Welcome to a new monthly post we will be putting together here at Filmwell. As streaming video and VOD releases have become an essential part of the cinephile diet, keeping an eye on new releases can be a daunting task. In these posts, I hope to separate some of the wheat from the chaff as titles are announced. If you, like me, often find yourself spending a little too long browsing Netflix or Hulu for something interesting to watch – then consider this a list of monthly recommendations.
To keep things all neat and tidy I have only included things released January, 2015. Feel free to add your suggestions in the comments.
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Film:
The Congress (Amazon Instant)
This multi-media apocalypse from Ari Folman is one of the most creative attempts at “uncovering” I have seen in cinema. As it turns in the second act toward animation, Folman’s imagination unspools in a riot of odd movements toward its vision of time, culture, and desire. Don’t miss this underrated epic.
Election (Netflix Instant)
Frank (Netflix Instant)
The French Connection (Netflix Instant)
Match (IFC)
The Quiet Man (Netflix Instant)
Starred Up (Amazon Instant)
Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy (Netflix Instant)
TV Series:
The Honorable Woman (Season 1 – Netflix Instant)
I was pleasantly surprised by Maggie Gyllenhaal as the honorable woman in this mess of a Israeli/Palestinian political thriller.
Fishing With John (Fandor)
This 1991 cult classic series features John Lurie fishing with the likes of Jarmusch, Waits, Hopper, Defoe, and Matt Dillon. So great to see this available at Fandor.
Friends (Seasons 1-10 – Netflix Instant)
May we never tire of the opportunity to see Joey’s head stuck in a turkey, or Monica willing to thrash like a shark to fulfill Chandler’s carnal desires. The endless question: Is Seinfeld or Friends the tale of 1990’s America?
Broadchurch (Season 1 – Netflix Instant)
An apex of recent BBC crime drama.
The Bridge (Season 2 – Hulu)
Skip the US remake. The first season of this co-production of Danish and Swedish TV has been available on Hulu, now season 2 is ready for your binge-watching – which is the best way to swallow this dose of Scandi-noir.
Lil’ Quniquin (Fandor)
If you do nothing else this month, watch Dumont’s impossibly comic and tragic crime drama. It is, like all of Dumont’s work, able to find transcendence in the unlikeliest of faces.
The Wrong Mans (Season 2 – Hulu)
Not nearly as funny as the first season. But that still makes it funnier that most things streaming right now.
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