Stream on Demand: Netflix turns on the ‘Spotlight’

Thu., June 23, 2016

By Sean Axmaker Correspondent

Trailers online

“Midnight Special”

“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2”

“Spotlight”

New on DVD

This week’s picks include a foreign film and a campy classic.

“The Wave”: Never judge a film by the description. This film from Norway looks at what happens when a tsunami hits. That isn’t the greatest lure to watch the DVD.

The idea that a giant wave could hit the coast of the country just seems too unbelievable. But the giant waves are a real threat the country faces because of all the mountains that line the fjords. When there is a major avalanche, a giant wave can be sent rushing down the waterway.

Geiranger is one of Norway’s top tourist draws. But the mountain Akerneset looms over the village. Geologist Kristian (Kristoffer Joner) is going to a new job with an oil company after several years at Geiranger’s warning center. Before he can leave, the moment he has feared happens.

That’s what happens in this 2015 film that was Norway’s official submission for the 88th Academy Awards. It didn’t get nominated, but a quick look at the acting, special effects and emotional impact and it’s obvious why the movie was so heavily touted.

“The Crush” The 1993 film starring Cary Elwes and Alicia Silverstone is played with so much campiness it turns a very serious topic into a sadly laughable offering. It wanted to be a 1990s answer to “Lolita” but never finds that serious tension.

What you get is Silverstone playing a 14-year-old who fixates on her much older neighbor (Elwes). It starts with flirting but when the teen is rejected she takes a page from “Fatal Attraction.”

The problem is Silverstone doesn’t have the acting skills to make the scenario come across as real. Elwes plays his part with such coolness you can almost see the frost.

Also new

“Janet King: Series 1: The Enemy Within”: The eight-part Australian series focuses on a senior crown prosecutor.

“How to Get Away With Murder: The Complete Second Season”: Viola Davis stars in the ABC drama.

“Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz”: The cat and mouse face a new foe in Oz.

“Midnight Special”: Father goes on the run to protect his young son.

“Knight of Cups”: Writer goes in search of love. Christian Bale stars.

“Rollercoaster”: America’s amusement parks become the target of terrorists.

“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2”: It’s wedding bells again in the sequel to the romantic comedy hit.

“Goldilocks and the Three Bears and Other Fairytale Adventures”: Four stories to teach reading skills.

“Wondrous Boccaccio”: Ten young men and women leave plague-stricken Florence to visit the countryside.

“Workaholics: Season Six”: Adam, Ders and Blake are back in 10 episodes.

“Transformers Rescue Bots: Heroes of Tech”: Chase, Heatwave, Blades and Boulder return for five new adventures.

“The Black Jacket”: Former Black Panther teaches course that brings gangs, community together.

“I’ll Take Sweden”: This 1965 Bob Hope film also stars Tuesday Weld and Frankie Avalon.

“Power Rangers: Ninja Storm”: Power Rangers must save Earth from the evil Lotho.

Rick Bentley, Tribune News Service

What’s new for home viewing on video on demand and Netflix, Amazon Prime and other streaming services.

Pay-per-view / video on demand

“Midnight Special” is a mix of science-fiction odyssey and conspiracy thriller grounded in the devotion of a father (Michael Shannon) to a son with inexplicable powers. A moving and gripping alternative to the sprawling superhero genre. Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst and Adam Driver co-star. PG-13. Also on Blu-ray and DVD.

Also new: the action comedy “The Brothers Grimsby” with Sacha Baron Cohen (R), the romantic comedy sequel “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” with Nia Vardalos (PG-13) and Terrence Malick’s drama “Knight of Cups” with Christian Bale (R).

Available same day as select theaters nationwide: sports drama “The Phenom” with Ethan Hawke and Paul Giamatti (not rated), political drama “Septembers of Shiraz” with Salma Hayek (PG-13), and western “The Duel” with Woody Harrelson (R).

Netflix

“Spotlight” (2015), the story of the Boston Globe reporters who uncovered the Catholic Church’s cover-up of child abuse by priests, won the Oscar for Best Picture. Mark Ruffalo, Rachel McAdams and Michael Keaton star. Rated R.

Also new: indie drama “The Fundamentals of Caring” (2016) with Paul Rudd (PG-13), Oscar-nominated “Theeb” from Jordan (not rated, with subtitles), martial arts drama “Ip Man 3” from Hong Kong (PG-13, with subtitles), and comic book noir “Sin City: A Dame to Kill For” (2014) with Mickey Rourke and Jessica Alba (R).

The British natural history series “Life Story: Series 1” (2014) charts the journey from birth to adulthood throughout the animal kingdom. 6 episodes.

More streaming TV: Shonda Rhimes’ “Grey’s Anatomy: Season 12” with Ellen Pompeo, and for kids the animated series “Dragons: Race to the Edge: Season 3” and the Disney Channel shows “Bunk’d: Season 1” and “Best Friends Whenever: Season 1.”

Amazon Prime Video and Hulu

With the debut of the seventh and final season of “The Good Wife,” the entire series is now on both Amazon Prime and Hulu for summer bingeing.

Amazon Prime Video

A batch of Miramax titles from the past couple of decades slipped onto Amazon Prime this month, including Oscar winners “The English Patient” (1996, R), “The Crying Game” (1992, R), “Pulp Fiction” (1994, R), “Shakespeare in Love” (1998, R), and “My Left Foot” (2005, R), and the whimsical French comedy “Amelie” (2001, R, with subtitles).

HBO Now

“Ted 2” (2015) reunites Mark Wahlberg with his foul-mouthed talking Teddy Bear. It’s definitely R.

The new sports talk show “Any Given Wednesday with Bill Simmons” debuts this week, with new episodes every Wednesday.

At Redbox

“How to be Single,” “The Brothers Grimsby,” “The Wave”

Sean Axmaker is a Seattle film critic and writer. His reviews of streaming movies and TV can be found at http://streamondemandathome.com.