Fun
Frisky
Nostalgic
Intense
Adventurous
Choked Up
Curious
Romantic
Weird
Ah, the blessed weekend, you are a sight for sore eyes. All these holiday parties have us exhausted, and we cannot think of a better way to decompress from the onslaught of small talk, drunken coworkers and fake laughing than by locking the door, popping some popcorn and watching a boatload of movies at home. Doesn’t that sound lovely right about now? If you agree, then you’re in luck because whether you use Amazon Video, iTunes, Vudu or your cable’s on demand service, there are a lot of new titles out now that will do the trick this weekend.
This weekend is all about psychological warfare, it seems. After a controversial and headline-making run at the box office, Todd Phillips’s Joker is now available to purchase on demand. This dark take on the DC Comic villain’s origin story has left people talking about it for months, and you can now join in on the conversation in the safety of your own, well-lit home. More cinematically-nostalgic people should definitely check out The Lighthouse, starring Willem Defore and Robert Pattinson. The black-and-white film shot in the Movietone ratio complements the film’s 19th-century setting and helps create the tone for the entire mind-warping film. And for fans of lighter fare, Hustlers and Abominable are now available to rent!
Curious about what else is out there? Check out what other thrillers, documentaries and romantic comedies you can buy or rent this week.
Joker
One of the most highly controversial films that came out this year, Joker, is now available to watch in all its disturbing glory from the comfort of your own home. Starring Joaquin Phoenix, this psychological thriller aims to tell the origin story of arguably the most famous DC Comics villain in the franchise. But unlike classic comic book movies, Joker stands apart in its seriousness and how it creates a foil between a struggling stand-up comedian’s descent into madness and the decay of the city that is crumbling around him. Be sure to watch this film during daylight, though.
The Lighthouse
Willem Defoe and Robert Pattinson star in The Lighthouse, a psychological horror film about two lighthouse keepers who start to lose their sanity when a storm strands them on the remote island at which they are stationed. Director Robert Eggers does a fantastic job creating a unique cinematic tone for this film, using solely black-and-white footage and vintage film to sell the age and ominous tone of the story. Not to mention stellar performances by the stars mentioned above, and you’ve got yourself a great film worth checking out!
[Where to stream The Lighthouse]
To Buy:
Joker
The Lighthouse
Ice on Fire
Lucy in the Sky
Western Stars
Lost Holiday
Loro
She’s Missing
To Rent:
Ever After
Eldorado
Ghost Fleet
Where’s My Roy Cohn?
Prey
Never Surrender: A Galaxy Quest Documentary
Rambo: Last Blood
Overcomer
Abominable
Downton Abbey
Ad Astra
Hustlers
Code 8
$0.99 iTunes Movie Rental
Abducted in Plain Sight
In the documentary Abducted in Plain Sight, a family lives out its worst nightmare when a close family friend abducts their pre-teen daughter not one, but two times. It tells the true story of the Broberg family, whose young member Jan was abducted repeatedly in the 1970s by their neighbor, Robert Berchtold. Common sense would suggest that after the first incident, the family would avoid Berchtold at all costs. However, as the documentary uncovers the dark, secretive and not-so-simple history behind the Brobergs, you realize that the Brobergs never had a chance at normalcy.
