopefully Lionsgate has simmered down in the interim and actually tried to make something at least halfway decent. I’m not expecting original Saw quality, but I’d at least like it to measure up to Part II, III, or VI.
Jen: Oooo, they’re getting clever with the title here. Good to see there’s something horror-related for Halloween weekend, but I’m not up-to-date on the Saw-verse so I think I’m good.
Suburbicon
Loren: I saw this trailer a while back and honestly thought it had already come out. I won’t rush out to the theater to see this but I’ll probably catch it eventually.
RDT: I’m hit and miss with both Clooney as a director and the Coen Bros. in general. And, I gotta say, this feels more miss to me.
Rick: I’m not in a super rush to see this. I think I can wait for home video on this one.
Jen: I watched the trailer a few months ago and remember Clooney coming out soon after to correct assumptions that it was a comedy to let people know it’s really a drama/thriller. I appreciate tempering trailer expectations, but maybe just cut a better trailer?
Thank You For Your Service
Loren: The Miles Teller of all of this gives me pause. That coupled with the fact that this feels extremely ham-fisted will probably keep me away.
RDT: What everybody else said? Yeah, me too.
Rick: I saw this movie when it was called American Sniper. Unless this somehow breaks new dramatic ground that isn’t evident in the trailer, I think I’m good.
Jen: The plight of our veterans is incredibly important but another movie telling the same story doesn’t feel like it’s doing them any favors. I’m sure this is fine, I just don’t need to watch this same story yet again.
Limited Release
Acts of Vengeance
Loren: Antonio Banderas is Quiet John Wick.
RDT: So…Juan Wick?
Rick: Antonio Banderas seems to be making a lot of these cheapie action movies lately. Who does he owe money to?
Jen: Isn’t it sort of a cheap ploy to use a voiceover when your main character has taken a vow of silence?
Aida’s Secrets
Loren: That looks pretty fascinating but the real life aspect of it may be too much for me.
RDT: I’m not as intrigued as my cohorts, but I’ll still keep it on the radar.
Rick: I enjoy a good mystery, and this real-life one is even more compelling. I’ll keep it on my radar.
Jen: Oh I am so in for this. I am a sucker for this kind of mystery.
AlphaGo
Loren: Why do people insist on making Cyberdine or Cylons? Maybe we should reconsider making AI smarter than us so we don’t cause the singularity and bring on Judgement Day. We are so boned.
RDT: I, for one, welcome our new robot overlords.
Rick: I read about this when it happened, so I don’t feel compelled to watch the doc. However, we’re totally going to get taken over by machines. The days of us meatbags are numbered.
Jen: Isn’t this the same story as when Deep Blue played Kasparov? My husband points out that Go is a much harder challenge than chess, but the dramatic tale they are telling seems identical. Also, build me a computer that can beat me at 1980s Songburst and then I’ll be impressed.
All I See is You
Loren: This feels like seven movies in one. I kinda want it to just pick, like, I don’t know, two?
RDT: I agree with Loren. It’s kind of all over the place, but if the reviews are decent I’ll give it a watch when it streams.
Rick: Well, that took a hard left. Color me intrigued.
Jen: I like the cast and am curious enough about what’s really going on here that I’d give this a chance as a grown-up movie night.
Brimstone & Glory
Loren: I feel like if I were one to get high this would be the perfect movie for me to do so beforehand.
RDT:
Rick: I’ll give it one thing: it certainly looks pretty. I feel like I got the jist of it from the trailer, though. I don’t need ninety minutes of this.
Jen: Meh. I feel like 20 minutes on YouTube would give me the best of what this has to offer.
Flesh and Blood
Loren: What an odd string of events. It’s almost unbelievable except that it’s based on a true story. Mark Webber pulling double duty (triple maybe) as actor and director hopefully shines here. I just don’t think I’ll ever see this.
RDT: I’m actually a little intrigued by the non-doc doc style. If it stays on the radar, sure, why not?
Rick: The pseudo-documentary style is a bit overused lately, but it feels incredibly appropriate here. I’ll give this a go.
Jen: I’ve got to echo Loren on this one.
The Heyday of Intensive Bastards
Loren: Indie Collaboration the Movie. Starring a pretty ok cast. Coming to a theater not really near you that you have to drive way out of the way to go see.
RDT: This cast is phenomenal and I could not give a shit less. It looks so…blah.
Rick: Is this the millennial Short Cuts? I like the cast, but that trailer is all over the map. Definitely doesn’t persuade me the flick is worth seeing.
Jen: This trailer confused me so much that I googled it. This was produced by James Franco’s UCLA film class. So it is *literally* a student film. That explains a lot.
Inheritance
Loren: What is it, Mark Webber week? I don’t think this is for me.
RDT: I added Loren’s comments to Rick’s comments and decided to not even watch the trailer.
Rick: Well then. That looks unsettling. I’ll keep it on my radar.
Jen: Yeah, I’m not going to see this.
Novitiate
Loren: And people wonder why I’m not all that keen on organized religion.
RDT: At first I was all “eh, religion, whatevs”, but then I got a little intrigued. Perhaps if a screening or screener became available.
Rick: Ordinarily I’d say “meh”, but I’m curious about these characters and how far their arcs go. Put it on the list.
Jen: Melissa Leo was born to play a cruel Mother Superior.
Splitting Image
Loren: ACTING!
RDT: Blah.
Rick: Predictable Creepy Twin Thriller: The Movie!
Jen:
https://youtu.be/zKDPrpJEGBY
The Square
Loren: At first I was like, “is this a comedy?” Then when I figured out that it was, I was like, “is it funny though?” I don’t think it was.
RDT: Once again Loren + Rick = me not seeing this movie.
Rick: This looks absolutely weird and unhinged. Sign me up.
Jen: I laughed a lot at the line about putting her bag on the floor – is it art? Modern art seems ripe for a satirical take down. I’m in.
Suck It Up
Loren: I don’t know what that movie is actually about. I think that’s a good thing.
RDT: They sure do make a lot of movies these days.
Rick: Canada is weird.
Jen: There must be something more happening here, but I don’t know what it is and am not curious enough to find out.
Tragedy Girls
Loren: Another one that I probably won’t rush out to the theater to see but thought it looked pretty ok. Hopefully this is more than just a fun trailer. I can see myself checking out at home some time.
RDT: Looks fun/funny. I don’t do horror, but I do do (tee hee) horror comedy. I’ll check it out eventually.
Rick: I can’t tell if I’d be continuously annoyed by the leads or brush it off and enjoy the lunacy. If I watch this, it’ll be from my couch.
Jen: This seems like it could be a lot of fun. They had me at Peeta gets his heart cut out.
TV/Streaming
NETFLIX
Jack Whitehall: At Large
Loren: I like Jack. Already added this to my queue.
RDT: I chuckled, so I will watch.
Rick: Eeeeh…
Jen: I laughed a bit at this trailer, which is more than I can say for many Netflix comedy specials. I’ll check this one out.
Joan Didion: The Center Will Not Hold
Loren: That certainly took a turn that I was not expecting.
RDT: What everyone else said.
Rick: What Jen says.
Jen: This makes me want to read some Joan Didion stat.
Stranger Things – Season 2
Loren: Last time The Lady™ and I watched it all in one night. I’m not sure that’ll happen again but…Also, I’m really hoping that this show doesn’t suffer from Second Season-itis. It’s got a lot to live up to.
RDT:
Rick:
Jen: My husband just binged the first season a week ago (aww, it’s his first binge-watch) and now we can’t wait to jump into season 2, together. See, romance isn’t dead.
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 at facebook.com/hollywoodpicturenews, or @HWPicNews on Twitter. And send in your questions/comments to questions@hollywoodpicturenews.com.
From Hollywood,
–Loren, RDT, Rick, and Jen