Worldwide cinema closures for the foreseeable future have seen many film studios putting their big blockbuster releases on hold. However, not every film falls under the No Time to Die bracket in terms of box office and as a result, studios have started on-demand rental for films that were lined up for theatrical release in March & April.
The Invisible Man, Emma and The Hunt were the first batch of films with early UK release and are now available to rent on platforms Prime Video, Google Play & YouTube. This does come at a cost though with the questionable £15.99 price tag slapped on the rental.
I understand the studios need to make money but with this costing more than cinema admission, I wouldn’t be surprised to see this dropping in price to draw a bigger audience. Nothing will beat the cinema-going experience but I’m glad the studios have given their audience an alternative, albeit an expensive one.
Streaming platforms have an opportunity to make a big impact and attract new subscribers with the current lockdown. In the past couple of days, Prime Video USA has announced a partnership with SXSW to hold a 10-day streaming event to screen films that were due to be shown at the now cancelled festival. No official date has been announced but this will be free to everyone and filmmakers will receive a screening fee if they decide to opt-in. This is a brilliant idea and I would love to see a UK Film Festival take part in a similar venture.
One streaming service that I’ve currently got a trial with is MUBI. Since subscribing at the beginning of March it hasn’t disappointed with its collection of 30 films on rotation, with a new film added every day.
It won’t be to everyone’s taste but the biggest positives for me are the hand-picked cult, classic, arthouse & indie films from cinephiles around the world which results in unearthing plenty of hidden gems.
If you sign up through this recommendation link you can get 30 days for free. You also have the option of subscribing through Prime Video Channels where its bolstered by a bigger library of films.
My top three films for March feature two outstanding documentaries and a feel-good Southern United States adventure:
Rating 9/10
Asif Kapadia completes his trilogy of documentaries – Senna (2010) & Amy (2015) – with the fantastic Diego Maradona. Ever since reading about Maradona during film school, Kapadia has been fascinated with the controversial Argentinian footballer. With over 1000 hours of footage to sift through, Kapadia pin-pointed the 7 years at Napoli (1984-1991) as the focal point of the film. The on-pitch and personal life footage is fascinating as Maradona had his private cameramen shooting his every move throughout the ’80s. The documentary style of no narrator & no talking heads results in a beautifully crafted and flowing story of Diego’s euphoric highs and devastating lows in Naples. This is a must-see for all football fans and anyone interested in complex character studies.
You can watch Diego Maradona on All4.
Rating 9/10
The amount of work Todd Douglas Miller and his crew have put into the documentation of the 1969 moon landing is nothing short of remarkable. The 65mm footage has been re-scanned in high resolution and digitised with phenomenal results. You’re treated to the days leading up to the launch, the mission in action and the return of the crew. Much like Diego Maradona there is no narrator and no talking heads with audio and visual driving the narrative which works a treat with Matt Morton’s score.
You can watch Apollo 11 on Netflix.
Rating 8/10
This is so damn wholesome. Shia LeBeouf & Zack Gottsagen’s brilliant on-screen chemistry made this feel like a genuine bond between the two lead characters. I loved the folk/bluegrass score that accompanies the impressive cinematography of North Carolina. Being a big professional wrestling fan, the cameos from Mick Foley & Jake ‘The Snake’ Roberts put the cherry on top.
You can rent The Peanut Butter Falcon on Prime Video, Google Play & YouTube.
Honourable mentions of other films I watched last month:
Crip Camp Rating 9/10
An incredibly inspiring and emotional documentary focusing on the origins of the Americans with Disabilities Act. This is another great release under the Obama/Netflix storytelling partnership Higher Ground Productions which has previously released the Oscar-winning American Factory. There will be another four releases over the next several years which are listed here.
You can watch Crip Camp on Netflix.
Bacurau Rating 8.5/10
This Brazilian dystopian drama is just plain bonkers. As I say on many occasions, this is a film you should go in blind to enjoy the full experience. The varying genres infused within Bacurau make it unpredictable and fun to watch.
You can watch Bacurau on Mubi.
The Host Rating 8.5/10
I’m back on the Bong Joon-ho bandwagon and loving another one of his genre-bending films. The Host isn’t your run of the mill monster film. It takes its time over character development rather than fully focusing on grand CGI set-pieces. I found myself rooting for the Park family to succeed on their crazy journey.
You can watch The Host on Prime Video’s Mubi Channel.
The Invisible Man Rating 8/10
I enjoyed Leigh Whannell’s previous release Upgrade with its crazy camera work and vicious violence. With The Invisible Man, Whanell has managed to pull off a super tense and unnerving psychological thriller. The camera work impressed me once again and Elisabeth Moss puts in an amazing lead performance. I managed to see this in the cinema before the pandemic and I’m glad I did as I think the film wouldn’t have had as big an impact on me watching at home.
You can rent The Invisible Man on Prime Video, Google Play & YouTube
Carnage Rating 8/10
Roman Polanski’s apartment-based drama centres around 2 sets of parents attempting to resolve a conflict their children have had. The dialogue is sharp & darkly funny as the hostility builds between the couples. It does help when you’ve got fantastic actors to play the characters you’ve written and all four put in great performances. John C. Reilly has always been highly underrated and this is another excellent performance from him.
You can rent Carnage on Prime Video, Google Play & YouTube.
Ready or Not Rating 7.5/10
Ridiculously good fun survival thriller with plenty of dark comedy and gore. The film didn’t miss a beat pacing wise, resulting in the 95-minute run time flying by.
You can rent Ready or Not on Prime Video, Google Play & YouTube.
Terri Rating 7.5/10
A quiet and understated High School film that deals with a number of the social issue’s teenagers face growing up. The acting is solid from the young cast and once again another great John C. Reilly performance.
You can watch Terri on Prime Video’s Mubi Channel.
You can find all my film ratings on my Letterboxd account.
Stay safe everyone and see you next month with my April streaming recommendations!
Alex
salmonconnery 