Sure-Fire Streaming: Midsommar, Grand Seduction, Monster Hunter, and more!
By Jordan Parker
Midsommar – Available On Netflix
Director Ari Aster is nothing if not controversial. Debut film Hereditary shocked and thrilled audiences, even if some were left scratching their heads.
I wasn't the biggest fan of that film, but Aster found a believer in me with follow-up Midsommar, a break-neck piece of gonzo entertainment.
This horror film follows a group of friends who head to Scandinavia to visit a festival, but their little, beautiful retreat suddenly turns violent.
Writer-director Aster makes a truly bizarre, horrifying spectacle with Midsommar, and it's hard to take your eyes off it.
Florence Pugh is incredible in the lead role, and she's joined by young talents including Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper and Will Poulter, all of whom impress.
It's definitely not for everyone, but those who love it will love it a lot.
Grand Seduction – Available On Netflix
This remake of 2003 film Seducing Doctor Lewis is one of the most heartwarming flicks I've had occasion to see in theatres.
It's splendidly Canadian and laugh-out-loud funny, representing our great land well in the process.
When a doctor is caught doing some things he shouldn't, he's sent to a small fishing village as a locum to help the financial stability of the town.
There, the stuck-up doctor softens and begins to fall for the residents, who are trying to woo him so he'll stay permanently.
Leads Taylor Kitsch and Brendan Gleeson are a surprisingly great match. With a supporting cast including icons Liane Balaban, Mark Critch and Gordon Pinsent, there's just so much to love.
It's impossible to resist the charms of this absolutely adorable little slice of Canadian heaven.
Monster Hunter – Available On Prime Video
It's no secret that the type of action fare star Millo Jovovich and director husband Paul W.S. Anderson cook up isn't high art.
But they've done a number of Resident Evil films, and for those who love video game moves with R-rated violence, well, you get what you seek here.
Based on the Capcom video game that left my brother obsessed in the early 2000's, Monster Hunter follows soldiers who end up in a new world fighting for their lives against monsters.
Writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson infuses the film with a ton of energy, even if it's not the most cohesive and interesting story.
Joining Jovovich are Tony Jaa, Ron Perlman, T.I. And more, ans they're all self-aware as they plod through this B-movie actioner.
Things blow up, people fight huge bug-like monsters and the special effects are great. If this sounds like your speed, give it a go.
Beetlejuice – Available On Netflix
From Tim Burton – one of my absolute favourite directors – comes a pitch-black comedy that I really couldn't help but fall in love with.
When this movie came out, it pushed more boundaries for a PG film than most others. The 1988 flick was one of the darkest movies in a while, but it had an energy all its own.
It's a great play on spirit films – this time, a deceased couple of ghosts find their existence changed when a living family moves into the home they occupy. The spirits do everything they can to make them run for the door.
Michael Keaton is a man we usually associate with dignity and grace, but he's hilarious and a little devious here as spirit Beetlejuice.
Alec Baldwin is actually pretty subdued here with Geena Davis in the living couole roles, and Catherine O'Hara is also delightful.
With an Oscar win for Best Makeup, it's an interesting and visually stunning delight.
The Purge – Available On Prime Video
With the new film The Forever Purge opening Friday, I thought it might be worth a look back at what started it all.
The Purge came out in 2013, and though it wasn't entirely well-received, it had a concept that sparked wide conversation.
It's about the U.S. Instituting 12 hours each year – essentially a holiday – where all crime is legal and without consequence. It's meant for people to settle scores and get out their frustrations.
The original was more home-invasion thriller than anything else, and starred Ethan Hawke.
But the original, its two sequels, the television series, a prequel, and this new film coming out Friday all arose from the original.
It's a hugely interesting concept, and though the content is hit-or-miss, it's definitely a really whacko concept that will inspire many conversations for viewers.