We run down the week's best films to rent and stream, including the latest Spike Lee joint and a brand new comedy from Judd Apatow...
Going to the cinema might not be an option right now, but bringing the magic of the big screen directly into your home is – especially as more studios opt to release the latest films on VOD platforms instead. What better way to take refuge from the bizarre situation currently gripping our world than with a host of unique, inspiring, and entertaining films?
As always, we've assembled the best of what’s showing (read as: streaming) and gathered them here to make choosing a great film as easy as possible. Whatever you're in the mood for, WeLoveCinema has you well and truly covered…
New Releases
Da 5 Bloods
Where to watch it: Netflix
Spike Lee's latest couldn't have come at a more appropriate time: an explosive, audacious, angry look at the experience of Black soldiers during the Vietnam war – and beyond. Lee powers his narrative through two separate timelines, dropping trademark flourishes and stylish embellishments, as a group of aged veterans head to Vietnam to dig up the treasure they buried there long ago. The influence of classic Treasure of Sierra Madre is strong; but Da 5 Bloods is as contemporary as filmmaking comes.
The King of Staten Island
Where to watch it: Various streaming services
Judd Apatow – he of Knocked Up and Trainwreck and a million other Hollywood comedies – is back with yet another film built around the star persona of a somewhat divisive comedian: this time Pete Davidson (best known in the US for his work on Saturday Night Live) is cast as a loose version of himself, a wayward soul slacking off in Staten Island with his friends and family (read our full review).
Days of the Bagnold Summer
Where to watch it: Various streaming services
Simon Bird (yes, him off The Inbetweeners) makes his directorial debut with the sweet and simple adaptation Days of the Bagnold Summer, based on the graphic novel of the same name. Earl Cave, son of Nick Cave, plays a lost teen who's forced to spend the summer with his unassuming single mum (Monica Dolan) after his dad cancels a planned trip to Florida (read our full review).
Virus Tropical
Where to watch it: MUBI
Don't let that strange title put you off: positioned as the South American answer to animated masterpiece Persepolis, Virus Tropical, rendered in gorgeous black-and-white and based on an autobiographical graphic novel by cartoonist Power Paola, tell a story of growing up in a Colombian family, and explores themes of family, childhood, and finding one's place in the world.
The Australian Dream
Where to watch it: Various streaming services
Powerful and provocative documentary The Australian Dream sees sporting legend Adam Goodes looking back on the prejudice he's faced over the length of his AFL career – incidents which effectively forced him to retire early back in 2015. The resulting film offers an unflinching and timely exploration into racism and identity.
You Don't Nomi
Where to watch it: Various streaming services
Almost thirty years after it first hit theatres, the jury's still out on whether Paul Verhoeven's much maligned soft-core drama Showgirls is an unsung masterpiece or one of the worst movies ever made. Playful and entertaining doc You Don't Nomi explores the legacy of this divisive film – now considered a cult classic – to ascertain its place with the pantheon of great American movies.
This is Not a Movie
Where to watch it: Curzon Home Cinema
Acclaimed documentarian Yung Chang, best known for his films Up the Yangtze and The Fruit Hunters, hones in on the life of legendary foreign correspondent and veteran war reporter Robert Fisk, whose career has taken him to the heart of some of the world's most dangerous war zones.
Still Streaming…
Dating Amber
Where to watch it: Amazon Prime Video
In mid-nineties Ireland, two gay friends – played by Fionn O'Shea (Normal People) and Lola Petticrew – pretend to be a couple in order to hide their sexuality from their classmates and families. Written and directed by David Freyne, Dating Amber offers a clever and funny twist on the rom-com format whilst actually having something to say. And Sharon Horgan is here, too – always a good sign! (read our full review).
Spelling the Dream
Where to watch it: Netflix
Sam Rega's affable documentary, Spelling the Dream, explores the world of the American spelling bee – an institution that has fascinated many an outsider on account of its competitiveness and the pressure faced by its young participants. The focus here is on Indian-Americans and their perceived dominance of the “sport,” offering a light, entertaining look into a very strange world (read our full review).
