Let me start off by apologizing. Last month I broke my vow to not let a month go by this year without a Movies to Stream write up. Please forgive me. Hopefully this month’s movie choices are awesome enough that you will. If not, I’ll totally understand and we can do this all again next month (I promise).
Netflix: Da 5 Bloods (2020)
This is a personal one for me. My dad is a Vietnam War vet. We stayed at the same hotel in Saigon that the characters stayed in. I got to see how going back reminded him of how his time in the War made him the person he is today. We did not, however, embark on a hunt for some treasure that he planned to recoup whilst back in the country. While that might be an oversimplification of the movie’s plot, it is what allows the film to propel forward. I get that Spike can often be heavy handed in his messaging, but sometimes it can be more in service of his films’ enjoyability, rather than detracting from it. Da 5 Bloods is certainly an example of the former.
FOR FANS OF: Platoon; Do The Right Thing; Three Kings
Prime Video: Run Lola Run (1998)
Translating video games to movies has always been a tall task. More often than not, attempts at adapting a game to the big screen seem to fall right on their face. However, when the translation is less literal and more “spiritual” we tend to get some really cool movies. Run Lola Run uses the time loop sub-genre to replicate the feeling of playing a difficult game where you constantly die, start over and have to learn from your past mistakes in order to beat a given level. The high intensity pacing lends itself to a brisk, quick, but nevertheless enjoyable viewing experience.
FOR FANS OF: Edge of Tomorrow; The Butterfly Effect; 12 Monkeys
Max: The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
You’ve probably heard, but there’s a new Yorgos Lanthimos movie out in theaters right now. In true Yorgos fashion, the movie seems to be dividing audiences into lovers and haters. He’s never been a filmmaker who aims to appeal to everyone. One of the best examples of that is his 2017 film The Killing of a Sacred Deer, which features a young Barry Keoghan perfecting his craft as “freaky dude with weird vibes” and Colin Farrell as an abnormally normal suburban dad. It’s a modern day Kubrickian nightmare with the most unsettling spaghetti scene you’ll ever watch.
FOR FANS OF: The Lobster; The Shining; Saltburn
Hulu: Monsters (2010)
After watching Monsters it’s easy to see why Gareth Edwards was tapped to for a Godzilla remake. He has a knack for finding the balance between the grounded human element and otherworldly monstrosities without either feeling forced. It’s remarkable that Edwards was able to do the amount of world building that he does here with a minuscule budget and tight runtime. In a post Cloverfield world, there was ample opportunity for this to feel derivative, but Edwards proved to be a strong enough filmmaker to make this wholly his own. Well worth the watch for any sci-fi creature feature fans.
FOR FANS OF: Godzilla (2014); Annihilation; Cloverfield
Disney Plus: The Sandlot (1993)
The ultimate summer movie. The Sandlot perfectly captures the wonders of youth and the notion that one summer can unassumingly define an entire childhood (or an entire life). It’s all about mythology – how it gets created and how it gets passed along – on both a micro and macro level. It’s also insanely quotable and timelessly funny. American youth can continue to point to The Sandlot as the gold standard for summer fun and friendship. Truly a movie that will live on for-ev-er.
FOR FANS OF: Angels in the Outfield; The Goonies; The Bad News Bears
Make sure you check out all of these awesome options and let us know what you think. Also, be sure to let us know the best hidden gems you’ve streamed recently. Share in the comments and help us expand the list!
See you next month!
