New movies available on demand
“Greenland”: With a comet bearing down on Earth, a man races to get his estranged wife and young son to safety — if possible, the same safe haven in Greenland where America's leaders are being sent in secret. Gerard Butler, Morena Baccarin and Hope Davis star in this apocalyptic action movie, which had been expected to be one of this summer's big action movies before the COVID-19 pandemic ruined everything. It's been shifted to premium video on demand, available starting Friday.
“Modern Persuasion”: A workaholic's (Alicia Witt) firm is hired by the guy she let get away (Shane McRae) so she could concentrate on her career in this new romance, billed as a modern telling of Jane Austen's “Persuasion.” Available on demand Friday.
“Hunter Hunter”: A fur-trapping family realize they are being hunted by a rogue wolf, so one of them sets out to hunt him back. Devon Sawa, Nick Stahl and Camille Sullivan star. Available on demand Friday.
“Chasing the Rain”: Hardships force a shy photographer to face his demons in this new drama, written and directed by Cindy Jansen. Available on demand Friday.
Movies that were in theaters before streaming, available on demand Friday: “The Croods: A New Age”
Sofa Cinema
With the Oriental Theatre closed for renovations during the pandemic, Sofa Cinema, Milwaukee Film's virtual theater, adds new titles each Friday, available for online rental at New this week: “Rare Exports: A Christmas Tale,” a Finnish black comedy about the mayhem that's unleashed when an archaeological dig unearths the real Santa Claus; and “Jingle Bell Rocks!”, in which a filmmaker sets out to find the 12 best underappreciated Christmas songs, with help from, among others, Joseph (Rev. Run) Simmons of Run-D.M.C., the Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne, filmmaker John Waters and cult-music legend Dr. Demento.
More local online film events
UWM Union Cinema: The Union Cinema is closed for the pandemic for the semester, but it's still showing movies online — for free, with links posted at
This week's offering: the UWM Film Department's biannual Senior Screenings, made up of new work by students, available through Dec. 25.
New films on streaming services
“Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”: Viola Davis and Chadwick Boseman (in his final role) are both getting major Oscar buzz for their performances in this new adaptation of August Wilson's stage masterpiece about the title blues legend as her life, and the world it inhabits, reach a crossroads. On Netflix starting Friday.
“Sylvie’s Love”: A woman working in her father's record store in 1950s Harlem falls in love with a saxophone player; years later, they reconnect. Tessa Thompson, Nnamdi Asomugha, Eva Longoria, Aja Naomi King, Wendi McLendon-Covey and Tone Bell star in this new romance. On Amazon Prime starting Wednesday.
“Give Me Liberty”: A Milwaukee medical transit driver has to navigate around challenging charges, a charming but no-nonsense client and riots after a police shooting in this comedy-drama, filmed in Milwaukee with a number of Milwaukee faces in the cast. Streaming exclusively on Mubi starting Sunday.
“After We Collided”: Those crazy kids who fell in love, and then fell out, in the young-adult romance “After” are back, trying their best at adulting while trying to decide whether they'll get back together. On Netflix starting Tuesday.