What to Watch This Weekend: May 15, 2020

Redbox: Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey is a triumphant breakout for Harley Quinn, a wild celebration of this character filled with bold style, entertaining action, a wonderful cast, and plenty of craziness.  For more information, check out our review!

Redbox: Fantasy Island
Fantasy Island is a creative and different remake of the 70s TV series, one that takes the general idea and puts its own dark twist on it.  For more information, check out our review!

Digital: All About Who You Know
All About Who You Know offers a fresh perspective, with complicated characters and enjoyable writing in this unconventional anti Hollywood rom-com.  For more information, check out our review!

Digital: Castle In The Ground
Castle in the Ground is a painful, deliberate descent into addiction that is fueled by a stellar cast, complex characters, and a powerful story.  For more information, check out our review!

Digital: The Trouble With Wolves
The Trouble With Wolves is a thorough and balanced look at one of the most heated conservation issues in America, with in-depth interviews, compelling information, and beautiful nature footage.  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Netflix): Trial By Media

Trial By Media provides viewers with a program that is equally entertaining and informative, providing a true crime documentary that highlights the social, cultural, and historical relevance of these cases.  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Netflix): Angel Has Fallen

Angel Has Fallen is a fun action movie that suffers from summer movie ridiculousness.  If you can get past the story and just enjoy the action, then hop onto Marine One to see how far this angel has fallen.  For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (HBO): Downton Abbey

Downton Abbey delivers the fan service that those hoping for a movie want, with plenty of period appropriate pieces and keeping the core of what made the series such an enjoyable phenomenon. 

Streaming (Amazon): The Hustle

The Hustle is a genuinely funny remake / update of a classic film, with a promising start but an ending that will leave you feeling slightly conned.  For more information, check out our review!

News: More Movies Going Early Digital

In the wake of theater closures (AMC, Regal, Cinemark, Alamo, and the newly opened Showplace ICON in Tyson's Corner) and more and more people being told to isolate and quarantine, movie studios are pushing up digital releases to try and appeal to newly sedentary moviegoers.  Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker was made available for digital purchase last week, much earlier than the original plan.  Warner Bros. is the latest to push up a digital release, announcing that Just Mercy is now available for digital purchase (VUDU, iTunes, FandangoNOW).  Renting will be available starting March 24.

Additionally, the fantastic movies Birds of Prey and the Gentlemen were both had their digital releases pushed early, and both will be available starting next week.  It seems like movie studios are moving quickly to adapt to the #QuarantineLife and it will be exciting to see what else comes from this monumental shift in daily life.

What to Watch This Weekend: February 7, 2020

In Theaters: Birds of Prey

Birds of Prey is a triumphant breakout for Harley Quinn, a wild celebration of this character filled with bold style, entertaining action, a wonderful cast, and plenty of craziness.  For more information, check out our review!

In Theaters: The Traitor

The Traitor is an Italian mob epic, with amazing acting, a brutal and compelling story, and perfect music that will keep you engaged until the final shot.  For more information, check out our review!

At Redbox: Playing With Fire

Playing With Fire takes a very funny cast, ridiculous situations, and lots of funny moments and tells a silly but heartwarming story that the whole family will love!  For more information, check out our review!

At Redbox: Doctor Sleep

Doctor Sleep pairs a stellar cast, with a big score, and enough nostalgia from the original movie to keep you entertained.  Whether you are a fan of the novel or have seen Kubrick's original masterpiece, you will thoroughly enjoy Doctor Sleep. For more information, check out our review!

Streaming (Showtime): The Best of Enemies

A historical film starring two amazing actors playing very different characters, The Best of Enemies tells the story of the clash between a civil rights advocate and a leader in the local Ku Klux Klan in North Carolina during school integration.  This was an underappreciated film in theaters and should not be missed now!

Streaming (HBO): John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum

John Wick Chapter 3 is an action-packed new chapter in the John Wick saga.  It has John Wick's trademark flair, brutal and imaginative action, and continues the assassin's story against ever increasing odds.  For more information, check out our review!

Review: Birds of Prey

Release date: February 7, 2020
Running time: 109 minutes
Starring: Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez, Mary Elizabeth Winstead

After 2016's less than stellar Suicide Squad, DC decided to make a clean break from that movie's Joker... twice!  It made a dark, serious origin story in 2019's Joker; and it salvaged the best thing from Suicide Squad for a separate movie featuring Margot Robbie's Harley Quinn.  And wow was that a great decision.  Whereas the Joker is a dark descent into one person's madness, Birds of Prey is an explosive celebration of Harley Quinn's craziness and individuality.  After her final breakup with Mr. J, Harley Quinn decides to set out on her own.  However, she finds that life without the Joker is tougher and more dangerous than she originally thought.  She has to quickly learn some very dangerous lessons in order to survive in her new solo lifestyle.

The main draw of Birds of Prey is Robbie's fantastic portrayal of Harley Quinn.  She has the right combination of ruthlessness, humor, charm, and pure craziness to bring the iconic DC character to life.  Quinn is both predictable and unpredictable at the same time.  I'm glad that Suicide Squad was made because it gave birth to this badass lady who will hopefully appear in more DC movies.  Robbie is joined by an eclectic group of other leading ladies who are all insanely different making for an unlikely, but very interesting cast.  None of them are your typical villain or hero, but they each have their motivations for being pulled into the gravitational craziness that is Harley Quinn.  One is a cop who ends up investigating Harley, there is a singer and a pickpocket who both run into Quinn, and a vengeful assassin (played by Mary Elizabeth Winstead who is especially engaging as the Huntress).  Each of these ladies' backstories are explored briefly; it is a nice touch but doesn't make you lose focus from the main star.   

However, outside of the stellar cast, Birds of Prey has style in droves.  There are bold color choices throughout that give the movie a comic book feel despite the realistic, New York setting.  Some scenes have splashes of color that pop off the screen; it's not in your face but it is enough to make you appreciate the comic book origins of this film.  Additionally, the costume choices--especially Quinn's--are bright and deliberate.  Birds of Prey also has a surprising amount of action, with varied and imaginative fight sequences.  The fight choreography is not lighting quick, but it is very creative, uses the unique environments and skills of the various characters, and will leave you very entertained.  Whether it's Quinn taking on a group of overconfident thugs, or an imaginative chase scene involving some pretty whacky antics, the action in this film delivers both fun and thrills.  And all of this is complemented by some really great musical choices, both atmospheric music and covers of known songs to fit this movie's style. 

Birds of Prey is a triumphant breakout for Harley Quinn, a wild celebration of this character filled with bold style, entertaining action, a wonderful cast, and plenty of craziness.  

Watch It

Screening: Birds of Prey

BIRDS OF PREY 
(And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)

In theaters February 7

Rated R

www.birdsofpreymovie.com/

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Cast: Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco and Ewan McGregor

Director: Cathy Yan

You ever hear the one about the cop, the songbird, the psycho and the mafia princess? “Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)” is a twisted tale told by Harley herself, as only Harley can tell it. When Gotham’s most nefariously narcissistic villain, Roman Sionis, and his zealous right-hand, Zsasz, put a target on a young girl named Cass, the city is turned upside down looking for her. Harley, Huntress, Black Canary and Renee Montoya’s paths collide, and the unlikely foursome have no choice but to team up to take Roman down.

Screening Details:

Wednesday, February 5
7:00pm
AMC Mazza Gallerie
5300 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, DC

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Be sure to Like and Follow Watch or Pass on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and share with your friends!

As always, screenings are first-come, first-served so please arrive early to ensure you get a seat.

News: Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) Teaser Trailer

Although this is a leak of a teaser trailer that you can practically find it anywhere online, it is very much worth watching.  I was excited to finally get a sneak peak at this project! And while the beginning of this teaser is clearly a clever nod toward IT Chapter Two that opens this weekend Harley Quinn is back and this time she brought some friends to start some mischief in Gotham without Joker!

What do you think of this trailer?

Birds of Prey Synopsis:

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is an upcoming American superhero film based on the DC Comics team Birds of Prey. It is intended to be the eighth film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). The film is directed by Cathy Yan from a screenplay by Christina Hodson and stars Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Jurnee Smollett-Bell, Rosie Perez, Chris Messina, Ella Jay Basco, and Ewan McGregor. Birds of Prey follows Harley Quinn as she joins forces with Black Canary, the Huntress, and Renee Montoya to save Cassandra Cain from Gotham City crime lord Black Mask.

Robbie, who also serves as producer, pitched the idea for Birds of Prey to Warner Bros. in 2015. The film was announced in May 2016; Hodson was hired to write the script that November, while Yan signed on to direct in April 2018. The majority of the cast and crew were confirmed by December 2018. Principal photography lasted from January to April 2019 and took place in Downtown Los Angeles, parts of the Arts District, Los Angeles, and soundstages at Warner Bros. studios in Burbank, California. Birds of Prey is expected to be the first theatrically released R-rated DCEU film.

Birds of Prey is scheduled to be released in the United States by Warner Bros. Pictures on February 7, 2020.