Armchair Vacation: Five Films To Watch At Home This Weekend [November 14-16]

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. Stretch (Netflix)

Leading off this week’s list is a film that is the epitome of this type of unsung, or underseen, gem. The film, which is brought to us by director Joe Carnahan, tells the tale of Stretch, a limo drive hard on his luck and trying to follow a more proper path through life, only to have his world shattered by the insanity brought on by playboy Roger Karos. Originally ditched by its Hollywood studio only to be dumped onto the digital plain, this film is not only a genuinely thrilling and riotous piece of work, but a blitzkrieg of insanity that perfectly embodies the brilliance the digital universe can give us. To the far left of anything even Carnahan was made, this is a humorous piece of work that is just the right bit of thematically dense and brazenly esoteric that it is truly one of the year’s most deliciously absurd, surreal and anarchic feature films.

4. Virunga (Netflix)

The first of three documentaries on this list, this one comes to us as a “Netflix Original.” Directed by Orlando von Einsiedel, this film tells the story of the Virunga National Park in eastern Congo, which has become one of the world’s great bastions of eco-diversity. However, only a small group of rangers stands between the ecosystem and various soldiers, poachers, and others looking to reap its financial rewards. The type of documentary filmmaking that doesn’t come around often, this breathtaking piece of direction is an urgent look at an issue that couldn’t be more important. A look at a part of the world many aren’t privy to, this film is a window into a topic that is both deeply important and has the utmost urgency within its DNA. An unforgettable piece of work, this is something to throw in the queue as soon as possible.

3. Mood Indigo (VOD)

There are no filmmakers around quite like one Michel Gondry. The latest film from the beloved auteur is now available on VOD and is just the type of magical bit of filmic whimsy one would expect from Gondry. This film is inspired by a novel from writer Boris Vian, and tells the story of the love between a wealthy young man named Colin and a woman named Chloe who he meets at a friend’s party. With clever touches like having our leads be followers of a philosopher named Jean-Sol Partre, the film holds within each second the same charm and whimsy one would hope to see from anything Gondry crafts, and with the film being set in Paris, it allows the director to go to his most surreal realms. Starring Audrey Tautou and Romain Duris, the film is a gorgeous bit of craftsmanship both behind, and in front of, the camera, and both of them really give some towering performances. Currently available on VOD, the film is a supreme bit of romance that is moving enough for any date night in or beautiful enough to share with a group of friends.

2. The Kill Team (VOD)

The second of three documentaries on this list may very well be one of the year’s best and most important. From filmmaker Daniel Kraus comes this look at our war in the Middle East, but this time through a very distinct lens. Introducing us to a young soldier named Adam Winfield, the film uses his journey through his tour of duty to paint a picture of the underbelly of the military. Winfield’s story takes a turn when he, like so many others, gets wrapped up in a world of brutality by joining some of his platoon in the murder of innocent civilians in Afghanistan. Using planted weapons as a reason for killing these innocents, this group goes about their business with little to no hassle, as Winfield’s pleas to his leaders to stop these soldiers go unheard. A haunting, unforgettable and deeply troubling look at the war that not only these soldiers, but their humanity, go through during battle is one of the year’s most enlightening non-fiction films.

1. The Internet’s Own Boy (YouTube)

Wrapping up this week’s list is the last of the documentaries here, and one that you don’t even have to have a streaming subscription or an open bank account to enjoy seeing. The film tells the tale of one Aaron Swartz, a young man who despite living a life that was far too short for the late prodigy, lived a life full of influence and controversy. A legend in the world of hacking and an influential name in the online world, Swartz was best known as an early adopter of RSS and ultimately a co-founder of Reddit. From director Brian Knappenberger comes this look into that young man’s life, a life that started off trying to change the world wide web but ended with the simple hope of changing the actual world he lived in. Turning from a hacker to a social activist, Swartz was a man of many hats and passions, and this is a (arguably far too) loving look into the rise of one of the internet’s most influential voices.