David Michod’s eagerly awaited “War Machine” with Brad Pitt finally drops May 26 on Netflix. I have high hopes for it. After all, the talented Mr. Michod directed one of my all-time favorites, the grim Australian crime family saga “Animal Kingdom.” What a coup for the streaming service to release “War Machine.”
In the meantime, there are more than enough Netflix movies to keep us occupied. Here are reviews of three recent films available for streaming.
“LOEV”: It’s somewhat of a miracle that this poignant, hard-hitting drama about a tumultuous, intimate weekend in which two reunited friends spend together in the countryside actually got made. Stealthily shot in India where homophobia is prevalent and the laws reflect it, writer/director Sudhanshu Saria’s film slowly peels back the layers of the uneasy relationship between Sahil (Shiv Pandit), a musician living in Mumbai, and Jai (Dhruv Ganesh), a successful Wall Street businessman. It’s a powerful indie film that deserves to be seen everywhere. Be ready though: It’s not always an easy watch. (3 out of 4 stars)
“MINDHORN”: If you’re in the mood for something silly yet sly, add this clueless detective story to your queue. Julian Barratt, who cowrote the script, is hilarious as Richard Thorncroft, a gone-to-seed ‘80s star who made a name for himself as kooky TV detective Mindhorn. When a real-life serial killer’s actions draw Richard into the fray of an investigation, Thorncroft is all too happy to return to the spotlight. The ensuing comedy results in being more chuckle-worthy than of the laugh-till-it-hurts variety, but the cameos — especially Kenneth Branagh — and supporting players — in particular Steve Coogan as Thorncroft’s still-successful costar and Simon Farnaby as Richard’s ex-girlfriend and stunt stand-in, who has a serious aversion to clothing — pep up the British farce. (3 out of 4 stars)
“THE DISCOVERY”: With its intriguing premise, top-notch cast (Jason Segel, Robert Redford, Rooney Mara) and talented filmmaker Charlie (“The One I Love”) McDowell, this cerebral afterlife thriller should have been great. Instead, it’s OK. Noted researcher Thomas Harbor (Redford) offers verifiable evidence there is a better tomorrow when we die. His discovery triggers numerous suicides since everyone’s unhappy in the here and now. That provocative set up gets somewhat squandered as the tale focuses on Harbor’s son (Segel) who joins his dad at his latest site for exploration — a mammoth Gothic-looking estate — where he then becomes even closer to a mysterious woman (Mara) with a haunted past. It’s a slow go, with a reveal at the end that doesn’t have the punch it should. (2 out of 4 stars)
Randy Myers in Motion 