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
Doctor Sleep
Loren: I feel like I’m supposed to care about this much more than I do. I know that usually I’m the one that’s into what the characters are up to later in life but I never really thought about it in this context. I’m hearing it’s pretty good though so maybe I don’t know what I’m talking about.
RDT: If you’ve listened to the podcast at all since they announced this, you may have heard me talk about the book upon which this film is based. It’s honestly not terrible (which may be damning it with faint praise). I found the grown-up Danny stuff with the girl to be really well done. I could’ve read another whole book just about them. I don’t want to get into spoilers but…. the villains are…… interesting, but not scary. And King made some……changes to the shining that I fundamentally disagree with. That all being said, I’m watching The Shining Friday night and seeing this Saturday morning.
Rick: Early word is that this is actually good. I know. I’m as surprised as you are, especially considering how divisive reviews of the novel were (confession: I didn’t read it). I’ll probably watch this eventually out of curiosity. I’m more excited to watch Warner Bros. restoration of The Shining, which I’m sure probably happened (at least in part) because of this super late sequel, so I’m grateful for that.
Jen: This looks pretty good, surprisingly. I do love the original The Shining film more than the book. Not sure how much this hews to one or the other or if it doesn’t matter… Either way, I probably won’t see it on the big screen, but I’d be down to catch it on streaming down the road.
AJ: I just heard on a podcast that the most successful movies based on King materials are not in the horror genre (Shawshank and Stand by Me). I found that interesting. And that is all I can contribute to this leg of the conversation because all that Shining stuff scares the b’jeezus outta me. I would, however, totally see DOGTER SLEEP.
Midway
Loren: I wonder if anyone else thinks this looks like an even worse Pearl Harbor.
RDT: I’ve never seen Pearl Harbor, so why would I watch a shitty knock-off?
Rick: Apparently this movie is a disaster. Not in the fun, Irwin Allen way, but more the MIchael Bay’s Pearl Harbor variety. I’d say you could go back and watch the 1976 version with Charlton Heston and Henry Fonda, but I don’t know that you’d have a much better time.
Jen: Is this related to Pearl Harbor in some way? I mean it REALLY looks just like it – not in a good way.
AJ: 
This is giving me all the Michael-Bay-Pearl-Harbor vibes and that is not a compliment.
Playing With Fire
Loren: I know I’m the wrestling aficionado of HPN but this isn’t doing it for me. I prefer Cena on the silver screen to the flatscreen, but this seems below what he is capable of.
RDT: Kindergarten Cop may not have done it first, but it did it best. Sorry, Cena, it’s not that I can’t see you in this movie, it’s that I won’t see you in this movie.
Rick: Dear John Cena. You’re better than this. Also, this looks like it should have been a Disney Channel TV movie, not a theatrical feature. And this release date is unfortunately timed. After all the horrific fires out here I have a hard time getting behind a movie that is more fire fighter buffoonery than heroism. This is probably going to die on the vine.
Jen: AJ makes a very good point that I hadn’t thought of. Maybe this is the inevitable growing pain of a star. But then what’s Keegan Micahel Key’s excuse?
AJ: It’s important to remember that before we got the version of The Rock we know and love, we had to suffer through his horrendous CGI Scorpion King and Tooth Fairy. John Cena gave us gold in Trainwreck so I know he can do better. Continue reading
