Mikey’s Top 3 Movies For This Weekend

On top of everything that we've been dealing with the last 3 weeks a lot of us have also been working crazy hours. Now that the weekend is here I'm thinking to myself... I need to rest and relax but I also hate wasting life by sitting in front of the TV and watching something that will not make me better in some way, shape or form. Having said that I came up with 3 movies to watch this weekend that are sure to have a positive impact on me and you. My mission is to be inspired and I believe these three movies will do that on different levels. I can't wait to see Tim Robbins in the Shawshank Redemption say... "I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living or get busy dying". or Michael Fassbender say "And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven't found it yet, keep looking. Don't settle". Eddie Murphy will make my weekend when he delivers this line ""I'm going to bet on myself. ..." Enjoy you're weekend and I hope you come back to work on Monday a little bit better.

1. The Shawshank Redemption

Director/Writer: Frank Darabont

Cast: Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Gil Bellows, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, James Whitmore

The populist pick for the best movie of all time, The Shawshank Redemption is one of those films that never seems to get old. Filmmaker Frank Darabont’s adaptation of a Stephen King short story takes place in the mid-20th century and revolves around a man (Tim Robbins) serving two consecutive life sentences in prison for murdering his wife. The story chronicles his journey at Shawshank, which is colored by the friends (and enemies) he makes while the audience is left to guess whether he actually committed the crime or not. It’s an expertly told drama packed with memorable performances and a terrific score by Thomas Newman. There’s a reason so many people choose The Shawshank Redemption as their favorite film ever made. – Adam Chitwood

2. Steve Jobs

Director: Danny Boyle

Writer: Aaron Sorkin

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Kate Winslet, Seth Rogen, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Jeff Daniels

One of the most underrated films of the 2010s, Steve Jobs is not the movie you think it is. Aaron Sorkin has crafted the anti-biopic—the encapsulation of a man’s life without actually showing the highlights of his life. The film is structured in three acts that play out in real time, focusing on three major Apple events. The first is the launch of the Macintosh computer, the second is the launch of NeXT, and the third is the launch of the iMac. Each act is like a mini-play, but the backstage goings-on reveal so much about Steve Jobs the man through Michael Fassbender’s phenomenal performance. It’s a thrillingly inventive way to make a “biopic,” and sadly many missed this one when it hit theaters. Entertaining, funny, and ultimately insightful, Steve Jobs is an underrated gem. – Adam Chitwood

3. Dolemite Is My Name

Director: Craig Brewer

Writers: Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski

Cast: Eddie Murphy, Wesley Snipes, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Keegan-Michael Key, Mike Epps, Craig Robinson, and Titus Burgess

Not only does the Netflix original comedy film Dolemite Is My Name give us the best Eddie Murphy performance in years, it’s also just a tremendously entertaining movie about creative expression. The movie is based on the true story of Rudy Ray Moore, a comedian who aimed to bring his hit standup character “Dolemite” to the masses by writing, producing, and starring in an extremely low-budget film. Not unlike Bowfinger, this movie is a hilarious behind-the-scenes story of one man’s creative passion coming to life against all odds. Murphy is explosive, Da’Vine Joy Randolph gives the definition of a breakthrough performance, and Wesley Snipes goes full To Wong Fu in an outrageous turn as the director of the Dolemite movie. This is an extremely entertaining comedy that is also incredibly inspiring. – Adam Chitwood