Once upon a time, we were promised a movie lover’s utopia: a streaming universe where we could watch any movie at the click of a button. But with each passing year, that promise seems like a pipe dream. High-profile subscription streaming services (Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Max, Hulu, etc.) are gradually reducing the amount of their movie catalogs in order to focus more on original movies. (They have now decided to remove these originals or not stream them at all due to tax incentives.)
So what’s a serious movie fan to do? People looking for more than shrinking libraries and a constant rotation of titles are increasingly turning to, and paying subscription fees to, specialist services offering more exotic and niche films. Each month, we’ll spotlight one of these services and tell you what makes them unique, what value they give you for your money, and what the best titles are.
We’ll start with one of the older streaming services, Mubi. It started as Auteurs in 2007 and partnered with the Criterion Collection as a video-on-demand platform the following year. Now, subscription streamer Mubi is touting himself with one simple promise: “We’ll show you the best international movies.” But in this case, as opposed to, say, the year-end awards race, “international film” is an umbrella label. The service features a wide variety of movies, including American and foreign films, mainstream and independent films, award-winning and exploitation films, classics and new releases.
The only real qualification is quality. Mubi is diverse but well-curated. For several years, the service had a slow programming plan that added one new movie every day, streamed it for 30 days, and then removed it. While this kept libraries vibrant, it caused anxiety for some viewers (and critics) who didn’t want to miss a movie before it was removed. Since then, it has become a less time-sensitive format, with titles spending longer in regular collections, but films still change frequently. Regardless of the turnaround, the selection is wide-ranging, with Mubi representatives saying they have over 750 titles in their current library. That’s less than Netflix or Prime, yes. But the key difference is that they’re all worth seeing.
Among the permanent selection are Mubi’s own releases. In recent years, the company has received positive reviews on the film festival circuit with films such as Park Chan-wook’s mesmerizing “Decision to Leave,” Ira Sachs’ sensual “Passages,” and Aki Kaurismäki’s “Fallen Leaves.” We started getting movies both for theatrical distribution and streaming. The film won the Jury Prize at Cannes.
The $14.99 price tag for this service is frankly unbeatable. It costs less per month than ad-free slots on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Max, and Hulu, but has a stronger overall library. Subscribers in Atlanta, Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, New York City, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, and Seattle can purchase Mubi Go slots for an additional $5 in Pony. This allows subscribers to receive weekly services. Apart from his own releases, Mubi’s recent selections include “May December,” “The Boy and the Heron,” “The Taste of Things,” and “How to Have Sex.”
Don’t know where to start? Here are some recommendations.
“a woman”: Mubi’s regular features include Festival Focus, which spotlights films that received a lot of attention at festivals; In conjunction with last month’s Sundance Film Festival, this collection includes this modest 2016 masterpiece directed by the great Kelly Reichardt (“First Cow”). Initially garnering attention as stars of Laura Dern, Kristen Stewart and Michelle Williams, all of whom paint vivid portraits of women under emotional pressure, now is best known as the general public’s introduction to Killers of the Flower Moon. Oscar-nominated Lily Gladstone, who starred in the film, gives a painfully melancholy performance as a love-stricken rancher.
“terminal island”: “Some Women” also features “Reframing: Women Directors,” along with everything from Jamie Babbitt’s wide-ranging comedy “But I’m a Cheerleader” to this hilariously infamous 1973 actioner directed by Stephanie Rothman. ” has been part of the spotlight. Rothman is a fascinating figure, a rare female director of exploitation films who deftly smuggles an unapologetically feminist subtext into her homely standbys of sex comedies, horror films, and women’s prison films. be. It’s an explosive production featuring muscular action, sharp social commentary, and an early performance by Tom Selleck (without the mustache!).
“Shaolin Temple Room 36”: Meanwhile, “Terminal Island” is cross-posted in the “Embracing Notoriety: Cult Movies” section, which has some offbeat gems, including this seminal 1978 Hong Kong wuxia epic from director Lau Kar-leung . Gordon Liu, who Quentin Tarantino would introduce to a new generation of action fans through his reverent role in Kill Bill, stars as a young student studying Kung Fu at a Shaolin temple in search of revenge. do. There he is trained in swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, and physical training to withstand blows. The dialogue is tough yet witty, and the combat is fast and furious, with breathtaking choreography and graceful execution.
“oversimplification of her beauty”: A fun and eclectic Black History Month collection, “Cut to Black: Celebrating Black Film” offers an appreciation for deep-dive treasures like Terrence Nance’s 2013 debut, which he wrote, directed, and stars in. Possible options are mostly avoided. This work is a creative combination of animation, documentary, confession, and music. Sui generis This is a rare initiative even in the independent film scene.
“Los Angeles plays itself”: Unsurprisingly, Mubi offers a variety of excellent documentaries, but one of the best is director Tom Andersen’s delicious 2003 essay film. Running approximately three hours and featuring more than 200 of his clips, “Plays Itself” explores how filmmakers throughout the history of cinema have utilized and presented the film industry’s home on screen. The result is one of his great movies about movies, and a fitting selection for this essential movie geek platform.
