Streaming the Best Movies of 2015

It is 2016, a brand-new year with a bunch of new films to look forward to: movies such as the Coen brothers promising 1950s comedy Hail Caesar, and Ben Stiller's sequel to Zoolander (creatively titled Zoolander 2), both of which are due in February. There is a new animated Disney film, Zootopia, and a new live-action (more or less) Disney reboot of The Jungle Book, directed by John Favreau – to be released in March and April respectively. There is an upcoming comedy starring Key and Peele, scheduled for April; an Oliver Stone biopic entitled Snowden, featuring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Ed, due in May; and a live action (sort of) production of Roald Dahl’s classic The BFG, starring Mark Rylance and directed by Steven Spielberg(!) coming in mid- summer. Just to name a few.

But if 2015 was not a banner year for great films, there were a bunch of very good ones. Few of us were able to see all of them, and most probably saw only a few. The good news is that a lot of these pictures are now available to watch in the comfort of your home. As a public service, what follows is a list of some of the best movies of the past year which are currently available for home viewing - in alphabetical order. (I have reviewed just over half of these and have conveniently provided a link to those – just click on the title to see my review.)

A Borrowed Identity.  This coming of age movie tells the story of a young Israeli Arab boy, Eyad, as he comes face-to-face for the first time in his life with the predominant Jewish society and culture of his country. It is a charming and touching tale, well told; and provides an interesting and insightful viewpoint on the Jewish – Palestinian relationship in modern Israel. Everyone I know who has seen this movie has liked it.

104 minutes.  In Arabic, Hebrew and English – subtitled where necessary.

Available streaming on Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, Vudu, iTunes and elsewhere.

About Elly.   From the great Iranian director Asghar Farhadi (A Separation [2011] and The Past [2013]) comes this intriguing, award-winning film from 2009, but only released this year in the USA. A group of young Iranians, friends since college, are taking a long holiday weekend at a rustic cabin, when one of the women goes missing. Farhadi is a master of the domestic drama, and this movie certainly delivers. In my review last May I noted that this movie "focuses particularly on how the deception of little white lies and hidden truths can corrode relationships and lead to unintended consequences." This movie will grab you.

119 minutes. Mostly in Farsi – subtitled.

Available streaming on Netflix, iTunes, Vudu and elsewhere

Amy.  Released last spring, this documentary about the life, the music, and the tragic death of Amy Winehouse is based on previously unseen photographs, home videos, and other archival material, with Amy herself getting a lot of screen time. You don't have to be a Winehouse fan to appreciate and enjoy this critically acclaimed movie; although I’d bet you will want to take a good listen after you've seen it. Start with her multiplatinum album "Back to Black".

128 minutes

Available streaming on Amazon Instant Video, ITunes, Xfinity OnDemand, Vudu and elsewhere; available from Netflix on DVD.

Citizenfour.  This is actually a 2014 movie, but it didn't win the Oscar for Best Documentary until February 2015.  Besides, I wanted to give it another plug.  This is the story of Edward Snowden's disclosure of the large scale, previously undisclosed surveillance conducted by the US government on all of us. The movie provides the inside story - consisting primarily of interviews with Snowden himself, holed up in a Hong Kong hotel room, prior to and immediately after he became a fugitive. In my review, I wrote :"It is fascinating, frightening, informative, unabashedly partial, challenging and thought-provoking." Still true.

114 minutes.

Currently available on demand for HBO subscribers, and on DVD from Netflix or for purchase from Amazon, iTunes, and elsewhere (about $15). Available for streaming more generally (and less expensively) beginning mid-February 2016.

End of the Tour. The premise of this modest film – a dramatization of a multi-day conversation between acclaimed novelist/essayist David Foster Wallace and journalist David Lipsky, following the publication of Wallace’s magnum opus, Infinite Jest - may not sound exciting to those not already familiar with Wallace, but trust me: this is an amazing, revealing, surprisingly layered little movie. Jason Segal is a revelation as Wallace, a brilliant, fascinating, complicated soul; and Jesse Eisenberg, beautifully channels the young reporter whose expectations about celebrity, success and the life of a literary genius are upended by the experience. No guns, car crashes or space adventures here, but wow! – it’s a fascinating dynamic and a mind-expanding conversation.

106 minutes.

Available streaming on Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Vudu, Xfinity OnDemand, and elsewhere, or on DVD from Netflix.

Ex Machina.  A young programmer (Domhnall Gleeson) wins a week with the fabulously rich and brilliant founder/owner of his high-tech company (Oscar Isaac), who engages him in an experiment to test the consciousness of a revolutionary new A.I. robot – a beautiful and alluring female, called Ava (Alicia Vikander). This picture features superior acting and special effects, and the issues raised - and how they are raised – are mind-bendingly provocative. It’s also a superb thriller that will keep you guessing.  One of the best movies of the year, in my view.

108 minutes.

Available streaming on Amazon Instant Video (free with Prime), iTunes, Vudu, Xfinity OnDemand (pricey here), and elsewhere, or on DVD from Netflix.

Gett: The Trial of Viviane Amsalem.  A visually austere, deceptively simple yet remarkably stirring and heart-wrenching drama about a woman's quest to free herself from an oppressive marriage. Unfortunately, she’s stuck in a legal system in which the husband's consent is a prerequisite for divorce; and Viviane’s husband is, to put it mildly, obstinate on this. As suggested by the title, virtually the entire story unwinds during the course of protracted legal proceedings. Don't let that scare you away – like the classic American drama 12 Angry Men, this movie captures your attention and will not let go. To a significant degree, this is attributable to the stunning performance of Ronit Elkabetz as Viviane, and superlative acting by the entire ensemble. One of my favorite films of the year.

115 Minutes.   In Hebrew, French and Arabic – subtitled.

Available streaming on Amazon Instant Video (free with Prime), iTunes, Vudu, and elsewhere, or on DVD from Netflix.

Inside Out.  This was the first of two Pixar/Disney films released in 2015. The animation is superb per Pixar's high standards. Written and directed by Pete Docter (Up, Monsters, Inc) and featuring the voices of Amy Poehler, Bill Haider, and Lewis Black, the movie tells the story of preteen Riley, who is unhappily uprooted from her home and forced to move with her parents to San Francisco, where her dad is starting a new job. What makes this movie particularly cool (and earned it high critical praise) is that most of the ‘action’ takes place inside Riley's head, where her primary emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness - are personified as characters, frequently in conflict with one another, mostly funny and sometimes hilarious.  Also, surprisingly true to life. Expect some wild adventures, a heartwarming resolution, and a lot of laughs. Suitable for adults (and kids).

95 minutes.

Available streaming on Amazon Instant Video, iTunes and elsewhere, or on DVD from Netflix.

Love And Mercy.  This may be my favorite movie of the year, and is certainly in my top three. Ostensibly a biopic about Brian Wilson, the film provides a thrilling peek into the creative process of a musical genius and simultaneously a frightful glimpse into a disintegrating mind, while telling a fascinating story of love and redemption. Wilson, of course, was the architect of the Beach Boys sound, with pop gems like Surfer Girl, Don't Worry Baby, Help Me Rhonda, Wouldn't It Be Nice, God Only Knows, and Good Vibrations to his credit. However, his is not the typical rock star story and this isn’t a typical biography. Wilson’s life trajectory has been so unusual and dramatic that director Bill Pohlad used two different actors to portray him. Brilliant and moving. Good soundtrack, too.

121 minutes.

Available streaming on Amazon Instant Video, iTunes and elsewhere, or on DVD from Netflix.

The Martian.  An engrossing movie about an aborted Mars mission, the astronaut, Mark Watney (Matt Damon) who inadvertently is left behind, and how he copes to survive for as long as possible in the planet’s alien environment hoping for eventual, but highly uncertain rescue. Watney is smart and clever, and must use every ounce of his ingenuity, as well as incredible fortitude and surprising wit, to hang on for months, while NASA tries to figure out what, if anything, it can do to save him. Thrilling, funny, scary, and scientifically interesting, this is that rare, fully satisfying sci-fi film.  Also featuring Jessica Chastain, Kristin Wiig, Jeff Daniels and Michael Peña. Oh, and it’s directed by Ridley Scott.

144 minutes.

Available for streaming January12, 2016 on most platforms, including iTunes, Vudu, and Amazon. Available for purchase now (about $15).

Mistress America.  Part character study, part bildungsroman, and part throwback to the madcap comedies of the 1930s and 40s, this is a wonderfully quirky and engaging film. It's directed by Noah Baumbach and stars his muse and cowriter, Greta Gerwig, along with relative newcomer Lola Kirke.  Kirke is Tracey, an incoming freshman at Barnard College in New York, who aspires to be a writer - and who finds inspiration in her stepsister-to-be, Brooke (Gerwig), who at first seems to be everything that Tracey is not - adventurous, creative and full of life. Brooke turns out to be way more complicated than that, and far less successful and self-assured than she seems. Gerwig creates in Brooke a truly great and indelible character. A series of misadventures ensues, by turns hilarious and revealing.

84 minutes.

Available streaming on Amazon Instant Video, iTunes and elsewhere, or on DVD from Netflix.

Mr. Holmes.  IMDB’s plot summary anonymously and concisely describes the story as follows: "An aged, retired Sherlock Holmes looks back on his life, and grapples with an unsolved case involving a beautiful woman."   Holmes is played by Ian McKellen, who gives a lovely, etched performance that is reason enough to see this movie. The "current" part of the story takes place in 1947 with 93-year-old Sherlock musing on memory, mortality, connection, responsibility and an unsolved case from 1912. This "Case of the Glass Harmonocist” is told via Holmes’ reveries, seen in flashbacks. This very different Sherlock Holmes is thoughtful and melancholy, unlike the dashing Robert Downey Jr version or the BBC’s Benedict Cumberbatch version. And this is a lovely, worthwhile film.

104 minutes.

Available streaming on Amazon Instant Video, iTunes, Vudu, Xfinity OnDemand (pricey here), and elsewhere, or on DVD from Netflix.

Timbuktu.  A beautiful film about ordinary Muslim people - farmers, fishermen, villagers, families - living in Timbuktu, Mali (Saharan North Africa) and how their lives are disrupted when their region is taken over by radical jihadists. In the town, the fundamentalists outlaw everything from music to soccer to radio, and impose a ridiculous dress code – women must always wear gloves, men must shorten their pants. The villagers resist where they can, but penalties for any violation are harsh. For rural families, such as the cattle-herder Kidane, his wife Satima, daughter Toya, and their shepherd boy Issan, things are a bit better – for a time. With gorgeous photography and sensitively portrayed characters, the film builds slowly, allowing us to be charmed by and to empathize with people in a far different part of the world.  

97 minutes.  In French, Arabic, English and other languages – subtitled.

Available streaming on Amazon Instant Video, iTunes and elsewhere, or on DVD from Netflix.

Trainwreck.  If you’re a fan of the hilarious and satiric Amy Schumer – through her stand-up routines or her show Inside Amy Schumer – this movie is for you. Written by and starring Ms. Schumer, and directed by Judd Apatow, it’s about a thirty-something career woman named Amy, working at a TMZ-ish magazine (headed by a quite funny Tilda Swinton). Amy just happens to closely resemble Schumer’s onstage persona – drinks to much, smokes too much dope, is cynical too much, and, with a phobia for actual relationships, hooks-up way too much. Until, one day she meets the perfect guy. Aaron, a hugely successful, generous and publicly committed M.D., actually wants to be with her, setting up a quandary for our leading, um, lady.  The story is pretty predictable, but the satire is strong and there are a bunch of laugh-out-loud moments.

125 minutes.

Available streaming on Amazon Instant Video, iTunes and elsewhere, or on DVD from Netflix.

Two Days, One Night.  Ok, technically this movie came out in December 2014 here in the U.S., but close enough. The latest film by the Belgian filmmakers Luc and Jean-Pierre Dardenne stars Marion Cotillard as a young woman fighting to keep her blue-collar job. About to return from a medical leave of absence, she is informed that her colleagues have been filling in for her, and that her boss can’t afford to hire her back and to give everyone else the bonus he promised them. She can get her job back only if she can convince her co-workers to forego their year-end money.  She’s got just one weekend to try. Two Days, One Night is interesting, thought-provoking, and absolutely worth seeing for Cotillard’s stripped-down, brilliant performance.

95 minutes.  In French – subtitled.

Available streaming on Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, iTunes and elsewhere.

The Walk.  My October review was entitled A Glorious, High Flying Adventure, and that’s just what this movie is. It’s the behind the scenes true story of Frenchman Phillippe Petit’s amazing feat:  walking a wire between the roofs of the World Trade Center's twin towers in New York, shortly before the ill-fated buildings were completed in August 1974. It’s much more engaging and entertaining than the Academy Award winning documentary, Man On Wire, from 2008, which related the same story. Joseph Gordon-Leavitt stars and is fabulous as Petit.  The wire walking is thrilling, and so is the tale of how Petit and his little band were able to sneak into the WTC to pull off their “coup”. Plus, the cinematography is absolutely superb.

123 minutes.

Will be available streaming beginning January 5, 2016 on iTunes, Amazon and elsewhere.  Currently available from Netflix on DVD, and for purchase on multiple platforms for about $15.

The Wannabe.   You haven’t heard of this one, I’d guess, unless you read my review last April. The film was shown at the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival, where I saw it. I thought it was very entertaining – a bit like Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker in 1990’s Queens. – with terrific performances from Vincent Gallo in the lead as wannabe gangster ‘Thomas’ and Patricia Arquette as his modern day moll, ‘Rose’.  Overall, the critical reception was pretty tepid, and this film never got a theatrical release. Too bad, because I still think The Wannabe is a good movie.  It was written and directed by Nick Sandow (Caputo on Orange Is The New Black).  Read my full review, and check it out.

90 Minutes.

Available streaming on Amazon, iTunes, Xfinity OnDemand and elsewhere; also, on DVD from Netflix.

Woman In Gold.   More than fifty years after WW2, one woman, Maria Altman, and her determined young lawyer were able to force Austria to return valuable artwork which had been stolen from her family by the Nazis in 1938. Among the looted art were five paintings by Gustav Klimt, including the titular “Woman in Gold”, a portrait of Altman’s aunt, Adele Bloch-Bauer. The legal battle took six long years, beginning in 1998, when Altman was already eighty-two. Austria (which only got around to officially apologizing for its Nazi-era war crimes in 1988) fought tooth and nail to keep its ill-gotten masterpiece from her, eventually losing in 2004. This film tells the story with admirable clarity and a strong emotional punch (have a couple of hankies at the ready). It gets most everything right, with the exception of a remarkably hokey, but still sweet scene at the U.S. Supreme Cout. There are top-notch performances by the great Helen Mirren as Maria and Ryan Reynolds as her attorney, plus solid direction by Simon Curtis (whose last feature was the wonderful My Week With Marilyn).

109 minutes.

 Available streaming on Amazon, iTunes, Xfinity OnDemand and elsewhere; also, on DVD from Netflix.

Enjoy!