The Movie Minute

By Joanna Langfield

Everybody’s looking for something to look at and, since most of what I’ve seen focuses on the new series and big name films, I thought I’d give you some suggestions a little deeper into the offerings on some of the major streaming outlets.

Let’s start with Netflix:

It’s great Jason Bateman has earned all sorts of acclaim for his popular “Ozark” (season 3 streaming now), but I hope you’ll also take a look at a recent film of his that is not only terrific, but allowed him to really show a whole other side of his professional abilities. “The Gift”, written and directed by actor Joel Edgerton, is every bit as scary as the currently must-streamer “The Invisible Man” but, to me, smarter and more sneakily sinister.

If you like westerns, you can’t miss the contemporary drama “Hell or High Water”, starring Chris Pine and Ben Foster as bank robbing brothers. They are both super, the script makes its social points as well as dramatic ones. And how much do we all love Jeff Bridges, who just about steals the whole thing?

“The Death of Stalin” is one of my favorite movies from 2018. A political satire from the dandy Armando Iannucci (“Veep”), this rapier sharp comedy is brilliantly acted making points that can be applied at will to events of this, or any, day in government and family dynamics.

Now that everybody’s a member of the Bong Hive, it’s time to dig back into some of the “Parasite” director’s earlier work. “Snowpiercer” is a ripper: with an eye popping all star cast (look for Chris Evans, Octavia Spencer, Ed Harris and wait till you spy Tilda Swinton!), passengers on a class divided high speed train, tearing through the countryside. Why, it’s almost like they’re quarantined!

On Amazon Prime:

“Blow the Man Down” is a quirky and pretty delicious whodunit that’s as bright as it is dark. Two sisters, finding out a whole lot about the small Maine town they thought they knew so well. Jessica Fletcher never had it so good (or twisty). Added bonus: this is a picture made by and about women of all ages. Will you look at that?

I wasn’t sure I would be able to make it through “The Dog Doc”, a look at a veterinarian whose so called unorthodox ways have brought him both controversy and acclaim. But never fear, this documentary focuses not so much on the dogs in peril (omg) as it does on Dr. Martin Goldstein and his team of healers. We learn about nutrition (the doctor’s mail order service is not mentioned here) and more experimental treatments that have helped both four and two legged patients improve and, in some cases, thrive.

You can also find some Broadway musicals on film: “Billy Elliott”, “Cats”, “Into the Woods”, “Newsies” and an all-headliner version of “Company”, featuring a surprising Stephen Colbert.

Enjoy, everybody. And be well.