Not sure what movie to watch this weekend? Leave a comment, we’ll help
Looking for the best movie to watch at home? We’ll pick one for you
by Pete Volk · PolygonWe love movie recommendations here at Polygon. Whether it’s horror, sci-fi, action, comedy, thrillers, or just the best of the year, we’re always trying to introduce readers to new and exciting movies they’ll love. But now we want to find the perfect movie for you. (That’s you.)
Each Thursday on Polygon we’ll have an open thread dedicated to helping you, our dear readers, find the perfect watch for this weekend. Looking for a sci-fi movie that will make you contemplate the wonders (or horrors) of the world? We’ve got you. Looking to brush up on world cinema? What about some comfort food? We’ve got you there, too.
From 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. EDT, I will be in the comments section down below answering your questions and fielding requests for what you should watch this weekend. This is also a great place to share what you’ve been watching, if you want to talk about that with your fellow Polygon readers! Participation is very welcome, even without questions.
A little bit about me, your curator for this week: I’m Pete Volk, our senior curation editor. I love movies of all stripes, but my main areas of interest are action movies (especially martial arts), classic Hollywood comedies (shout out to the GOAT, Ernst Lubitsch), and keeping up with new releases from around the world (I’ve tallied 155 2023 movies watched and 22 from 2024 so far).
Last week, I watched the new Wages of Fear (very disappointing after watching the original and Sorcerer the previous week), the Liam Neeson Marlowe movie, Michael Keaton’s indie thriller Knox Goes Away, and the upcoming movies I Saw the TV Glow and The Fall Guy (which I am excited to share my thoughts about when I can). I also caught up on Shōgun, X-Men ’97, Game Changer, and Delicious in Dungeon, and watched some more Physical: 100.
Now it’s time to turn it around to you. What would you like to watch this weekend (or what are you planning to watch)? Leave a request in the comments and I’ll get to it between 3:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. EDT. Details help — let me know what you’re looking for, some idea of your taste as a viewer, and any other relevant info you feel like sharing (like the streaming services you have access to).
Some examples of good queries from last week:
HollyPolicy
I have seen most of the most iconic Studio Ghibli films led by Miyazaki, but hadn’t ventured into non-Miyazaki films made by the studio until recently when a friend recommended Only Yesterday. I loved it for how elegantly the flashbacks captured Taeko’s dynamic between her childhood and adulthood hopes and emotions, and how the film’s creative restraint led to such poignant moments when they did bring in elements of magical realism. What emotionally poignant non-Miyazaki Studio Ghibli films should i check out next?
pere_ubu
I'm developing an interest in action/martial arts movies and curious if there are any deep cut 1990s-ish US-produced action movies with a strong Hong Kong influence that you or the comment section would recommend.
From HK, I'm familiar with much of the Shaw-Golden Harvest-Fortune Star canon (favs are 8 Diagram Pole Fighter, Police Story, Drunken Master 2, Wheels on Meals, Yes Madam). My favorite Woo and JCVD is Hard Target. I recently watched Drive (1997) and enjoyed it, but the best part was Brittany Murphy. Ideally movies that have that energy and effort but are maybe a little more sophisticated/less hammy (Woo's sentimentality is a turn off, mostly).
Theatrical releases obviously but direct to video stuff is great too as long as it was before digital filmmaking took over. Streaming availability is totally irrelevant.
Thanks!
Edit: 1990ish was supposed to say 1990s-ish.
See you in the comments at 3:30 p.m. EDT! Fire away your requests in the meantime.