Stuck on what to stream this month? Unlike other lists, we’re on hand to recommend a variety of films for every mood, from tear-jerkers to trailblazers. Here are our picks for the best films to stream in the UK this month.
The Silver Screen Classic
Suspicion (1941) dir. Alfred Hitchcock
Starring the timeless Joan Fontaine and Cary Grant, this noir classic hasn’t always enjoyed the same critical status as other Hitchcock films. That being said, Suspicion does have at least one feather in its cap; it’s the only Hitchcock film to feature an Oscar-winning performance (that of Fontaine’s). The kind of psychological noir thriller that Hitchcock could likely make in his sleep, Suspicion follows Fontaine’s character Lina McLaidlaw Aysgarth as she becomes romantically involved with and later married to Grant’s playboy casanova Johnnie. However, Lina later finds out that her new husband is in fact a penniless cheat, and suspects that he is out to kill her in order to take over her wealth. Suspicion is based on Francis Iles’s 1932 novel Before the Fact and features a contentiously abrupt ending, but you would be hard pressed to find a Hitchcock fan who wouldn’t recommend it.
Available to stream on BBC iPlayer
The Underrated
Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) dir. Michael Dougherty
The third entry in Legendary’s MonsterVerse is further evidence that underrated doesn’t necessarily mean good. Godzilla: King of the Monsters has its failings, but even so it is undeserving of the critical bashing that it received upon release. Set five years after the events of 2014’s Godzilla, the sequel sees a number of other Titans—gigantic creatures which have hibernated underground for centuries—rise to the surface, led by the demonic three-headed hydra Ghidorah. It’s up to Godzilla to challenge Ghidorah and reclaim his place as top lizard. The human story element is nonsensical and the dialogue far too clunky, but the dust-ups between the creatures can be wondrous to behold—especially for fans of the Toho-produced Godzilla films from the last six decades. If you like your monsters large, then you can’t miss this, even if it admittedly pales in comparison to Godzilla vs. Kong.
Available to stream on Netflix
The Underseen
Rebel Dykes (2021) dir. Harri Shanahan & Sîan Williams
A powerful documentary about politics, identity and sexuality in 1980s Britain, Rebel Dykes flies through different locations and flash points of contemporary British history to weave together an incredible story. Shanahan and Williams shine the spotlight on post-punk dyke culture, with their film built around the memories and experiences of those who lived during that time. AIDS action protests, anti-Thatcher demonstrations, and chosen families all feature heavily, leaving no stone unturned in the film’s depiction of the women at the heart of this story. The way that the film blends between archival footage, animation and interviews is striking, fully capturing the richness and emotive edge of what this group of women experienced almost forty years ago. Rebel Dykes has a particular focus on seeing these past lives through the eyes of those who still live to talk about them, celebrating their achievements, growth, and survival.
Available to stream on BFI Player
The Foreign Language Gem
Perdida (2018) dir. Alejandro Montiel
A twisting, turning thriller from Argentinian director Alejandro Montiel, Perdida can be a confusing one to wrap your head around but still offers plenty in the way of entertainment. A policewoman, Manuela “Pipa” Pelari (Luisana Lopilato), resurrects a search for her childhood friend Cornelia, who went missing in Patagonia during a study trip. What she finds puts her own life at risk, with a dangerous power struggle pulling her into a rabbit hole that she didn’t know existed. Shot in the stunning natural settings of Spain and Argentina, Perdida is an easy sell for fans of The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo even if it can’t match that lucrative film for sheer quality. It is certainly up there on storyline alone, and with strong performances to boot Montiel’s film is more than worth a look for something that little bit different.
Available to stream on Netflix
The Tearjerker
Onward (2020) dir. Dan Scanlon
One of the biggest box office casualties of the pandemic, Onward bombed through no fault of its own. Scanlon’s film is proof that just when you think Pixar can’t surprise you again, it can still catch you emotionally flat footed. In a fantasy world where magic is old-fashioned and rejected, two elven brothers use the arcane arts to try and bring their dad back for one day, with predictably farcical results. This playful story leaves you ill prepared for the sucker punch of a conclusion. Onward delivers you the ending you never knew you needed. In upending your expectations in this simple but effective way, Pixar have pulled yet another blinder. Scanlon, with this and Monsters University under his directing belt, is at the helm of two of the studio’s most narratively accomplished films, with Onward serving as a tear-jerking reminder of what Pixar can do.
Available to stream on Disney+
The Feel-Good
Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers (2022) dir. Akiva Schaffer
Along with Top Gun: Maverick, this ungodly resurrection of the detective chipmunks Chip and Dale has to be one of the year’s most surprising films. More than thirty years after their show was canceled, the warring rodents (voiced by John Mulaney and Andy Samberg) have to put aside their differences for one last adventure, investigating the disappearance of their good friend Monterey Jack. In a spellbinding blend of animation styles, quirky jokes, and more bizarre cameos than you can throw an Ugly Sonic at, Chip ‘n Dale is so much more than a brain dead resurrection in the style of Space Jam: A New Legacy. Incredibly funny, moving and a riot from start to finish, this is a fine new entry in the tradition of Who Framed Roger Rabbit. A film which could have been yet another forgettable memory lane failure has instead emerged as anything but.
Available to stream on Disney+
The Trailblazing
The Death and Life of Marsha P. Johnson (2017) dir. David France
An author and journalist by trade, all three of David France’s feature films have focused on the experiences of the LGBT+ community in different times and places. His second film, focusing on the death of transgender activist Marsha P. Johnson, is an unflinchingly realist look at the drawn-out battle for equal rights and recognition. Johnson’s death in 1992 was originally ruled as suicide by the New York Police Department despite the suspicious circumstances surrounding their death and anti-LGBT+ complaints against the police skyrocketing. Although it is the activist’s untimely passing that frames the documentary, their vibrancy, energy and passion give the film heart and a real sense of urgency. A celebration of what has changed but also a rebuke of those who think the world has done enough, France’s film is a unique, considerate piece of filmmaking chronicling the life of someone who deserves to be remembered.
Available to stream on Netflix
The Transgressive
RoboCop (1987) dir. Paul Verhoeven
The notoriously ultra-violent and anti-Reagan RoboCop is sci-fi delirium at its finest. Completely off the chain and featuring some classic moments of movie madness (including more than one grotesque death sequence), RoboCop is on paper a mindless slew of badges, bullets and business deals in service of capitalism’s glory. This is however far from the truth, as anyone who has seen it can attest. Peter Weller’s iconic performance as the man in the machine leads the way in Paul Verhoeven’s career masterpiece. More than three decades on, its unique character has been mimicked by other films, but never bettered. RoboCop balances the profound and intelligent with the balmy and twisted, and can lay a claim to being one of the ultimate midnight movies. Deliberately hammy visual effects add to the film’s comic edge, adding yet another source of entertainment to one of science fiction’s undisputed classics.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime
Read More:
- Films To Stream In The UK In May 2022
- Films To Stream In The UK In April 2022
- Films To Stream In The UK In March 2022
- Films To Stream In The UK In February 2022
Words by James Hanton
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