The Upstream: November 2023
10 great movies new to streaming this month.
Remember, remember, the fifth of November…
Whether you're celebrating with bonfires or just an early bedtime, here are 10 movies new to streaming services to cozy up with as we enter the back half of fall.
Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, Amazon Prime Video
“Please do not be cynical,” Conan O’Brien told the audience in his final episode hosting The Tonight Show after a brutal behind-the-scenes battle for the gig. “I hate cynicism – it's my least favorite quality, and it doesn't lead anywhere. Nobody in life gets exactly what they thought they were going to get. But if you work really hard and you're kind, amazing things will happen.” If you want to see how he was not just paying lip service to these ideals but putting them into action, check out Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, a documentary following his post-firing tour. It’s inspiring to see how much he loves the work and motivates those around him, even if corporate brass can’t see his full value.
Diary of a Country Priest, Criterion Channel
There’s no real “trailer” available for Diary of a Country Priest, so let TCM intro you to this classic minimalist drama by French master Robert Bresson. If you loved First Reformed, this is the movie that Paul Schrader was riffing on. Learn your history while also gaining a greater appreciation of how some crises of faith began long before our time. This film rarely streams, even for paying rentals, so don’t miss your chance!
Downsizing, Netflix
I don’t think it’s much of a coincidence that Alexander Payne’s latest film The Holdovers (in theaters now!) comes directly after he made a film set in the future. Downsizing got pilloried out of the fall festivals when it debuted in 2017 and never really recovered. I think it’s far from perfect but has enough interesting ideas to merit a watch. “Downsizing dares to ask if humans will be ready to make the sacrifices necessary for the survival and preservation of the species is on the line,” I wrote out of that year’s TIFF for /Film, “Payne and Taylor can pose the question without inducing complete debilitation because it's one they ask with genuine concern and empathy for their fellow earthlings.”
Elf, Max
Here’s where to watch the holiday classic that never gets old! I have watched Elf probably upwards of fifty times now, and the fight with Santa Claus in Gimbel’s still makes me laugh uproariously. Very few movies can still do that.
I found myself wanting to rewatch Hannah and Her Sisters a lot recently, and then it dropped on Max this month! I already took the liberty of rewatching, and I found this Chekov-inflected drama of three sisters even more affecting with age. Certain lines really induce a wince given what we now know about Woody Allen, of course. But Mia Farrow gives probably her best performance in his films here as the titular Hannah, the rock for her family forced to confront the destabilizing effect her personal stability has on others.
Jerichow, MUBI
I watched Jerichow for the first time over the summer in preparation for my interview with Christian Petzold, and this was the film from his back catalog that really knocked me over. This noir-like German drama follows an unconventional and unexpected love triangle between an Afghan War vet, a Turkish businessman, and the latter’s wife. If you’re a fan of films with opaque characters who act in ways you find somewhat incomprehensible but nonetheless fascinating, here’s a real treat for you.
Killing Them Softly, Amazon Prime Video
There are many “serious” movies that understand current events only so far as to make them a #topical and #relevant backdrop for their movies. Without elevating the events of America’s 2008 financial crisis and Presidential election to actual plot points, Killing Them Softly shows the other way to do it. This crime thriller unfolding in the collapse of the global economy dares to suggest that more potent larceny and murder occur in the halls of power. Movies like this are simply where we can stage those metaphoric ideas in literal terms.
The Missing Picture, Criterion Channel
For those seeking a film to understand the emotional truth behind recent events (not necessarily the geopolitics), Rithy Panh’s The Missing Picture might hold a powerful skeleton key. The Cambodian director witnessed how the Khmer Rouge terrorized his country, killed his family members, and stole his childhood. To fully understand the effects decades later, he uses a medium associated with youthful simplicity — claymation — to recreate the culture destroyed by the country’s communist rulers. The film proves an act of defiance against propaganda and powerful personal reclamation.
Mistress America, Max
Many of you may know that I had a habit of watching the Noah Baumbach-Greta Gerwig collaboration Frances Ha on my birthday eve throughout my twenties. I’ve decided to switch that annual slot to its older, wiser, and more blinkered cousin, Mistress America. I think this might be the definitive millennial text for those who stay in New York into their thirties. Gerwig’s Brooke provides something of a mission statement for me, honestly:
“I’ve spent my whole life chasing after things and knocking at doors and I’m tired of running towards people. I want to be the place that people COME to. I want to make a home for all the knockers and runners - I’m good at that. I’m happy with that. I keep the hearth … that’s a word, right? Hearth?”
Anyways, this one doesn’t stream on services very often, so see for yourself why I ranked it as Noah Baumbach’s best movie.
The Polar Express, Max
Here’s a Christmas movie from my childhood that I think deserves a better reputation than it has. Sure, the animation in The Polar Express is broadcast directly from the land of the uncanny valley. But there’s a sincerity to the way it approaches the nature of belief that I find deeply moving each time I watch it.
You can always keep up with my film-watching in real-time on the app Letterboxd. I’ve also compiled every movie I’ve ever recommended through this newsletter via a list on the platform as well.
I very much enjoyed listening to this deep dive into Emily Blunt’s career and what, exactly, we want out of actresses these days.
“Any true critic knows, of course, there is no wrong and there is no right,” writes Michael Koresky in Reverse Shot. “This doesn’t stop us from writing as though these poles exist.” For those who like meta-commentary, this reflection on the art of criticism in the guise of re-reviewing of Southland Tales is a must-read.
As they hit 20 years on Tuesday (EEK!), The New York Times asks if Elf and Love Actually are the last theatrical Christmas smashes we’ll ever get.
I debuted at Inverse this week with an interview of Fingernails’ co-writer/director Christos Nikou on how he’s making sci-fi lo-fi.
Here’s a recap of what I’ve recommended (or haven’t) for Decider in the last month or so.
STREAM IT:
The Burial (Amazon Prime Video)
Crypto Boy (Netflix)
No Accident (Max)
Yellow Door: ‘90s Lo-fi Film Club (Netflix)
SKIP IT:
You can keep track of all the freelance writing I’ve done this year through this list on Letterboxd.
Good luck to all dealing with unnaturally early sunset tonight. We can get through this together!
Yours in service and cinema,
Marshall