This week is not very great in the world of movies. Only two wide releases are coming out, both comedies that could be busts.

So, what’s out this weekend?

Tower Heist

I think this movie looks sort of awful but it could be one of those mostly non-offensive comedies that are an okay way to waste $10 and a Friday night. It really depends on what you’re into. Ben Stiller has been hit-or-miss the past few years, but this looks more Little Fockers than Tropic Thunder. Let usknow if we are wrong!

A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas

I thought the original was great, the sequel was horrific, and this one doesn’t appear too promising. They seem to be going for the “3D is ridiculous so we’re exploiting it”-thing but Piranhas 3D already did that and I’m almost certain they did it way better. It’s also a bit too far from Christmas for that to be a drawing point. I do know people who caught a screener and thought it was pretty funny with some awesome claymation portions and an on-point Neil Patrick Harris. Seems to be a step up from Guantanamo Bay.

OUR RECOMMENDATION: See something at the Charles Theater this weekend. If you’ve never been, you definitely should make the roughly 20-minute trek from campus.

It’s Baltimore art-house theater but they regularly play mainstream movies as well–not to mention they have great popcorn. These are the new titles, but also showing is 50/50, Cave of Forgotten Dreams, Margin Call, Take Shelter, & The Hedgehog. And to make the theater even more cool, they have a revival series with a different classic playing each week.

This weekend they’re showing The Grapes of Wrath. (Side note: stop by Sofi’s Crepes, right next to the theater, before or after for some great eats!)

Martha Marcy May Marlene

This film is described as a psychological thriller, but it’s more of a drama. Watching this film I was waiting for the more “thrilling” moments to start but it never exactly happened. However, this is not to say it isn’t good. This was an excellent film, with an amazing performance by Elizabeth Olsen (the twin’s younger sister).

Olsen’s character is recently escaped from a cult-ish commune where she has been living for two years under a Manson-esque leader (John Hawkes). The film portrays her attempt to assimilate back into normal life while having constant flashbacks to her time at the commune, all while her paranoia and fear grow. The cinematography, direction, and performances are all well-done as they tackle a subject that is hard to watch. If you are into indie dramas, definitely give it a watch.

The Skin I Live In

A artsy Spanish horror/thriller about a a surgeon (Antonia Banderas) who’s obsessed with creating more resilient skin and must test his creation on a human subject. The premise seems quite unsettling, although the trailer leaves basically everything to the imagination. The director, Pedro Almodóva is known for taking on intense stories with great results so I’d give this a shot.

Planning on seeing one of these movies this weekend? Something else? Watched anything good recently? Let us know!