In the effort to stay au courant we're going to try to do "new to streaming" weekly, alternating between Netflix and Amazon Prime sometimes, big lists, sometimes highlights. This will also give us a chance to link to previous coverage of the old films that are "new" again via the power of the internet. But first a last chance notice...
Last Chance Netflix (Expires July 16th)
-Y'all were watching I take it. Did you see us fight?
-No.
-Trap."
Serenity
I've been curious to watch Serenity (and Firefly for that matter) again to see if you can easily chart Joss Whedon's growth from self-created warm-up to Studio-hire mega-success in The Avengers. He was always good at selling team dynamics, though. That was clear from the earliest episodes of Buffy. We previously covered Serenity in Season 3 of Hit Me With Your Best Shot. I miss Whedon as TV creator on his own urges -- Agents of SHIELD just did not do it for me.
New to Netflix
We've freeze framed nine more titles totally at random to share whatever popped up for your amusement. Here we go...
-Lot of smug looking people here.
- It's like someone hit a piñata filled with white people who suck at golf."
The Big Short (2015)
Remember when this was suddenly a major Oscar player last season. That took me off guard even though I was at the actual premiere. It won Adapted Screenplay at the Oscars. Serious films with funny memorable lines are often popular in those categories.
I've decided to join the human race again.
Hello, Dolly! (1969)
Babs. Babs. You're really overworking this monologue...
Oh good, good. It was just a prologue to more singing. "Before the Parade Passes By" Much much better. (I'm so excited to see Bette Midler do this role on the Broadway stage this season.)
I know she's kind of socially retarded and weird. But she's my friend so just promise me you won't make fun of her.
Mean Girls (2004)
Remember when we did a whole theme week on this movie? That was fun. If you missed our live podcast commentary, you can stream the movie on netflix while you listen to Joe Reid and I talk at you (two parts can be downloaded here though I don't think it's on iTunes anymore)
Mustang (2015)
If you didn't get a chance to see this French/Turkish film in theaters before its Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film, catch up. This story of teenage sisters who are imprisoned in their own home when their family thinks they've become shamefully wild, is gripping. Despite the despair that naturally crop ups in such a story, it has a surprisingly full range of feelings: joy, love, rage, and humor, too. Top Ten List 2015.
A War
Mustang's competition for foreign film last season. They both lost to Hungary's Son of Saul. The film stars Pilou Asbaek (Game of Thrones) as a Danish officer who faces war crime charges at home for a decision he made in Afghanistan. Solid drama. [Random Oscar/Box Office Trivia: A War was the lowest grosser of the 2015 foreign film nominees Stateside with only 122K in US revenue. Even the very low profile Theeb from Jordan fared better with $283K. Son of Saul and Embrace of the Serpent were both arthouse hits taking in well over a million dollars at the US box office. Mustang almost broke out with a solid $845k gross.]
Jack: Power to the people.
Tess: To the little people.
Working Girl (1988)
Did you read our Best Shot party on Working Girl. It was a good one. Well worth a revisit watch if you haven't seen it in years.
Okay boys, show of hands. Who can see in the dark?
Catwoman (2004)
Oh good christ. I've forgotten how truly terrible this film and Halle Berry in it are. She just cannot do comic book stylization to save her life. Also terrible in the X-Men films. Not every actor is meant for superhero work.
-What's that you're doing?
-I'm testing the nitrate levels on a local tomahto.
The Painted Veil (2006)
I promise this movie is more exciting than that dialogue exchange! Or then any synopsis you'll read of a doctor investigating the cholera epidemic in China. And both Edward Norton and Naomi Watts are sensational in it. This is also the moment that it sunk in for me that Alexandre Desplat was the real deal Great New Composer and that his exciting work on Birth (2004) and The Beat That My Heart Skipped (2005) weren't lucky twice in a lifetime brushes with genius but, just, you know, what he can do on any given Tuesday.
No sense being a grifter if it's the same as being a citizen.
The Sting (1973)
Best Picture Winner. Paul Newman & Robert Redford (double sigh)
ALSO NEW (Late June/Early July):