There is nothing better than sitting down in front of the ol' tube and firing up a good movie.  Whether you are attempting to expand your horizons, catch up on some movies you missed, or having an evening in with a certain someone, here at GotchaMovies.com, we have you covered for all your movie-watching needs.  This week Flicks to Stream has lined up guaranteed good times:  Phenomenon, Serenity, and The Constant Gardener .  The selection is wide, all in an effort to make your moving-watching experience that more unique and customizable.  In fact, each of these movies have a certain uniqueness about them, which makes them that much more special.

Without further adieu, here are the picks for the week.  The process is simple:  choose your situation, turn on your (insert preferred media device here), find your desired movie, click play, and come back to GotchaMovies.com for more of the same next week!  We are here for you, you have friends (over the internet counts, totally).

Popcorn Movie of the Week

Phenomenon

Looking for a popcorn and tears kind of movie?  Having an evening in?  Here's your movie:

I first saw this movie in theaters back in 1996!  I was about ten years old, without much knowledge of character development, score, or pace.  So, needless to say, I thought Phenomenon was "the greatest film ever".  Now with over a decade of moving-going jade built up, the experience was (forgive me) less than phenomenal (sorry).  Nevertheless, Phenomenon is a solid film with enough enjoyable moments to make it worth a (re)watching.  As far as performances go, you get a good one out of John Travolta .  It's not Oscar-worthy, but he is engaging enough.  Though, some times his behavior and looks warrant a burst of laughter, especially during his more "child-like" moments, but it's not to the fault of Travolta.  Who's at fault with the enjoyable-yet-campy vibe of the film?  Okay, I never say this but - the score.  It actually becomes annoying after half an hour.  The same guitar chords over and over in a peppy/country style.  You will know what I mean when you hear it.

It should also be noted that most of the characters are predictable, and no one really shines through in this movie.  Robert Duvall feels like he is acting with one hand tied behind his back until the last few scenes of the movie, which are quite powerful.  That's what you have to keep in mind with Phenomenon.  It's a lot like Travolta's other mid-90s work, Michael .  It's fun, corny, funny, and touching, but not "stellar".  Phenomenon is great for a night in because it allows you to eat popcorn the first thirty minutes, laugh a bit in the middle, and gets the tears flowing at the end.

The One That Got Away

Serenity

Every once in a while you miss a good one.  Here is your second chance.

It's got a cult following, a sci-fi edge, sarcastic witty banter, fast-paced action, and it didn't do well at the box office.  The film isn't exactly formulaic in the typical Hollywood sense.  (For an insight on what formulas seem to translate to box office gold, click here.)  There once was a TV series called Firefly, and once it got canceled, the creators decided to pony up the dough and make a feature film.  The result is brilliant.  The best way to look at this movie is to imagine it as "The Other Adventures of Han Solo" (before he met Luke in that bar, and by the way, "Han Shot First").  Viewed in that context, you get an idea of what to expect, however, there really aren't too many Star Wars similarities others than the whole "galaxy/space thing".  There isn't a big name actor, as all of the original cast from the TV show are in the film, which helps add the story, characters, and immersive atmosphere that Serenity offers.  As with all other sci-fi movies, the films also does some critical social commentary about conformity and "big brother", but it keeps it placed under the plot and leaves the audience to take what it wishes, as all good sci-fi films do.  While Serenity won't please everyone, it will fill others with delight. 

For the Aficionado

The Constant Gardener

You don't have to win awards to be considered great (i.e. bacon), but it helps.

Anytime someone gets their due credit, the world feels a little bit brighter.  Rachel Weisz is the perfect example.  Here is an actress who has done just about everything - comedy, drama, action - all without a whole lot of real credit.  Her acting talent actually outshines her looks (which aren't bad at all) in most of her performances, earning her a reputation as an actress who can deliver, no matter the role.  Weisz won the Oscar for her supporting role in The Constant Gardener because of a blindly fierce ability to be likeable and hateable at the same time.  Weisz character goes through several points in the film where the audience has no idea if she is a passionate crusader for justice, or a cut-throat cheater with no sense of ethics, a swing that Weisz allows to be possible.  She isn't like other actresses that can simple be "likeable", and have no range for anything outside of it.  It's a tricky line to walk, and she does it with ease. 

The film itself tackles the issue of Africa and the interplay between government, pharmaceutical companies, and issues of morality.  Ralph Fiennes also does well in his role as Weisz's husband, but without Weisz, this movie could have been skipped.  I am not much for "preachy" movies because I tend to think audiences understand when they are being "talked-at" rather than "talked-to", which is why I didn't see this movie upon its initial release a few years back.  I had high expectations coming in, and about thirty minutes into the movie, I just had to see how it ended.  As with all Oscar winning films, its a bit slow, tends to have you pressing to keep up, however in this case it adds to the involvement.  The best thing about watching this movie is, when someone brings up Africa, you can mention something other than the lame Bono joke you read on the internet (just because people laugh at it, doesn't mean its funny... they are just being nice).

See you next Tuesday, March 9th, 2010.