Must-stream movies
Kiwis could still yet see cinemas reopen with appropriate social distancing measures next month, but don’t expect any big-screen blockbusters for the next wee while.
Instead, it’s likely to be smaller films and arthouse fare – and even those might not fire up until June. That means your home is still the most likely place to see new movies in May.
Netflix’s vast lineup of international fare includes French thriller Get In (May 1), Michelle Obama documentary Becoming (May 6), Italian drama
18 Presents (May 8), and David Spade comedy The Wrong Missy (May 8).
Elsewhere, Lightbox debuts Aaron Eckhart actioner Line of Duty (May 13), Alexander Skarsgard war tale The Kill Team (May 6) and Naomie Harrisstarring cop drama Black and Blue (May 13).
Amazon Prime Video adds director Alex Gibney’s look at post-Soviet Russia,
Citizen K, on May 1.
Those craving festival-type films should also check out YouTube from May 29, when the
10-day, global cinematic celebration We Are One is scheduled to begin streaming.
However, after looking through the various streaming and on-demand services’ lineups, Stuff has come up with a list of eight great-looking flicks we’re excited to see.
All Day and a Night (Netflix, May 1)
Black Panther screenwriter Joe
Robert Cole steps behind the camera for this tale about a young aspiring rapper whose tragic mistake sees him wind up in prison alongside his father.
Westworld’s Jeffrey Wright and Moonlight’s Ashton Sanders star.
The Half of it (Netflix, May 1) Nancy Drew’s Leah Lewis plays Ellie Chu, a smart, but cashstrapped teen who agrees to write a love letter for one of her sportier classmates, only to discover herself also falling for his crush.
A modern day take on Edmond Rostand’s 1897 classic play Cyrano de Bergerac.
The Lovebirds
(Netflix, May 22)
Issa Rae and Kumail Nanjiani team up for this crime comedy about a couple who become unintentionally embroiled in a murder mystery.
As their journey to clear their names takes them from one extreme circumstance to the next, they must figure out how they, and their relationship, can survive the night.
Motherless Brooklyn (Lightbox, May 20)
Edward Norton directed, wrote and stars in this 1950s-set detective story about a man with Tourette’s syndrome who attempts to solve the murder of his mentor and only friend.
The impressive cast also includes Bruce Willis, Bobby Cannavale, Willem Dafoe, Alex Baldwin and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.
Run This Town (Lightbox, May 20)
Inspired-by-the-truth drama about a young Toronto newspaper reporter who accidentally finds out some scandalous information about the city’s controversial mayor, Rob Ford.
‘‘Smart, ambitious and impressive, this is the best kind of feature directing debut, a film that entertains and makes you look forward to what will come next,’’ wrote LA Times’ Kenneth Turan.
Spaceship Earth (Doc Play, May 11)
Documentary that focuses on the stranger-than-fiction adventure of the eight ‘‘visionaries’’ who, in 1991, spent two years quarantined inside Biosphere 2, a selfengineered replica of Earth’s ecosystem.
‘‘The must-see documentary for a world living under quarantine,’’ wrote Movie Nation’s Roger Moore.
The Truth (iTunes, May 6)
French acting royalty Catherine Deneuve and Juliette Binoche join forces with Ethan Hawke for this tale about an ageing movie star whose memoirs cause all sorts of angst for her family.
Directed by Shoplifting’s Palme d’Or-winning Japanese director Hirokazu Kore-eda.
The Vast of Night (Amazon Prime Video, May 29)
Atmospheric 1950s-set thriller about a young switchboard operator and a charismatic radio DJ who discover a strange audio frequency that could change their small town and the future forever.
‘‘A gentle thriller that chooses to impress with ingenuity and charm instead of special effects,’’ wrote Variety’s Amy Nicholson.