Here are our picks for what you should watch this week.
Cop Car
Most big adventures start with a small, simple decision. In the case of Travis and Harrison, two kids who come across a police car hidden in a secluded area, the decision is to touch the vehicle. From there, it becomes a contest to see who will go further in interacting with the car, cumulating with the two driving off in the car and speeding recklessly through the empty field.
What the two boys don’t realize is they’ve stolen the car of Sheriff Kretzer (played by Kevin Bacon), a cop with a bad temper and some behaviors to hide. He’ll do just about anything it takes to get the car back and to keep his partners in the force from learning why he left the vehicle in the first place. He’ll even steal cars of his own, call in fake police reports, and use his weapon. The entire film has a dramatic build and an attention-grabbing opening act that will make you want to see what comes of the increasingly maddening situation.
Pariah
Alike, a 17-year-old African American girl living in the Bronx, is the primary focus of Pariah. She’s starting to come to terms with her sexual identity, as she spends more time with her openly lesbian friend and embraces who she is. Her mother is not so willing to accept her daughter’s decision. She demands Alike behave more like she believes a woman should, and pushes her to spend more time with her church-going friends. The film, a 2011 Sundance award winner, follows Alike’s struggle to be accepted and find herself in the already trying teenage years.
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
As an asteroid bears down toward the Earth and threatens to destroy humanity, Dodge Petersen (played by Steve Carell) doesn’t seem all that affected. He goes about his business, living his life as he always would, despite the news that everything will end in just three weeks’ time. He meets Penny (Keira Knightley) and learns the two have an accidental connection. Both are stuck without their partner during the little time they have left, so they make the most of each other’s company, while they still have it.
Lord of War
Usually when we think about war, it’s either about the people on the ground fighting or the politicians who make the decision to send them. Maybe we should be thinking about the people who are truly enabling warfare to continue: the arms dealers. That’s who Lord of War focuses on, with Nicolas Cage playing the role of an illegal arms dealer who does deals with all sorts of unsavory characters and the human cost that his work has.
30 for 30: Angry Sky
The most recent of ESPN’s impressive documentary series 30 for 30 is one of its most peculiar yet. Usually, the series takes an in-depth look at forgotten stories or sheds new light on famous moments in more traditional sports, but Angry Sky puts its focus on an interesting subject: a parachutist who failed to ever achieve his goal. His failure to meet his goals doesn’t make the character of Nick Piantanida any less worth examining, and putting the spotlight on his life reveals some incredible stories.
