What will you be watching this weekend? (August 17)

Finally! The work week is over and you’ll have some free time to relax, crack a cold one, pop that corn and nuke some ‘chos all in the noble pursuit of cinematic entertainment! Every Friday, we’d like to hear what everyone will be watching over the weekend, whether it be on TV, DVD and Blu-ray or in theaters.

So what’s on your movie agenda this weekend? Here’s what I’m thinking about watching…

IN THEATERS…

This weekend will see a no-holds-barred badass reunion with THE EXPENDABLES 2 roundhouse kicking, throat punching and knife sticking its way into theaters. Being a steak and potatoes eating man I think it goes without saying I enjoyed the first flick for what it was and while it is pretty damn easy to get excited by all of the returning members (plus Chuck Norris!) I’m most stoked to see “The Muscles From Brussels”, Mr. Jean Claude Van Damme himself, in the role of a nuclear terrorist and Expendable extermination enthusiast.

Is it so wrong that I’ll be rooting for the bad guy? JCVD for life!

Be sure to strap on your bulletproof vest and head on over here to scope out our official review!

Once the adrenaline and testosterone levels from THE EXPENDABLES 2 wear off a bit I’m also very interested in checking out the paranormal stop-motion flick PARANORMAN. A kid that can communicate with the dead and fights ghosts and zombies to save his little town from an ancient curse? What’s not to love about that synopsis?! This will probably only mark the second time I’m excited to see a stop-motion movie in 3-D (CORALINE anyone?) but seeing as I’ve always had a weak spot for this kind of animation it’s kind of a no-brainer for me.

Check out all of the THEATRICAL RELEASES right here

ON TELEVISION…

With last weeks episode of HBO’s THE NEWSROOM ending abruptly in an act of God (“I didn’t know He had that kind of comedic timing …”) I can’t wait to see how Sorkin and company finish of the 10-episode first season with the finale this Sunday. Will integrity be compromised or will the crew of News Night take the moral high road they’ve striven for? With the news that HBO has renewed THE NEWSROOM for a second season I think it could go either way … so I’ll tune in.

Luckily for my viewing schedule as one show’s season ends another is just getting traction on the tracks. Last weekend the second season of AMC’s HELL ON WHEELS kicked off with a train robbery and ended with a firing squad. If I wasn’t hooked on the Western themed historical drama before I sure as shootin’ am now.

Speaking of train robberies last weeks episode of BREAKING BAD had their own version of the Western staple and they did not disappoint either. We’re about a third of the way through the show’s final season and I hate to see it end … but I can’t help but look forward to how they do it.

ON DVD & BLU-RAY…

This weekend we’re gonna need a bigger TV … because JAWS just hit Blu-ray!

Along with what is of course brilliant and fully remastered audio and visual quality this stunning JAWS Blu-ray is quite a catch and includes the all new feature lengthed documentary “The Shark Is Still Working” that covers everything from pre-production to the lasting legacy of Speilberg’s first blockbuster as well as a featurette containing a behind-the-scenes look at the meticulous restoration process.

If you like non-stop martial arts madness then THE RAID: REDEMPTION should already be in your possession. Seriously, even those of you that are fully aware of how balls-out awesome THE RAID is should just take a brief moment to rewatch the trailer of the latest Indonesian flick from the director of MERANTUA. This movie could serve as a masterclass in action filmmaking.

Also out today on Blu-ray and DVD is THE HUNGER GAMES which stars the lovely Jennifer Lawrence as a girl who, to save her sister, reluctantly finds herself in an arena fighting to the death for the entertainment of a future dystopic America. Word to the wise: If she gets her hands on a bow and arrows just start running and don’t stop.

Check out all of the DVD/BLU-RAY RELEASE DATES/COVERS right here

LET US KNOW WHAT YOU WILL BE WATCHING THIS WEEKEND BELOW!