What to Watch This Weekend: July 19, 2013

  

It's a theater heavy weekend with some really great releases!  Beat the heat this weekend and catch a movie in theaters.

In Theaters: Fruitvale Station

The Sundance Festival Grand Jury Prize winning Fruitvale Station opens in DC this weekend. Fruitvale Station combines a powerful recent event, amazing acting, and great directing. Together, they manage to tell a poignant and important story; one that should not be missed. 

In Theaters: Turbo

If you want something a little less emotionally powerful, or something to take the kids to this weekend, Dreamworks Animation's new animated movie Turbo is a great choice. The movie features some beautiful animation, good voice acting, a cute story, and a great lesson for kids and adults to learn. 

In Theaters: Red 2

If you want something a little less emotionally powerful, but want to leave the kids at home, Red 2 is a great choice. It has a stellar cast, an interesting mission, and it doesn't take itself too seriously. It's one of the few sequels that manages to surpass the original by having all your favorite characters in a better all around story. 

On DVD: 42

42 is part gritty sports movie and part Disney inspirational film. But you know what, I'm fine with that. It's a great story about a great man; a well done but not perfect movie. If you like sports movies or want to learn more about Jackie Robinson, see this movie now.

Streaming (Amazon Instant): Synecdoche, New York

This is the ambitious and abstract directorial debut of Charlie Kaufman, writer of Adaptation and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. It revolves around a sick theater director who, upon receiving a fellowship, crafts a strange, unusually massive theatrical production. It's one of Kaufman's most polarizing projects, with some critics hailing it as a classic while others feel that he should stick to writing. If nothing else, you will likely find it interesting and visually impressive.

Streaming (Netflix): The Intouchables

Alright, so we already had this movie on a What to Watch This Weekend, but after it was available that Friday, Netflix unexpectedly pulled it. It's back now and anyone who hasn't seen it needs to watch it. The movie is simply phenomenal. It tells the story of a wealthy paraplegic who takes a chance on a guy from the streets when he hires him as a caretaker. The two begin an interesting, funny, and wonderful friendship that grows throughout the movie.