This Week in Streaming (September 17th)
Shōgun (FX/Sling/Hulu) Though it premiered last February, FX’s take on James Clavell’s classic historical novel about the culture clash between a British sailor and Japanese feudal lords more than sustained its hype as its record-breaking Emmy dominance this weekend indicates. Violent, vibrant, and action-filled, it shows just how far TV has come since the debut of its early 80s NBC event miniseries predecessor.
Days of Heaven (Criterion) Terrence Malick shot this turn-of-the-century tale about the love triangle involving a farmer (Sam Shepard), a criminal (Richard Gere), and the woman they love (Brooke Adams) entirely during the golden hours of dawn and dusk. Those that missed the Belcourt’s repertoire screening last March have all month to take in a movie that exudes exquisite autumn magic in every frame.
The Feeling That the Time for Doing Something Has Passed (Hulu) As we’ve said time and again, millennials’ moviemaking prowess may be worse than their financial health. But Joanna Arnow’s wry look at the reality of urbanite thirtysomething life makes a case that the generation’s artistic output may not be all that bad. Arnow’s self-deprecation actually deserves the use of that hackneyed blub staple “fearless” while the movie’s refusal to deify the activist class is an all-to-rare act of defiance. The very definition of what indie films are supposed to be.