One of the quickest ways to spoil that feelgood Friday feeling is remembering those plans you made for the weekend. It seemed like such a good idea at the time, but now you’re filled with the familiar sting of FOGO – fear of going out.
All you want to do is curl up on the sofa in front of a streaming service and tear through some cinematic classics, whether revisiting old favorites or catching up on that film everyone keeps telling you is amazing. Fortunately, these three movies currently available on streaming are perfect excuses to cancel everything and get comfy.
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Megamind (Netflix)
For those who haven’t yet witnessed the joys of Megamind, fear not – you’re far from alone. This animated superhero movie starring Will Ferrell in the title role performed decently enough at the box office ($321 million), but got somewhat lost in the shuffle among a slew of other major animations the same year.
Despite not packing the mainstream appeal of Despicable Me or Toy Story 3, Megamind remains a fascinating mashup of genres that expertly treads the thin line between slapstick action for younger viewers and nuanced characterization for grown-ups, all tied up inside a genuinely compelling story.
Jonah Hill’s detestable villain, Tighten, is a particular highlight, and Megaman’s ending will leave you scratching your head wondering how on Earth this didn’t become a multi-movie franchise for DreamWorks. If those plans you just canceled involved taking the kids out, a family afternoon watching Megaman is the perfect solution.
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Alien: Covenant (HBO Max)
Okay, the kids are in bed. Time for something where the cast gets gradually picked off courtesy of a legendary movie monster. Ridley Scott’s modern Alien offerings, Prometheus and Covenant were not entirely embraced upon releasing in 2012 and 2017, respectively. Fortunately, time and perspective has allowed for a much-needed reappraisal.
Alien: Covenant does not require you to have watched the franchise’s entire back catalog beforehand (although Prometheus would help). In fact, entering Covenant without deep knowledge of past Alien films could be considered a benefit, as you’ll be spared the challenge of mentally tying the entire, confounding canon together.
Even in isolation, Alien: Covenant is a rip-roaring action sci-fi horror with a stacked cast, high-octane set pieces, and a veritable depth charge of a final twist. Are there better Alien movies in the universe? Probably. Is Alien: Covenant worth including on the weekend movie playlist you made after canceling those pesky plans? Absolutely.
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The Naked Gun: From The Files Of Police Squad (Paramount+)
Nobody needs an excuse to watch Leslie Nielsen’s iconic 1988 comedy, The Naked Gun, but the warmly-received release of a Liam Neeson-fronted reboot means it’s as good a time as any to revisit the original.
The Naked Gun’s ability to draw raucous laughter from all generations has not dulled whatsoever over the past 37 years – a tribute to the witty and intelligent performances of all involved. Nielsen, of course, is chief among them. The real joy of rewatching The Naked Gun on streaming, however, is introducing someone to it for the very first time, then sitting back and watching as the chuckles erupt.
For those feeling a tiny bit guilty after backing out of plans at the last minute, rolling around the floor in stitches alongside The Naked Gun will surely prove that staying indoors this weekend was the correct call.
