Streaming Roulette (Halloween Weekend)
Saturday, October 29, 2022 at 11:18AM Happy Halloween Weekend! There are quite a few newish-to-streaming things to screen this weekend (many of them horror themed) so herewith 10 ideas to take you through Halloween on Monday night.
If we can raise him up, we can raise up anyone in the cemetery.
WENDELL & WILD (2022) on Netflix
Went in with the highest hopes since Henry Selick is just great. Plus stop-motion animation is always such a treat in the more lifeless era of the absurdantly dominant CG 3D style. The animation here is definitely the highlight and it's perfect for Halloween...
Unfortunately the screenplay by Selick and Jordan Peele, based on the book by Henry Selick and Clay McLeod Chapman is as unwieldy, overstuffed, and bizarrely complicated (especially for a kids film) as it gets. It's as if every idea that was ever dreamt up was included and every character introduced needs their own backstory as if they were originally planning a TV series. But it has its moments! Will it be Oscar nominated for Best Animated Feature? It's a strange race this year because, unless the international features begin to make some noise, we're looking at ONLY Netflix and Disney as nominees.
At first it was wonderful. I was his muse. I inspired him.
RESURRECTION (2022) on Shudder
While I am absolutely not a fan of this psychological horror film, a lot of people love it (including our own Jason Adams) you might, too! But even with my reservations about utterly revolting grotesqueness as its sole purpose, people are right about Rebecca Hall being sensational in it. Writer/director Andrew Semans is transfixed by her unraveling and gives her huge monologues to work with.
[no dialogue]
HAXAN (1922) on Criterion Channel
A legendary silent documentary about witches, devils, possessed nuns and more in the Middle Ages. Imaginative and funny with some truly wild moments. Streaming roulette (where we just move the scroll bar around and freeze to share whatever random image comes up) landed on this image of a devil looming over a naked woman during what's basically a devil orgy sequence. The cut right after this is an extremely dirty joke... 1922!
-Everybody likes you. Everybody wants to talk to you
-I don't want to talk to everybody. I just want to talk to you.
GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S CABINET OF CURIOUSITIES (Season 1) on Netflix
There are two episodes released each day of this anthology series. They're all introduced Twilight Zone style by the beloved Oscar winning Guillermo Del Toro though each episode has a different director. We've only watched two thus far, Guillermo Navarro's "Lot 36" in which a hateful man (Tim Blake Nelson) gets quite a surprise when he buys an abandoned storage unit and Ana Lily Amirpour's "The Outside" in which an awkward woman (Kate Micucci) becomes obsessed with a beauty lotion that has horrific side effects much to her husband's (Martin Starr) dismay. The series has a fantastic lineup of directors all told -- can't wait to watch The Babadook reunion of Jennifer Kent and Essie Davis called "The Murmuring. Most anthology series end up being wildly uneven. Will this be an exception?
Side note: How do you feel about Amirpour's work? I'm all over the place with her filmography from love (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night) to like with reservations (this and Mona Lisa Blood Moon) all the way to loathe (The Bad Batch) but she's always giving an actual artist's point of view and that's a thrill.
[no dialogue]
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (2022) on Netflix
The original film version of this World War I book in 1930 (deservedly) won Best Picture. A lot of people are crazy about this new adaptation, too, from German writer/director Edward Berger. If the fervor for it gains steam it might end up in more Oscar races than just Best International Feature Film.
Killer picked his moment. Probably knew the victim
DEVIL'S HOUR (Season 1) on Prime
Jessica Raine, Peter Capaldi, and Nikesh Patel star in this thriller about a woman who wakes up every night at exactly 3:33 AM.
If you're not feeling the holiday spookiness, there are other new options too...
-What's that old movie actress that's blonde?
-Marilyn?
-Yeah. I think I'm going to call her Marilyn
BITTERBRUSH (2022) on Hulu
Glenn raved about this observational documentary, released this summer, about two women herding cattle in the American west. How funny that streaming roulette landed me on this image where the women name a horse after Marilyn Monroe. The line "what's that old movie actress that's blonde?" made be guffaw. Um... 85% of them?
Moseley: I'm sorry you'll miss the filming
Baxter: Will you watch it while we're away?
Moseley: I will if they let me.
DOWNTON ABBEY: A NEW ERA (2022) on Amazon Prime
It's unlikely they'll make a third Downton Abbey movie but we kinda wish they would make one every year. The second movie is as delightful as usual even though they separate that perfect familiar cast into two halves. Half of them go abroad for a Dame Maggie Smith centric story revolving around a surprise villa inheritance, the other half stay at Downton where the estate is overrun by Hollywood types for the filming of a silent movie. Hijinxs ensue. The gay storyline needed a bit more emotional or screentime investment to land (in ensemble films you can only do so much) but Moseley's storyline is extremely satisfying!
Her collection, even in its infancy was well known and important.
THE FRENCH DISPATCH (2021) on Hulu
Underrrated Wes Anderson. Despite the nature of multi-story movies (or anthology tv series) which always results in some uneven qualities, this one is mostly delightful. Tilda Swinton, pictured above, and other regulars are always obviously having a ton of fun with their caricatures in Anderson pictures.
I don't need a reason to call you. I was just calling. I can be calling you to hear your voice... and I need you to bail me out... of jail.
CONFESS FLETCH (2022) on Showtime
Have any of you seen this? Some critics really loved it though it was like the studio was trying to bury it despite it being a reboot of a profitable 80s franchise (that starred Chevy Chase back then) with a well liked star (Jon Hamm). Strange.
More Options
THE GOOD NURSE (2022) on Netflix - which we've discussed
DRAGULA TITANS (Season 1) on Shudder -- which we've discussed
Later this weekend
THE WHITE LOTUS (Season 2 Premiere) HBO Max on October 30th
CRIMES OF THE FUTURE (2022) on Hulu October 31st
Reader Comments (3)
I saw Wendell and Wild last month at TIFF and pretty much reacted the same way. Beautiful animation and wildly inventive character design, but the story was overstuffed and underwhelming. It is even more disappointing that the two title characters are barely in the movie and Key and Peele feel strangely muted.
Sorry but I can't buy anyone other than Chevy Chase as Fletch.
That's a shame re W&W. Could've been Sellick's year given the Pixar and Disney stuff hasn't been so loud due to the Disney+ of it all.