What to Watch This Weekend 10/31/2013

Happy Halloween! Here are some post-holiday ideas for your weekend. Enjoy!

In Theaters:

"Ender's Game"- My weekend won't be complete without going to see one of the most anticipated movies of the year. I am fully expecting the movie to not live up to the pure awesomeness of the book, but I'm hopeful that it will be great on its own. The story takes place largely inside Ender's head, so plot changes are to be expected. It's cool. I'm ready. I've got my tickets, do you have yours?








Also this weekend at the local Megaplex theater is a special screening of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off", which is considered an '80's classic. I was 14 when this movie played in theaters. Matthew Broderick shines in this career-making film. Though it is still a very funny, entertaining movie, be warned that some content may not be entirely appropriate for your kids. There is some sexual-based banter and some use of the s-word.

Netflix:

Two older movies worth returning to:

"Forrest Gump" (1994) Tom Hanks' Oscar-winning performance makes this a must-see. There is some adult content, so be warned before showing your kids. Read this info from IMDB for (somewhat explicit) details. 

"The Truman Show" (1998) Jim Carrey at his best, this heartwarming story is a nice cozy movie for the weekend. Clean, but some profanity. Click here to go to IMDB for more.

Also on Netflix is "Jim Gaffigan: Beyond the Pale" Stand-up comedian Jim Gaffigan is considered a "clean" comic, and for the most part, that's true, but I still recommend you watch this first to make sure it's okay for your children. I laugh myself to tears when I listen to or watch him. Especially his famous Hot Pockets routine. Brilliantly funny.

Hulu:

One fun thing to watch on Hulu (or a multitude of other sites, including IMDB, Comingsoon.net or Apple) are movie trailers. Click here for Hulu's trailer-dedicated page. 

Also on Hulu are select episodes of the new Adam Samberg comedy, "Brooklyn Nine-Nine". I'm not giving this show a glowing recommendation, but it does offer some laughs. (There is the expected sit-com sexual humor content, though not in large amounts). Samberg is funny and charming in a overgrown-teenager sort of way, and the overall feeling of the show is somewhat reminiscent of the well-loved (and far superior) "Psych".

Redbox:

Last weekend, my family finally watched "World War Z", the Brad Pitt zombie film based (loosely, I hear) on the book by the same title. I only made it about 20 minutes. I'm a self-proclaimed wimp-- I don't like gory horror movies, and extreme suspense or kids-in-peril always chase me away. Although I bailed at that point, I did return and watch from a distance when the movie quieted down, because I was curious about the storyline, which was interesting. If you like Pitt, or zombies, you will probably enjoy it. Unless you're a scaredy-cat like me.