Maybe you’re looking to save a few bucks or the current theater choices just aren’t cutting it. Whatever the case may be, sometimes it’s just as nice to sit at home and watch a good flick. Take a look at this week’s picks for some At-Home Alternatives to the weekly cinema options.
Instead of The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, watch: Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
If you’re not into hobbits then maybe lions are more in your wheelhouse. I imagine that most people are pretty aware of all the Lord of the Rings / Hobbit films so I doubt I need to clue you in on that front. The Narina series is not unlike the aforementioned films, a fantasy epic in a magical land that features wild characters on a journey. Also similar to the Hobbit films, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is more kid friendly so it could be a great pick if you are looking for a movie to enjoy with your family. [The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug trailer] / [Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe trailer]
Instead of Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas, watch: National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation
Let’s face it, you know damn well that there are better Christmas comedies you should be watching instead of anything with the word Madea in the title. So why not go for gold? Watch the Griswolds in the ULTIMATE X-mas comedy. Christmas Vacation is about a funny as you can get and for my money, it’s the best Christmas movie, period. [Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas trailer] / [National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation trailer]
Prisoners (2013)
If you’ve been yearning for a good thriller then you should definitely seek out the new to Blu Ray Prisoners. Part drama, part mystery, the film takes place just as two small girls go missing from their suburban neighborhood. You see how the event affects the families involved as well as the lead detective on the case. First rate performances and tight storytelling make the thriller well worth your time.
[Buy it on Amazon] / [Prisoners trailer]
The Red Violin (1998)
A lovely not-so-little film hiding on Netflix Instant queue, The Red Violin is an epic tale of one very special violin’s journey though history. The filmmaking isn’t as stuffy as you might expect from a film like this and the story never overstays it’s welcome in a particular time period. The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Foreign film and took home the award for Best Score – a well deserved win.
The Red Violin Netflix Synopsis: When the long-lost “red violin,” a rare instrument crafted during the Italian Renaissance, shows up at a modern auction, it reveals its mysterious history — and the lives of its previous owners — in a series of flashbacks spanning three centuries.
