Spend some time with Dickinson or take another trip with ‘Rogue One’
Here’s a look at an interesting new release available to rent from cable and digital providers and a few titles that have recently become available on streaming services.
Video on Demand
“A Quiet Passion”: British director Terence Davis (“The House of Mirth”) takes a deep dive into the life of Emily Dickinson in this discerning biopic. Cynthia Nixon (“Sex and the City”) has been praised for her performance as the mild-mannered American poet. Davis manages to infuse humor into a potentially dour tale, even as some viewers might find the whole thing too melodramatic. This one is unlikely to find an audience beyond those who revel in a stilted costume drama, but if that’s up your alley, you’re going to love this. (Cable and digital VOD)
Also on streaming services
“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”: Branching out from the core canon, this is the first anthology film that tells a standalone origin story as part of the “Star Wars” saga. Gareth Edwards (who previously directed a stunningly effective low-budget genre picture simply called “Monsters”) takes us back to a timeline before the original film (“Episode IV”) and introduces us to the rebels who are trying to steal the plans for the construction of the Death Star. The refreshingly diverse cast is led by Felicity Jones (“A Monster Calls”), Diego Luna (“Y Tu Mama Tambien”), Donnie Yen (“Ip Man”) and Academy Award winner Forest Whitaker. There are loads of callbacks for hardcore fans, but the movie is perfectly suited for more casual viewers as an action-packed journey. Creepy bonus points for a CGI’d Princess Leia cameo. (Netflix)
“Tour de Pharmacy”: In conjunction with their recent premiere of the hysterical satire “Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping,” HBO have let the crew from the Lonely Island make another outrageous sports mockumentary. Narrated by Jon Hamm and using lots of footage shot with Betamax and VHS cameras to replicate the look of early ’80s broadcasts, we’re given a look at an imagined 1982 version of the Tour de France that comes down to only five riders who were not using performance-enhancing drugs while riding. Andy Samberg and Orlando Bloom star as the two lead cyclists followed on the road by a BBC broadcaster ( James Marsden) chronicling the race. The “archival” footage is cut against modern-day interviews with the riders who are played by a surprising array of actors including Jeff Goldblum, Danny Glover and Dolph Lundgren. Jam-packed with unexpected cameos (including Lance Armstrong mocking his own scandals), this jaw-droppingly offensive short film is one of the most hysterical things I’ve seen in a long time. Gloriously stupid in all the right ways, save this one for when you crave some over-thetop laughter. (HBO Now)