Movies on the Cheap

For those of you who are like me and on a strict budget, DVDs may be the only way you can see a movie.  Particularly since here in Miami, the cost of a movie ranges from $9 to $16 per ticket for 2 hours of entertainment.  And that doesn’t even include a drink or a snack.  When did a date night to the movies become a $40 affair?  

Anyway, if you’re one of the privileged few that still has a Blockbuster near you, this can offer a great way to get cheap entertainment.  If you don’t, might I recommend Netflix?  For their lowest plan, you can access to thousands of titles and even have instant downloads, eliminating even money spent on gas!  

This week some great flicks came out on DVD that are worth checking out for all you budget conscious folks out there.  Black Swan is a must see for those of you who haven’t checked it out yet.  Natalie Portman was amazing in it.  Now, there are some pretty graphic sex scenes in it, but you have to understand that they contribute to the downward spiral her character goes through.  They’re not in there just for smut’s sake.  

Anyway, the film is about a ballerina who’s chosen to play the lead in Swan Lake – seemingly every ballerina’s dream come true.  However, due to the pressure, and her borderline crazy/overly supportive mother, the role ends up being the catalyst to this ballerina’s downfall.  

It was an excellent film - one of those that you keep thinking about long after you’ve seen it.  Although, I don’t need to see it again because it was just so intense, I recommend everyone see it once, if for nothing else than to see Natalie Portman step out of her comfort zone, and do it beautifully.

Tangled was the other notable DVD release this week.  This one I haven’t seen yet, but as with any animated Disney film, I look forward to it.  It’s a Rapunzel story with a Disney twist.  A runaway thief releases her from the tower/prison, and the movie subsequently tells the tale of her discovery of what life can be.  I expect it to have some great one-liners, coupled with a solid moral and feel-good love story.  

So, for those of us pinching our pennies this weekend, rentals are an option for cheap/fun entertainment!  Go see a movie this weekend, even if it’s not in the theater!