‘Phantom Thread’ demands your attention
Shot through with an icy elegance that’s downright Hitchcockian, Paul Thomas Anderson’s “Phantom Thread” is a startlingly original melodrama that equates romance with one power struggle after another.
Daniel Day-Lewis is astonishing as a dashing fashion designer in 1950s London who casually picks up and discards girlfriends, with help from his slightly sinister sister (Leslie Manville.)
But he meets his match in a strong-willed waitress (Vicky Krieps) who becomes his lover and muse. By turns funny and unsettling, “Phantom Thread” sews up your attention from the first frame to the last. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu.
Also New to VOD and Streaming
Sweet Virginia: Largely set in a dingy motel in the middle of nowhere, Alaska, this superb thriller pulses to very dark and despairing beat. Christopher Abbott stars as a tightly wound hitman who commits three murders and then sticks around at the motel, run by a former rodeo star (Jon Bernthal), awaiting his payment. Rosemarie DeWitt and Imogen Poots deliver rich turns as two friends who get caught up in the twisty, “Blood Simple”esque plot. While “Sweet Virginia” is a little too selfconsciously poetic, it winds up being a quiet, slow-burn examination of the battle between good and evil. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu. Dolores: Chances are you have never heard of Dolores Huerta. But she is one of the most persistent activists of all time. Not only did she co-found the first farm workers union alongside Cesar Chavez but she marched for women’s rights and raised 11 children. This essential documentary from Peter Bratt restores Huerta to her rightful place in the history of civil rights champions. “Dolores” is inspiring, enlightening and deeply moving. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu. Gone Are The Days: Thanks to “Hostiles” and “The Ballad of Lefty Brown,” westerns are enjoying something of a comeback. This lowbudget oater isn’t as good as those two stunners but it still feels surprisingly fresh and original as it unleashes the story of a dying outlaw (Lance Henriksen) who staggers from his deathbed to try to make peace with his long-lost daughter (Meg Steedle) and settle a score with the town sheriff (Tom Berenger). What sets the film apart is how efficiently director Mark Landre Gould puts you Henriksen’s boots as he struggles down the rocky road to redemption. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu. The Americans - The Complete Fifth Season: Even if the penultimate season of the spy series is more slow than slow-burn, it’s fascinating watching KGB agents Philip and Elizabeth (Matthew Rhys, Keri Russell) learn anew the high personal cost of their dedication to their birth country. Particularly involving is the plotline involving their daughter (Holly Taylor) who is increasingly drawn into her parents’ secret job. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu. Jamestown: From the creators of “Downtown Abbey” comes a look the lives of three courageous, dynamic women who decide to leave their dark pasts behind in England, and make the journey of a lifetime across the ocean for a new life in 17th Century America. The cast
includes Sophie Rundle, Niamh Walsh and Naomi Battrick On PBS Passport. Teen Titles
Jasper Jones: Something of an Australian answer to “Stand By Me,” this engaging coming-of-age saga hinges on a murder mystery that rivets a small town ridden with secrets and lies. High-schooler Charlie (Levi Miller) is awakened one night by the town outcast (Aaron McGrath) who asks for help disposing of a body. Charlie soon discovers he doesn’t know who to trust as members of his village – and his own family – reveals sides of themselves he’s never seen. In addition to crafting a fine thriller, director Rachel Perkins also manages to explore how prejudice can get in the way of justice. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu. Permanent: First time writer/director Colette Burson cleverly uses a hairstyle-gone-awry to drive the plot of a coming-of-age comedy about Aurelie (Kyra McLean), a 13-year-old whose tight Afro makes her a laughing stock at her new school. Aurelie’s story, which involves embracing her flaws, winds up being charming but the too-broad storylines featuring her folks (Rainn Wilson, Patricia Arquette) don’t work nearly as well. Burson deserves credit for getting so many details of the 1980s just right but some of her comic choices could have used more restraint. On Amazon, Google, iTunes, Movies Anywhere and Vudu.
For The Kids
A Series of Unfortunate Events - Season 2: Neil Patrick Harris is back as Count Olaf in the latest batch of episodes based on Daniel Handler’s “A Series of Unfortunate Events” series. The action pivots on three orphans who have the misfortune of winding up in the care of the dastardly Olaf following their parents’ deaths. According to Variety, the new season will focus on books five through nine. On Netflix.