Sure-Fire Streaming: Seraphim Falls, Baby Driver, A Fish Called Wanda, and more!
By Jordan Parker
https://parkerandpictures.wordpress.com/
Seraphim Falls – Available On Netflix
This interesting little western harkens back to genre films of the same ilk from the 1950s and 1960s.
Seraphim Falls is a good old classic revenge tail following two men who have unfinished business following the end of the Civil War.
A colonel chases a man through the wilderness and the woods to get the justice he feels is coming after a heinous act committed years prior.
Writer-director David Von Ancken – who has done great work directing TV shows like Californication, Hell On Wheels and CSI: NY – creates a tense film with a ton going for it.
Chief among its strengths are the performances from Pierce Brosnan and Liam Neeson, who is fantastic here pre-Taken, in a role that requires him to do more than grunt and kick bad guy butt.
While its ending falls slightly short, Seraphim Falls is a well-spun tale and a film worth checking out.
Baby Driver – Available On Netflix
In the four years since its release, Baby Driver has remained one of the most entertaining, memorable films I've seen in the intervening time.
Oscar-nominated for its incredible sound and visual stylings, the film about a getaway driver who is pulled into a heist by his overzealous boss remains a modern classic.
Writer-director Edgar Wright creates the film of his career here, and this may just be the best use of music in a movie in decades. It was one of the most rewarding flicks in theatres, where the acoustics lent themselves so well to the caper.
Ansel Elgort gives a starmaking turn here as a young getaway driver, and the supporting cast includes Jon Bernthal, Jon Hamm, Jamie Foxx, Lily James, and the now-disgraced Kevin Spacey.
It is a mile-a-minute thrill-ride through and through. Turn up your subwoofer and give this one a spin.
A Fish Called Wanda – Available On Prime Video
I can't believe I only saw this classic 1988 comedy last year, but it has now become a favourite of mine.
This fish-out-of-water story of double-crosses and misconstrued situations after an armed robbery in London is one of the best comedies ever.
John Cleese – uncredited director and co-writer – also stars here in this wonderful British comedic spectacle.
He's joined by Jamie Lee Curtis, who sheds here horror scream queen skin and is unforgettable here, as well as Michael Palin.
But it's Kevin Kline – who won an Oscar for his role as the villainous Otto – who masters physical comedy and gives the performance of a lifetime.
This is a hilarious film that will have you in stitches. I could watch it again and again.
The Hateful Eight – Available On Netflix
While The Hateful Eight may not ever reach the levels Pulp Fiction or Reservoir Dogs did, it still ranks as a great little crime ensemble.
No one does violence or writes crisp, crackling dialogue quite like auteur Quentin Tarantino. His writing and directing here is on-point.
He creates a story about a bounty hunter and prisoner who run into all sorts of terrifying criminals and societal scum when they take shelter in a cabin in Wyoming to escape the cold of winter.
Tarantino has a knack for pulling the best performances out of his cast, and Samuel L. Jackson, Kurt Russell, Walton Goggins, Demian Bichir, Tim Roth, Michael Madsen, Bruce Dern and even Channing Tatum do fantastic work.
But I would be lying if I didn't say Jennifer Jason Leigh is the best of the bunch here, in a role that earned her a Best Supporting Actress Oscar.
It's hyper-violent and hard to watch, but if you love Tarantino's other work, you'll thoroughly enjoy these Hateful Eight.
Jersey Girl – Available On Prime Video
At the height of his career, Ben Affleck watched it all crumble under the weight of his high-profile break-up with Jennifer Lopez.
He also saw films like Paycheck, Surviving Christmas, and Gigli absolutely flop, putting his career in purgatory.
So when Jersey Girl came out, everyone was a little tired of him. What resulted was a really sweet, good-natured film getting absolutely savaged by critics and audiences alike.
That said, I have been a Jersey Girl lover since its 2004 release, and recommend it to you today wholeheartedly.
Affleck stars as a career man who must take care of his newborn alone following the death of his wife – played by Jennifer Lopez.
After a high-profile mistake, he is fired from his job and forced to move in with his father to make ends meet.
Writer-director Kevin Smith – known for films like Clerks and Dogma – creates his most assured, mature effort here.
Affleck shows a humility and grace I didn't know he had, and with Liv Tyler, the late George Carlin and Jason Biggs on-board, this is a game cast. But Raquel Castro, just a young actress at the time of the film, is adorable as the daughter.
This is a lovely little film that has never gotten enough credit, and if you want lighthearted, enjoyable fare, give this one a shot.