Every week, the writers and editors of Windows Central get together to share all the movies, TV shows, music and books we're enjoying. This week, we have a film about a worst-case scenario when meeting your significant other's family, an album with strong guitar riffs and political stands, and a book about two brothers' quest to reclaim what is rightfully theirs.
We think all of these picks are worth a look, but in the case that you don't see anything that piques your interest, hit the link below for many more recommendations from the past.
More media recommendations from Windows Central
Movies
Recommended by Rich Edmonds, staff reviewer
Horror movies of recent years have tended to follow the pack in using loud sound effects to amplify a jump scare, but there are a few gems out there that fuse together comedy, horror and tense storywriting to keep you on the edge of your seat and Get Out is one of these movies.The movie starts with Chris and girlfriend Rose travelling to stay with her parents after being invited to stay for the weekend. The only issue being not everything is "normal" when the couple arrive. In fact, everything quickly takes a turn for the worse as soon as they set off on the road.
Recommended by Richard Devine, reviews editor
What to watch now the Avengers tale is done with, but there's still a superhero itch that needs scratching? In my case, the X-Men series is something I've never really paid that much attention to, but the recent trailers for the new Dark Phoenix movie piqued my interest.So, I'm starting at the beginning. Well, the chronological beginning, anyway. First Class is the origin story of Professor X and Magneto, as they team up to take on the villainous Shaw who seeks to start World War 3. It also lays a great foundation for what's to come.
Recommended by Jez Corden, senior editor
Wallace and Gromit is a masterclass in British animation, with classic stop-motion techniques and hand-crafted plasticine models. Wallace and Gromit have been in a range of media, perhaps most famously the movie "Curse of the Were-rabbit," but before then, the pair were popularized in the UK by four direct-to-TV animated shorts.Wallace is an unwitting genius inventor who creates a range of incredible machines. Supported by his similarly genius, silent companion, Gromit the dog, the pair get caught up in some surprisingly dark tales, hunting down a master criminal penguin, dealing with a evil sheep-rustling dog, and meeting a seemingly-sinister robot on the moon. Wallace and Gromit is great fun for viewers of all ages, although younger children might find them a bit spooky.
Recommended by Al Sacco, managing editor
Ever since The Sopranos aired, I've been a fan of James Gandolfini. Because of that, I've sought out other stuff he starred in. And it quickly became clear that the dude was a really good actor … who seemed to like to star in some pretty dark and generally depressing stuff.'Welcome to the Rileys' fits that bill, and it's the story of a middle aged couple of lost a child to a car accident. They drift apart after the loss, and when the husband comes across a young women in need, who reminds him a lot of his lost daughter, he attempts to step in as a father, potentially repairing, or maybe severing, his own relationship with this wife in the process. It's a heavy flick, but both Gandolfini and Kristen Stewart put on memorable performances.
Music
Recommended by Al Sacco, managing editor
I've not had a chance to listen to this album much yet — in fact, I'm listening to it for the first time as I write this. But Bad Religion was one of my favorite punk bands when I was growing up, so whenever they drop a new album, I check it out.The best thing about Bad Religion are the band's always-intelligent, timely and often resonant lyrics. So far, this new albums seems to fit that description well. If you like punk music, or could just a change of pace via some music with a meaningful message, you could definitely do worse than 'Age of Unreason.'
Books
Recommended by Cale Hunt, staff writer
The Crossing is the second book in Cormac McCarthy's Border trilogy, following All the Pretty Horses. Like the first novel, it involves a journey to claim back rightful property, this time carried out by two brothers and brought on by murder and theft rather than false accusations.It's set before the first novel — this time before World War II — but prepares for a meeting of characters in the third book. Like its predecessor, it's a coming-of-age tale about riding through Mexico on horseback and the lessons learned in a land of corruption and violence. It's sad, violent, and like most McCarthy novels, filled with memorable passages and philosophy concerning a changing world.
Recommended by Al Sacco, managing editor
The sequel to best selling novelist John Grisham's hit A Time to Kill, Sycamore Row picks up shortly after the first story, with Mississippi attorney Jake Brigance tackling another wacky trial that involves an estranged family that suddenly comes together when the benefactor dies and mysteriously wills $24 million to his housekeeper — and nothing to his kin.It's a fun, easy read packed with clear protagonists, who are easy to like, and many antagonists, who are equally easy to dislike. Grisham's knowledge of the ins and outs of the U.S. legal system, and Southern American society, are what set this novel apart, though. The setting is at both times comforting and quaint, and cringeworthy, due to blatant racism and separatism, but it all feels authentic.
