Welcome to this month’s treasure trove of films that are streaming on your favourite platform. From award-winning heavy hitters like Get Out to smaller releases that deserve more attention such as Harry Dean Stanton’s swansong Lucky, this list of flicks is well worth soaking up.
New to NEON
Get Out
Writer-director Jordan Peele won Best Original Screenplay at this year’s Oscars with this racially charged horror. “It’s ostensibly The Wicker Man remodeled for the #BlackLivesMatter era — smart, accessible, pin-sharp” -Aaron Yap, FLICKS
Available now | Feature: is Get Out a turning point for horror films at the Oscars?
Alien: Covenant
Ridley Scott’s gory follow-up to 2012’s Prometheus, starring Michael Fassbender and Katherine Waterston (Fantastic Beasts). “A fun digression in the Alien universe, but not much more.” -Tony Stamp, FLICKS
A Ghost Story
A deceased man returns as a bedsheet spirit that lingers around his own house in this art house film from David Lowery (Pete’s Dragon). “It’s full of memorable imagery but you’re never quite sure what it all means, if anything.” -Matt Glasby, FLICKS
Their Finest
A British film crew attempts to boost morale during WWII by making a propaganda film after the Blitzkrieg. Stars Gemma Arterton and Bill Nighy. “A romance in every sense, as infatuated with storytelling as it is with devastating matters of the heart.” -Alex Casey, FLICKS
Brimstone
Dakora Fanning and Guy Pearce lead this Golden Lion-nominated revenge Western about a birth that goes horribly wrong and the rage that follows. “Even when the film is horrible to look at, it’s beautiful, a strange and grim portrait of an annihilating American frontier.” -VANITY FAIR
Le Ride
Amazing Race star Phil Keoghan replicates the gruelling bike ride taken by Kiwi Harry Watson during the 1928 Tour de France. “An entertaining (if not hugely insightful) ride.” -Adam Fresco, FLICKS
Denial
Rachel Weisz gets into legal fisticuffs with Holocaust denier Timothy Spall in this true-story courtroom drama. “Timothy Spall… pulls out yet another mesmerising performance” -Paul Casserly, FLICKS
Una
Rooney Mara leads this psychological drama and a woman out to confront the man who sexually abused her as a teen (Ben Mendelsohn). “The ebb and flow of power throughout this film is part of its brilliant dynamic.” -FILMINK
This Beautiful Fantastic
Breezy British tale about a young aspiring author (Downton Abbey‘s Jessica Brown Findlay) and her cantankerous neighbour (Tom Wilkinson). “If whimsy’s your thing you’ll dig this offbeat, comedic, family-friendly, flight of fancy” -Adam Fresco, FLICKS
Snatched
Amy Schumer and Goldie Hawn lead this mother-daughter kidnapping comedy. “Not terrible, but far from great.” -Dominic Corry, FLICKS
The Mummy
Starring Tom Cruise, this is the first and only entry in Universal’s Dark Universe. “You’re in for some big, dumb, freaky fun.” -Alex Casey, FLICKS
New to Netflix
Annihilation
Natalie Portman enters a mysterious zone where the laws of nature don’t apply in this sci-fi from writer-director Alex Garland (Ex Machina). “Highly recommended viewing, a patient puzzler that invites comparisons to Solaris and Arrival” -Steve Newall, FLICKS (full review)
Take Your Pills
This documentary targets America’s obsession with Adderall and other prescription stimulants.
The Outsider
Jared Leto leads this post-WWII crime drama as an imprisoned American soldier who seeks to repay the Yakuza for setting him free.”Not a terrible film. There is some sweet-as violence, it’s all shot immaculately and if you have a 4K TV, Netflix is serving it up in glorious ultra-high-definition.” -Daniel Rutledge, FLICKS (full review)
Game Over, Man!
Three hotel employees have no option but to save a star-studded LA party from terrorists Die Hard-style in this action comedy.
A Perfect Day
Benicio del Toro and Tim Robbins lead this black comedy as two aid workers trying to get on with the job during the Bosnian conflict. “Makes a powerful statement on war by disregarding the violence and focusing solely on the strength of regular people in extreme circumstances.” -FILMINK
Bad Neighbours 2
Seth Rogen, Rose Byrne, and Zac Efron square off against the sorority sisterhood next door. “You’re not likely to get drug jokes, slapstick, a dildo-loving toddler and positive gender attitudes in any other above-average comedy sequel” -Steve Newall, FLICKS
Chappie
A “new-born” robot experiences Earth in this near-future sci-fi from Oscar-nominated writer-director Neill Blomkamp (District 9). “Doesn’t engage or challenge enough, and lacks too much in purpose to passionately recommend.” -Steve Newall, FLICKS
First Match
A teenage girl signs up for an all-boys wrestling team in this SXSW-winning high school drama.
New to everything else
Lucky
The late, great Harry Dean Stanton leads this small-town tale as a 90-year-old atheist placed on a journey to find some acceptable meaning to his life. “Intent on letting you know that this is a life worth lingering over.” -SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
The Killing of a Sacred Deer
Colin Farrell and Nicole Kidman lead this disturbing festival horror from the director of The Lobster. One of Flicks’ favourite films of 2017. “The most chilling, and grimly amusing, horror movie of the year.” -Aaron Yap, FLICKS
My Life as a Zucchini
Oscar-nominated stop-motion animated feature about a young orphan rebuilding his life. “The perfect way to introduce your children to the lives of other kids less fortunate.” -Liam Maguren, FLICKS
Thor: Ragnarok
Taika Waititi’s Marvel film that made seventy gazillion bucks in New Zealand and some other parts of the world. “Nigh impossible to watch without a grin on your face.” -Daniel Rutledge, FLICKS
Paddington 2
The lovable Paddington is wrongly thrown in the slammer in this sequel. “A full-blown charm assault” -Sarah Voon, FLICKS
Marshall
Chadwick Boseman (Black Panther) is Thurgood Marshall, the first African-American Supreme Court Justice, in this courtroom drama biopic. “Balances clichés against the far-more interesting subject of unlikely camaraderie that blooms out of mutual persecution.” -TIME OUT NEW YORK
Ingrid Goes West
Aubrey Plaza leads this dark comedy as a mentally disturbed woman who chases a social media star (Elizabeth Olsen).”Doesn’t offer any easy answers, and it’s much better for it.” -Tony Stamp, FLICKS
Better Watch Out
Home Alone collides with Michael Haneke’s Funny Games in this twisted Christmas-themed U.S. horror-comedy.”One of the better entries into the scary Christmas sub-genre” -Daniel Rutledge, FLICKS
Justice League
The DCEU heroes unite in this joint effort between Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon. “Offers minor relief by being a smidgen less painful than Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” -Aaron Yap, FLICKS
Wonder
A boy overcomes facial deformity in this true story drama starring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson. “Akin to binge-watching a late nineties sitcom” -Sarah Voon, FLICKS
Murder on the Orient Express
Sir Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Agatha Christie’s 1934 mystery novel. “There’s certainly enough to enjoy” -Liam Maguren, FLICKS
A Quiet Passion
The potential future governor of New York, Cynthia Nixon, plays Emily Dickinson in this biopic from Terence Davies (Sunset Song). “Overcomes the challenge of her closed, interior life, with the help of a great performance by Cynthia Nixon.” -THE GUARDIAN
Jungle
Daniel Radcliffe is alive & not farting this jungle survival thriller based on the memoir of adventurer Yossi Ghinsberg. “Quite gripping: a weepie bromance. You don’t see one of those everyday.” -TIME OUT NEW YORK
Only the Brave
Miles Teller, Jennifer Connelly, Josh Brolin and Jeff Bridges lead this drama based on the 2013 Yarnell Fire in Arizona. “Think The Perfect Storm, only in a forest” -Adam Fresco, FLICKS
Borg vs McEnroe
Shia LaBeouf is John McEnroe in this depiction of his legendary match with Björn Borg. “Rooting for an asshole has rarely been this easy.” -Aaron Yap, FLICKS
Shot Caller
Prison changes a suburban family man to a hardened convict in this crime drama starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (TV’s Game of Thrones). “A respectable workhorse, committed to its ethos, ruggedly constructed, and well-acted” -FILMINK
Blue
A documentary wake up call to the state of the earth’s oceans, seeking to create awareness and change. “You might emerge, as I did, newly shaken and vowing to cut down on your use of plastic bags.” -SYDNEY MORNING HERALD
Star Wars: The Last Jedi
The film you loved/hated is coming very soon to bless/curse your television. “The Force is most definitely with Rian Johnson” -Dominic Corry, FLICKS
God’s Own Country
Countryside romance about two sheep farmers in remote England that won debut director Francis Lee the Directing Award at Sundance. “The intimacy hits with raw energy.” -Liam Maguren, FLICKS
Ferdinand
John Cena voices the loveliest bull in BlueSky Studios’ animated adaptation of the classic tale. “A fun fable for modern family audiences.” -Adam Fresco, FLICKS
Blade of the Immortal
The 100th film by Japanese master Takashi Miike is – appropriately – a film about another Japanese master (of the blade) who cannot die. “Every stab here hurts. And there’s lots of stabbing.” -Tony Stamp, FLICKS
The Man Who Invented Christmas
The Adaptation version of A Christmas Carol, starring Dan Stevens as Charles Dickens and Christopher Plummer as Scrooge.
