It’s summer time, and that means a slew of great movies are out in the theaters. But, as we all know, movie ticket prices can get pretty steep, especially for students on a budget. But that doesn’t mean your movie watching experience has to suffer. Here are five great alternatives some of the summer’s box office hits.
Film: Man of Steel
Alternative: Watchmen
I’m ashamed to say that I, a huge comic book/superhero fan, still haven’t seen Man of Steel. To put it simply, I’m broke. And I know that at least some of the people reading this are to. If you’re like me and haven’t had the cash to check out Man of Steel, then I definitely recommend renting Watchmen. Like Man of Steel, it’s a superhero movie that delves into the psyche of its unique characters, rather than just watching bad guys get beaten up.
Film: Grown Ups 2
Alternative: Absolutely anything
I’m not a film snob, at all. But Grown Ups 2 is clearly a cheap cash in using comedians that used to make us laugh. What should you check out instead? Absolutely anything. If you’re looking to laugh, and indulge in a bit of irony, check out Judd Apatow’s Funny People. It’s hilarious, dramatic, and stars Adam Sandler basically playing himself (a standup comedian prone to doing terrible films).
Film: The Lone Ranger
Alternative: Django Unchained
This one may seem like a bit of a stretch, but hear me out. Both use the basic premise of a Western set revenge film. The Lone Ranger and Django both seek to exact revenge for their families, and are joined by eccentric partners/guides. Also, it’s Quentin Tarantino-enough said.
Film: World War Z
Alternative: War of the Worlds
War of the Worlds features Tom Cruise, racing to protect his family and escape from deadly alien invaders. Compare this to World War Z, which features Brad Pitt attempting to discover to the cause of a zombie outbreak. The similarity falls within a man attempting to protect the ones he loves in face of a supernatural apocalypse.
Film: Pacific Rim
Alternative: Transformers
I almost put this as a joke. But then I thought about it. Transformers really isn’t the worst movie ever (that’s the sequel). The effects are awesome, and Shia Labeouf is pretty good in it. It still holds up visually all these years later, and also features huge awesome robots. But I still really want to see Pacific Rim.
— Nicholas Graves
ICONIC 