What’s Streaming This Week (6/23 - 6/30)
Monday, June 24, 2024
OUT OF DARKNESS - Paramount+ w/Showtime
What we like:
This British thriller has been described as a ‘Paleolithic horror film,’ which is a genre we definitely don’t get enough of.
The film was nominated for five British Independent Film Awards, and won for Best Breakthrough Performance for Safia Oakley-Green. She’s the film’s final (cave)girl.
What we don’t like:
We haven’t caught up with this one yet, but wow…the Wikipedia plot description sounds like it’s bleak!
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
THE BOY AND THE HERON - $19.99 Sale Only
What we like:
Hiyao Miyazaki’s latest masterpiece won the filmmaker his second Oscar, 21 years after his first win for Spirited Away.
Indie distributor GKIDS handled the US release, and they absolutely crushed it. The film became the highest grossing Studio Ghibli release (by far), earning nearly $50M at the US box-office.
The Boy and the Heron will be the first Studio Ghibli film to be released in 4K UHD.
What we don’t like:
We’re not cheerleaders for short theatrical windows, but 7 months is a long time to wait! Yes, we know, this used to be the norm, not the exception. But it would have been great to revisit before the Oscars.
EZRA - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
What we like:
We’ve always loved Tony Goldwyn as an actor, whether he was playing a slimeball or a heartthrob. But we’re happy to see him direct another feature, his first since 2006’s The Last Kiss. His directorial debut, 1999’s A Walk on the Moon, still holds up spectacularly.
This family comedy/drama was inspired by writer Tony Spiridakis’ relationship with his autistic son, and the break-up of his marriage during his son’s teenage years.
15 year-old William Fitzgerald, who is on the autism spectrum, won the lead role after sending in an audition tape. The film also had multiple autistic crew members on set to ensure its authenticity.
What we don’t like:
The film received mixed reviews from critics and didn’t attract much of an audience in theaters (<$3M at the domestic box-office).
FURIOSA: A MAD MAX SAGA - $29.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
What we like:
79 year-old George Miller is still delivering muscular, exciting action filmmaking. Furiosa might not reach the heights of Fury Road (an impossible task), but it’s still a jaw-dropping spectacle that, we think, will stand the test of time.
The performances of Anya Taylor-Joy, Chris Hemsworth, and Alyla Browne are all stellar. But a special shout-out to Tom Burke, who oozes charisma as Praetorian Jack. We can’t believe he’s the same actor who made our skin crawl in The Souvenir!
Although Furiosa has more CGI stunt effects than Fury Road, it still has a hell of a lot of practical stunt effects. Absolutely thrilling.
What we don’t like:
The film’s middling box-office performance likely means Miller will have trouble getting additional Mad Max sagas financed (at least at this scale).
I AM: CELINE DION - Prime Video
What we like:
Call us lame…but we love Celine Dion’s hyper-earnest, bombastic performance style. Her voice is amazing, and her unironic corniness is a breath of fresh air.
This documentary is apparently a raw and emotional examination of Dion’s health struggles, and her attempt to get back to performing for audiences.
It would be easy for us to post a clip from the bonkers 2021 fictionalized biopic Aline (seriously, it’s bonkers). Instead, we choose to share a clip that truly pays tribute to the uniqueness of Celine Dion:
What we don’t like:
Stiff-person syndrome sounds genuinely terrifying and awful. We wish Celine nothing but good health and happiness.
SUMMER CAMP - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
What we like:
Diane Keaton! Kathy Bates! ALFRE WOODARD!! We’ll watch anything that gives these legends a chance to show-off their comedic chops.
We’re suckers for summer camp movies. Meatballs was formative cinema for us, and though much of that film’s sexual politics has aged like milk, we still remember it with fondness.
What we don’t like:
Unfortunately…the critical consensus is that it’s pretty terrible.
The poster is…awful. These ladies are not dressed for a summer camp movie. We don’t need them in scout uniforms or bathing suits. But, c’mon, the vibe feels off. And Alfre looks over it.
Friday, June 28, 2024
THE DEVIL’S BATH - Shudder, AMC+
What we like:
After making a huge impression with their 2014 psychological horror film Goodnight Mommy, Austrian filmmaking duo Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala are back with this slow-burn chiller that’s gotten terrific reviews.
The film is based on the historical research of Kathy Stuart, who reconstructed the practice of "suicide by proxy," a novel crime that was common in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries in German-speaking Central Europe and Scandinavia. Suicidal people feared eternal damnation, so they found a detour. They committed a capital crime and then immediately turned themselves in to authorities and demanded their execution. The perpetrators hoped that after repentance, confession, eucharist, and religiously framed public execution, they would achieve salvation.
What we don’t like:
Trigger alert: A goat is slaughtered on-screen (presumably simulated). If you’re squeamish about animal harm, be warned.
A FAMILY AFFAIR - Netflix
What we like:
A fluffy rom-com with a star-studded cast released in the summer? We used to get them all the time. In 2024? It feels novel. We’re excited to beat the heat and dive in to this Nicole Kidman/Zac Efron/Joey King confection.
Director Richard LaGravenese cut his teeth as a screenwriter (The Fisher King, The Bridges of Madison County, The Horse Whisperer), but has also directed some solid rom-coms, including Living Out Loud, P.S. I Love You, and The Last Five Years.
Shirley MacLaine! The 90 year-old has a supporting role in the film.
What we don’t like:
Zac Efron built up so much good will from his acclaimed performance in The Iron Claw, we’re worried this and Ricky Stanicky will erode some of that momentum. We love when he pushes himself as an actor, here’s hoping he gets more opportunities to stretch.
FANCY DANCE - Apple TV+
What we like:
Lily Gladstone following up her Oscar-nominated turn in Killers of the Flower Moon with this acclaimed drama. The film actually premiered before Killers, launching at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. Apple Studios acquired the film earlier this year and is now giving it a proper release.
Native American filmmaker Erica Tremblay makes her feature directorial debut, which she co-wrote with Miciana Alise. In December 2020, the screenplay for Fancy Dance was selected as one of The Indigenous List, initiated by The Black List, IllumiNative and Sundance Institute to spotlight the work of Native American writers.
What we don’t like:
We’re still kind of sore that Gladstone lost the Oscar earlier this year. Emma Stone is a terrific actress, but does she need two Oscars? A Gladstone win would have been historic, and most importantly, deserved.
IN A VIOLENT NATURE - $14.99 Sale / TBD Rental
What we like:
We are super excited to check out this Canadian horror hit, which has been described as an ‘Ambient Slasher.’ It follows a mute killer who is resurrected from his grave in the Ontario wilderness by a group of teenagers, whom he then begins stalking and murdering. The events depicted are largely observed from the killer's perspective.
It seems like we say it every week, but it’s worth repeating: Shudder’s curation of horror titles is the gold standard of streaming services. They consistently program interesting, genre-pushing films from around the world. We couldn’t be happier to give them our money every month.
What we don’t like:
Shudder subscribers will have to wait a bit before the film hits the service. Unlike Late Night with the Devil, which released on Shudder and digital on the same day, this one is VOD/digital-only for now.
PROBLEMISTA - Max
What we like:
Writer/director Julio Torres is a singular talent, and this surrealist comedy builds on the promise of his very funny HBO comedy series Los Espookys.
Tilda Swinton is hilarious as Torres’ boss, an art world outcast who’s oblivious to his immigration challenges and financial struggles. Anytime we see Swinton take on the art world, we immediate think of when she slept in a glass box at MOMA as part of a performance piece in 2013. The woman is an absolute legend:
What we don’t like:
The film’s release date was pushed from 2023 due to the SAG/WGA strikes, which likely muted some of the buzz the film had out of its 2023 SXSW premiere. Still, the Max premiere nicely coincides with Torres’ current comedy series, Fantasmas (which we haven’t checked out yet, but have heard great things).
RED RIGHT HAND - Hulu
What we like:
This Appalachian action thriller stars the decidedly non-Appalachian Orlando Bloom, who stars as Cash (!), who’s just trying to live an honest and quiet life taking care of his recently orphaned niece Savannah.
But wait! Andie MacDowell plays Big Cat (!), a sadistic kingpin who runs the town and forces Cash back into her services. Cash learns he is capable of anything—even killing—to protect the town and the only family he has left.
This is the sort of meat-and-potatoes action pic that we’d get sucked in to when TNT played it multiple times a week.
What we don’t like:
Unfortunately…this one’s supposedly not great. Still, we want to see Andie MacDowell play a sadistic kingpin!
THE WATCHERS - $24.99 Sale / $19.99 Rental
What we like:
Ishana Night Shyamalan, daughter of M. Night Shyamalan, makes her directorial debut with this supernatural horror film, which is based on the 2022 novel of the same name by A. M. Shine.
The film was self-financed by Ishana's father and sold to Warner Bros for $30 million. The deal helped the studio lure the elder Shyamalan away from Universal, bringing him to make his next film, Trap, which will be released by Warner Bros in August.
The younger Shyamalan has been candid and honest about the inevitable ‘nepo baby’ charges, saying the conversation about ‘privilege’ is ‘totally valid’ and that it’s the ‘reaction to the privilege that matters’ and what standard people hold themselves to.
What we don’t like:
The film has been a critical and box-office disappointment. Still, Warner Bros likely made a smart business decision, as Trap looks to be a big hit later in the summer.
Happy Streaming Everyone!
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