This time of year, there are good movie-viewing choices – they’re just not the ones being newly released into theaters. Now it’s the time to catch up on unseen Oscar-winners and to binge good episodic TV.
For example, this week’s new Will Ferrell/Julia Louis-Dreyfus release Downfall (which I haven’t seen) is by all reports a very dumbed-down remake of the sharp Swedish Force Majeure. Stream the original instead.
I’m currently buried in screening films from the upcoming Cinequest (March 3-15). The best of this year’s festival is pretty good, and here’s a teaser – I’ll be recommending at least three premieres:
- the world premiere of a gripping thriller, written by its female star and the first feature by its female director. Hang on to your seats.
- the world premiere of a gay Muslim romantic comedy.
- the North American premiere of the year’s best Czech film.
Stay tuned.
OUT NOW
- The masterpiece Parasite explores social inequity, first with hilarious comedy, then evolving into suspense and finally a shocking statement of the real societal stakes. This is one of the decade’s best films.
- Adam Driver and Scarlett Johannson are brilliant in Noah Baumbach’s career-topping Marriage Story. A superb screenplay, superbly acted, Marriage Story balances tragedy and comedy with uncommon success. Marriage Story is streaming on Netflix.
- Martin Scorsese’s gangster epic The Irishman is tremendous, and features performances by Al Pacino and Joe Pesci that are epic, too. It’s streaming on Netflix.
- Rian Johnson’s Knives Out turns a drawing room murder mystery into a wickedly funny send-up of totally unjustified entitlement. Knives Out is streaming.
- Refusing to play it safe, director Francisco Meirelles elevates The Two Popes from would have been a satisfying acting showcase into a thought-provoker. It’s streaming on Netflix.
- 1917 is technically groundbreaking, but the screenplay neither thrilled me nor moved me.
ON VIDEO
My Stream of the Week is Jirga, from my list of 10 Overlooked Movies of 2019. A man goes on a quest in this parable of atonement. The film was shot guerilla-style, under cover in wartorn, terrorist-infested Afghanistan. Stream from Amazon, iTunes, Vudu and Redbox.
ON TV
Turner Classic Movies’ 31 Days of Oscar continues on February 27 with the classic film noir Kiss of Death. Victor Mature plays an ex-con with horrific luck – he gets caught on a heist and takes the rap for his cohorts; this leads to a long sentence and a double-cross with impacts to his wife and kids. Seeking to see his kids again, he is released back on the streets to set up the double-crossers for the DA. Mature, too often dismissed for his campy sword-and-sandal movies, did his finest work in film noir – especially I Wake Up Screaming, Kiss of Death and The Long Haul. Kiss of Death includes Richard Widmark’s breakthrough performance as psychopath Tommy Udo.
