Kneel Before VOD: December 15th
Dunkirk
As one of the summer’s biggest hits, the all-around brilliant Dunkirk is sure to be an awards season contender as it’s easily one of Christopher Nolan’s best films. The lesser known story is told through a fighter pilot, an out-of-place soldier, and an ordinary citizen with a boat, each one on their way to a beach where the allied forces are pinned down. This is not your typical WWII epic, it’s far more subdued and subtle, and clocks in at a comparatively, lean 106 minutes. Dunkirk is a visually arresting and anxious race against the clock.
Flatliners
The original The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo director Niels Arden Oplev’s Flatliners remake landed with a thud this past October and has already made its way to VOD. The plot has been unchanged from the 1990 original; a small group of medical students momentarily stop their hearts in order to get a taste of what lies beyond. It’s an endlessly intriguing setup, but, aside from a good cast (Ellen Page, Nina Dobrev, Diego Luna), nothing has been done to improve upon the already lackluster first movie.
Netflix: The Santa Clause Trilogy
Growing up and learning that Tim Allen totally sucks will not ruin two of my childhood favorites (and a third movie that also exists) for me. There’s a very real chance that watching them again will, though, so I probably won’t, but it’s nice to know the option is there for those braver than I. Allen stars as a grouch who accidentally kills Santa Claus and then must assume the role. He struggles with his own hatred of the holidays for a while but eventually warms up and must wed to keep his new job and fight the evil Jack Frost (Martin Short). It’s a weird series, but if my experience is anything to go by, kids should love it.
Also Streaming: Halt and Catch Fire: Season 4 , Judd Apatow: The Return , The Trip to Spain, Catwoman
Amazon Prime: It Comes at Night
It Comes at Night is not your typical thriller, but it is a highly successful one. We follow a family, headed by Joel Egerton and Carmen Ejogo, as they try desperately to survive in the woods as the world is ravaged by a mysterious disease. They discover a second family, who are tentatively invited to stay, but the uneasy alliance soon crumbles as anxieties grow. This story is quietly devastating and is greatly improved by excellent performances from Egerton and Ejogo and should be required viewing before making your end-of-the-year top ten lists.
Also Streaming: Marjorie Prime, Nightcrawler, Rosewater
HBO Go: Logan
2017 was particularly strong all around for comic book movies, so strong in fact that it seems Logan has been sort of lost in the shuffle due to its early release. That’s a shame, because Logan is possibly going to be the original X-Men’s swan song after the recent Disney acquisition of Fox. It’s a particularly daring effort that delivers the T-rated Wolverine movie that fans have been wanting for years. Things are looking pretty bleak for old man Logan (Hugh Jackman) and Professor Xavier (Patrick Stewart) when they encounter a mutant girl, Laura (Dafne Keen), who has powers similar to Logan’s. The film features some of the best performances and grisliest action set pieces of the year.
Also Streaming: 32 Pills: My Sister’s Suicide
FilmStruck: Godzilla
Criterion and FilmStruck recently announced the addition of Godzilla and related classic giant monster movies to their repertoire. The bunch includes Godzilla, King of Monsters, Destroy All Monsters and many more, but maybe the most notable is the original Godzilla from 1954. This war allegory is as impressive and vital as ever. The man in a costume effects have obviously not aged the best, but good filmmaking is good filmmaking, as the film remains watchable and frightening.
