Tuesday, May 28th, 2024

BOY KILLS WORLD - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental

What we like:

• Bill Skarsgård gets to lead a film without having to wear clown makeup. He plays ‘Boy,’ a martial arts expert rendered deaf-mute by an attack that killed his entire family, whose thoughts are presented as an inner voice derived from a childhood video game.

• Sam Raimi is a producer on the film, and he knows his way around over-the-top action sequences. This film has plenty of them.

• Famke Janssen plays Hilda Van Der Koy, the matriarch of the crime family who wronged ‘Boy.’ We always look forward to seeing Famke Janssen.

What we don’t like:

• Reviews were mixed/negative, with many citing the film being style over substance.

THE FEELING THAT THE TIME FOR DOING SOMETHING HAS PASSED - $16.99 Sale / TBD Rental

What we like:

• Director Joanna Arnow premiered her film in the Director’s Fortnight at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival, an incredible achievement for a first-time feature filmmaker.

• Sean Baker, whose latest film Anora is expected to win a prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, is an executive producer.

• The critical consensus is that Arnow is an exciting and provocative new voice in film. We can’t wait to check this one out.

What we don’t like:

• That title is a bit unwieldy! It stands out, but kinda hard to remember.

THE FIRST OMEN - $19.99 Sale Only

What we like:

• Director Arkasha Stevenson’s feature debut, and it’s a hard-R prequel to the 1976 classic that’s creepy and disturbing. In fact, a specific shot in the birthing sequence initially got the film slapped with an NC-17 by the MPA.

• Character actor Ralph Ineson’s voice. The man makes James Earl Jones sound like Minnie Mouse.

• Composer Mark Korven references themes from the iconic Jerry Goldsmith score from the 1976 original, including the theme song, Ave Santini. That song was Oscar-nominated, which still blows us away. The Oscars nominated a song called ‘Hail Satan.’

What we don’t like:

• Prequels and reboots and re-imaginings. At least this one was made with some real style.

Wednesday, May 29th, 2024

SILENT NIGHT - Starz

What we like:

• Director John Woo’s first American film in 20 years. Good to have him back.

• Joel Kinnaman as a leading man. We’ve loved him as an actor ever since is breakout role in AMC’s The Killing.

• Christmas themed action movies. Not every holiday film needs to be filled with cheer. We like a little dirt on our candy cane sometimes!

What we don’t like:

• Unfortunately, this wasn’t very good. Still…even second-tier John Woo is still worth a look.

Thursday, May 30th, 2024

THE FIRST OMEN - Hulu

What we like:

• As a consumer, we love that this is hitting Hulu two days after its digital release. Saves us some $$.

What we don’t like:

• We’re not Disney shareholders, but what’s the deal with this release strategy? Aren’t they just leaving money on the table by putting their titles on SVOD and VOD almost simultaneously? Baffling.

THE PROMISED LAND - Hulu

What we like:

• The Promised Land is a terrific showcase for Mads Mikkelsen, who carries this movie on his shoulders and makes it well worth watching.

• Old-fashioned historical epics, especially ones that show us a time and place that less familiar. Have we ever seen a story set in 18th-century Denmark? We have now.

What we don’t like:

• Denmark submitted The Promised Land for the Best International Feature Oscar, and the film was among the 15 finalists. But sadly, no nomination.

Friday, May 31st, 2024

JIM HENSON: IDEA MAN - Disney+

What we like:

• It’s hard to overstate our love for Jim Henson. The man was a genius who made the world a better place. Truly a force for good.

• Ron Howard feels like such a perfect fit for this documentary. It will likely be a hagiography, but quite frankly, that’s what we want here. We don’t need our heroes to be knocked down a peg.

What we don’t like:

• Well...we will be reminded that Henson left us too soon. But what a legacy.

POOLMAN - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental

What we like:

• Chris Pine, getting his shot behind the camera. This is his feature directorial debut.

• What a cast! Annette Bening, DeWanda Wise, Stephen Tobolowsky, Clancy Brown, John Ortiz, Ray Wise, Juliet Mills, Ariana DeBose, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Danny DeVito.

What we don’t like:

• We haven’t seen it, but it’s supposedly a misfire. A shame. We’re always rooting for Pine.

STOPMOTION - Shudder, AMC+

What we like:

• Shudder is terrific at curating interesting horror from around the globe. This British import combines live-action with stopmotion animation, and delivers a creepy feature-length debut from director Robert Morgan.

• Lead Aisling Franciosi is a star on the rise. She was unforgettable in the harrowing 2018 film The Nightingale, and will next be seen in the American remake of the 2022 Danish film Speak No Evil.

What we don’t like:

• There’s some body horror here that’s not for the squeamish. One scene involving the removal of leg muscle was…vividly effective.

Happy Streaming Everyone!

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