Streaming May 2021: The Mitchells vs. Dancing Girls at the Commune

Yes it's time for another round of streaming roulette where we point out titles that are new(ish) to streaming and just for fun, freeze frame them at totally random places in the scroll bar and whatever comes up we share. Let's start with Netflix...

It's too dangerous out there. We need to stay here and play it safe!"

The Mitchells vs the Machines (2021)
This quote could well apply to the theatrical market but vs streaming (though how long can streaming be safe in the fight for subscription dollars?). This movie is so cute/fun but the script is in dire need of some editing. It is two full hours long and it's so repetitive; the inciting incident doesn't arrive until 21 minutes into the movie which is long wait for any movie to get going but especially for a kid's movie. That said the visuals are very fun and it wears that ISpider-Verse influence on its sleeve beautifully (we approve of house styles for animation houses or else everything would look like wanna be Disney/Pixar efforts) 

Our wars have been a noble pursuit but this chatter from the West about becoming a sovereign nation... that needs to stop.

Shadow and Bone (Season 1)
Have you tried out this new fantasy adaptation? It doesn't feel like it's dumbed down for television audience which is nice BUT it is a bit difficult to keep up with if you have never before heard of the "Grishaverse" (raises hand) because you practically need a glossary of characters / terms or at least a handy map for political reference in order to keep up; Game of Thrones' classic world map intro suddenly seems yet more brilliant in its immersive/educational function. Anyway this is very watchable with lots of intriguing characters and very-much-appreciated fast pace that goes way way against the grain of *waves around in all streaming directions*

also new to streaming on Netflix

• Aliens Stole My Body
• August Osage County (2013)
• Back to the Future (all movies)
• Best of the Best
• Dead Again in Tombstone
• Dead Man Down
• Due Date
• Fun with Dick and Jane (2005)
• Girl from Nowhere (SEASON 2)
• G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra
• Green Zone
• Hachi: A Dog’s Tale
• Homunculus (2021) JAPAN
• JT LeRoy
• Jupiter's Legacy (SEASON 1)
• The Land Before Time
• The Land Before Time II: The Great Valley Adventure
• The Lovely Bones

• Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted
• Milestone
• Monster (2021)
• Mystic River BEST ACTOR WINNER
• Never Back Down
• Notting Hill
• Open Season
• The Pelican Brief
• Resident Evil: Afterlife
• Resident Evil: Extinction
• Selena: The Series
• Sleepless
• S.M.A.R.T Chase
• Scarface (1983)
• Sitting in Limbo
• The Sons of Sam: A Descent into Darkness
• Stargate
• State of Play
• Stowaway (2021) 
• The Sweetest Thing
• Things Heard & Seen (2021)
• Under Seige
• Waist Deep
• The Whole Nine Yards (2000)
• Your Highness
• Zack and Miri Make a Porno
• Zombieland

later this month

• Halston (2021) May 14th
• Ragnarok (SEASON 2) Date TBA
• Layer Cake May 13th
• Woman in the Window (2021) May 14th
• Army of the Dead (2021) May 21st
• Master of None (SEASON 3) May 23rd

[good time music plays in distance]

Dance Girl Dance (1940)
Don't cry Maureen, your filmography is strong! Even the lesser known vehicles, like this one, are so watchable. Unfortunately your 'good girl' act does get totally upstaged by the  'bad girl' act of one Lucille Ball (in the years when Hollywood couldn't figure out what to do with her). But that's okay, Maureen, because by the end of this one, your familiar fire ignites, reminding us again that you were no one's "stooge" even when playing one. Love, your fan Nathaniel.

Aside to readers: Lucille Ball is so fun in this as fast girl / burlesque star named, wait for it... "Lily White". She comes off like one of Joan Crawford's amoral gold-diggers minus the arch plotting and with a delicious self-deprecating humor that's all her own.

-Stop feeling sorry for yourself.

-Jesus.

-Jesus? [Laughs]

Girlfriends (1978)
We've mentioned this Claudia Weill picture a few times at The Film Experience as one you must seek out. It used to be hard to find but in the past handful of years it's become better known and now it's streaming on Criterion! It's an indie gem and proved influential -- if unacknowledged to be so given its semi-obscurity. You can see its DNA in all sorts of big city romantic comedies and female-focused dramedies. Plus it's great fun to see much younger versions of familiar older stars like Bob Balaban and Christopher Guest. Melanie Mayron, who went on to become a TV star on Thirtysomething a decade later, headlines. 

also streaming on Criterion

• Dina (2017)
• Fire Will Come (2019)
• Mala Mala (2014)
• Spartacus (1960)
• What Happened Was... (1994)

also streaming on Criterion Channel

• AFTER THE WAR (9 films)
• DIRECTED BY SATYAJIT RAY (17 films)
• DIRECTED BY MITCHELL LEISEN (10 films)
• DIRECTED BY MICHAEL ALMEREYDA (5 films)
• DIRECTED BY JOSEPHINE DECKER (3 films)
• STARRING DICK BOGARDE (11 films)
• STARRING ROBERT RYAN (9 films)
• STARRING GENA ROWLANDS (10 films)
• WRITTEN BY DALTON TRUMBO (11 films)
• ESSENTIAL FELLINI (12 films)

later this month

• STARRING GEORGE SEGAL (3 films)
• DIRECTED BY LOIS WEBBER (3 films)

[Music playing onstage]

Thelma (2017)
If you've never seen this Norwegian Oscar submission, you really should. It's quite haunting and bizarre and heady with confrontational topics like repressed queer sexuality and religious families... oh, and supernatural powers. In this sequence, our young heroine (of sorts) is watching a dance performance and begins to have "an episode" when her date touches her leg. It's from Joachim Trier (our favourite Norwegian director). His fifth feature, a dramedy about a young woman with career troubles called The Worst Person in the World, is currently in post-production. People didn't seem to really like his one English language picture (Louder than Bombs) but all three of his Norwegian pictures are super. 

- May I speak with William please?
- He's still down in the bar with the band. Is this Maryann with the pot?

Almost Famous (2000)
Oops. William's mother (Frances McDormand), on the other end of the line is not going to take this well! (That's Fairuza Balk on the phone. The cast of this movie is crazy-stacked.) We will be discussing this movie on the Smackdown on May 20th so get your votes in if you haven't yet. It's worth a rewatch. 

also streaming 

• (500) Days of Summer (2009)
• An Elephant’s Journey (2018)

• The A-Team (2010)
• The Age of Adaline (2015)
• Arrival (2016)
• The Assassin (2015)
• Any Given Sunday (1999)
• Betrayed (1988)
• Blast From The Past (1999)
• Blue Chips (1994)
• Bound (1996)
• Burning (2018)
• The Crazies (2010)
• Cyrus (2009)
• Dances With Wolves (1990)
• Dating #NOFILTER: Complete Seasons 1 & 2 (E!)
• Detective Dee: The Four Heavenly Kings (2018)
• Dinosaur 13 (2014)
• Fascination (2005)
• Flight (2012) BEST ACTOR NOMINEE
• Goodnight Mommy (2015)
• Grace Of Monaco (2015)
• Grudge Match (2013)
• Gundala (2019)
• Hannibal Rising (2007)
• Handmaids Tale (SEASON 4)
• Harold & Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (2008)
• Harold & Kumar Go To White Castle (2004)
• Haunting In Connecticut 2: Ghosts Of Georgia (2013)
• How Stella Got Her Groove Back (1998)
• The Haunting in Connecticut (2009)
• The Indian in the Cupboard (1995)
• The Iron Giant (1999)
• The iron Lady (2011) BEST ACTRESS WINNER
• I Am Cait: Complete Season 2 (E!)
• I Am Legend (2007)
• I Love You Phillip Morris (2009)
• Knowing (2009)
• The Legend of Baron To'a (2020)
• Little Fish (2021)
• Lost in Hong Kong (2015)
• Love Sarah (2021)
• Lucky Number Slevin (2006)
• Machete (2010)
• The Man From Nowhere (2010)
• Married to Medicine: Complete Seasons 1 – 6 (Bravo)
• Midnight Heat (1996)
• Once Upon a Time in the West (1969)
• One Fine Day (1996)
• The Outsider (1980)
• Predator (1987)
• Predator 2 (1990)
• Race for Your Life, Charlie Brown (1977)
• Reservoir Dogs (1992)
• Resident Evil: Afterlife (2010)
• Resident Evil: Apocalypse (2004)
• Resident Evil: Extinction (2007)
• Robot and Frank (2012)
• Sahara (1984)
• Shadow in the cloud (2021)
• Shattered (1991)
• Shrill (SEASON 3)
• Skyfall (2012)
• The Spy Next Door (2010)
• Step Up 2 The Streets (2008)
• Step Up 3D (2010)
• Texicanas: Complete Season 1 (Bravo)
• The Unicorn (2018)
• The Virgin Suicides (2000)
• The Wailing (2016)
• Train to Busan (2016)
• True Lies (1994)
• Vampire in Brooklyn (1995)
• Vantage Point (2008)
• Wander Darkly (2020)
• Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps (2009)
• Warrior (2011) BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR NOMINEE
• We Were Soldiers (2002)
• What’s Love Got To Do With It (1993)
• Wild Mountain Thyme (2021)
• Zack And Miri Make A Porno (2008)

later this month

• Cowboys (2020)
• Saint Maud (2020) May 13th
• MLK/FBI (2021) May 14th
• Supernova (2020) May 18th
• Marvel's M.O.D.O.K (S1) on May 21st
• Plan B (2021) May 28th
• The World to Come (2020) May 31st

I'm not naive. I know that...people have needs like that, so, let's see what happens. 

The Commune (2017)
Now that people fell hard for Another Round, we're hoping they'll get better acquainted with Thomas Vinterberg's other fine films. This one about a married couple opening up their relationship to live in a commune setting is very good and, as an added bonus, Trine Dyrholm is one of the best actors in the world and here's another film where she bolsters that rep.

also streaming most of what Hulu has plus...

• Aliens (all four films)
• Angels & Demons (2009)
• The Artist (2011)  BEST PICTURE WINNER
• Breach (2020)
• Boy From Medellín (2021)
• The Dalton Girls (1957)
• The Da Vinci Code (2006)
• Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo (1999)
• Flightplan (2005)
• The French Connection (1971) BEST PICTURE WINNER
• Georgia Rule (2018)
• Green Zone (2010)
• Green Hornet (2011)
• Gunsight Ridge (1957)
• Hidalgo (2004)
• Jumping The Broom (2011)
• Ladykillers (2004)
• Leatherheads (2008)
• Men Who Stare at Goats (2009)
• Nanny Mcphee (2006)
• Nanny McPhee Returns (2010)
• Priest (2011)
• Reign Of Fire (2002)
• Resident Evil (2002)
• Rio (2011)
• Scent Of A Woman (1992)
• See No Evil, Hear No Evil (1989)
• The Secret Life Of Bees (2008)
• The Sixth Sense (1999)
• The Sweetest Thing (2002)
• Tom Clancy's Without Remorse (2021)
• The Towering Inferno (1974)
• Two For The Money (2005)
• Unbreakable (2000)

later this month

• The Underground Railroad (SEASON 1) May 14th
• Trumbo (2015) May 19th
• Solos (limited series) May 21st

NO, BEN!!!

Fantastic Four and the Rise of the Silver Surfer (2007)
Remember how bad this was? In fact, remember how bad ALL FOUR Fantastic Four movies were to date (1994, 2005, 2007, 2015). We're torn between assuming that Marvel will get "best movie of all time" raves whenever they get around to their own Fantastic 4 movie just by comparison. Either that or people will be like 'did we really need a fifth? This is never going to work onscreen' 

also streaming on Disney+

• Everyone's Hero
• Flicka 2
• Star Wars: The Bad Batch (SEASON 1) 
• Wild Hearts Can't Be Broken

later this month

• X-Men The Last Stand () May 14th
• High School Musical: The Musical; The Series: (SEASON 2) May 14th
• Cruella (for extra $$) May 28th

also streaming

• 17 Again, 2009
• 300 Rise of an Empire (2014)
• Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter, 2012
• Anaconda, 1997
• Anger Management, 2003
• The Artist (2011)
• Axios
• Baby Boom, 1987
• Barry Lyndon, 1975
• Black Hawk Down, 2001
• Cable Guy (1996)
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, 2005
• Cursed, 2005 (HBO)
• Daddy Day Care, 2003
• That Damn Michael Che (SEASON 1)
• Darkest Hour, 2017 BEST ACTOR WINNER
• Darkness, 2004 (Extended Version) 
• The Debt (2010)
• Dirty Dozen (1967)
• Dreamgirls (2006) BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS WINNER
• Dumb & Dumber, 1994
• Employee Of The Month, 2006
• Firehouse Dog, 2007
• Flight Of The Intruder, 1991 
• Free Willy, 1993
• Frida, 2002 
• Generation Por Que?
• God’s Not Dead, 2014
• Good Morning, Vietnam (1987)
• Greenland (2020)
• Happy Feet (2006-2011) both movies
• Harley Davidson And The Marlboro Man, 1991
• Hercules, 1983 
• Hunger (2009)
• Igby Goes Down, 2002
• Igor, 2008 
• Immigrant (2014)
• Interview (2014)
• Insomnia, 2002
• Jackie Brown, 1997
• Kansas, 1988 
• Kingdom (2007)
• Last of the Finest (1990)
• Legendary (SEASON 2)
• Magic Mike, 2012
• Menace II Society, 1993
• Michael, 1996
• Mortal Kombat, 1995
• Movie 43, 2013
• Muriel’s Wedding, 1995 
• My Baby’s Daddy, 2004 
• Mystery Date, 1991 
• Norbit, 2007
• Para Rosa (Aka For Rosa)
• Perfect Man (2005)
• Precious, 2009
• Rabid, 1977
• Romance & Cigarettes, 2007
• Rosewater, 2014 
• Rudy, 1993
• Rush Hour (1998-2007) ALL THREE MOVIES
• Save The Last Dance, 2001 
• Save The Last Dance 2, 2006
• Senseless, 1998
• Separate Tables, 1958 BEST ACTOR AND BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS WINNER
• Serpico, 1974 
• Serving Sara, 2002
• Summer Rental, 1985 
• Take Me Out to the Ballgame (1949)
• Tenet, 2020
• Wings of the Dove (1997)
• Witches of Eastwick (1987)
• Tomcats (2001)
• Trust Me, 2014 
• Tyler Perry’s Madea’s Witness Protection, 2012
• Varsity Blues, 1999 
• Welcome To Sarajevo, 1997
• When Harry Met Sally, 1989
• Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory, 1971
• Won’t You Be My Neighbor?, 2018 
• Words And Pictures, 2014 

later this month

• Hacks (SEASON 1) May 13th
• In Treatment (SEASON 4) May 23rd
• Those Who Wish Me Dead (2021) may 14th
• The Nevers (PART 1 FINALE) May 15th
• The Personal History of David Copperfield (2020) May 15th
• Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) May 13th
• Mare of Easttown (FINALE) May 30th

Comments

[James]

I found The Mitchells vs. The Machines to be a diverting couple of hours with quite innovative animation. However, I was surprised at the lack of power in the voice acting of the typically reliable Olivia Colman as the villain. The performance is mediocre.

[NATHANIEL R]

James -- really? I thought she was miles above the movie.

[James]

Shrug. Maybe it was a bad day. I just didn’t hear much deviation in tone. Lots of bluster.

[Frank]

I thought Olivia gave a hilarious performance as Pal.

“Place me on the table. I wish to flop around in a blind rage.”

[Tommy Marx]

I'm old, so please factor that in. But the overuse of the emojis and layered on animation and filters in the first few minutes of The Mitchells almost stopped me from watching the rest. But I'm glad I did. Yes, it goes on a bit too long and is a bit too redundant but it was really sweet. And it's casual acceptance of gay characters made me smile. It could have been edited a bit, but I'd watch it again.

[Ryan T.]

Olivia Colman needs to play villains more! She was great.

Also I agree about Shadow & Bone. The fast pace was MUCH appreciated and while I was slightly loss, I think I got most of it after a couple of episodes. I just read how the show came to be (via a Variety article today) literally via Eric Heisserer (writer of ARRIVAL) tweeting his appreciation to the author of the book. Amazing.

[KC]

Love these posts.

[Jesus Alonso]

as a fan of Fantastic Four since my childhood... Marvel is going to nail it, trust me. They have been nailing this franchise since 1960. It's Star Trek family style, basically if Star Trek was a sitcom with the biggest stakes in the Universe on each episode. Lee/Kirby's and John Byrne's run are enough for 10-15 masterpieces in the right hands. And Marvel knows how to do it.

I have zero doubt that Fantastic Four, when dust settles, may be one of the very best Marvel Movies and Franchises, it's their most beloved property, over Spiderman or the X-Men

[Working stiff]

I just saw an ad on Amazon for a new thing premiering June 21: Solos, starring Uzo Aduba, Nicole Beharie, Morgan Freeman, Anne Hathaway, Anthony Mackie, Helen Mirren, Constance Wu and Dan Stevens—"a seven-part anthology series that explores the strange, beautiful, heart-breaking, hilarious, wondrous truths of what it means to be human. Performed by eight of the finest actors of our time, this anthology series spans our present and future and illuminates that even during our most isolated moments we are all connected through the human experience."

Color me intrigued.

[Jaragon]

I loathed this movie- it wants to be a feel good family comedy crossed with sci-fi action it fails as both