As another Sundance Film Festival comes to a close (be sure to check out our coverage here), it’s now time to assess which films will be seen and loved by the masses throughout the year. Though it is still intended as a showcase for independently made films, its position as a marketplace has become increasingly important as more boutique and indie studios shell out millions for these films. This year it became apparent that streaming services are major players, with million dollar VOD deals becoming just as noteworthy as theatrical acquisitions. Specifically, Netflix walked away with exclusive streaming and VOD rights for The Fundamentals of Caring, a comedy starring Paul Rudd and Craig Roberts, nanny drama Tallulah with Ellen Page, and Iranian horror film Under the Shadow. Amazon struck deals for Michael Shannon/Rachel Weisz thriller Complete Unknown, Whit Stillman’s Love and Friendship, and a $10 million deal for the highly praised Manchester by the Sea, the newest film from indie auteur Kenneth Lonergan. For more info on all the Sundance purchases, check out the full list at The Wrap.

If all of that isn’t proof enough that streaming is where it’s at, check out the best films and television to hit streaming this week:

Netflix

Frozen Planet (Series, 2011)

From the creator of the renowned Planet Earth series comes a nine-part documentary series focusing on the environment and life of the Arctic and Antarctic poles. If you are totally into penguins, polar bears or the albatross, Frozen Planet gives a well-researched and beautifully shot exploration—all with David Attenborough’s dulcet tones. And if you love the series, Netflix also has two special extra companion features, On Thin Ice and An Epic Journey, to stream, along with the six-part Making of Frozen Planet behind-the-scenes series.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
From Dusk to Dawn (Series, Season 2)
Ripper Street (Series, Season 3)
Turbo Kid (François Simard, Anouk Whissell & Yoann-Karl Whissell, 2015)

Fandor

Red Desert (Michelangelo Antonioni, 1964)

In this week’s “Criterion Picks” Fandor takes a look at the color film debuts of some of the world’s great filmmakers. By 1964, Italian auteur Antonioni had built a career on stylized dramas in striking black-and-white cinematography—his first colorized film, Red Desert, is strangely set in an industrial wasteland but is no less beautiful. You can also check out color firsts from Kurosawa, Renoir, Ophuls, and more until February 7. Fandor is also in the Sundance spirit this week with their Spotlight on some of their favorite films that played Park City. Their far-ranging selections include Hoop Dreams, Slacker, The Forbidden Room, Meek’s Cutoff, and Computer Chess.

Other titles new to Fandor this week:
Archangel (Guy Maddin, 1990)
Equinox Flower (Yasujiro Ozu, 1958)
Mon oncle (Jacques Tati, 1958)
Our Nixon (Penny Lane, 2013)
What Remains (Steven Cantor, 2006)

MUBI

The Square (Jehane Noujaim, 2013)

MUBI is also into the Sundance Film Festival this week, as their curated selections all highlight films that debuted at the fest. Among them is the stunning look at the recent Egyptian revolution, The Square. The winner of the 2013 Sundance Audience Award for World Cinema in the documentary category and Oscar nominee, the film covers the protests against former president Mubarak through the eyes of the people in the title square. It is a beautiful example of the power of people and really puts the viewer into the experience, living through the political angst, terror, and ultimate victory. MUBI is offering the complete version of the film with an updated ending covering the events that followed the film’s release.

Other titles new to MUBI this week:
Detropia (Heidi Ewing & Rachel Grady, 2012)
Durakovo: Village of Fools (Nino Kirtadze, 2008)
The Unbelievable Truth (Hal Hartley, 1989)
Vulgar Fractions (Peter Bo Rappmund, 2011)
Wrong (Quentin Dupieux, 2012)

Video On-Demand

The Assassin (Hou Hsiao-Hsien, 2015)

Among the most beautifully shot films of 2015, Hou Hsiao-Hsien’s The Assassin was included by many as one of the best films of the year (including us). Though it has been marketed heavily as a martial arts action film, The Assassin is a more slowly-paced, contemplative film than that, much more concerned with character, tone, and style than narrative or action. This may turn off some viewers, but the lush visual pleasures of the film cannot be denied. Though seeing the film at home may not be in its best possible presentation, for those who missed it in its limited theatrical run, The Assassin can not be rented or purchased through iTunes and other VOD platforms.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Burnt (John Wells, 2015)
Crimson Peak (Guillermo del Toro, 2015)
Truth (James Vanderbilt, 2015)

For those of you smart enough not to have cable and unlucky enough that your parents aren’t HBO subscribers, you’re now in luck! HBO has now officially announced HBO Now, the standalone streaming service without being tied to a cable provider. Apple currently has a 3-month exclusive window, so if you want it sooner than later, you’ll have to stream on the web or through an Apple TV. For $15/month, you’ll get access to dozens of HBO original shows and hundreds of movies. Not to be outdone, Showtime quickly announced their plans for a standalone version of their Showtime Anytime app. Oh, and Sony launched Playstation Vue, which offers up to 85 streaming channels. They also debuted their first original show, Powers, which stars Sharlto Copley as a superhero criminal investigator. It’s a good time to be in the streaming game! While you decide if it’s time for you to cut the cord, here are some new titles streaming this weekend:

Netflix

Force Majeure (Ruben Östlund, 2014)

One of the best films of 2014, Force Majeure involves an idyllic family vacation that goes horribly wrong after an avalanche and a quick decision. The film is one of the most brutally honest films about marriage and masculinity, but with an incredibly funny black streak. If you missed this film last year or ignored it due to its Oscar snub, this is a perfect time to check it out.

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
3rd Rock from the Sun (complete series)
Bloodline (Season 1)
Life Itself (Steve James, 2014)
Saw (James Wan, 2004)
The Way He Looks (Daniel Ribeiro, 2014)

Amazon Prime

Pulp: A Film About Life, Death & Supermarkets (Florian Habicht, 2014)

Fans of Pulp and indie rock will love this quirky profile and concert film. The film is less of a history of the “Common People” band and more of a love letter to the band’s final UK performance. With frontman Jarvis Cocker’s strange personality and a number of interviews with odd superfans, the Pulp doc is as hip and kooky as the band’s catchy tunes.

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
God’s Not Dead (Harold Cronk, 2014)
Jamie Marks Is Dead (Carter Smith, 2014)
The Zero Theorem (Terry Gilliam, 2013)

Video On-Demand

Song of the Sea (Tomm Moore, 2014)

The Oscar nominated animated film that nobody saw, here is your time to change that. Tomm Moore’s sparkling follow-up to The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea is about a young Irish boy dealing with the untimely death of his mother – and his odd sister who may happen to be a mystical sea creature. The film is both light and heartbreaking, with a wonderful story built from Irish myths and traditions. It also has one of the most adorable dogs you’ll see in any film, which makes Song of the Sea worth a watch on its own.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Annie (Will Gluck, 2014)
Top Five (Chris Rock, 2014)
Tracers (Daniel Benmayor, 2015)
Spring (Justin Benson, Aaron Moorhead, 2015)

Another week, another Netflix original series dropping for us all to bingewatch. But that isn’t all worth noting, with a number of new films and classics coming to or returning to streaming services this week. Check out the new batch of selections from Netflix, Amazon Prime and VOD below.

Netflix

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt (Season 1)

Originally developed by Tina Fey as an NBC pilot, the first season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt will be released by Netflix on Friday. The show stars The Office vet Ellie Kemper as the title character in an excellent premise for a series: Kimmy Schmidt is a beautiful young woman struggling to survive in the big city (you know, like every television character ever), but she’s unique having recently been rescued from a doomsday cult living off-grid. There have been a number of excellent dramas revolving around cults in recent years, but the prospect of a comedy taking on this usually very serious subject has a lot of potential. The show also co-stars 30 Rock favorite Jane Krakowski as a wealthy woman who hires Kimmy to be her child’s nanny.

Stream on Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Season 1 on Netflix

Other titles new to Netflix this week:
The ABCs of Death 2 (Anthology, 2014)
Billy Madison (Tamra Davis, 1995)
Groundhog Day (Harold Ramis, 1993)
Harmontown (Neil Berkeley, 2014)
You Can Count on Me (Kenneth Lonergan, 2000)

Amazon Prime

Listen Up Philip (Alex Ross Perry, 2014)

Overshadowed by a great year in movies, Alex Ross Perry’s Listen Up Philip one was one of the best comedies of 2014. With three excellent performances from Jason Schwartzman, Elisabeth Moss, and Jonathan Pryce, the film follows an egotistical writer and his relationships with his girlfriend and his writing mentor-idol. Its wry, biting edge is unique from the mainstream broad comedies at the multiplexes, so if you are looking for something a little more character driven and ruthless in the portrayals of these characters, Listen Up Philip comes as a strong recommendation. Listen Up Philip is currently exclusive to Amazon Prime, so you won’t find it streaming elsewhere.

Other titles new to Amazon Prime this week:
Donnie Brasco (Mike Newell, 1997)
Drunk History (season 2)
The Kill Team (Dan Krauss, 2013)
The Nanny Diaries (Shari Springer Berman & Robert Pulcini, 2007)
Taxi Driver (Martin Scorsese, 1976)

Video On-Demand

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 (Francis Lawrence, 2014)

The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 was the highest grossing film of 2014 and hits blu-ray and VOD March 6. Its follow up and the final film of the series, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 2, is predicted to possibly be among the top grossing films of 2015. Even as only the first part of a two-part film plenty of you will be needing your fix of Katniss and Peeta to tide you over until Part 2’s release on November 20.

Other titles new to VOD this week:
Faults (Riley Stearns, 2014)
Foxcatcher (Bennett Miller, 2014)
The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Part 1 (Francis Lawrence, 2014)
Kidnapping Mr. Heineken (Daniel Alfredson, 2015)
The Last of Robin Hood (Richard Glatzer & Wash Westmoreland, 2013)

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!

Milius

John Milius is a name synonymous with a bevy of Hollywood classics, amongst those the biggest being Apocalypse Now, which he co-wrote with Francis Ford Coppola. He would also direct Conan The Barbarian, Red Dawn and Dillinger. But his influence on Hollywood’s elite is much deeper than one would first imagine. This documentary explores the life and times of Milius; a man whose life often came across as a tall tale. Everything about Milius’ life was big. He loved guns, motorcycles, women and he loved to write male characters so rough and tough, they needed to shave twice a day and probably with an axe instead of a razor.

The documentary isn’t anything groundbreaking, but Milius is such a larger than life character that you can’t look away from the screen. In one anecdote someone talks about Milius pulling a pistol on a studio chief to make sure he gets his way. Where I come from, we call that an “equalizer”. Milius probably called that a Tuesday. Milius was eventually ostracized from Hollywood after a couple of his movies (along with his extreme views) rattled the holier than thou Hollywood heavyweights. Milius recently suffered a stroke, but he has made significant strides to recovery. Lord knows cinema goers could use another tough as nails antihero to cheer for. – Watch the trailer

I Am Love

Tilda Swinton had a helluva a few years beginning in 2007. She won an Oscar for Michael Clayton, stared in the criminally under seen Julia (you owe it to yourself to see this great thriller), won plaudits for We Need to Talk About Kevin, and eventually wound up in her first Wes Anderson film (Moonrise Kingdom). Sandwiched in between all these great films is another under seen pearl, I Am Love.

Swinton once again blows the competition away with her portrayal here of a Russian woman who is swooned by an Italian millionaire and is whisked away to Milan to a new life. 20 years on and a little unfulfilled, she meets a young chef who she happens to connect with. A passionate affair begins and soon the empire that envelopes her soon starts to crumble. Swinton is sensational here. She actually learned Russian and Italian for the film and she only learned Russian so her Italian was accented by it. What a gal. The film is utterly gorgeous from frame one to the end and is supported by a delicious orchestral score that will leave you breathless. I Am Love is an astonishingly beautiful film. – Watch the trailer

Riki-Oh: The Story of Ricky

I can’t believe I’m here recommending this utterly insane and goofy prison/Kung Fu hybrid, but here we are. From the acting to the outrageous fight sequences, this movie is absolutely ridiculous in every facet you can imagine. Ricky, a young man with insurmountable superhuman strength, is sentenced to quite possibly the most corrupt prison in the world after he kills the drug dealer who he feels is responsible for his girlfriend’s overdose. Once inside he is forced to deal with a warden with a thirst for spilt blood and as much gore on the floor as his cleaning crew can handle. Ricky is forced to fight back after being threatened by the warden and at times all hell seems to break loose.

In one scene an inmate is forced to eat long rusty nails while the antagonist looks on with a grin as bright as the sun. In another a man’s intestines are ripped out of his gut and are practically played with like a young girl with a jump rope. The movie is the perfect ailment for a group of guys looking for a silly action flick to lighten up a rainy night. Don’t forget the bag of popcorn either; you might need the empty bag for something to puke in. – Watch the trailer

The Long Goodbye

“Nothing says goodbye like a bullet”, is the tagline for this wonderfully twisty detective noir set in the city of angels. The film has the perfect ounce of sardonic wit to accompany Robert Altman’s updated version of the classic antihero Philip Marlowe. Elliot Gould (in one of my all-time favorite leading performances) is hypnotic as the chain smoking, murmuring, and stumbling private eye Marlowe, whom in this adventure is accused of abetting a friend who is wrongly accused of killing his wife.

The plot is nonsensical at times and can be hard to follow, but the film isn’t really about its plot. No. Instead Altman focuses on Marlowe and his interactions with all the seedy Los Angelinos he comes across. Gould is so good you don’t care that a bewildered look adorns your face. Altman had a lot of hits in the 70’s (California Split, 3 Women, A Wedding, Nashville) but this one seems to get lost amongst the praise for those other classic. The Long Goodbye is a gem. – Watch the trailer

The Constant Gardener

Filmmaker Fernando Meirelles exploded onto the filmmaking landscape back in 2002 with the masterpiece City of God; a film with much energy and pace. He followed City of God up with this international thriller about a British diplomat (Ralph Fiennes) whose wife, Rachel Weisz (who won the Oscar for her role here), a headstrong activist, is found brutally murdered in Africa. When he starts to dig into her death he soon finds a rabbit hole of conspiracies upon conspiracies that might be impossible to get out of.

Fiennes has rarely been better and Meirelles one of the best directors today at tightening up the viewer’s gut with suspense. While the film begins with Fiennes loving his wife, his journey to discover what happened to her ultimately leads him to find out who she really is. With these discoveries, you watch him fall truly in love with her; and that’s where the real power of The Constant Gardener lies. – Watch the trailer

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.