From a truly unique high school drama to an ultra-violent Russian comedy, here's our picks for what to stream and rent in the UK
Going to cinema might not be an option right now, but bringing the magic of the big screen directly into your home is – especially as so many studios are opting 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 movie as easy as possible. Whatever you're in the mood for, WeLoveCinema has you well and truly covered…
New Releases
Selah and the Spades
Where to watch it: Prime Video (stream)
The debut feature from writer-director Tayarisha Poe can't be easily pigeon-holed, falling somewhere between high school drama, satire, and strange vision of an alternate future. The story finds the “Spades,” a gang led by the titular Selah Summers (Lovie Simone), fighting to stay at the top of the social pile in an American prep school dominated by cliques. Stylish and original, it marks Poe as a filmmaker to watch.
What we said: “Maybe Selah and the Spades is better for what it promises than for what it is – and that's perfectly okay (read our full review).”
Why Don’t You Just Die!
Where to watch it: Prime Video (from April 20)
Set almost entirely within the confines of a Moscow apartment, this strange but gripping black comedy from Russia hones in on a corrupt police officer, played by Vitaliy Khaev, whose life is turned upside-down when a young man (Aleksandr Kuznetsov) turns up with a hammer, claiming to be his daughter's boyfriend. It's a violent, giddy yarn, expertly told and packed with neat twists and turns. Quentin Tarantino would approve.
Sergio
Where to watch it: Netflix (stream)
Ana de Armas, best known for her star-making turn in last year's Knives Out, stars in this biographical film about the life of United Nations diplomat Sérgio Vieira de Mello, played by Narcos' own Wagner Moura. As directed by Greg Barker, who also made an acclaimed documentary on the same subject, Sergio plays out as half old-fashioned romance, half political thriller, and features impressive, dedicated turns from its leads.
What we said: “Those who know little of Sergio will appreciate the education, whilst romantics will find there’s enough chemistry here to deliver an old-fashioned love story (read our full review).”
Still Streaming…
Who You Think I Am
Where to watch it: Curzon Home Cinema (rent)
The inimitable Juliette Binoche stars in this twisty thriller about a 50-something who, fed up with her lot in love, decides to go online and pose as a much younger woman. Directed by French filmmaker Safy Nebbout, it offers a timely look at the ways in which we conduct our romantic lives today – and Binoche is as good as she's ever been.
What we said: “The narrative bends and breaks in unusual places, pushing the limits of credible storytelling within the high-stakes genre without ever veering into delirium (read our full review).”
Tigertail
Where to watch it: Netflix (stream)
Alan Yang, perhaps best known for his work on Netflix's Master of None, writes and directs this drama about a factory worker who leaves home in search of a new life in America. Starring Lee Hong-chi and Tzi Ma (Arrival, The Farewell), its story spans multiple generations, and asks bold questions about how the circumstances of our birth affect and limit who we are. The result is touching, poignant, and personal.
New to Streaming…
Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Where to watch it: Prime Video (buy)
Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, and Oscar Isaac star in the last movie of the Skywalker saga – a finale that delighted some with its unashamed attempt to right the perceived thematic wrongs of Last Jedi and disappointed others with just how brazenly it set out to do that. Jury's out.
What we said: “If Star Wars makes you think of goofy one-liners, lightsaber duels, loveable droids, and triumphant musical cues – silliness playing out in the far reaches of space – then this episode delivers on that front, and then some (read our full review).”
Honey Boy
Where to watch it: Prime Video (rent)
Shia LaBeouf writes and stars in this unique and intimate drama based on his childhood. The twist? LaBeouf plays his own father across two distinct timelines, one of which focuses on the career of child star “Otis” (Noah Jupe), whilst the other follows him as an adult, played by Lucas Hedges, during a spell in rehab.
What we said: “Somehow what LaBeouf delivers feels cathartic for us, too; oddly relatable in that strange way that only something incredibly specific can be (read our full review).”
Motherless Brooklyn
Where to watch it: Prime Video (rent)
A long-time passion project for its star, writer and director, Ed Norton, Motherless Brooklyn transposes the action of Jonathan Lethem’s iconic novel from the present day to the 1950s, following Tourette’s-afflicted detective Lionel Essrog as he tries to solve the trickiest of mysteries. Alec Baldwin, Willem Dafoe, and Bruce Willis round out the cast.
What we said: “In development for more than 20 years, Motherless Brooklyn is undeniably weighty but it’s also a compelling mystery – one that feels both of our time and yet strangely removed from it (read our full review).”
