With a seemingly endless amount of streaming options — not only the titles at our disposal, but services themselves — we’ve taken it upon ourselves to highlight the titles that have recently hit the interwebs. Every week, one will be able to see the cream of the crop (or perhaps some simply interesting picks) of streaming titles (new and old) across platforms such as Netflix, iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, and more (note: U.S. only). Check out our rundown for this week’s selections below.
Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead (Douglas Tirola)
While the last few decades or so of National Lampoon’s output has been less than stellar, their influence through their humor magazine and films such as the original Vacation and Animal House can still be felt today. For those curious about the formation of the group and their rise to ubiquitous status, a new documentary looks to provide the behind-the-scenes story. Douglas Tirola‘s Drunk Stoned Brilliant Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon premiered at Sundance earlier this year and it’s now available on VOD. – Jordan R.
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes, Google
Iris (Albert Maysles)
In 1970, David and Albert Maysles unleashed their seminal documentary Gimme Shelter. The brothers captured the violent events at the 1969 Altamont Speedway Festival with the Rolling Stones playing out an era of “peace and love.” Gimme Shelter is molded into a masterful set of images and moments that are explosive, dangerous, and alluring — much like the music of rock ‘n’ roll. Throughout their celebrated and prolific career, the Maysles siblings explored vast worlds, a portrait of American salesmen or the reclusive world of society’s elite in East Hampton making for some of their most iconic works. – Zade C. (full review)
Where to Stream: Netflix
Magic Mike XXL (Gregory Jacobs)
Everyone’s favorite male stripper (sorry, male entertainer) is back. Only this time, he’s gone legit! It’s been three years and Mike Lane (Channing Tatum) is running his furniture business with some limited success in Tampa. And while we see that dreams sometimes really do come true, good ole Mike can’t resist the pull of the stage when his friends come back into town. Dallas (Matthew McConaughey) and The Kid (Alex Pettyfer) are gone, but the rest of the crew is back, including Big Dick Richie (Joe Manganiello), Ken (Matt Bomer), Tarzan (Kevin Nash), and Tito (Adam Rodriguez). Before long, they’re on the road headed to Myrtle Beach for “The Convention.” What follows is little more than a sometimes-belabored excuse for our shirt-tearing heroes to dance and dance. And dance. – Dan M. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes, Google
The Primary Instinct (David Chen)
His roles in Groundhog Day, Memento, Deadwood, and over 200 other projects have provided a glimpse at the talents of Stephen Tobolowsky, a character actor who can morph into virtually any sort of role. For the last few years he’s opened up about his experiences in front of the camera as well as the many adventures of his life on The Tobolowsky Files, a podcast hosted by David Chen. Realizing a different avenue to capture Tobolowsky’s storytelling talent, Chen Kickstarted a documentary feature to capture a live performance. The result is The Primary Instinct, which, after a festival run, is now available on VOD. It’s quite eye-opening to see how Tobolowsky can oscillate from genuine humor to poignant observations on humanity on a dime. – Jordan R.
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes, Google
Saint Laurent (Bertrand Bonello)
Definitive proof that the common bias against biopics is bullshit. Most indicative of this, sadly, is its mild reception, for if Bertrand Bonello’s latest picture had approached a fictional figure with the exact same film, shot-for-shot and perfect-cue-for-perfect-cue, much of the “critical wisdom” that surrounded it — e.g. claims that he’s been forced to adhere to genre conventions and serve a specific, pre-set trajectory — would melt away. But the fact that it’s chronicling a real-life figure with whom we’re all at least a bit familiar (or so the director very much seems to assume) is the crux of this drama, one of the year’s most elegantly mounted for its manipulation of reflective services, time jumps, title cards, and, in what is perhaps its master stroke, a Proustian third act that jumbles distinctions between time, memory, the real, and the imagined. Bonello is bold enough to make “I Put a Spell on You” Saint Laurent’s declaration to audiences at the outset, and the film stakes its claim through nearly every one of its 150 intoxicating minutes. – Nick N.
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes, Google
San Andreas (Brad Peyton)
Can you call a movie a disaster flick without the President of the United States declaring a state of emergency? While I ask in jest, we do expect such a sobering announcement to arrive with music soaring and heroic platitudes raining down. It never comes here, though, and its absence might be the best thing about San Andreas, since it means the chaos inflicted on poor unsuspecting pixels pretending to be Californian cities doesn’t spread internationally. The shockwaves of this cataclysmic event surely go farther than the West Coast, but director Brad Peyton and writer Carlton Cuse never waste our time finding out. They remain centered on the titular fault, place all emotional and physical heavy lifting onto the shoulders of one family, and hope we don’t realize what ten minutes without oxygen does to the human brain. – Jared M. (full review)
Where to Stream: Amazon, iTunes, Google
Also New to Streaming
Amazon
Ashby
Batkid Begins
A Brave Heart: The Lizzie Velasquez Story
Misunderstood
Pay the Ghost
Wildlike
Netflix