This week’s FIELD OF STREAMS highlights a delightful story of unmet expectations.
Welcome to Field of Streams, Cinapse’s weekly guide of what’s playing on your favorite streaming services. What’s new on Netflix and Amazon Prime? What do we recommend on Kanopy, Fandor, and Shudder? We’ve got it all. From monthly roundups, to curated top 5 lists, to reviews of our favorites available now… it’s here. We built it for you, so come and join us in the Field of Streams.
Feature Flick
HELLO I MUST BE GOING (Amazon Prime, Hulu, Fandor)
If Melanie Lynskey is the current queen of indie cinema, Hello I Must Be Going is her crowning jewel. Directed by Todd Louiso (who also directed Love Liza and played Dick in High Fidelity), this smart, sharp relationship drama features a little May-December action with relative youngster Christopher Abbott, as well as the insecurities of late parenthood with Blythe Danner and John Rubinstein. Never maudlin but also appropriately down-shifted, Hello is a small-movie masterpiece.
Noël Wells Mania
MR. ROOSEVELT (Netflix)
One of the breakout hits of SXSW 2017, Mr. Roosevelt showcases director and star Noël Wells in the perfect way. Filmed around Austin, this tale of an un-aspirational young woman confronted with a life she might have thought she wanted makes for a lovely story that’s equal parts funny and reflective.
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY (Netflix)
Happy Anniversary doesn’t do nearly as good a job as the previous film in capturing the magic of Noël Wells (and frankly, co-star Ben Schwartz isn’t in his best role either), but the total package still makes for a fun and funny rom-com from Netflix. Best bud Rahul Kohli adds a lot, as does the limited screen time we see from Kristin Bauer van Straten. It was also really nice seeing Joe Pantoliano and Annie Potts back on the small screen as the parental units.
Workaholics Anonymous
WHEN WE FIRST MET (Netflix)
Last week we suggested Game Over, Man! from the fellas behind Workaholics, which pairs nicely with When We First Met, if just a little more Adam Devine is needed. The likable lead gets a little sappy at time, but brings his trademark demeanor to bear along with Alexandra Daddario and Shelley Hennig. There’s a bit of a Groundhog Day thing going on here, but it is executed well, and the whole enterprise combines for a solid romantic affair.
Sun Don’t Shine
DARK STAR (Fandor)
For something completely different, hit up Fandor for 1974’s Dark Star, famous for being the the first feature film of the incredible duo of John Carpenter and Dan O’Bannon (who also stars). This isn’t the seriously scary stuff of Alien or Halloween, but it gives a glimpse of what’s to come in a space-based wacky adventure that’s equal parts 2001 and Monty Python.