Your weekend time is valuable and at the end of a long week, the discretionary time must be spent to its maximum value. In order to help narrow choices down on the film, television, and gaming fronts, every Friday the Weekend Preview gives you the rundown of your options and an educated guess as to which ones make the most sense.
Nick Nunziata and I predicted the box office returns for these films last Sunday.
At the Movies
Jason Bourne
Director: Paul Greengrass
Stars: Matt Damon, Tommy Lee Jones, Alicia Vikander
Current RT Meter: 55% Fresh
My box office prediction last Sunday: $66,000,000
Nick’s box office prediction: $57,000,000
Matt Damon returns to the franchise that made everyone realize he was a secret badass. Is this return enough to make audiences clamor for more Bourne adventures? The reviews have been decidedly mixed but it looks like fans will get exactly what they want. Is that familiarity a plus or minus for some folks? Regardless, more Bourne is a good thing and Damon has always been dependable in these flicks. Those looking for a simple action fix should enjoy this one.
The Verdict: Check it out if you haven’t seen Star Trek Beyond yet. Have you seen Star Trek Beyond? Go see Star Trek Beyond. …Star Trek Beyond.
Bad Moms
Director: Jon Lucas, Scott Moore
Stars: Mila Kunis, Kathryn Hahn, Kristen Bell
Current RT Meter: 60% Fresh
My box office prediction last Sunday: $24,000,000
Nick’s box office prediction: $18,000,000
Never underestimate some funny women, and Bad Moms has plenty of those. The trailers for this have been appropriately raunchy and Bad Moms has the benefit of being the best-reviewed new release this weekend. This probably won’t have a long shelf life but it looks like a breezy way to spend your weekend at the movies.
The Verdict: Unless your date is cool with seeing Star Trek Beyond (which they should be), this is a safe bet for some easy laughs.
Nerve
Director: Henry Joost, Ariel Schulman
Stars: Emma Roberts, Dave Franco, Emily Meade
Current RT Meter: 59% Fresh
My box office prediction last Sunday: $6,000,000
Nick’s box office prediction: $11,000,000
The concept behind Nerve seems like it would make a better short film or YA novel rather than a feature. It doesn’t help that the whole film looks like it has been spoiled in the trailers. If the characters are strong enough, this could be a worthy diversion. But is it a necessary film to see in the theaters? Probably not. Might make a good rental in a few months, but you can probably skip this for now.
The Verdict: Last chance to tell people they need to go see Star Trek Beyond.
On the Tube
Sharknado: The 4th Awakens
Look, you know how you feel about these movies. Either this is cause for ironic excitement or you’re about to max out your daily quota of groans. We covered the film at Comic-Con so you can have a taste of what’s in store. Do we really need to discuss this in detail? It’s the fourth Sharknado. Your opinion was made as soon as you read the title.
The Verdict: It’s probably better than Sharktopus vs. Whalewolf but not quite as good as Mega Python vs. Gatoroid.
Last Chance U
Sports documentaries are almost always incredible narratives about overcoming adversity, and Last Chance U looks to be exactly that. The idea of a small-town college that gives football players a final shot is a perfect outlet for some high stakes drama. Netflix has a great track record with documentaries, and Last Chance U could very well end up being one of their best.
The Verdict: If you love football and the stories that it produces, this is a must-see.
For the Gamers
Headlander
Adult Swim Games and Double Fine go delightfully madcap with this colorful, Metroidvania-style action platformer. The world and style have a distinctly ’70s sci-fi vibe, which combined with the frantic gameplay and puzzle solving will appeal to old school gamers. It could get tiresome very quickly, but the energy and silliness on display might make up for what it lacks in constant inventiveness. The lead on the project, Lee Petty, also worked on previous Double Fine game Stacking, so fans of that quirky gem may want to give this one a look.
The Verdict: Looks like a light enough distraction.
