6 things to watch other than the Super Bowl on Sunday
If you don't think the big game is a big deal, check out these titles instead.
Not a big fan of the NFL? You’re not alone — though a 2016 survey suggests you’re in the minority in the U.S. For people who aren’t interested in the annual gridiron spectacle — or the commercials, or the halftime performance, or the parties — Super Bowl Sunday can feel a bit like being single on Valentine’s Day: Even if you’re fully comfortable with abstaining from the day’s rituals, it seems like everyone around you won’t stop talking about it.
For those of you looking to occupy your mind with something else during Super Bowl 51, we’ve got you covered. Here are six things to watch instead of the Super Bowl when the 6 o’clock hour rolls around on Sunday.
Finding Dory
Netflix just added this sequel to the 2003 Pixar classic to its streaming library on Feb. 2. While Finding Dory didn’t quite live up to the original, it’s still an entertaining film, mixing aquatic hijinks with a somber message about living with a disability. If it’s good enough for President Trump, it’s good enough for Super Bowl Sunday.
The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story
Also new to Netflix this week is the award-winning FX miniseries chronicling the ins and outs of the trial of the century. Cast aside any doubts about whether the world really needed two multi-part TV shows about the O.J. Simpson trial more than 20 years after the Hall of Fame running back was found not guilty of murdering Nicole Brown-Simpson and Ronald Goldman: Both the ESPN documentary and this fictionalized version from Ryan Murphy are must-watches.
Manchester by the Sea
You’ve probably heard about how great Manchester by the Sea is more than a few times, but if you still haven’t managed to see the achingly human drama set on the North Shore, Sunday is the perfect chance. The film is still playing at more than a dozen theaters in the Boston area, and showings in Danvers, Dedham, Lexington, and Revere all start sometime between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., a perfect excuse for missing kickoff (and the rest of the game, for that matter).
La La Land
If you’d rather leave the theater with a spring in your step than an inconsolable sadness, La La Land may be a better choice than Manchester by the Sea. Director and Providence native Damien Chazelle first conceived of the film while studying at Harvard, and even considered setting the film in Boston at one point, with the Museum of Science standing in for the Griffith Observatory. The film is playing at more than a dozen Boston-area theaters, 10 of which have showings that start between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Bill Burr: Walk Your Way Out
The Canton native and Emerson grad has a new comedy special out on Netflix, applying his usual acerbic, observational wit to topics like overpopulation, fast food, and Hitler.
Puppy Bowl XIII
Animal Planet’s annual adorable alternative to the Super Bowl will feature 78 puppies this year, including two from right here in Boston. For feline enthusiasts, there’s a kitty halftime show. The showdown starts at 3 p.m., and re-airs at 6 p.m.
