Streaming in a theater very near you
It’s becoming obvious that the COVID-19 crisis is likely to have a lasting impact on the way we live, more so for some than others, but an impact all the same. What the long term holds is yet to be determined, but for the here and now it’s no surprise that Netflix, HBO, Amazon Prime and — considering schools are closed — family-friendly Disney+ subscriptions have spiked everywhere they’re available. But there’s more out there for movie buffs than
Frozen II and the baffling curiosity that is the Tiger Joe phenomenon.
If it’s unfiltered entertainment you’re after, Guy
Ritchie is back in (familiar) form with his singular brand of rough-edged, urban, Brit-gangster mayhem in The Gentlemen, a silly, foul-mouthed crime romp buoyed by recognizable faces playing against type. The story revolves around an American marijuana grower in London trying to sell his business and retire with his fetching, deadly wife. It’s Ritchie, so double, triple, and quintuple-crosses abound, as does creatively convoluted profanity, but the director is blessed with (in particular) Colin Farrell, Hugh Grant and Michelle Dockery channeling her Lady Mary Crawley act from Downton Abbey — riotously. It’s a blessedly long way from Aladdin.
On the other hand, The Lighthouse is arguably the most bizarre, perplexing and visually arresting film of last year and in truth deserves to be seen on the big screen. But in a way director Robert Eggers’ (The Witch) mind-bender is ideally suited to streaming, as that way you can take a break from the weirdness and resume when your waking fever dream has passed. The story about two 19thcentury lighthouse keepers going out of their minds when a storm strands them on the island is among the most unique of the last decade, and no one could accuse co-stars Willem
Dafoe and Robert Pattinson of phoning in their performances. Not for everyone, but worth it for those who appreciate offbeat psychological horror.
Like Ritchie, Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar produced one of his strongest films of the last few years with the vaguely autobiographical Pain and Glory, starring his regular muse Antonio Banderas as Salvador, essentially Almodóvar. The filmmaker within the film reflects on his life and career and reconnects with his estranged muse, now played by Asier Etxeandia. Yes, it’s as meta as it sounds, and Penélope Cruz is of course on hand to play Jacinta, the mother with whom Salvador has a complicated relationship. It’s one of Almodóvar’s most personal films, and because of that it’s also among his bests.
Finally, staying with Spanish masters, Salvador Simo’s animated feature Bunuel in the Labyrinth of the Turtles ranks with Loving Vincent for creative biopics. Based on a graphic novel and revolving around Bunuel’s efforts to complete 1933’s controversial and, to this day, fascinating Land Without Bread, the film blends the stylized renderings with Bunuel’s film and never shies away from confronting the artist’s penchant for shaping the truth in his landmark documentary.