What’s Streaming This Week (4/28 - 5/5)
Tuesday, April 30th, 2024
FEMME - $19.99 Sale / TBD Rental
A British thriller written and directed by Sam H. Freeman and Ng Choon Ping (in their feature debut), Femme is a feature-length adaptation of their BAFTA-nominated 2021 short film of the same name. That short starred The Iron Claw’s Harris Dickinson and I May Destroy You’s Paapa Essiedu, whose roles are played in the feature by George Mackay and Nathan Stewart-Jarrett. The film went on to receive 11 British Independent Film Award nominations, winning three: Best Costume Design, Best Hair & Makeup Design, and Best Joint Lead Performance.
REMEMBERING GENE WILDER - $12.99 Sale / TBD Rental
Bonnie & Clyde. The Producers. Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory. Blazing Saddles. Young Frankenstein. Silver Streak. Stir Crazy. Gene Wilder’s filmography is littered with stone cold classics. This loving documentary takes a look at the life and career of one of the most underrated (and most unconventional) leading men of the late 20th century. We’ll never pass up a documentary that serves up a ton of film clips, and it sounds like this one has plenty. Bring it on.
THEY SHOT THE PIANO PLAYER - TBD Sale / TBD Rental
From the creators of 2010’s Chico and Rita (which nabbed a Best Animated Feature Oscar nomination), They Shot the Piano Player is described as an animated docudrama. The film centers around the real-life disappearance and presumed murder of Brazilian pianist Francisco Tenório Júnior in 1976, and stars Jeff Goldblum as an American music journalist investigating Tenório's case. It’s a fascinating mash-up of genres, as you don’t see many animated docudramas. Reviews were a bit mixed, but we’re very curious.
Wednesday, May 1st, 2024
ARCADIAN - $19.99 Sale / TBD Rental
It feels unnatural that we haven’t had a new Nicolas Cage movie to talk about the last few weeks. But behold! Arcadian to the rescue. And it sounds pretty good. The film takes place in a near future, where normal life on Earth has been decimated. Cage plays Paul, who has been living a half-life with his two sons – tranquility by day and torment by night. Every night, after the sun sets, they face the unrelenting attacks of a mysterious and violent evil. One day, when Paul’s son Thomas doesn't return home before sundown, Paul must leave the safety of their fortified farm to find him. A nightmarish battle ensues that forces the family to execute a desperate plan to survive. We’re 100% in.
Thursday, May 2nd, 2024
THE IDEA OF YOU - Prime Video
Anne Hathaway plays a character named Solène Marchand. We have no idea why that character name sounds so funny to us. This is who we see when we hear the name Solène Marchand:
Anyway…Solène Marchand is a 40-year-old single mom who, at her ex-husband's request, takes their teenage daughter to Coachella. In a surprising turn of events, Solène strikes up a budding romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of August Moon, a famous boy band. Yes, we will be watching this.
TURTLES ALL THE WAY DOWN - Max
Based on the 2017 novel of the same name by John Green, Turtles All the Way Down is directed by Hannah Marks (who also has a small role in the film), and written by Elizabeth Berger and Isaac Aptaker. Isabela Merced stars as Aza Holmes, a 16-year-old with obsessive–compulsive disorder who pursues the disappearance of a billionaire. Along the way, she reconnects with her childhood crush and confronts the possibility of finding love and happiness in the face of mental illness. Green’s The Fault in Our Stars was one of the most successful YA adaptations of the last ten years, so here’s hoping this one can resonate as well.
Friday, May 3rd, 2024
THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF MAGICAL NEGROES - Peacock
We’re getting a little worried about our beloved Focus Features. This poorly reviewed satire is their third big flop of 2024, with Lisa Frankenstein and Drive-Away Dolls also whiffing in theaters. The rest of their 2024 slate has some genuinely promising titles (The Bikeriders, Dìdi, Conclave, Nosferatu) and some real question marks (Back to Black, Piece by Piece). We love that Focus is consistently putting interesting movies in theaters, even if something like The American Society of Magical Negroes doesn’t quite click. And we hope their aggressive PVOD and SVOD strategies will allow them to continue to thrive. Excited to give this one a chance on Peacock.
AMERICAN STAR - AMC+
Ian McShane plays Wilson, an aging hitman who grows tired of his violent life, and heads to the Canary Islands for a job. His target's absence leads him to a tranquil vacation, where he befriends Gloria, a bartender, and forms unexpected connections with the island's residents. As Wilson lets his guard down, the inevitable return to his profession disrupts the peaceful interlude. Love that McShane is still getting lead roles. And it gives us an excuse to feature his amazing 1973 Cosmo centerfold (don’t worry, the dog was his):
STOP MAKING SENSE - REMASTERED - Max
Jonathan Demme’s landmark concert film returned to theaters, and debuted on IMAX screens, last fall to great success. The film’s reissue actually out-grossed its original 1984 run, though only if you don’t adjust for inflation. A24 did a terrific job making an event of it, and while it only earned a fraction of what Taylor Swift’s concert film would gross later in the year, it felt like the film (and the band) was introduced to and embraced by a brand new audience. A24 is planning to offer a deluxe blu-ray in May, but we’re excited to see this in 4K for the first time on Max.
UNFROSTED - Netflix
It’s hard to believe, but Unfrosted marks Jerry Seinfeld’s first ever starring role in a film. Well…as long you don’t count the animated Bee Movie. He’s also in the director’s chair, and co-wrote the film with Spike Feresten, Andy Robin, and Barry Marder. The film is loosely based on the true story of the creation of Pop-Tarts toaster pastries, and has an absolutely stacked cast: Melissa McCarthy, Jim Gaffigan, Hugh Grant, Amy Schumer, Peter Dinklage, Christian Slater, Bill Burr, Dan Levy, James Marsden, Jack McBrayer, Bobby Moynihan (as Chef Boyardee!), Maria Bakalova, Beck Bennett, Fred Armisen, Tony Hale, and Dean Norris. When Seinfeld calls…actors come a runnin’.
Happy Streaming Everyone!
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