Santa doesn’t need to jump through your chimney and invade your privacy in order to gift you some great things. Neon, Netflix, and every other On Demand platform has you covered for holiday movie marathons this Christmas.
New to Neon
The Danish Girl
Academy Award winner Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything) and director Tom Hooper (The Kings Speech) pair up for this true love story inspired by Lili Elbe (Redmayne) and Gerda Wegener (Alicia Vikander in an Oscar-winning role), a married couple whose unbreakable union helped Lili transition from a man to a woman. “The truth of Lili in Redmayne’s extraordinary portrayal of her shines bright.” -Leonie Hayden, FLICKS. Available from 21st December
Krampus
The Christmas devil (based on Alpine folklore) seeks to punish the naughty in this horror comedy starring Adam Scott (TV’s Parks and Recreation), Toni Collette (Miss You Already) and David Koechner (Anchorman). From the director of cult horror anthology Trick ‘r Treat. “Nasty enough to leave an impression.” -GUARDIAN. Available from 22nd December
The Royals Season Three
Third season of the English drama about a fictional British royal family set in modern day London. Available now
Quarry Season One
First season of the 1972-set crime drama from the people behind Rectify, starring Logan Marshall-Green (Prometheus) about a damaged and looked-down-upon Vietnam War veteran who is forced to take up employment as a hitman. Available now
Steve Jobs
Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire) and screenwriter Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) open an unconventional window into the life of Steve Jobs in this Golden Globe-winning drama. “All respect to Leo, but Fassbender deserves an award just for getting through the dialogue here alone.” -Dominic Corry, FLICKS. Available this month
The Rialto Collection – Available Now
There’s also a glorious heap of independent films handpicked by the Rialto team.
People Places Things, the comedic drama starring Jemaine Clement as a solo father of two.
A Royal Night Out, the true story following Princess Elizabeth and her sister Margaret who let loose the night WWII allied forces came home as victors.
Bone Tomahawk, the nasty horror Western starring Kurt Russell.
Madame Bovary, an adaptation of the classic novel from director Sophie Barthes and starring Mia Wasikowska.
X+Y, the heartfelt UK drama about a socially-awkward teenage maths genius starring Asa Butterfield and Sally Hawkins.
The Wolfpack, the too-strange-to-be-true doco about a group of brothers locked in their room for most of their lives and embracing movies as an outlet.
Holding the Man, Australian romantic drama following the 15-year-long love story between John, the football jock, and Tim, the actor with aspirations.
New to Netflix
Barry
Netflix’s Barack Obama biopic – set during his time as a student at Columbia University, New York City. Available now
Spectral
A special-ops team is dispatched to fight supernatural beings that have taken over a European city in this Netflix Original sci-fi thriller starring James Badge Dale (The Departed). Available now
(500) Days of Summer
Before doing The Amazing Spider-Man, director Marc Webb made this unconventional love story: Boy meets girl. Boy falls in love. Girl doesn’t. “An instantly accessible film, un-schmaltzy, with all the hooks and sunny choruses of a pop song.” -Andrew Hedley, FLICKS. Available now
Seeking a Friend for the End of the World
End-of-the-world comedy starring Steve Carell and Keira Knightley as two neighbours who decide to help each other make the most of their remaining days. Available now
White Girl
Feature debut from writer-director Elizabeth Wood that is being compared to ’90s coming-of-age cult classic Kids. “Seductive and repellent by turns, it’s a title that will provoke fierce love-or-hate reactions, but there’s no question it augurs the arrival of a powerful, audacious new directorial talent.” -HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. Available now
Matilda
The 1996 family fantasy adventure adaptation of the Roald Dahl classic, following a magical girl with a lovely teacher. She also has horrible parents and an even horrible-r school principal. Available from 21st December
Other People
After a breakup with his boyfriend, a young man (Jesse Plemons, TV’s Fargo) ends his year of hell by taking care of his dying mother (Molly Shannon, Me and Earl and the Dying Girl) in this dramedy. Available now
Twilight 1 – 4
Up for a marathon of the fantasy teen romance that sent audiences nuts? Available now: Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, Breaking Dawn Part 1, Breaking Dawn Part 2
New to Everything Else
The Rehearsal
New Zealand feature based on the debut novel by Eleanor Catton and starring James Rolleston (The Dark Horse). “An engaging drama that deserves to be seen…” -Adam Fresco, FLICKS. Available from 21st December
Tickled
Investigative documentary following New Zealand journalist David Farrier and his discovery of the bizarre and troubling world of competitive tickling. “Much like being strapped down to a tickle chair, things quickly go from chuckle-worthy weirdness to uncomfortably intense.” -Liam Maguren, FLICKS. Available now
Sully
Clint Eastwood directs Tom Hanks in the role of Chelsey Sullenberger, the “Miracle on the Hudson” pilot who saved lives with an incredible crash landing only to be criticised for his actions. “The soul of the film resides in Hanks’ flawlessly tuned performance.” -Liam Maguren, FLICKS. Available now
The Infiltrator
Bryan Cranston leads this true-story crime drama as a US Customs official who discovers a money laundering scheme connected to Pablo Escobar. “Cranston changes his character from regular Joe to raging psycho – and you believe it utterly. He’s extraordinary.” -ROLLING STONE. Available from 21st December
Sausage Party
Animated comedy from Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg following a gang of supermarket foods who discover the horrible truth about their existence. “Those that enjoy these foul-mouthed fornicating foods will find plenty of dumb, and maybe some not-as-dumb-as-you-think, moments of comic satisfaction.” -Steve Newall, FLICKS. Available now
The BFG
Steven Spielberg and the late screenwriter of E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial adapt Roald Dahl’s 1982 novel. “The BFG turns out a winner, blending Dahl’s big imagination with a surprisingly simple tale at its core that’ll defy you to not be won over.” -Steve Newall, FLICKS. Available now
Bridget Jones’s Diary
Renée Zellweger returns alongside Colin Firth and Patrick Dempsey in the third instalment in the Bridget Jones franchise. “Rosy, relatable and entertaining enough for a rewatch with some takeaways and a bottle of wine.” -Leonie Hayden, FLICKS. Available from 21th December
Don’t Breathe
From the writer and director of 2013’s Evil Dead comes this suspense thriller following a young trio who rob the wrong blind man. “A nasty little addition to the minor 2016 horror boom…” -Dominic Corry, FLICKS. Available from 21st December
