At home. Hidden Gems that are Streaming Now
Looking for a good movie? Well, pop the popcorn. Get cozy on the couch. And enjoy one of these lesser-known gems that you can stream today.
Netflix
Mississippi Grind. A taut buddy gambling road-trip film with a nail-biting, satisfying climax. The chemistry between Ben Mendelsohn (Bloodline, Ready Player One) and a career-best Ryan Reynolds (Deadpool, The Proposal) is utterly palpable. Directed/written by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck (Captain Marvel, It’s Kind of a Funny Story). Runtime: 108 minutes. Rated R for language.
The One I Love. A very quirky, low-key sci-fi flick that’s also a fun, clever meditation about enduring love and marriage. The performances by Mark Duplass (The Morning Show, Safety Not Guaranteed) and Elizabeth Moss (The Handmaid’s Tale, Mad Men) are very playful, adding to the film’s charm and mystery. Directed by Charlie McDowell (The Discovery). Runtime: 91 minutes. Rated R for language, some sexuality and drug use.
Amazon Prime
Eighth Grade. Musician/comedian Bo Burnham (what, Make Happy) crafts one of the most honest and authentic coming-of-age films ever, bolstered by a star-making performance from Elsie Fisher (Despicable Me, Castle Rock). Both hilariously awkward and awkwardly hilarious, it also contains a surprising amount of heart. Runtime: 94 minutes. Rated R for language and some sexual material.
Love and Mercy. A beautiful, heartbreaking portrait of one of rock music’s most treasured artists. The film focuses on not only one, but two key periods in Brian Wilson’s life (where he’s played by both Paul Dano (Little Miss Sunshine, There Will Be Blood) and John Cusack (High Fidelity, Being John Malkovich)), and it gracefully juggles between them both like it’s nothing. Directed by Bill Pohlad. Runtime: 121 minutes (Also streaming on Hulu). Rated PG-13 for thematic elements, drug content, and language.
Hulu
Colossal. This is a film that has as much fun with its oddball, high-concept premise as possible while also deftly using it to explore its very poignant themes. Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries, Les Misérables) fires on all cylinders here with a cast that includes Jason Sudeikis (Horrible Bosses, We’re the Millers) and Austin Stowell (Whiplash, Bridge of Spies) among others. Directed/written by Nacho Vigalondo (Into the Dark’s Pooka!, V/H/S: Viral). Runtime: 110 minutes. Rated R for language.
Hunt for the Wilderpeople. Before he became a household name with films like Thor: Ragnarok and Jojo Rabbit, Taika Waititi wrote/directed this dryly hilarious and uncannily epic tale featuring a breakout Julian Dennison (Deadpool 2), who works heartwarming wonders with veteran Sam Neill (Jurassic Park, Event Horizon) as they traverse the gorgeously shot New Zealand wilds together. Runtime: 101 minutes. Rated PG-13 for thematic elements including violent content, and for some language.
HBO NOW
Blinded by the Light. Gushing with charm and soul, this film is a testament to the power that any art can have on people of any race, background, or culture. Blending timely social themes with the timeless music of Bruce Springsteen, the film is certain to worm your way into your heart the same way The Boss did to the film’s main character. Directed by Gurinder Chadha (Bend it Like Beckham, Bride and Prejudice). Runtime: 117 minutes. Rated PG-13 for thematic material and language including some ethnic slurs
Can You Ever Forgive Me? Melissa McCarthy (Bridesmaids, Spy) gives a simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking career-best performance as author/forger Lee Israel, who is paired deliciously with Richard E. Grant (The Age of Innocence, Bram Stoker’s Dracula) to make for a super-compelling dramedy. Directed by Marrielle Heller (A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood, The Diary of a Teenage Girl). Runtime: 107 minutes. Rated R for language including some sexual references, and brief drug use.