Bernard is joined by Zach this week, who brings with him an interview with Chilean filmmaker Sebastian Silva about his new film Nasty Baby, starring Tunde Adebimpe and Kristen Wiig and the director himself. Also, with the release of Netflix’s Beasts of No Nation, the boys try to predict what the future of digital distribution will look like and how streaming sites like Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and the like will impact the movie theater industry. PLUS, (you guessed it) our Indie Picks of the Week!

Topics

• Indie Picks (1:21)
• Digital Distribution (11:24)
• Sebastian Silva (24:21)

Articles Referenced

Beasts of No Nation Review
Cary Joji Fukunaga Interview
Junun Review
Nasty Baby Review
Sebastian Silva Interview

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With so many streaming services around these days, it’s tough to stand out. Some have to rely on a huge catalog, original programming, hard-to-see titles or a specific focus. Amazon Prime is trying something a little different, specifically catering to the company’s larger scope. Before Amazon went deep into the streaming game, the major benefits of its Prime service was free 2-day shipping on all its products. Now, residents of 14 metro areas who are members of the streaming service can get free same-day shipping on certain product orders over $35. It is an interesting perk that no other streaming platform could offer. So, while you non-Amazon Prime subscribers are waiting until Monday for your latest order to be delivered, check out what you can watch this weekend on various services.

Netflix

Hot Girls Wanted (Jill Bauer & Ronna Gradus, 2015)

Produced and narrated by Rashida Jones, Hot Girls Wanted is an original Netflix documentary that takes a full look at amateur online pornography and its appeal toward the “girl next door” woman. This material is in good hands with Bauer & Gradus, whose last film Sexy Baby looks at porn’s greater influence on mainstream society and how that affects young girls. Hot Girls Wanted profiles teenagers who have participated in this new industry at differing levels, some who see it as a better alternative than slinging fast food while others try to find an escape. While Netflix has gotten more attention for their original series, and will get even more for their original features in the coming months, their work acquiring interesting documentary films also needs recognition. In the past few years, Netflix became the exclusive home to Oscar nominees The Square and Virunga, let alone the platform the service provides to thousands of other true stories that are difficult to find in theaters.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Antarctica: A Year on Ice (Anthony Powell, 2013)
Before I Go to Sleep (Rowan Joffe, 2014)
Bill Nye the Science Guy (Series)
The Boxtrolls (Graham Annable & Anthony Stacchi, 2014)
Graceland (Seasons 1 & 2)

Fandor

The Passion of Joan of Arc (Carl Theodor Dreyer, 1928)

An absolute landmark film from the silent era, Dreyer’s masterwork is a stunning and horrific telling of the events leading to Joan of Arc’s execution. The film perfectly plays as a silent film (what some may see as a limitation) by capturing performance in closeups, with tragic film figure Maria Falconetti’s all-time great, groundbreaking turn in the foreground. Both emotionally raw and philosophically insightful, the film was among the first examples of the power of cinematic storytelling and remains so today. The Passion of Joan of Arc is in the pantheon of cinema, a must-see for all film fans. If you want to check out The Passion of Joan of Arc on Fandor, please remember that many of the site’s offerings are only available for a limited time – this masterpiece (as well as those listed below) will have to be seen by Sunday, June 7.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Breathless (Jean-Luc Godard, 1960)
Persona (Ingmar Bergman, 1966)
The Rules of the Game (Jean Renoir, 1939)
Seven Samurai (Akira Kurosawa, 1954)
Tokyo Story (Yasujirô Ozu, 1953)

Video On-Demand

Good Kill (Andrew Niccol, 2014)

Can we talk about Ethan Hawke for a second? Once set to be your typical handsome but disaffected movie star, the actor has made himself a fine career as one of the preeminent indie leading men. His work with Richard Linklater aside, the low-budget genre films he chooses to make have been increasingly interesting—from horror flicks Sinister and The Purge to one of this year’s weirdest films Predestination. He now re-teams with Andrew Niccol (Gattaca) in this look at drone warfare. In the film, Hawke stars as a drone “pilot” who begins to contemplate the ethics of his mission, whether he is doing necessary work or making the complicated issues even more complex. The stressful work ultimately creates even more problems with his wife and kids. You can stream Good Kill on VOD while it is in limited release.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Barely Lethal (Kyle Newman 2015)
Foxcatcher (Bennett Miller, 2014)
The Loft (Erik Van Looy, 2014)
Results (Andrew Bujalski, 2015)

Catch ‘Em While You Can!

These titles will no longer be streaming on June 1:

Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Francis Ford Coppola, 1992)
Hatchet II (Adam Green, 2010)
Last Action Hero (John McTiernan, 1993)
Rain Man (Barry Levinson, 1988)
The Silence of the Lambs (Jonathan Demme, 1991)
Snatch (Guy Ritchie, 2000)
Syriana (Stephen Gaghan, 2005)
Tank Girl (Rachel Talalay, 1995)
The Rocketeer (Joe Johnston, 1991)
The Triplets of Belleville (Sylvain Chomet, 2003)
Waking Life (Richard Linklater, 2001)

There is a darker side to internet streaming. Internet piracy has had a long tradition lurking around the uncouth reaches of the web, and it’s not going away any time soon. Earlier this week, a developing story from Engadget showed how piracy (briefly) became a little more accessible. Streaming app Popcorn Time, which allows users to easily browse and stream many new bootleg films and television shows, launched a web browser-based service. Unsurprisingly, it has been promptly taken down, though for interesting reasons you can see in the story. For film and television options you can (legally) stream this extra long Memorial Day weekend, see below!

Netflix

Girlhood (Céline Sciamma, 2014)

Céline Sciamma’s follow-up to Water Lillies and Tomboy has an unfortunate name too similar to last year’s critically acclaimed indie juggernaut, but it shouldn’t be ignored. Girlhood follows a young teen, Marieme, struggling to find her place in the lower-class suburbs of Paris. Abused by her older brother, she turns to a group of tough older girls who shape her identity and bring her into adulthood. It is an incredibly expansive film in both story and emotional impact, spanning a shorter time than other coming-of-age films, but with a tremendous amount of character development. As Marieme quickly grows up, her story takes conventional turns that are told in very surprising ways. Because of this, Girlhood feels both completely tied to this character’s reality but also universal – the best goal for any coming-of-age drama. Considering Marieme is a lower-class black girl from Paris this is quite extraordinary.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
American Dad (Season 9)
The Blue Room (Mathieu Amalric, 2014)
In the Bedroom (Todd Field, 2001)
Inglourious Basterds (Quentin Tarantino, 2009)
Jen Kirkman: I’m Gonna Die Alone (And I Feel Fine) (Stand-Up Comedy Special)

Amazon Prime

Laggies (Lynn Shelton, 2014)

What happened to Lynn Shelton’s Laggies? Despite positive reviews, the director’s highest profile work came and went quickly through theaters, without nearly as much fanfare as Humpday or Your Sister’s Sister. Well, if you were one of many that missed it in its short run, it is now available to stream for Amazon Prime subscribers. The film explores how Megan’s (Keira Knightley) “quarter-life crisis” brings her to a relationship with teen-aged Annika (Chloe Grace Moretz) and her father (Sam Rockwell). We saw the film at TIFF last year and thought the film showed off “excellent chemistry between its cast, giving off the authentic vibe that we’re used to seeing in Shelton’s work.”

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
The Aviator (Martin Scorsese, 2004)
Manny (Leon Gast & Ryan Moore, 2014)
The Prince (Brian A Miller, 2014)
Struck by Lightning (Brian Dannelly, 2012)

Fandor

Drew: The Man Behind the Poster (Erik Sharkey, 2013)

The movie poster has become a dying art – it might actually already be decomposing. Recent profile doc Drew: The Man Behind the Poster explores the time when a movie poster was the best marketing tool for the cinema and so much more. Even if you don’t know the name Drew Struzan, you’ve seen his work – he’s become world-famous for the poster designs for the Star Wars series, Indiana Jones, and Back to the Future. This film lets you meet the man, see how he works and how his work has directly effected the film industry. Included to heap their praises on Struzan are Harrison Ford, Steven Spielberg, Guillermo del Toro, George Lucas and more. As a bonus, Fandor also has a short doc available called Behind the Poster, a look at the “Polish Poster School,” where some of the most bizarre film posters have been created.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Birdemic: Shock and Terror (James Nguyen, 2010)
Danton (Andrzej Wajda, 1983)
Ivan the Terrible: Parts I & II (Sergei Eisenstein, 1945)
Lola Montès (Max Ophüls, 1955)
Mishima: A Life in Four Chapters (Paul Schrader, 1985)

Video On-Demand

Oculus (Mike Flanagan, 2013)

Among the most underrated films from last year, don’t be fooled by the corny high concept of Oculus. In fact, this horror flick about a haunted mirror is scary, spellbinding, smart, and one of the craziest films to come out in recent years. It is an amazing achievement from director Mike Flanagan, who also co-wrote the script and edited the film – with those three aspects of Oculus are working on all cylinders. We’ve had a ton of content on the site the past two years on this film, so you should check out our TIFF 2013 festival review, our theatrical review and interview with Flanagan after you rent the film on-demand.

Other titles new on VOD this week:
American Sniper (Clint Eastwood, 2014)
Leviathan (Andrey Zvyagintsev, 2014)
Seventh Son (Sergey Bodrov, 2014)
Strange Magic (Gary Rydstrom, 2015)

In a wildly unprecedented move, Netflix has decided to release its next original series one episode at a time, week-to-week. How cutting edge of them! It was announced this week that their series Between, a plague thriller where no one lives past the age of 21, would shun the network’s binge experience model for a more traditional release schedule. It remains to be seen if this opens more doors for Netflix to try out multiple release approaches concurrently (maybe not a bad idea given all the content they are putting out now), but if you are feeling a little anxious about an upcoming lack of binge-worthy films and TV, have no fear. Check out what’s new to all the streaming platforms below!

Netflix

Rabbit Hole (John Cameron Mitchell, 2010)

Starring Nicole Kidman and Aaron Eckhart as grieving parents, Rabbit Hole is one of the most devastating and emotionally complex American films in recent years. Coming off of Hedwig and the Angry Inch and Shortbus (two very good films), director John Cameron Mitchell showed unequivocally that he could tell a mainstream drama with just as much care to character and theme. The film delicately grasps the inner struggle and effects on personal relationships after a tragic event. It never asks for melodramatic, cheap tears, instead relying on two intricate character portraits and very good performances to make you all weepy. Also, for fans of sudden star Miles Teller, he is featured in the first role that got him notice—as a teen partly responsible for the tragedy. It is a quiet and powerful performance from the young Teller, very different from the persona we now know, and the first step in his promising career. If you somehow have missed this wonderful film (or avoided it because of its heavy content), grab the tissues and watch it now on Netflix.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
Fruitvale Station (Ryan Coogler, 2013)
Late Phases (Adrián García Bogliano, 2014)
The Liberator (Alberto Arvelo, 2013)
Maidan (Sergei Loznitsa, 2014)
Sagrada: The Mystery of Creation (Stefan Haupt, 2012)

Amazon Prime

Art and Craft (Sam Cullman & Jennifer Grausman, 2014)

One of the stranger doc profiles from last year, Sam Cullman and Jennifer Grausman’s Art and Craft is an intimate portrait of Mark A. Landis, possibly the most notorious art forger ever. The weird thing about Landis, though, is that he doesn’t rip off famous pieces of art for fortune, but much more complicated reasons. The doc gets a lot of access to Landis and his process, as well as the people he’s duped over the years. The film really challenges its viewer by presenting a very talented man who is using his gifts in ethically grey ways. Landis is also a very sad and perhaps sick man, adding more complex levels to this portrait and his actions. Ultimately, Art and Craft will make you reconsider questions around artistic license, forgery and intent. For more thoughts on the film, check out our review from earlier this year. Art and Craft is an Amazon Prime exclusive, so you won’t find it streaming anywhere else.

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
Defiance (Season 2)
Slugterra: Slug Flu Showdown (Logan McPherson, 2014)
Tyler Perry’s A Madea Christmas (Tyler Perry, 2014)

Fandor

Solaris (Andrei Tarkovsky, 1972)

With the 2015 Cannes Film Festival is full swing, Fandor is using its huge selection of Criterion Collection films to highlight past winners at the festival. Tarkovsky’s moody and striking Solaris is among them. The nearly three-hour epic is the story of a psychologist sent into space and the effects that loneliness, distance and timelessness have on his psyche. Often regarded as one of the greatest and most thoughtful science fiction films ever, Solaris won the Grand Jury prize and esteemed Palm d’or at the 1972 Cannes Film Festival. If you’re looking for a great double feature, it can be excellently paired with Christopher Nolan’s recent epic Interstellar, which is available for rent on VOD. Now my weekly reminder: many of Fandor’s selections are only available for a limited time, and Solaris will be streaming until May 24, so don’t wait around if you are interested in this one. Other selections in Fandor’s Cannes collection are Antonioni’s L’eclisse, underseen Lars von Trier Europa, and a few other titles listed below.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
The Double Life of Veronique (Krzysztof Kieslowski, 1991)
Giuseppe Makes a Movie (Adam Rifkin, 2014)
Kwaidan (Masaki Kobayashi, 1964)
A Tale of Winter (Eric Rohmer, 1992)
Z (Costa-Gavras, 1969)

Video On-Demand

Slow West (John Maclean, 2015)

Released on VOD the same day as it hits theaters, John Maclean’s feature debut Slow West has garnered incredibly high praise from critics throughout its festival run. When we saw the Western throwback at Tribeca, we said “[Slow West] is the perfect example of a first time filmmaker who knows what he wants and how to invoke talent, making for a visionary and excellently executed film.” The film stars Kodi Smit-McPhee as a teenager travelling west in search of the woman he loves, accompanied by a mysterious man (Michael Fassbender). Now you have the chance to see what is bound to be one of the best indies of 2015 whether its playing in a theater near you or not.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
John Wick (Chad Stahelski & David Leitch, 2014)
Maggie (Henry Hobson, 2015)
Still Alice (Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland, 2014)

Welcome to this week’s edition of Weekend Streaming Recommendations! It’s a bit of a grab bag this week, but I rep each of these films to the fullest. From little-known indie gem Funeral Kings, to the delightful doc Kings of Pastry, to two bonafide monuments of cinema, Rio Bravo and Bicycle Thieves, I’ve got lots of goodies to get you through your Saturday and Sunday morning hangovers. Don’t even try to defend yourself. I know your type! LUSH. Enjoy!

Funeral Kings

With SF Indiefest right around the corner (it runs from February 6-20), I thought I’d lead off this week’s list with a pick from last year’s festival that I think deserves more streaming love. Funeral Kings, directed by siblings Kevin and Matthew McManus, is one of the most authentic movies about stinky 14-year-old boys you’ll see. Three vulgarity-spewing friends are suddenly saved from the malaise of their suburban Rhode Island town when they come into possession of a footlocker trusted to them by one of their older brothers. When they crack the lock, they find everything any self-respecting adolescent boy would want: porn, fireworks, booze, cigarettes, and even a gun! The trio is headed up by newcomer Alex Maizus, who’s genuinely funnier than most adult actors with his oversized swagger and pinpoint timing. Great for fans of ’80s nostalgia flicks.

Rio Bravo

Rio Bravo is arguably Howard Hawks’ crowning achievement and harbors, in my opinion, one of John Wayne’s very best performances. One of the best examples of the Western genre, the film stars John Wayne, Dean Martin, and Ricky Nelson play three gunslingin’ peacekeepers who defend a small, covered-wagon town from outlaws. It’s one of the oldest and most recycled American stories there are, but Hawks’ masterpiece emanates a warmth and wit few others can claim. Wayne and the lovely Angie Dickinson have excellent romantic chemistry, and Dean Martin’s musical interlude never fails to evoke a fuzzy feeling, no matter how many times I watch it. Quentin Tarantino considers the climactic shootout sequence to be movie perfection, and I’d expand that sentiment to encompass all 141 minutes of the damn thing. If you haven’t seen Rio Bravo, or you haven’t seen it in a long time, git to streamin’!

Bicycle Thieves

Vittorio De Sica’s postwar Italian neorealist parable (whew!) is one of those movies you hear all of these great things about: “Masterpiece!” “Transcendent!” “Perfection!” It’s enough to make you sick! You sit down to watch it, cross your arms, and think, “Okay. Prove it.” Then, it fucking proves it. The film is about a jobless family man who, with his good-natured son, searches for the stolen bike he desperately needs to keep his family fed. The key to canonized films like this and Citizen Kane are that they don’t pander or condescend to us. De Sica pulls no punches when it comes to exploring the true nature of the desperate, and fewer films have ever felt so in touch with humanity.

Kings of Pastry

Following three French pastry chefs during their grueling preparation for a test where, if they pass, they will have earned the title of Meilleurs Ouvriers de France (or “MOF”), the highest honor attainable in the field. MOF’s are adored in France and incredibly respected across the country. (If you get caught pretending to be a MOF, you could be thrown in jail!) Watching the unbelievably rigorous training the chefs go through in their preparation for the MOF’s is riveting, and the cakes, chocolate and sugar sculptures, tiny bites, and candies they make are divinely beautiful (and tasty looking). The finale is brimming with both triumph and heartbreak, and after taking a glimpse into the wacky world of pastry chefs, you just might want to enroll yourself in pastry school.