Dear friends,
Happy Friday, sent with my wishes for good health to you and your family this weekend and for the weeks ahead.
Today’s issue is a special edition: “the best of the rest”. This newsletter usually focuses on streaming giants Netflix and Amazon Prime, but in this issue, we take a look at the other platforms.
So instead of our usual two top picks, here are ten movie picks for ten different platforms.
Do you only have Netflix and/or Amazon? Check out the picks for Tubi, Crackle, and Kanopy, which are free streaming services. Kanopy requires a library card or university login whereas Tubi and Crackle are completely free (they run on ads).
What do you think of this special edition? Should this become a recurring thing? Should it never happen again? Please don’t hesitate to let me know your thoughts by replying to this e-mail.
Our top movie pick for Hulu
THE GUILTY | 🍅 rating: 98%
I’ve rarely experienced a movie as thrilling as this one.
It has a very simple set-up: one agent in the equivalent of a 911 center in Denmark. He receives a call that turns his night (and life) around.
Grab someone and go watch this with them so that you have someone to discuss it with when it’s over.
Our top movie pick for HBO NOW
BLINDSPOTTING | 🍅 rating: 94%
Blindspotting is a buddy comedy with a lot of substance. It tells the story of two movers, one black and one white, as they have various interactions in their city of Oakland.
It’s an easy-flowing movie but it has commentary on gentrification and race that will stay with you.
Our top movie pick for SHOWTIME
OPERATION ODESSA | 🍅 rating: 100%
This documentary is the crazy true story of how the FBI, Pablo Escobar, and the Russian Mafia were scammed by three outsiders in a $35 Million submarine deal. The deal itself is only the culmination of the movie, as it involves crazy stories such as going to post-Soviet Russia, borrowing helicopters for $500 a day and landing them in city centers to ask for directions.
A crazy, fun, and really well-made movie.
Our top movie pick for Kanopy
YOU CAN COUNT ON ME | 🍅 rating: 95%
Written and directed by Kenneth Lonergan (Manchester by the Sea) and featuring the ever-reliable Mark Ruffalo as well as a fantastic performance from Laura Linney, You Can Count on Me is a beautifully told story of siblings growing apart and later finding each other again.
Sammy (Linney) helped raise her younger brother Terry (Ruffalo) after they were orphaned at an early age. Now a single mother, she has to help Terry again after he comes back after a long absence.
Our top movie pick for Tubi
A GUIDE TO RECOGNIZING YOUR SAINTS | 🍅 rating: 76%
Robert Downey Jr., Channing Tatum, and Shia LaBeouf star in this powerful drama about growing up in 80’s Astoria, New York. It follows the memoirs of the author, director, and musician Dito Montiel as he visits his ailing father after 15 years of not speaking with him.
Our top movie pick for CRACKLE
HELLO, MY NAME IS DORIS | 🍅 rating: 76%
Doris Miller is an unassuming sixty-something office worker who falls head over heels for John, a much younger co-worker. She dives headfirst into the world of social media, electro-pop, and Brooklyn hipsterdom in this comedy starring Sally Field.
Our top movie pick for STARZ
THE RIDER | 🍅 rating: 76%
The Rider is based on the true story of Brady Jandereau, an ex-rodeo star who suffered from an injury that took him away from riding horses. This is the best part: in the movie, he actually plays himself. His friends in the movie are his real-life friends. And the horse taming scenes are real wild horses being trained (by him).
The line between reality and the filmmaking process is so thin here. An absolutely mesmerizing movie, directed by Chinese filmmaker Chloe Zhao. The Rider. Don’t miss it.
Our top movie pick for CINEMAX
LOVE, SIMON | 🍅 rating: 92%
An easy yet original coming-of-age story about Simon, a high-schooler with great parents, great friends, and one big secret he’s not telling either. It’s not a particularly complex movie, and it may not be one you’ll remember forever, but it’s easy to have a pleasant time watching it. And if you’re OK with that, its takes on finding one’s identity and the negative impact of keeping secrets from our loved ones might surprise you in their depth.
Our top movie pick for EPIX
MUD | 🍅 rating: 97%
This is one of Mathew McConaughey’s best-ever performances. He plays a fugitive staring next to Tye Sheridan as a boy he gets close to and Reese Witherspoon as a love interest. A sweet and well-performed Southern drama.
Our top movie pick for The Criterion Collection
STILL WALKING | 🍅 rating: 100%
From the director of Shoplifters, Still Walking is a quiet Japanese movie about 24 hours in the life of a family gathering to remember the passing of a son. At the center of the story is the father, an emotionally distant man who commands respect both from his family and community. Opposite from him is the black sheep, the other son, who strives for his father’s validation. This dynamic is one of many depicted in this slice-of-life movie about how families deal with loss. It might seem like little is happening during the first stages, but the realism and subtlety with which the story is handled will gradually suck you into the beautiful atmosphere of Still Walking. And however distant the culture or setting in Japan may seem, you’re bound to recognize either yourself or your family in this movie.
That’s it for this week. The next (normal) edition will be in your inbox Friday, March 20th.
Once again if you have any feedback on this e-mail, please don’t hesitate to reach out. This newsletter is made for you and it only works if you’re satisfied with its format.
Best,
Bilal