Late nights at Bird Library – or Chuck’s Cafe, whatever your study spot of choice is, I don’t judge –  will soon be coming to a brief halt at the end of this week when the student body embarks on the great seasonal migration that is spring break. And while many students will be heading to sunnier locales, this columnist – and a whole lot of you, don’t lie – will be making a beeline for the couch to catch up on some much needed rest and movie-watching.

Whether you’ll be headed to the theatre or mooching off your parents’ Netflix account, there’s a plethora of choices out for your viewing pleasure that I’ve graciously curated for you in this article.

The period between Christmas film season and awards season is traditionally a time for hit-or-miss titles that generally go unseen. Unsure how many of you were itching to see “Monster Trucks” or “xXx 3: The Return of Xander Cage” – surprisingly not a porn title, by the way. Luckily, as we round the corner into March during break, the film gods and/or execs have blessed us with some quality time killers worth venturing outside for.

For those of you bold enough to leave the confines of your home and risk running into everyone from high school you never wanted to see again, the slate of films out in theatres will prove rewarding for your bravery. Of course, if you live under a rock and haven’t seen either “La La Land” or “Moonlight” yet I recommend you do so, as both films are enjoying an extending period of longevity in theatres thanks to their awards season runs. Both films are beautiful to behold in the traditional theatre experience and are well worth that $12 you usually reserve for the weekly Svedka special at Skytop Liquors.

As for newer releases worth the ticket price, my eyes are firmly set on getting a hold of “Logan” on the big screen. This R-rated Wolverine/X-Men installment sets itself apart from its own brand in terms of both title and content, and all for the better. I’ve never sat through an X-Men film before — I think I only have the capability to swallow one ensemble superhero cast at a time, and I chose “The Avengers” for my initial go-about.

However, “Logan” has been touted as the Marvel version of “The Dark Knight,” a film capable of standing both as a part of a greater whole and a whole itself. Also in parallel to Christopher Nolan’s masterpiece is its ability to bring a colorful comic book character into a very real and tangible world that makes the film more than just a superhero movie, but a character driven drama. Catch me watching this first.

If you didn’t catch the advanced screening a few weeks ago, Jordan Peele’s “Get Out” is best watched in a full theater, so best to see it sooner than later.

“Kong: Skull Island,” out this week, has all the flare of a summer blockbuster with what looks like a little more camp and fun than Peter Jackson’s “King Kong” of years past. The ensemble cast features John Goodman, Brie Larson, John C. Reilly, Tom Hiddleston, Samuel L. Jackson, and the titular Kong himself. If this reboot ends in a Godzilla v. King Kong film down the line I’m more than happy to see this go through.

Last on our roundup of theatre releases for break is the much-anticipated “Beauty and the Beast” live action adaptation.  Disney has taken their own approach to the world of remakes with their live action remakes of their beloved animated features. And while “Cinderella” and “Maleficent” were more along the lines of reimagined and reshaped stories, “Beauty and the Beast” looks like a pretty faithful ode to the original.

Also, Emma Watson is perfect, so that alone is enough to hike out and see this.

Now for those of you becoming one with your couch, worry not, because the new March Netflix releases are sure to fill your dying need to do nothing productive during break.

The original “Jurassic Park” series is new to Netflix this month, so you can get your tropical fix while watching Isla Nubar become overrun with man-eating dinosaurs – even though you’re probably stuck in Boston. If you’re looking for something a little more light hearted, a hearty Jack Black trio is just what you need.

“Kung Fu Panda,” “Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny,” and “Nacho Libre” satisfy your craving for the entire gamut of what Black can do, which is essentially just be over the top goofy and lovable.

One Netflix original out this month that’s been gathering some buzz is “Burning Sands,” a drama surrounding a pledge of a historically black fraternity. Nick Jonas’ “Goat,” a film with a similar premise surrounding fraternity life, was a little too overtly serious and preachy to be enjoyable, but “Burning Sands” looks like an improvement on the topic. Worth the watch if you just terribly miss your bros this upcoming break or want to relive your pledge days. I’m sure it’s the former.

Now, if anyone needs me for the next 10 days you can find me on my couch – rampaging the Florida coast with a cornrowed James Franco. Sprang Brake forever.

Lilly Stuecklen is a junior television, radio and film major. Her column appears weekly in Pulp. She can be reached on Twitter @Stuecks or by email at lsstueck@syr.edu.

Published on March 8, 2017 at 10:00 pm