Weekend Movie Discussion: 300: Rise of an Empire, The Grand Budapest, Mr. Peabody & Sherman

I feel like they really could have done a better job at titling 300: Rise of an Empire. 300:2, 301, and 300 + 1 = 2, are all examples of what could have been. 

I like Zack Snyder, I think, but I never really had any interest in 300. Yeah it inspired a lot of imitation in style and created the whole speed ramping fad, but if there's one thing I hate, it's spoilers. Darn you history classes for teaching me the endings of certain films. You have no idea how board I was watching Lincoln. When are they going to make a movie on Henry Rathbone? Never mind I know how that story ends as well. Curse you history! But in all seriousness, the look just got on my nerves. Didn't care for it. If however you were a fan of the first one, the second one is supposed to be remarkably similar. Is sameitude a word? No? Well, let's call it that anyway.

In limited release is The Grand Budapest, Wes Anderson's next flicker show. I hear it's a talkie too. I do enjoy the quirky wizard who insists on making us all watch plays through the lens of french new wave theater. Is it still new wave if it was new wave years ago? Maybe it's old new wave, or old wave. Either way I like watching his films and pretending I get more out of them than the guy sitting next to me. You know the one in the "Elvis Shot JFK" t-shirt? Mind you I don't know more. That dude took film history in college and proposed to his wife during The 400 Blows. Knows his stuff. Still I'll look forward to sitting back in my recliner, sipping some Boone's Farm, and marathoning Anderson films to get in the mood.

Finally, if you love history, or old cartoons, or talking dogs with boys for pets (all of which I do) Mr. Peabody & Sherman is sure to fit the bill. Or not. Anytime you're talking updated movie versions, the results are generally not great. Cite precedent you ask? Well, okay... Garfield, Garfield 2, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Fat Albert, the scourge of Chipmunk films, Dudley Do-Right, Transformers (oh no he didn't!), and Yogi Bear, just to name a few. On the other hand I did enjoy George of the Jungle and Scoobie Doo. Still for a cartoon predicated on the idea of traveling to the past, history is not on its side.

Mind you, they're doing another Jungle Book. They've already cast Idris Elba as Shere Khan assuring I'll watch it. It'll never match the first Disney animated film, but then, it also won't remind me of George Sanders disturbing end each time.

So what are your plans for the weekend?