With all the talk of award hopefuls in the notoriously light movie season of January, here are some streaming gems to catch up on.
The Substance
(Where to watch: Mubi)
Not sure that starting out with a body horror movie is exactly welcoming, but this one is gross and enlightening in all the right ways. Demi Moore’s Elizabeth Sparkle is a past-her-prime gymnastics instructor. She takes “the substance” which allows a younger version of her to live in her place for a week at a time. The feminist message is clear (and a little flawed). But it works if you view it through the lens of a schlocky horror flick. Moms relate to the message; younger viewers enjoy the body horror. PS- Moore just won a Golden Globe for her performance.
The Feeling That The Time for Doing Something Has Passed
(Where to watch: Hulu)
As Ryan Broderick of Garbage Day opined, Gen Z is lacking a Lena Dunham, a young New Yorker who held an excessively romantic view of her life. It led to an HBO series about her relationships and graphic sex life. Is The Feeling’s Joanna Arnow the Gen Z version?
The film presents a world where almost every institution and sexual partner that Arnow’s character encounters is indifferent toward her. Broderick described the voice of Gen Z as a world where hope and meaning feel sucked out of everything. The film tries to figure it out: New York amongst the sickos.
My Old Ass
(Where to watch: Prime Video)
This coming-of-age flick set on a farm warms your heart with its homey feel. The vibrant story is almost complete, maybe a clever beat or two away. But it will take you from happy to depressed and back again in one night.
The Remarkable Life of Ibelin
(Where to watch: Netflix)
Our emotional rollercoaster continues with a documentary about Norwegian Mats Steen. He had muscular dystrophy and died at 25. His loved ones assumed it was a lonely life but were shocked to learn he was a celebrity in the world of the online game, World of Warcraft. It shows just how far humans will go to connect, no matter the odds.
Perfect Days
(Where to watch – Hulu)
This slice-of-life feature around a Japanese man who cleans toilets urges you to ignore the world’s call to amass wealth and fame. It’s sobering to see a man, late in life and deeply content. He enjoys his humble daily routine: eating lunch in the same spot, cleaning toilets, listening to his music, going to sleep, and then doing it all again.
The real dream looks different for everyone. Sometimes, just going to work, eating, and going home is enough.
-Michael Archer
Fair use image from The Substance
Nice list. I’d add Anora to it.
“The Remarkable Life of Ibelin” is now a must see. So says the fiercely proud second generation Norwegian American son of a native Norske. Tusen takk, min venn!