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
Metropolis (1927) dir. Fritz Lang
No film on the sheer scale of Metropolis had been made before, and even today it is difficult to find any that compare to the film’s unique visual style. Arguably the magnum opus of Fritz Lang’s career, Metropolis is the epic story of an aristocratic young man (Gustav Fröhlich) who falls in love with a working class woman (Brigitte Helm) in a city where the rich rule and the working class slave away for their existence. The social commentary is not subtle, but proved incredibly provocative for the time, if not necessarily popular. H.G. Wells, the grandfather of science fiction, slated Lang’s film, accusing it of “foolishness, cliché, [and] platitude.” Yet today it is celebrated as an established classic of both science fiction and German Expressionism, inspiring countless futuristic urban landscapes and narrative premises. Aesthetically breathtaking and grandiose in every sense, Metropolis is an essential of silent cinema.
Available to stream on MUBI
The Underrated
Cloud Atlas (2012) dir. Lilly Wachowski, Lana Wachowski & Tom Tykwer
One of the most polarising films from recent years, Cloud Atlas – a joint directorial effort from The Wachowskis and Run Lola Run director Tom Tykwer – tries to lay to rest the idea that any novel can claim to be unfilmable. Perhaps it doesn’t succeed, but the awe-inspiring and detailed storyline, brought to life by an ensemble cast, is enough to sweep you off your feet. Starring Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, and Doona Bae among others, this adaptation of David Mitchell’s dizzying novel jumps from farce to futuristic majesty in the blink of an eye. Yet while going down a storm with many, it failed to win over everyone (an all-too-rare case where audiences and critics are in almost harmonious agreement). Cloud Atlas is also not without controversy, but nevertheless deserves to be remembered as much for its outstanding merits as it does for a handful of questionable flaws.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime
The Underseen
Tigertail (2020) dir. Alan Yang
A moving family drama, the Leo Award-nominated Tigertail is as much about the past as it is the present, and their importance for truly connecting with those closest to you. Based on the life of director Alan Yang’s father, the film follows Pin-Jui (The Farewell’s Tzi Ma) as he struggles to form a relationship with his daughter (Christine Ko), rooted in Pin-Jui’s dissatisfaction with his life in America as opposed to the one he left behind in Taiwan. Subject to an arranged marriage, Pin-Jui had to travel to the US with a new bride, leaving the love of his life behind. Yang’s film is a story of family and national identity, sitting alongside other recent films like Minari in shining a spotlight on the experiences of US-bound immigrants. More broadly, Tigertail will encourage you to reflect on how your memory shapes not just yourself, but everyone around you.
Available to stream on Netflix
The Foreign Language Gem
Seventeen (2019) dir. Daniel Sánchez Arévalo
Receiving its world premiere at the San Sebastián International Film Festival a little over three years ago, Seventeen is a Spanish-set comedy drama about brotherhood and familial affection set against a stunning natural backdrop. Seventeen-year-old Hector (Biel Montoro) has been in a youth detention centre for two years, but escapes to try and find a dog named Oveja who he had met at an animal rescue shelter. He is eventually accompanied by his brother Ismael (Nacho Sánchez) and his ailing grandmother. In typical road movie style, each leg of the journey and new location allows the two brothers’ relationship to deepen further as they reconnect, using its relatively straightforward plot to its advantage. Reading between the lines is not difficult with Seventeen, rewarding you with an uplifting and entertaining adventure that deserves a wider audience.
Available to stream on Netflix
The Tearjerker
Precious (2009) dir. Lee Daniels
Lee Daniels’ Oscar-winning drama Precious is a difficult watch, but one that presents an unyielding look at one person’s struggle for success in the face of bitter hardship. Adapted from the 1996 novel Push by Sapphire, it features Gabourey Sidibe making her acting debut as Claireece “Precious” Jones, an abused and illiterate Black teenager living in Harlem in 1987. When offered a chance to attend an alternative school in the hope of having some kind of future, she has to break free from the terrorising supervision of her mother Mary (Mo’Nique, who had worked with Daniels before on Shadowboxer). Mo’Nique won an Academy Award for her performance, as did Geoffrey Fletcher for his screenplay. Precious is a story of survival and hope spurred on by two outstanding lead performances, and a film where the audience’s privileged position as a witness can at times feel like an unforgiving burden.
Available to stream on Amazon Prime
The Feel-Good
Coraline (2009) dir. Henry Selick
Henry Selick almost quit filmmaking several years ago following an artistically traumatising experience with Pixar and John Lasseter, but has now returned in triumphant style with Wendell & Wild. So long has Selick been on the sidelines after his Disney experience that this is his first film since Coraline—an animation classic for the 21st century. Adapted from Neil Gaiman’s novella, Coraline sees Selick at his dark, inventive best as he delivers a mature and fascinating story that refuses to treat younger viewers like idiots. Spellbinding stop-motion animation and a story refusing to satisfy short attention spans with a breakneck speed, Selick’s mastery surpasses even The Nightmare Before Christmas as his finest hour, culminating in a warm and viciously entertaining fable for anybody, regardless of age. Disney should be kicking themselves for letting a director as talented as Selick slip through their fingers, and the joyous wonder that is Coraline gives you everything you need to understand why.
Available to stream on BBC iPlayer
The Trailblazing
Hellbent (2004) dir. Paul Etheredge-Ouzts
Hellbent is a queer horror movie that is credited with representing a new wave of ‘gay slasher’ films and further reimagining the horror movie for the 21st century. The film, about a murderer who apparently intends to murder the entire gay community, made rounds within various LGBT+ film festivals in 2004 and 2005 before getting a limited theatrical run. Hellbent is notable for its themes of queer identity and how it unpicks the ‘sex equals death’ trope that personifies many typical horror flicks. It’s revealing about the shortcomings that still exist with regards to LGBT+ representation in films like this that, despite many great horror movies having not-so-hidden queer coding, films akin to Hellbent are still few and far between. As an alternative bloody romp to sit back and admire, Etheredge-Ouzts’ directorial debut offers a new spin on slasher pics without feeling the need to reinvent the wheel.
Available to stream on Here TV
The Transgressive
47 Meters Down: Uncaged (2019) dir. Johannes Roberts
At their best, shark movies offer grizzly, paranoia-inducing underwater medleys, and 47 Meters Down: Uncaged does an admirable job of muscling in on this violent crowd. A sequel to 2017’s 47 Meters Down, Uncaged sees stepsisters Mia (Sophie Nélisse) and Sasha (Corinne Foxx) discover a submerged Mayan city. There, they accidently disturb some deadly sharks and have to fight for their survival in the underwater labyrinth. If it sounds silly, it’s because it is (a fish screams underwater for one thing), and Uncaged doesn’t go skimpy on the amount of blood and guts brought about by each new feeding frenzy. It has about enough to keep you on your toes, and if Sharknado is proving just a little bit too ‘out there’ for your tastes, the refined splendor of CGI shark ripping teenagers to shreds will bring you back to earth with a gratifying bump.
Available to stream on BBC iPlayer
Read More:
- Films To Stream In The UK In October 2022
- Films To Stream In The UK In September 2022
- Films To Stream In The UK In August 2022
- Films To Stream In The UK In June 2022
Words by James Hanton
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