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
Bad Boys For Life
Loren: I’m kinda sorta intrigued by this. I love the first one but loathe the second. Maybe this will be somewhere in the middle? Look I’m not going to pay money to see this but I will see it.
Rick: This can’t be good, can it? *checks internets* Critics at 80% on Rotten Tomatoes?! Regardless, I don’t know how many people are clamoring for this 17 years too late sequel. This will get a curiosity watch in a third-run theater or from my couch.
Jen: It would be hard for me to care less about this film.
AJ: Ugh. No. Will Smith is really trying to land a hit, isn’t he? Those massive box office Fourth-of-July-like releases are so far in the past…. P.S. Did you know they are making a Bright sequel? Dear God.
Dolittle
Loren: Ha! No.
Rick: RDJ must be buying boats for his kids. I can’t imagine there was any other reason he’d show up in this.
Jen: Gosh, this looks awful. But I’ll take this opportunity to share this with all our fine readers: https://www.indy100.com/article/doctor-doolittle-seal-scene-video-rex-harrison-9108901
AJ: At present, this movie is rated lower than CATS on Rotten Tomatoes. I mean, Vulture called it “anti-cinema.” OUCH. If you really want to absorb some great criticism, read Manohla Dargis’ review for the New York Times.
Limited Release
Weathering With You
Loren: Wow that looks so impressive. It’s not my usual forté but I might give this and the duo’s other film Your Name a double feature at some point.
Rick: I saw this during its Academy Awards qualifying run a few months ago. Makoto Shinkai and Genki Kawamura had a daunting task following up their previous film, Your Name, which set box office records in Japan and is widely considered a modern masterpiece. Weathering With You has surpassed it at the box office but, apart from the incredible artistic detail, solid characters, and strong emotional core, the film falls short for me. The storytelling is a little one-sided (not enough time is spent with the female lead), and there are a lot of big, interesting ideas that aren’t fully explored. The movie would benefit from either being longer or fleshed out in a multi-episode OVA. I would still recommend seeing it, however. It is stunningly animated, rife with detail and, even with its shortcomings, is bound to have you tearing up by the time the credits roll.
Jen: My dad’s gonna love that.
AJ: Rick applied a lot of thought to his critique here so I will defer to him. This is so not my space.
