Streaming Roulette, Sept: Whoever Slew Carey Mulligan's Oscar dreams? 
Tuesday, September 1, 2020 at 9:00PM
NATHANIEL R in Bill Plympton, Birds of Prey, Carey Mulligan, Evan Rachel Wood, Kramer vs Kramer, The Greatest Showman, The Scarlet Pimpernel, Whoever Slew Auntie Roo, Wildlife, streaming

If you're new to the site this is how we share new streaming offerings for the month. We select a handful or two of titles and just randomly hit a place on the scroll bar to see what the film looks like - no cheating.  Ready? Let's play...

I used to dress like this all the time when I was younger...

Wildlife (2018) on Netflix
We stand by our stanning of Carey Mulligan in this movie. She should'a been in 2018's Best Actress lineup. How many more great performances does she have to give before Oscar nom #2? 

A harlequin's nothing without a master.

Birds of Prey: And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn (2020) on HBOMax
Okay so this got fairly respectively reviews. We watched it this week out of curiousity. Yikes. It's as obnoxiously smug, boringly actioned, and self-consciously "gritty" as most DC films despite a principal game cast of talented women (Jurnee Smollet, Margot Robbie, Rosie Perez, and Mary Elizabeth Winstead -- love them all). Bonus points for being so colorful, though. That's thanks in particular to the overachieving costume designers (Erin Benach & Helen Huang) and cinematographer (Matthew Libatique).

-I'm sorry baby, I'm just so tired.

-It's okay, mommy. 

Practical Magic (1998) on Hulu
Totally forgot Evan Rachel Wood was in this! She was just 11 years old but already a pro as she started acting professionally at just 7. In the first dozen years of her career she played the daughter of Holly Hunter, Billy Campbell, Sandra Bullock, Cathy Moriarty, Joan Allen, Brian Cox and Cate Blanchett. What an ace gallery of screen parents.

-A little girl disappeared from this house... She's never been seen and she's never turned up.

-Children don't just vanish!

Whoever Slew Auntie Roo? (1971) on Amazon Prime
Figures that AFTER we completed our Shelley Winters Centennial this one shows up. We've never seen it but given that it's a thriller inspired by Hansel & Gretel starring Winters, Sir Ralph Richardson, and little Oliver! himself, Mark Lester, we probably should. 

No dialogue

Kramer vs Kramer (1979) on Amazon Prime
This scene is cute, with son (Justin Henry) and dad (Dustin Hoffman) staggering sleepily to the bathroom in quick succession for morning pee. Until you realize that neither of them wash their hands afterwards! Eww. [5 Oscar wins including Best Picture from 9 nominations]

Dramatic Music

Adrift (2018) on Netflix
IT'S A MAN! Shailene spots a man adrift, barely hanging on to a boat in the distance. This must be the title scene? Is this where the leads, Shailene Woodley and Sam Claflin, meet? We heard so little about this movie when it arrived that we assumed it a non-starter. Have you seen it? 

[crowd laughter]

I Married a Strange Person (1997) on Criterion Channel
Any fans of the surreal Bill Plympton in the house? Love his shorts but have never braved a full feature length. Wouldn't it be too much past 20 minutes? Criterion Channel has lots of his work up.

[applause]

The Greatest Showman (2017) on Disney Plus
You guys it's NEVER ENOUGH ♪ NEVER ENOUGH ♫ NEVER ENOUGH 

This scrap of paper will send your brother to the guillotine. Unless of course you care to redeem it? Bring me the name of the pimpernel and this is yours.

The Scarlet Pimpernel (1934) on Criterion Channel
Leslie Howard and Merle Oberon star in this swashbuckler... though its Raymond Massey here threatening our heroine. Never seen this one though I've seen a couple of later film versions.

 

ALSO STREAMING  RIGHT NOW...

newly streaming

later this month (a selection) 

 

 

newly streaming

Later in the Month... a selection

 

newly streaming

 

newly streaming for August - a selection. They usually offer (most) of the same films as Hulu  plus a slew of older often B films

later in the month (a selection)

also newly streaming

later in the month a selection

also newly streaming

later in the month, a selection 

 

Article originally appeared on The Film Experience (http://thefilmexperience.net/).
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