‘To The Bone’ cuts bone-deep
Maybe because “To The Bone” is a semi-autobiographical drama based on the experiences of TV veteran Marti Noxon (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer”), who makes her feature film writing and directing debut, it has the overwhelming sting of truth.
A never-better Lily Collins stars as a rebellious 20-year-old named Ellen who has spent the better part of her teenage years struggling with anorexia.
Determined to find a solution, her dysfunctional family (Carrie Preston, Lili Taylor) agrees to send her to a group home overseen by a non-traditional doctor (Keanu Reeves). Once there, Ellen is surprised by the unusual rules and won over by her fellow patients. Slowly but surely, she begins to confront her addiction and fight her demons.
Blessed with terrific turns by Collins and Reeves, “To The Bone” is a harrowing watch. But Noxon also manages to inject plenty of humor into the film, which ensures that the message of self-acceptance doesn’t come off as too preachy. “To The Bone” is a must-see. On Netflix. Also New To VOD and Streaming A Woman, A Part: Temple University professor Elisabeth Subrin makes an astonishing feature film directorial debut with this potent study of a gifted but weary actress (“Mad Men’s” Maggie Siff) who flees the set of her TV show to take measure of her life and to reconnect with her New York friends (John Ortiz, Cara Seymour.) Not only does this indie drama serve as a sly Hollywood satire and a look at a working actor’s life but it also probes such topics as addiction, ambition and friendship. The acting is top-notch too, with all three leads bringing dimension to tricky roles. Bravo! On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu. Money: Here’s an effective crime thriller in which five characters, all with their own hidden agendas, take turns double-crossing each other. Kellan Lutz and Jesse Williams play Big Pharma executives who just earned $5 million selling company secrets to the competition. But, as they’re celebrating their big payday, a stranger (Jamie Bamber) strolls inside Lutz’s home and, gun in hand, tries to steal the money away from them. As the executives’ partners, Jess Weixler and Lucia Guerrero also figure into the action. “Money” is not above investing in some wellworn clichés but, in the end, it’s the inventive twists and turns which pay the richest dividends. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu. Fanny Hill: Screenwriter Andrew Davies, the genius behind “Bleak House,” brings his trademark wit and wisdom to this adaptation of 18th-century Britain’s most notorious novel. Rebecca Night stars as the title character, a survivor who narrates her journey from naïve lass to worldly woman. After losing her parents to smallpox, this impoverished country girl travels to London, where she falls into prostitution under the guidance of an infamous madam. Critics have raved about the series, which co-stars “Downton Abbey’s” Samantha Bond and Alison Steadman. On AcornTV. Chasing Coral: One of the littleknown effects of carbon emissions on the warming of the seas is mass coral death, or “coral bleaching.” This documentary tracks the efforts of a team of researchers and “coral nerds” to take a deep dive into Coral reefs around the world, demonstrating how coral is the nursery for all life in the oceans. Over the course of the movie, the team battles technical malfunctions and the forces of nature in pursuit of their golden fleece: documenting the indisputable and tragic transformation below the waves. With its gorgeous photography, nail-biting suspense, and startling emotion, “Chasing Coral” urges audiences to get involved in the fight against global warming. On Netflix. The Belko Experiment: Written by James Gunn (“Guardians of the Galaxy”), this thriller focuses on 80 office workers trapped in a Bogota, Columbia high-rise. As the day grinds on, they are instructed, by a voice over the intercom, to begin killing each other. There’s a few stabs at satire but Gunn misses many chances to poke fun at cutthroat corporate culture. Instead, the movie quickly devolves into a battle royale in which bands of employees (Tony Goldwyn, John Gallagher Jr., Adria Arjona) play cat and mouse with each other. It’s all gore, no substance and very little style. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu. For The Kids Buddy Thunderstruck - The Maybe Pile: Netflix continues its run of interactive TV shows with this children’s series that allows viewers to choose their own adventures and make decisions for key characters. “Buddy Thunderstruck” pivots on a truck-racing dog and pal Darnell. According to Netflix, there are eight different choices for what Buddy and Darnell do over the course of the show, all of which lead to four different possible endings. On Netflix. Smurfs - The Lost Village: In contrast to the previous pair of “Smurfs” movies, there’s no liveaction element to this threequel and that’s a good thing. Now set entirely in an animated universe, the flick celebrates the heroism of Smurfette (Demi Lovato) who, after freeing a trio of Smurfs from the clutches of the dastardly Gargamel (Rainn Wilson), winds up in Smurfy Grove, an enclave run by Smurf-willow (Julia Roberts). Along the way, there’s plenty of spills and thrills as the gang crosses paths with giant insects, Smurf-eating plants and glowing rabbits. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu. Spark - A Space Tail: An all star cast, including Susan Sarandon, Jessica Biel, Patrick Stewart and Hilary Swank lend their voices to this tale of a wisecracking monkey named Spark who stands between a power-hungry general and the destruction of the planet. Get ready for an action-packed space odyssey filled with humor and heart. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu. Teen Title Handsome Devil: John Butler’s crowd-pleasing teen comedy from Ireland earns all of its heartbreaking emotion and high spirits. A very appealing Fionn O’Shea stars as a much-bullied outsider at his school who winds up befriending a popular new student and rugby star (Nicholas Galitzine.) All the bullies think O’Shea is gay but it’s really Galitzine who’s in the closet. Yes, you’ve seen it all before but Butler finds fresh and charming ways to blend together tried-and-true elements. On Amazon, Google, iTunes and Vudu.