It just now strikes me, four weeks into writing this weekly column, that even though I’ve headlined it “New Movies to Watch on Streaming,” technically some of the movies I include aren’t new. This week’s batch includes a crime classic from the ‘90s and a dizzying musical biopic from 2000, for example.
But it’s probably too late at this point to go back and change the title to “Movies to Watch That Are New to Streaming,” and anyway, that’s kind of a mouthful. You get the idea. If there’s something good you’ve watched recently that you want to share, let me know in the comments!
“The Christophers” (Hulu) – A master artist in winter (Ian McKellen) and a wily forger (Michaela Coel) match wits in this erudite and brilliantly-acted film from Steven Soderbergh. It starts off feinting to be sort of a caper thriller, but pivots to becoming a thoughtful drama on why we make art and what it costs us. My full review is here.
“Swiss Army Man” (Netflix) – Man, that Daniel Radcliffe can do anything. Including being funny and poignant as a farting corpse in this wild comedy from Daniels (“Everything Everywhere All At Once”) about a plane crash survivor (Paul Dano) who must use his deceased companion to survive.
“All of Us Strangers” (Hulu) – A ghost story where the living haunt the dead, Andrew Haigh’s devastating drama follows a middle-aged gay man (Andrew Scott) who somehow reunites with his parents (Claire Foy and Jamie Bell), who died when he was 12 and never knew his true self. Paul Mescal is also moving as a new neighbor with a secret pain of his own. My full review is here.
“24 Hour Party People” (Criterion Channel) – Having just seen Steve Coogan in the excellent Neflix series “Legends,” about a team of undercover customs agents busting a drug ring in northern England, I kept thinking about another movie where Coogan had a lot more fun with drugs in Manchester. He plays a club owner and record company manager who was at the center of the Manchester music scene of the ‘80s and ‘90s.
“Carlito’s Way” (MUBI) – MUBI has a series devoted to the suspense films of Brian de Palma this month, and the crown jewel may be this 1993 thriller starring Al Pacino as an ex-con trying to escape his criminal past. The climactic chase at Grand Central Station is vintage de Palma.
“Women Talking” (Prime Video) – Sarah Polley’s furious and eloquent film is largely what its title suggest, as a group of 10 Mennonite women discuss what to do after discovering horrific attacks by some of the men in their isolated community. In arguing whether to flee, fight, or forgive, it raises important questions about oppression and power. My full review is here.
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