Streaming Weekly February 2016 3.0
There are a lot of great movies coming out this weekend in theaters, but that doesn’t mean if you aren’t going to the theaters you will have nothing to watch. Our intrepid contributors have explored the deepest, darkest jungles of Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu to bring you precious new movies and TV once thought to be merely a legend. Also, this post brings lots of hyperbole! Enjoy our recommendations and have a happy movie watching weekend everyone!
via Mark Wingerter
Red Cliff (Netflix) – Action director John Woo’s passion project is a sweeping war epic set at the Battle of Red Cliffs from ancient Chinese history. Originally released in two parts for a total of 288 minutes (yes, nearly 5 hours) it’s a powerful, thrilling, and often heartbreaking look at how war can shape a nation and a people. I’ve seen the entire 288-minute version in one sitting (twice, in fact) and it’s one of my favorite movie experiences ever. The theatrical version is available at an easy 148 minutes and is still as powerful. I highly recommend it.
via JR Forasteros
Chi-Raq (Amazon Prime) – Spike Lee is taking on urban violence in his latest joint, which was robbed of any nominations in this year’s #OscsarsSoWhite fiasco. Setting the Greek comedy Lysistrata in urban Chicago – which boasted more murders from 2001-2015 than the number of US servicepersons who died in Iraq and Afghanistan combined – allowed Lee to lambast the whole system. No one is safe in this edgy comedy – not the big politicians, the churches or the individuals in the hood. Lee criticizes the system for investing nothing to fix the systemic problems in urban Chicago (compared to how much we’ve invested in the Middle East) and also takes the gangs and those who love them to task, asking “Why do we do the hangman’s job for him?” Oh, and did I mention that the plot of Lysistrata is women withholding sex until the men stop fighting? Chi-raq is unlike any film you’ll ever see. It’s as important a film as Lee has ever made.
via The Film Avenger
Frank Miller’s Sin City (Amazon) – Before this film, most graphic novel adaptations were just that – filmic versions of the story. This was one of the first comic adaptations to use the source material as a literal blueprint for how the movie looks and where the cameras are placed. Utilizing some amazing green screen technology, director Robert Rodriguez brings Frank Miller’s beautifully dark Basin City to neo-noir life. Complimenting the stunning visuals are Miller’s rich prose and inner monologues – giving some interesting insight into the characters. Sin City is also an interesting morality play, with each character desperately looking for justice in a hopelessly unjust world.
