Hugh Jackman’s apparent swan song from the X-Men franchise makes it to home video and leads this week’s lineup of 9 movies available. Joining Jackman is Jordan Peele’s enormously successful directorial début, an Academy Award nominated Animated Feature, a Heath Ledger documentary, a female directed horror anthology and a bunch of slop you shouldn’t bother with. Here’s what to buy, rent, stream and skip for the week of May 23rd:
Buy It!
Logan —MOVIE HOT TAKE REVIEW—
Super Simple Synopsis: The not-so-superhero, very R-rated final appearance of Hugh Jackman on the big screen as Wolverine.
Why Buy?
One of the best films of the first half of the year, Logan was a huge success at the box office both domestically and internationally. Now on 4K, Blu-Ray and DVD, you can experience Logan Noir, a grittier black and white version of a film that feels more like a Western than a comic book flick. If this is really Jackman’s final appearance as the adamantium clawed star of the X-Men series, he’s going out with a bang.
Rent It!
Get Out —MOVIE HOT TAKE REVIEW—
Super Simple Synopsis: If you’re black and your girlfriend lives in a palatial estate in an out of the way community, they might be modern racist slave traders.
Why Rent?
Peele’s directorial début has many elements of the more serious Key & Peele skits over the years. Even the most serious Key & Peele skits were hilarious and Get Out has a few humorous moments but Peele proves he’s effective at horror as well as comedy.
My Life As A Zucchini –NO REVIEW–
Super Simple Synopsis: After his mother’s sudden death, Zucchini befriends a police office on his way to a foster home. There he makes friends with other orphans and awaits a new family.
Why Rent?
It’s an Academy Award nominated Animated Feature and the Academy has a track record of nominating animated films worthy of being seen. (Notice The Secret Life of Pets didn’t get nominated?)
Stream It!
I Am Heath Ledger –NO REVIEW–
Super Simple Synopsis: The life and times of Heath Ledger.
Why Stream?
Ledger’s life as documented by this Spike documentary spends little time on the circumstances around his death and more time focused on his career and the mark he left on his family and close friends.
XX –NO REVIEW–
Super Simple Synopsis: A horror anthology directed by women, starring women.
Why Stream?
I’m a sucker for anthologies and the gender twist is unique. The 4 stories featured are The Box, The Birthday Party, Don’t Fall and Her Only Living Son.
Skip It!
The Great Wall —MOVIE HOT TAKE REVIEW—
Super Simple Synopsis: The Great Wall of China is whitewashed.
Why Skip?
This ridiculous action flick starring Matt Damon as the white hero (well, he’s actually Portuguese in this movie, I think) who helps save the Chinese people from the mythical creatures attacking their land is about as implausible as it sounds. Plus, it sucks.
Max 2: White House Hero –NO REVIEW–
Super Simple Synopsis: The White House’s regular dog Butch needs a vacation so Max, the hero from the original movie Max which you probably don’t remember at all, steps in.
Why Skip?
I saw Max and can’t remember one reason why there would be a sequel to it.
Raining Hell –NO REVIEW–
Super Simple Synopsis: A brutal drug war in a sleepy country town.
Why Skip?
Do you have to ask?
Rock Dog –NO REVIEW–
Super Simple Synopsis: A radio falls out of the sky and inspires a Tibetan Mastiff to become a rock star.
Why Skip?
A radio… falls out of the sky… and inspires a Tibetan Mastiff… to become a rock star.
My life as a zucchini! FINALLY!!!! ?