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 Frozen, watch: Beauty and the Beast
If you are in the mood for a Disney princess story, you can never go wrong with a classic. They both feature precocious female leads, your usual Disney songs, and a feel good story. Beauty and the Beast always reminded me of Christmas with the winter scenes and the snow should certainly remind you of Frozen even if there’s not quite that much of it.
[Frozen trailer] / [Beauty and the Beast trailer]
Instead of Homefront, watch: Straw Dogs
Both of these movies have to do with a man being forced to defend himself from unwelcoming locals after moving to a new area. Homefront has Jason Statham defending himself and his daughter against a meth kingpin played by James Franco. The original Straw Dogs has Dustin Hoffman protecting his wife Susan George from drunken locals. I can’t vouch for the remake but if you’d rather watch something modern in exchange for Homefront you can always check that one out, which stars James Marsden and Kate Bosworth.
[Homefront trailer] / [Straw Dogs trailer]
Instead of Oldboy, watch: Oldboy
So this is an easy pick, and maybe not the most creative choice, but if you haven’t seen the original Oldboy I would definitely suggest seeing it before Spike Lee’s version. First of all, this new one isn’t getting great reviews. Why ruin the interesting plot of this thriller with the lesser version? If you’ve already seen the original I’ve found it great on repeat viewings. You can’t go wrong with this one.
[Oldboy (2013) trailer] / [Oldboy (2003) trailer]
Drinking Buddies (2013)
Finally, one of my favorite films this year is reaching home video. I caught it at the Maryland Film Festival in May and it has stuck with me since. It follows two really good friends and coworkers played by Olivia Wilde and Jake Johnson. They drink beer at the brewery they work at all day and at the bar afterwards all night, making them quite susceptible to some heavy flirting. However, they’re both in relationships that they endanger by pushing just how close they can get while still being just friends.
[Buy it on Amazon] / [Drinking Buddies]
National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation (1989)
It’s that time of year when all our favorite Christmas comedies are in season! This is one of the very best, and luckily it’s on instant watch so we can watch and rewatch for the next month (plus catch it on TV at some point). If you’re up for a drink, Rob also made a great beer recommendation for this last December.
Christmas Vacation Netflix Synopsis: Hapless Clark, exasperated Ellen and their ever-changing kids take on Christmas in this holiday classic. As usual, all their good intentions can’t save them from disaster … or Cousin Eddie, whose surprise visit throws them into disarray.
