New week, new titles. And it’s a new month so you know what that means: WOOWHOOO! Netflix has LOTS of goodies for us this month, starting with the surprise announcement on Thursday that you can now download titles for offline viewing! This is big, people. YUGE. No more using data when you know you’re going to be stuck somewhere. And it couldn’t have come at a better time than the holidays. Now you can download something and have emergency Frank Underwood and Crazy Eyes at the ready to drown out your relatives voices. That is quite the stocking stuffer. Thanks, Netflix! With this news and the great titles dropping, December is off to a very good start indeed. Now put on something snuggly and settle in for the weekend. Work on getting your holiday shopping done while you binge on a few of these titles:
White Girl
Elizabeth Wood’s directorial debut, this controversial Sundance favorite is the story of Leah, a hard-partying young college student who falls for a drug dealer. Trying to get him out of jail, we follow her unsettling journey though adolescent addiction and poor life choices. It’s very reminiscent of Kids–half-grown people in disturbing situations, graphic sexuality, a bleak but frenzied style. It’s a little disturbing to see familiar faces like Chris Noth and Justin Bartha doing what they do in this movie. But then again, that’s part of the draw.
The Angry Birds Movie
Full Disclosure: I have never played this game. When my niece and nephew try to explain it to me I can feel myself drifting and I know I must have a glazed look in my eye. That “I love you so much but I just can’t listen to any more of this but remember how much I love you” look. That being said, this movie is a chirpy watch. With an all-star cast of voice actors and great animation, it’s a pun-filled good time. This is one to just get silly with.
For The Love of Spock
Filmmaker Adam Nimoy looks at the life and career of his father Leonard Nimoy and his iconic character Mr. Spock. Originally planned to focus specifically on the show’s Vulcan character, when Nimoy died in 2015, his son widened the scope of his film to include his life and career beyond Spock. Not just a film for Star Trek fans, it’s a very personal story about a father and son and the man behind the Vulcan.
The Jungle Book
Already in the Oscar race for best visual effects, Jon Favreau brings us a movie based on Rudyard Kipling’s collective works and inspired by Walt Disney’s 1967 animated film of the same name. A beautiful mix of live action and CGI, The Jungle Book tells the story of Mowgli, an orphaned boy who is raised and cared for by the animals of the jungle. Forced to leave the only home he has ever known, he sets forth on a journey of discovery. With an all-star cast and extraordinary special effects, this is one you’ll be able to enjoy with or without the kids.
Richard Pryor: Live in Concert
If you ever see one stand-up film in your life, this should be it. Shot in Long Beach in December 1978, it is the first full-length, feature movie consisting of only stand-up comedy. Hailed as “one of the seminal and most influential recorded stand-up performances of the modern era,” Pryor received a nomination for the National Society of Film Critics Award for Best Actor for the film. Many comedians credit this work as the greatest performance ever.
https://youtu.be/0PXEfzRJ4A0
