It’s always nice when the home viewing offering comes in the form of a 6-pack. This always makes it easy to find one to fit into the buy, rent, stream and skip category and leaves 2 extras to recycle the options. This week’s recap was made even easier by how good The Nice Guys and how bad Ratchet & Clank were compared to the rest of the selections. Here are MHT’s recommendations for what to buy, rent, stream and skip for the week of August 23rd:
The Nice Guys —MOVIE HOT TAKE REVIEW—
Super Simple Synopsis: A PI and an enforcer are hired to find a missing girl in 70s Los Angeles.
Why Buy?
Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe have great chemistry.
Why Rent?
Writer/director Shane Black makes for interesting viewing…
Why Stream?
He also wrote Last Action Hero.
Why Skip?
You consistently shout “No!” when Russell Crowe shouts, “Are you not entertained?”
MHT Verdict: Buy it!
The Nice Guys is easily the best movie available this week and a welcome addition to any home video collection.
The Duel –NO REVIEW–
Super Simple Synopsis: The Texas ranger (Liam Hemsworth) vs. the preacher (Woody Harrelson).
Why Buy?
Westerns are your cup of sarsaparilla. (Seriously, did you have any idea that was how you spelled sarsaparilla?)
Why Rent?
You’re locked into everything Woody Harrelson after True Detective.
Why Stream?
Some people find Liam Hemsworth very attractive. You are one of them.
Why Skip?
Can’t we all just get along?
MHT Verdict: Rent it!
While I’ll be the first to admit an affinity for Westerns, this one might be worth renting before adding to your collection sight unseen.
The Huntsman: Winter’s War —MOVIE HOT TAKE REVIEW—
Super Simple Synopsis: The sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman… Well, without Snow White.
Why Buy?
You loved Snow White and the Huntsman and thought how much better it would be without Snow White.
Why Rent?
Charlize Theron might only be in the movie for 10 minutes or so but damn that’s a good 10 minutes.
Why Stream?
Some people find Chris Hemsworth very attractive. You are one of them.
Why Skip?
How the hell do you make a sequel to Snow White and the Huntsman and basically leave out Snow White? (You’re blaming this on Kristen Stewart, too. Right?)
MHT Verdict: Rent it!
If you were a fan of the original, it is worth viewing the follow up and you made the right decision waiting for it to hit home video rather than racing to theaters to see it.
Maggie’s Plan –NO REVIEW–
Super Simple Synopsis: A woman breaks up an unhappy marriage, tires of the husband she steals away and wants to give him back. (This might be the whitest thing I’ve ever written.)
Why Buy?
Greta Gerwig is this generation’s Parker Posey. (This would require you to know who Parker Posey is, by the way.)
Why Rent?
You love movies about white people problems.
Why Stream?
Terrible plot be damned, this movie has a great cast.
Why Skip?
Really? People think shit like this could actually happen?
MHT Verdict: Stream it!
Our portrayal of white thirty-somethings is troubling at times. This is one of those times.
The Man Who Knew Infinity —MOVIE HOT TAKE REVIEW—
Super Simple Synopsis: The true story of a self-taught Indian mathematics genius who goes to England and forms a bond with a professor at Trinity College in Cambridge.
Why Buy?
Math!
Why Rent?
Math?
Why Stream?
Math? Really?
Why Skip?
2+2=3
MHT Verdict: Stream it!
An interesting period piece that is more than just math (Though there is plenty of talk of math!). Dev Patel and Jeremy Irons give great performances.
Ratchet & Clank —MOVIE HOT TAKE REVIEW—
Super Simple Synopsis: Remember that video game? Yup.
Why Buy?
When someone says, “What’s the lamest animated film you own?” you want to be prepared.
Why Rent?
Nostalgia?
Why Stream?
You’re drunk?
Why Skip?
The same reason you didn’t play the video game… plus, many more reasons if you did.
MHT Verdict: Skip it!
One of the worst movies of 2016.
That home video collection thing, do you have that to have or to watch movies from? I bet people just like to say, I have that, when talking to their movie buds about movies. And that helps them to not be fibbing.
You’re assuming the purchaser has movie buds.