The Netflix Stream: Week of January 29th, 2012

The beginning of February is all about comedy on Netflix. We lose a few funny movies and we gain a few. All things considered, it’s a zero sum game. It’s not a win, but it’s a hell of a lot better than a loss.

Leaving the Stream
  1. ‘Strange Brew’ (2/5): I’ve been meaning to watch ‘Strange Brew‘ for years now, and it seems like this is the time to do it. The movie is a classic, based on an ‘SCTV’ sketch and starring Dave Thomas and the sadly retired Rick Moranis. Come back, Rick!
  2. ‘The Men Who Stare at Goats’ (2/6): I wouldn’t describe ‘The Men Who Stare at Goats‘ as a great movie by any means. It’s a competent comedy that explores a very real military program wherein soldiers were trained to develop psychic powers. It takes a few liberties with the facts, but it’s still worth a watch. Clooney, Bridges, McGregor, Spacey – that’s one hell of a lineup. (Read Blu-ray review.)
Entering the Stream
  1. ‘Shaolin Soccer’: If you haven’t had the pleasure of seeing Stephen Chow in action, this is a chance that you should take. ‘Shaolin Soccer‘ sits somewhere in my top five list of sports movies, and high on my list of comedies. It’s an underdog tale that involves incredible feats of martial arts, some superpowers and plenty of incredibly goofy gags. Give this flick a go. I can promise that you’ve never seen anything like it.
  2. ‘Coffee and Cigarettes’: This one’s been on my “must watch” list for a while now, and it’s great to see it come to streaming. The film, directed by Jim Jarmusch, includes Bill Murray, Roberto Benigni, Steve Buscemi, Iggy Pop, Cate Blanchett, Steve Coogan, GZA, RZA and Tom Waits. Each segment of the film features different people engaged in conversation over, as you might imagine, ‘Coffee and Cigarettes‘.

1 comment

  1. “Coffee and Cigarettes” is quite funny! Best parts are Iggy Pop vs. Tom Waits and Steve Coogan vs. Alfred Molina. “The Men Who Stare At Goats” did nothing for me, however.

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