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
King Kong (1933) dir. Merian C. Cooper & Ernest B. Schoedsack
One of the most iconic monster movies and horror stories ever put to screen, King Kong needs to be seen to be believed. An inspiration for generations of cinema’s finest creative minds (not least the legendary Ray Harryhausen), this timeless story has been retold several times but arguably never topped. King Kong entranced audiences and critics upon release, while Fay Wray’s performance alongside the mighty Kong himself is the stuff of midnight feature, pop culture legend. So too are the film’s breathtaking story and pioneering visual effects, which drove cinema’s technological capabilities to new highs. Depending who you ask, the film is a racist, cautionary warning against miscegenation or a condemnation of the violence enacted against people of colour during the slave trade (or a mixture of both). What is not up for discussion is King Kong’s place as one of the most unmissable relics of classic Hollywood.
Available to stream in BBC iPlayer
The Underrated
The Black Cauldron (1985) dir. Ted Berman & Richard Rich
The Black Cauldron is a thrilling, magical, and rip-roaring high fantasy tale, but it also represents one of Disney’s most abject failures. Becoming, at the time, the most expensive animated film ever made, the film didn’t even gross half of its budget at the box office and was blasted by critics for its dark tone and at times spasmodic story. It also didn’t receive a home video release until 1998. And it’s a shame, because this is one of the most fascinating Disney animations there is and a treat even for seasoned fans of the studio’s most classic output. Its characters and cast are sensational, and the visual style is rampant with Disney’s typical flair for colour. Most importantly, The Black Cauldron recognises something innate about classic Disney that recent Pixar outings have also realised; that unbridled happiness loses its worth without some opposing, unnerving darkness to be overcome.
Available to stream on Disney+
The Underseen
Photocopier (2021) dir. Wregas Bhanuteja
One of the most powerful films to come out of Indonesia since the start of #MeToo, Photocopier is a damning portrayal of institutional bias and male privilege. More than that, it is an emotional, plot-driven account of one young woman’s struggle for justice following a journey home that she can’t remember. Photos are leaked online, and one twisted individual’s ‘pursuits’ are cast into the limelight. Far from another ‘a woman’s life is ruined by incriminating photos’ story, Bhanuteja’s stirring film is startling for how it sides with survivors of assault while also acknowledging their imperfections, destroying the notion that these imperfections somehow make victims more responsible for what happens to them. A 21st century gem of South East Asian cinema, Photocopier scooped practically every award going at the Indonesian Film Festival. It is a perfect example of cultural specificity finding a voice amidst a global movement.
Available to stream on Netflix
The Foreign Language Gem
The Intouchables (2011) dir. Olivier Nakache & Éric Toledano
At one point the world’s most viewed French language film, The Intouchables is still the highest rated French film on IMDb, outscoring the likes of Amélie and La Haine. When Phillipe (François Cluzet) is rendered quadriplegic after a paragliding accident, he hires former criminal Driss (Omar Sy) to care for him. Against all odds, the pair develop an unlikely friendship, and in spite of his lack of experience or even motivation, Driss proves to be a capable carer for Phillipe. An uplifting, intelligent and sensitive comedy-drama, The Intouchables was met with a more reserved reception by UK critics but went down a storm in Europe. It also catapulted Omar Sy to further fame both domestically and abroad. Now one of France’s most recognisable actors, Sy is the star of Netflix’s smash-hit series Lupin and also has a supporting role in the Transformers and Jurassic World franchises.
Available to stream on Netflix
The Tearjerker
Tokyo Godfathers (2003) dir. Satoshi Kon
An unusually realist effort from the late anime master Satoshi Kon, Tokyo Godfathers is a sad yet strangely nourishing story for those who are left behind by the rest of the world. On a cold Christmas Eve in Tokyo, three homeless people—Gin (Tooru Emori), Hana (Yoshiaki Umegaki), and Miyuki (Aya Okamoto)—discover an abandoned baby in amongst the rubbish. They set off to find the child’s parents, a journey that forces them to confront their own livelihoods which features some almost unbelievable twists and turns. There is a warped sentimentality to the film, itself partly inspired by John Ford’s Western 3 Godfathers. Kon is interested in highlighting those who are driven to desperation by their circumstances. In illustrating the small but significant connections we have with others, and with a commentary on the apparently fragmented manner of contemporary Japanese society, Tokyo Godfathers is perhaps Kon’s most intimate film.
Available to stream on Netflix
The Feel-Good
Bend it Like Beckham (2002) dir. Gurinder Chadha
Bend It Like Beckham is a cult classic for all the right reasons. Jesminder (Parminder Nagra), the daughter of a British-Indian Sikh family, wants nothing more than to be a footballer, but her parents won’t support her goals. She plays anyway in secret, and she catches the attention of Jules (Keira Knightley), a member of the Hounslow Harriers amateur football team. Jesminder is finally allowed to try and realise her ambition while also managing the other obstacles that growing up can bring up, like romance and friendship. Corny, yes, but uplifting quite unlike anything else. Bend it Like Beckham is not only a socially conscious, funny, and affectionate story. It recognises how affirming and revitalising sport can be, when played for the right reasons and captured with such obvious joy. In that sense, Bend it Like Beckam is one of the greatest sports movies ever.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime
The Trailblazing
Victim (1961) dir. Basil Dearden
This neo-noir British drama is most famous for one fairly simple, yet revolutionary reason. Victim is the first ever British film to use the word “homosexual,” some six years before homosexuality was decriminalised in England. Melville Farr (Dick Bogarde) is a closeded gay man working as a barrister in London, and looks on course to become a Queen’s Counsel. However, he risks exposing his secret and ruining his career when he agrees to bring a blackmailer to justice. Victim proved to be popular with audiences, and according to authors Steve Greenfield and Guy Osborn, is widely believed to have played a key role in liberalising attitudes and laws surrounding homosexuality. Victim is a pioneer not only for paving the way for LGBT+ representation on screen, but more broadly for showing how films can in fact have a material impact on the way of life for people outside of the cinema.
Available to stream on Britbox
The Transgressive
The Slumber Party Massacre (1982) dir. Amy Holden Jones
This woman-directed horror flick was ripping up the tropes of the slasher movie before they had even been properly written. When a group of high school students hold a slumber party together, the night turns bloody when an escaped serial killer armed with a power drill arrives uninvited. Originally intended as a full-blown parody of exploitation movies, Holden Jones’ film was toned back but traces of the satirical humour and feminist point of view remain salient enough to mark the film out as different. Beneath the ridiculous, gratuitous and violent cover lies a film far more intelligent than it was allowed to be. A reboot directed by Danishka Esterhazy was released last year to near-universal acclaim, a fitting testimony to the original’s longevity. It is also a sign perhaps of what this already subversive ‘80s slasher might have been capable of had it been allowed to truly spread its wings.
Available to stream on Shudder
Read More:
- 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
- Films To Stream In The UK In January 2022
Words by James Hanton
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