Armchair Vacation: Five Films To Watch At Home This Weekend [August 29-31]

Every day, more and more films are added to the various streaming services out there, ranging from Netflix to YouTube, and are hitting the airwaves via movie-centric networks like TCM. Therefore, sifting through all of these pictures can be a tedious and often times confounding or difficult ordeal. But, that’s why we’re here. Every week, Joshua brings you five films to put at the top of your queue, add to your playlist, or grab off of VOD to make your weekend a little more eventful. Here is this week’s top five, in this week’s Armchair Vacation.

5. Palo Alto (Amazon Instant / iTunes)

Starting off this week’s list of picks is one of the year’s best and most entrancing pieces of work. From filmmaker Gia Coppola, the film is based on a book from star James Franco, and is almost a generation defining look at the high school experience. With a career making performance by Emma Roberts, the film gets fantastic performances from her and the previously mentioned Franco, and is a crowning debut for the latest Coppola auteur. Gorgeously shot and featuring a fantastic original score, this film may have a bizarre origin story (the idea of a film based on a series of short stories from James Franco doesn’t scream “year’s best film”), but it has become something of a minor cult hit since hitting in limited release earlier this year. Hopefully now that it’s available through outlets like iTunes, this will become seen as the masterpiece that it truly is.

4. Locke (Amazon Instant / iTunes / Blu-ray)

The second of two small 2014 releases that are now readily available on VOD, Steven Knight’s latest film is an absolute stunner. Starring Tom Hardy in this ostensibly one man show, the film tells the tale of Ivan, a family man who receives a phone call that forever changes his life. Set within the confines of his vehicle, the film is a tour de force piece of filmmaking that relies almost entirely on a powerful turn from the aforementioned Hardy. A career-defining turn in many ways, Hardy has never been better, and yet Knight’s uncanny ability to add tension with his camera, given this premise, is unbelievable. A deeply effective thriller, Knight has crafted a fantastic piece of cinema that may seem at face value like a stage play put to film, but is instead a stunning piece of craft both in front of, and behind, the camera.

3. Courage For Every Day (Hulu)

One of the handful of pearls from the Czech New Wave that Criterion has included on their Hulu Plus page opposite the members of their Eclipse set of that very name, this film from director Evald Schorm is an absolute gem. Telling the story of a communist losing his mind in a world that seems to be hell bent on breaking him of his ideals, Schorm’s film is a gorgeous and evocative visual feast, that takes away the kinetic energy of films like Daisies, and instead implements an almost Godardian-style of energy to the film. With fantastic lead performances and this neo-realistic aesthetic, Schorm’s picture is a welcome change of pace for those wanting the political dialogue from this time period, but in a less anarchic structure. Still as politically scathing as anything this New Wave brought us, this doozy is a real breath of fresh air for any and every cinephile.

2. An Ideal Husband (Hulu)

One of the odder members of Criterion’s Hulu Plus page, this Oliver Parker film, based on Oscar Wilde’s legendary piece, An Ideal Husband is a bewilderingly enjoyable costume drama. Starring the scatterbrained cast including names like Rupert Everett, Julianne Moore and even the one and only Cate Blanchett, the film is a beautifully made comedy that joins Alexander Korda’s earlier adaptation as part of Criterion’s ever growing Hulu Plus collection. Parker as a director really peaks here, crafting a beautiful and brazenly charming romp of a comedy, and the performances are universally fantastic. Blanchett steals the show, as one would expect, but across the board the performances seem to perfectly fit this type of costume comedy. A film one may glance over skimming through Criterion’s Hulu lineup, this is a perfect watch for anyone this very weekend.

1. Mad Max (Netflix / Amazon Instant / Blu-ray)

Rounding out this week’s picks is a film that’s bound for a rewatch in the homes of millions. With a remake/franchise reboot coming next year from the original’s own director, George Miller, the aforementioned “original” in question here, the legendary action film Mad Max, is now available on Netflix. Starring Mel Gibson, this iconic action film set in a post-apocalyptic future that finds our lead, Max, seeking revenge for the brutal murder of his family by a band of malicious villains. Launching off the screen with an opening segment unlike anything the action genre has ever seen, Miller’s picture is as breathtaking a spectacle as we’ve ever seen. I myself only recently saw the film for the first time earlier this month, thanks to its addition to the Netflix lineup, and it’s still sitting at the forefront of my mind. With its beautifully coreographed set pieces and bewilderingly unhinged pace, this is a classic piece of work that needs to be seen, or re-watched in some cases, as soon as absolutely possible.