Kneel Before VOD: August 15th
Baywatch
By far the worst movie I've seen this year and among the worst I've seen this decade, Baywatch is a soulless trash fire of a film, the kind that made me feel scummy just watching. Not once does one of the film's jokes elicit a laugh (they rarely even register as jokes), and the atrociously filmed action scenes light up the screen with all the excitement of a snake firework. I hate this movie (more on that in my review) and wouldn't recommend it to anybody, but I would never tell somebody to not watch something, so if you're interested it's available for streaming through iTunes and Amazon.
Netflix: The Transfiguration
I reviewed The Transfiguration for our SXSW coverage. At the time I found it to be a touch too cynical and hard to stomach. Watching the movie is a difficult experience, but now that I'm months removed I can say that it's an experience that's worth having. Milo is a child so obsessed with vampires that in his mind he is one. His antisocial tendencies fail for a moment and he strikes up a relationship with a girl, Sophie, who seems to not mind his violent tendencies. It's a dark film with a couple of great performances and a nearly unparalleled level of dread.
Also Streaming: Arthur and the Invisibles, Naked, Demonic, Nat King Cole: Afraid of the Dark
HBO Go: Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them
Yet another film I had the good fortune of reviewing here at TFS, Fantastic Beasts is the long awaited prequel to the Harry Potter franchise. The story follows Newt (Eddie Redmayne), a researcher who's suitcase full of magical creatures is let loose shortly after arriving in New York. Now it's up to him to recapture them before they reap havoc. Visually it's one of the most impressive things I've seen in years, and Dan Fogler stands out in his supporting role, but overall it's a disappointingly lifeless experience.
Hulu Plus: Two Days, One Night
After taking a leave from her factory job, Sandra (Marion Cotillard), returns to work to discover that her hours are in danger of being eliminated by her coworkers who work more hours to receive a bonus. Sandra spends the next two days talking with each of her coworkers in an attempt to get them to deny their bonus so that she can keep her job. Cotillard is (as always) breathtaking in her role that earned her an Oscar nomination, and the simple and realistic setup creates a riveting drama.
FilmStruck: Kiss of the Spider Woman
This challenging drama tells the story of two men sharing a cell in a Brazilian prison, Valentin (Raúl Juliá), a left-leaning political activist jailed for his connections to a revolutionary group and Luis (William Hurt), a gay man serving time for molesting a child. Over the course of the film the two become unlikely friends despite their clear differences. It's a great vehicle for two incredible performances and a number of intriguing insights to ponder.
Also Streaming: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Something Wild (1986), Eddie and the Cruisers, Youth of the Son, Taipei Story, White Material
