Welcome once again to another weekly edition of I WAKE UP STREAMING!, where you can get the word on all of the new and noteworthy psychotronic films and television series that can now make their way on to your television set. It’s a much more preferable option to endlessly scrolling, hoping to find something new. At least I hope it is.
It’s a little lean this week again, but next week is the start of a new month, so things should pick up – you can get excited about the upcoming titles on Netflix, Hulu and Shudder on various other sites. We here at I WAKE UP STREAMING!, however, live in the present, and right now you can start watching The Handmaid’s Tale, the documentaries MIFUNE: THE LAST SAMURAI and FUTURE SHOCK: THE STORY OF 2000 AD and more while you plan out next month’s schedule.
Netflix
While there isn’t much new stuff in terms of psychotronic films on Netflix this week, that doesn’t mean you go away completely empty-handed, especially if you’re a fan of non-fiction. The most noteworthy title is the Keanu Reeves-narrated documentary MIFUNE: THE LAST SAMURAI, profiling actor Toshiro Mifune, but other documentaries include the television series Bill Nye Saves the World (about science, obviously) and Tales of Light (about photography), the follow-up HOT GIRLS WANTED: TURNED ON and the bizarre true crime documentary CASTING JONBENET.
Other new additions include the exclusive SMALL CRIMES, a darkly comic thriller featuring Gary Cole and Molly Parker from Evan Katz, the director of CHEAP THRILLS, the Spike Lee-directed one man show RODNEY KING, Justin Simien’s TV series based on his own Dear White People, Christian Bale and Hugh Jackman as dueling magicians in Christopher Nolan’s THE PRESTIGE, Ed Harris on a submarine in PHANTOM, David Oyelowo and Lupita Nyong’o in Mira Nair’s chess master biopic QUEEN OF KATWE, Kate Beckinsale and Gerald McRaney (!) in D.J. Caruso’s supernatural thriller THE DISAPPOINTMENTS ROOM (written by Wentworth Miller), the well-reviewed indie film LITTLE BOXES with Melanie Lynskey and Nelsan Ellis, and the Swedish comedy THE HUNDRED-YEAR –OLD MAN WHO SKIPPED OUT ON THE BILL AND DISAPPEARED.
Hoopla
The library-centric service is a little light this week, but additions include all six original-recipe LEPRECHAUN films and the TV mini-series adaptation of James Clavell’s NOBLE HOUSE.
FilmStruck
The art house streaming service has added 21 (!) films by French director Jean Renoir, including THE LOWER DEPTHS, LE CRIME DE MONSIEUR LANGE, FRENCH CANCAN, THE GOLDEN COACH, LA BETE HUMAINE, GRAND ILLUSION, RULES OF THE GAME, BONDU SAVED FROM DROWNING and more. Check them all out here.
Shudder
New Shudder titles include Robert Ben Garant and Thomas Lennon’s horror comedy HELL BABY with Rob Corddry, Keegan-Michael Key, Rob Huebel, Leslie Bibb, Garant, Lennon, and several of Garant and Lennon’s fellow The State alumni, the twisted roommate pic EXCESS FLESH, the memorable short film HE TOOK HIS SKIN OFF FOR ME, and the horror documentary KILLER LEGENDS, from Joshua Zeman, the director of CROPSEY (which is also available on the service, and recommended).
Hulu
The biggest new thing on Hulu is the first three episodes of their new series The Handmaid’s Tale starring Elizabeth Moss, based on Margaret Atwood’s novel. You can compliment it with their addition of the New Zealand-set TV series Top of the Lake, also with Moss and created by Jane Campion.
If you’re looking for features, there’s the ever-welcome TUCKER AND DALE VS. EVIL, Val Kilmer in REAL GENIUS (the movie from which my cat, Laszlo, got his name, so I can recommend that as well), Jack Nicholson and Helen Hunt in AS GOOD AS IT GETS, 1951’s WARPATH, Sandra Bullock against the cyber in THE NET, and the new horror anthology THE PORTAL, which is actually a Frankenfilm composed of a number of different horror shorts.
Screambox
I’d been remiss the last few weeks to mention Screambox, but it’s a dandy service as well, specializing in horror films of many eras. The catalog is fairly good, and while the site isn’t too easy to navigate (there’s not a way to browse all films, for example – you’re stuck with their own loose designations), they’ve got a lot of content for a mere $4.99 a month. Chromecast capability is promised soon.Check them out here.
Among their newest additions are Dario Argento films CAT O’NINE TAILS, INFERNO, and DEEP RED, Fulci’s DON’T TORTURE A DUCKLING, multiple Rick Sloane movies (HOBGOBLINS, HOBGOBLINS 2, the obscure THE VISITANTS and the erotic horror pic MIND, BODY AND SOUL with Ginger Lynn Allen and Wings Hauser) and the 2005 zombie flick THE WICKEDS.
Night Flight Plus
This week’s new additions to Night Flight Plus include the highly recommended THE ATOMIC CAFÉ along with the concert flick IGGY AND THE STOOGES: LIVE IN DETROIT 2003 and the 1983 Night Flight episode NIGHT FLIGHT TAKES OFF TO POLITICS, looking at music videos with a political bent.
Exploitation.tv
This week’s new addition is Vanessa del Rio, Paul Thomas and Veronica Hart in 1983’s hardcore lingerie party film SILK, SATIN AND SEX, directed by “Lawrence Talbot.”
Full Moon
Full Moon has revived its “Surrender Cinema” line with new sexy sci-fi flicks VIRGIN HUNTERS 3 and T&A TIME TRAVELERS, along with the high-jinx of EVIL BONG 666.
Amazon
Amazon has added the great documentary FUTURE SHOCK: THE STORY OF 2000 AD to their roster, along with other new releases such as the film noir comedy SICK OF IT ALL, the winery thriller CRUSHED, the Asylum flick INDEPENDENCE WARS: INSURGENCE, the internet thriller-comedy 001 TROLLING, the found-footage horror pic DARK MIRROR OF MAGICK: THE VASSAGE MILLENIUM PROPHECY, and 2007’s INALIENABLE, with a psychotronic cast including Richard Hatch, Alan Ruck, Walter Koenig, Gary Graham, Patricia Tallman and Jay Acovone.
Older titles of note include the Australian comedy-action film BULLET DOWN UNDER, starring Christopher Atkins and Jacko (!), the 1973 prison breakout movie MEAN FRANK AND CRAZY TONY (aka ESCAPE FROM DEATH ROW) with Lee Van Cleef, Tony Lo Bianco, and Edwige Fenech, and 1984’s HELL RAIDERS (aka HEROES FOR HIRE), a 1984 Filipino action flick with ninjas and 5 IMDb votes.
The Urban Movie Channel
I hadn’t been aware of this service, specializing in newer films for black audiences, but they have a solid roster of newer independent films as well as a few scattered psychotronic classics, such as Grace Jones in VAMP, Pam Grier in STAND ALONE (with Charles Durning), Rutger Hauer, Gene Simmons and Robert Guillaume in WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE and 1985’s post-Vietnam action film THE ANNIHILATORS. The service is $4.99 a month, and you can check them out here.
Free Services
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PopcornFlix
The free-with-commercials site has added Gregg Araki’s stoner comedy SMILEY FACE, the penis museum documentary THE FINAL MEMBER, the video game pic THE FP and the classic BILL & TED’S EXCELLENT ADVENTURE to the service.
- JIM WYNORSKI RETURNS WITH THE CREATURE FEATURE ‘GILA’ - May 1, 2014
Tags: Alan Ruck, amazon, Charles Durning, Christian Bale, Christopher Atkins, dario argento, Ed Harris, Edwige Fenech, Elizabeth Moss, Exploitation Film, Full Moon, Gary Cole, Gary Graham, gene simmons, Gerald McRaney, Ginger Lynn Allen, Grace Jones, Helen Hunt, Hugh Jackman, Hulu, Iggy Pop, Jack Nicholson, Jacko, Jane Campion, Jean Renoir, Kate Beckinsale, keanu reeves, Keegan-Michael Key, Lee Van Cleef, Leslie Bibb, Margaret Atwood, Melanie Lynskey, Night Flight, Ninjas, pam grier, Patricia Tallma, Paul Thomas, Rashida Jones, Rob Corddry, Rob Huebel, Robert Guillaume, Rutger Hauer, Sandra Bullock, Screambox, spike lee, The Stooges, Tony Lo Bianco, Toshiro Mifune, Val Kilmer, Vanessa del Rio, Veronica Hart, Walter Koenig, Wings Hauser
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