What to Watch on TV this Weekend: Chloe's Guide

Oct. 14–16, 2016

Her are a few suggestions for what to watch on the upcoming weekend.

Donnie Darko (2001)

Friday, Oct. 14 - Sundance - 9:45 a.m.

"Why are you wearing that stupid bunny suit?" Donnie asks. "Why are you wearing that stupid man suit?" Frank counteracts. This exchange, however uncanny out of context, reflects the the circular narrative and metaphysical complexity that lies within the Donnie Darko plot.

Starring then-rising star Jake Gyllenhaal alongside his sister, Maggie Gyllenhall, as well as Drew Barrymore, Jenna Malone, Patrick Swayze and others, Donnie Darko follows the story of the titular character, a psychologically disturbed teenager living in Virginian suburbia. Subsequent to a narrow escape from death after a bizarre accident, Darko is haunted by visions of a large rabbit that manipulates him into committing a series of crimes. The film, directed by Richard Kelly (Southland Tales, The Box), grossed $110,494 throughout 58 screens nationwide during opening weekend, ultimately grossing $7.6 million worldwide and developing a cult following.

Ash vs. Evil Dead

Saturday, Oct. 15 - Starz 5:40 p.m.

I was too young to properly enjoy—or cower from—the Evil Dead universe as the original film franchise spooked audiences from 1981 to 1992. I watched the soft reboot of 2013, but I did not appreciate the dark humor and whimsical gore of the Sam Raimi (Spider-Man trilogy, Oz the Great and Powerful, Drag Me to Hell) brain child until I committed to the pilot episode of the television adaptation.

The adaptation features Bruce Campbell in his reprisal of the franchise's hero protagonist as well as Lucy Lawless, Jill Marie Jones (Girlfriends), Dana DeLorenzo (A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas) and Ray Santiago (In Time, Sex-Ed). Set 30 years after the events of the first three Evil Dead films, the dead have risen again; it's up to Ash Williams, now retired from his former life and working as a stock boy, and his unwitting companions (DeLorenzo, Santiago) to finish what the deadite hunter started.

Toy Story 3 (2010)

Sunday, Oct. 16- Disney - 5:10 p.m.

Toy Story 3 is the sixth, top-grossing Disney film of all time at a worldwide $423,315,812, surpassing triple the amount it generated during its opening weekend. Toy Story is the stuff of millennial nostalgia; when I was five when the inaugural film debuted in theaters, but it was not until the franchise became a trilogy in 2010 that I shed tears for the storyline.

The film centers on Andy's beloved toys, whose 17-year-old friend is preparing to leave for college—but what does that mean for Woody, Buzz, the Potato Heads, Slinky Dog, Rex and the others? The group finds itself headed for the attic, but mistakenly winds up on the curb alongside that morning's trash. Some quick thinking from Woody manages to save the toys temporarily before they're taken to a day-care center, where the gang then plans a great escape. Toy Story 3 boasts a 99 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with a consensus that lauds the film for being "...a rare second sequel that really works." A sequel, Toy Story 4, is scheduled for release on June 15, 2018.

The Lobster (2016)

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Colin Farrell is, for me, one of those actors whose career I was only vaguely aware of until his rise to prominence in later years; I enjoyed him in the 2008 In Bruges, and I was intrigued by him the second season of HBO's True Detective. Farrell's role in The Lobster, however, is a horse of an entirely different color, as is the film, itself.

The Lobster, an absurdist dystopian comedy-drama, was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival, winning the Jury Prize. It follows the newly divorced David (Farrell), who checks in to a hotel whose manager reveals that singles have 45 days to find a partner or risk being transformed into an animal. The hotel has a number of rules and rituals, including the watching of propaganda that praises advantage of partnership as well as prohibition of certain pleasures. The film also stars Rachel Weisz as Short-Sighted Woman, member of a faction of "loners" living in the forest, John C. Reilly as Lisping Man and Ben Whishaw as Limping Man, among others. Its consensus on Rotten Tomatoes notes that, while the film is an acquired taste, it "should prove a savory cinematic treat."

Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

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Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice has received mixed reviews since its debut, with accolades largely garnered from comic book fans who are familiar with canon. Film critic Roger Ebert described the film as "state of the art epic superhero filmmaking," citing that its production is meant for audiences that "have a soft spot for storytelling that actually tells...a story, as opposed to doing an occasionally inspired...job of setting up the next chapter..."

The film stars Ben Affleck as the Dark Knight, with Henry Cavill reprising his role as the Man of Steel, and is the first live-action film to feature Batman and Superman together as well as the first live-action, cinematic portrayal of Wonder Woman, Aquaman, The Flash and Cyborg. The narrative finds Batman, under the manipulation of criminal mastermind Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg), driven to a preemptive battle with Superman.

Despite debate over its success, Batman v. Superman grossed $166 million in North America during its opening weekend, making the film the eighth-biggest opening of all time, ahead of The Dark Knight Rises's $160.9 million. The next film in the DC Universe franchise, centering on Wonder Woman, is set for a 2017 release.

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