Which movies should you stream at home? Here are recommendations, and one to avoid.
“Never Rarely Sometimes Always”: Eliza Hittman embraces realism again for her award-winning drama about a small-town Pennsylvania teen (a natural Sidney Flanigan, who never acted before) confronting roadblocks to get an abortion. There’s not one false step in the “Beach Rats” director’s verite drama, an affecting portrait that speaks with quiet but urgent authority. Details: 4 out of 4 stars, streaming on Amazon Prime.
“Love Wedding Repeat”: In this creative rom-com romp, “Hunger Games” hunk Sam Claflin plays a sweetheart brother of an anxious bride (Eleanor Tomlinson) who’s walking down the aisle with an indelicate secret. All actors on this guest list — Freida Pinto as the acid-tongued ex and Olivia Munn as Jack’s journalist crush — are a scream. RSVP now to director/writer Dean Craig’s sassy tinkering of genre tropes. Details: (3 stars; streaming now on Netflix).
“Dolphin Reef”: Disney+ bails out parents with this family-friendly, sumptuously photographed Nature documentary narrated by an exclamatory Natalie Portman. The spectacle of the undersea world and its denizens are the stars, even if “Dolphin” intends to chart the cute growing pains of a dolphin. The streaming service also offers “Elephant,” narrated by Meghan Markle. Details: 3 stars; available now.
“Tigertail”: Alan Yang’s subtle family drama shifts from Taiwan to America as well as from a child’s perspective to that of a senior, as a repressed man reflects on past and present relationships and attitudes. Details: Available April 10 on Netflix.
“Extra Ordinary”: This zany Irish supernatural comedy boosts downtrodden spirits. Lafayette native Will Forte is hilarious as an ego-driven, has-been rocker, but Maeve Higgins fuels this wild ride and she’s a hoot as a driving instructor in tune with ghosts. Details: 3 stars; to screen, go to www.cinemasf.com/balboa or drafthouse.com/virtual-cinema; $12.
“Les Miserables”: A reinvention of Victor Hugo’s tale doesn’t sound promising, but this contemporary jolt set in an impoverished section of Paris shows what universally ails our world. Ladj Ly directs with action fury. Details: 3½ stars; streaming April 10 on Amazon Prime.
“Mine 9”: This intense based-on-a-true story survival thriller received a world premiere at the 2019 Cinequest Film & Creativity Festival and justly took home a best narrative drama prize. Edward Mensore’s heroic nail-biter finds nine coal miners trapped in West Virginia as the oxygen supply dwindles. You’ll feel like you’re there with them. Details: 3 stars; available on various platforms.
“Invisible Life”: In this passionate Brazilian epic, two sisters in the ‘50s get separated by the cruel actions of their strict father, thrusting them into relationships wherein macho men with fragile egos dominate. Karim Ainouz’s melodrama is sexually explicit and unforgettable. Details: 3½ stars; streaming on Amazon Prime.
“Coffee & Kareem”: I lasted just 30 minutes through this rancid, obnoxious and dumb mess — a Netflix original comedy/thriller. Ed Helms is a white cop romancing a black woman (Taraji B. Henson) who has an annoying son. This one should be flushed down the toilet. Details: Zero stars; available now.
“Almost Love”: Cozy up to this romantic comedy from actor-turned-director Mike Doyle about a self-absorbed New Yorker artist fumbling with his career, social media and a romance. Scott Evans and August Prew play a disconnected gay couple and are first-rate, as are Kate Walsh and Patricia Clarkson in smaller roles. Details: 3 stars; available on various platforms.
