Hello HSX Community! While the product is slowly moving back into theaters, that will give moviegoers something new to see. But if you’re not ready to go back to the theaters again, I present to you some films you can watch at home.
COMING TO VOD
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FEELS GOOD MAN (9/4) - Terrific Sundance talking heads documentary about the emergence of a comic character in alt-right extremist circles. How do you free art that's been co-opted by hate?
COMING TO NETFLIX
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MAGIC MIKE (9/1) - Channing Tatum as a male stripper may not be a narrative for everyone but trust me when I tell you Steven Soderbergh’s tale of the American Dream and its dark underside is nothing short of fantastic. It’s sequel is equally as good (but for different reasons).
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WAITING FOR SUPERMAN (9/7) - Important documentary about the education system in American.
COMING TO HULU
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THE BANK JOB (9/1) - Jason Statham yes, but this is a smart ‘based-on-true-events’ about a car dealer who has the opportunity to rob a bank in 1960’s London. Of course, there’s a lot more going on as the woman (Saffron Burrows) who brought him the idea has an ulterior positive involving the highest levels of the British government. This has all the ingredients of a top shelf heist film: it's sexy, thrilling, inventive and even Statham gives a great performance. Also on Amazon Prime through their deal with Epix.
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THE LAST HOUSE ON THE LEFT (1972) (9/1) - There’s a ton of reasons to love this early Wes Craven revenge thriller but the big one is it has the best tagline ever: "To avoid fainting, keep repeating 'It's only a movie' ...". Also on Amazon Prime through their deal with Epix.
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THE MECHANIC (1972) (9/1)- One of my favorite Charles Bronson actioners. He’s a hitman who takes on an apprentice. If you like your action films tough and grounded, this is for you. Also on Amazon Prime through their deal with Epix.
COMING TO CRITERION CHANNEL
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SATANTANGO (9/1) - This is seven hours long, black and white and largely about the absence of mercy among humanity. If those aren’t deal killers for you, you’ll get to enjoy one of the greatest achievements in cinema. Bela Tarr’s best film is frequently cited as one of the greatest films ever made in the Sight & Sound critics poll and you can watch it at home in segments if need be.
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KATE PLAYS CHRISTINE (9/7) - One of two films that year to feature the Christine Chubbuck story about a newswoman who killed herself on live TV in 1974. This one plays around with the mechanics of film itself as Kate Lyn Sheil plays an actress preparing to play Chubbuck in a play where fiction starts to impede her real life.
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LENNY (9/11) - Bob Fosse & Dustin Hoffman bring Lenny Bruce to life and it's wonderful.
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JOJO DANCER, YOUR LIFE IS CALLING (9/11) - Richard Pryor was a national treasure and he probably was never better than playing a version of himself in this rise and fall biopic.
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REAL LIFE, MODERN ROMANCE, LOST IN AMERICA, DEFENDING YOUR LIFE, MOTHER (9/13) - I’m a HUGE Albert Brooks fan and hopefully you will be too after seeing these five films. He made a career out of playing likable self-obsessed and neurotic men. If you have to pick just one, go with DEFENDING YOUR LIFE. It's a romantic comedy with Meryl Streep with some excellent world building. They play recently deceased who meet each other in a pit stop of the afterlife (which is really Century City, LA) and of course fall in love.
THINGS I HAVEN’T SEEN BUT LOOKING FORWARD TO
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STAR TREK: DISCOVERY SEASON 3 (9/24, CBS ALL ACCESS) - I’m a fan! It's not TOS, TNG or DS9 but I would put it right after those two series.
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TOTTENHAM: ALL OR NOTHING (8/31, AMAZON PRIME) - A few years ago, Amazon did a behind the scenes sports doc about Premier League favorite Manchester City. Now in 2020, they’ll focus on perennial also-ran Tottenham as they move into their new stadium and potentially take their team to new heights in the European Champions League. You know, I can’t smile without you…