Weekend Streaming Recommendations: The Hunt, Into the Wild, From Beyond, & More
Welcome to WTI’s Weekend Streaming Recommendations where I recommend 4-5 films that under-watched, under-appreciated, or just plain old personal favorites. My goal is to take the hassle out of deciding which film to stream on the plethora of streaming sites that populate the internet. To make your streaming life easier, I include which platform each film is available on along with a link to the trailer. Now sit back, relax, and click on play!
The Hunt
This Danish melodrama, by Thomas Vinterberg, about a school teacher wrongfully accused of sexual misconduct at the school he teaches at is tense throughout. The acting is considerably strong by all involved, but everyone is outdone by an exceptional lead performance by Mads Mikkelsen. The Hunt will leave you shaken to your core by the time the end credits roll – Watch the trailer
Into the Wild
Sean Penn’s true life story about free spirit Chris McCandless is a love letter to everyone who is fed up with the monotonous daily routines of everyday life. The film is beautifully shot and is backed by a gorgeous soundtrack from Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder. Penn lets his film promenade from one exquisite scene to the next as McCandless meets a whole bevy of people who shape his life. Into the Wild is mesmerizing. – Watch the trailer
From Beyond
Stuart Gordon has made a few movies based on HP Lovecraft source material. The most famous two are Re-Animator and this film, From Beyond. In my opinion, From Beyond is the far better of the two. Scientists are working on a device that will stimulate the pineal gland to access other dimensions. When the experiment works, the scientists are immediately attacked by ungodly life forms that are seemingly around us at all times. The film is fantastically disgusting and revolting. Gordon lets his film revel in its excesses; which are essentially lots of gore and oodles of sticky goo that is brought upon by the otherworldly life forms. Both are bountiful here. Horror fans will love this underappreciated gem. – Watch the trailer
Abre Los Ojos
This Spanish film, which was later remade as Vanilla Sky by Cameron Crowe, is a film whose details I dare not reveal. The film is dazzling from beginning to end. Eduardo Noriega stars as a young, rich man whose life changes when he meets the woman of his dreams and the next morning gets in the wrong car. You never know which way is up or down, or left or right, and you will be on the edge of your seat until the very last shot as the film comes to a sensational climax atop of a skyscraper overlooking the majestic Madrid skyline. ‘Glued to the screen’ is an understatement. – Watch the trailer
Strange Days
Before she conquered the Oscars with The Hurt Locker, Kathryn Bigelow made this epic two and a half hour science fiction film about a former cop Lenny Nero (Ralph Fiennes) who buys and sells data discs that contain people’s memories and experiences. People buy them to experience things they might not be able to and are willing to pay top dollar for them. When one of the discs turns out to contain the murder of a controversial music figure by a couple of L.A. police officers, everyone starts gunning for Lenny. All this leads to an intense finale that also happens to coincide with the final hours of the 20th century. Strange Days is criminally overlooked. Do yourself a favor and have your mind blown by this special film. – Watch the trailer