Kanopy. Quality films for free.
Because they are free, I take chances on Kanopy films. As the Recommended/Good/Skip split indicates, this does not always pay off. But that shouldn’t dissuade you from checking out Kanopy’s lineup which is packed with films I love. To encourage you, here’s a new feature where I highlight movies I’ve loved that you can watch right now. For free!
Five Really Great Movies on Kanopy Now
- While We’re Young, Noah Baumbach’s I-am-too-old-to-be-a-hipster movie with sparkly performances from Ben Stiller, (he’s so great being uncomfortable) Naomi Watts, Adam Driver, and Amanda Seyfried.
- Bernie, Richard Linklater’s dark comedy about a kind man in a small Texas town who becomes friends with a wealthy widow. Jack Black is great, Shirley MacLaine is her usual bitter character, and no one is better than the host of locals giving color commentary. Plus: two musical numbers!
- Stories We Tell, Sarah Polley’s fascinating documentary about her family of origin. (Woman writer and director.)
- Leave No Trace, based on a novel based on a true story that happened in Portland, Oregon where a father and daughter were discovered living in a city wilderness area. Ben Foster and Thomasin McKenzie are so very good. (Woman writer and director)
- Her Smell, about the off-the-rails period of a 90s punk rock star’s life. One of my favorites from 2018, Elisabeth Moss is fully committed to being unhinged in a performance that has compared her to Courtney Love, but was actually based on W. Axl Rose’s darker days.
Recommended
- Memento (April)
Good
- The Hitch-hiker (August)
- Night Comes On (August)
- Into the Forest (August)
- The Watermelon Woman (June)
- Girlhood (April)
Skip
- A Quiet Passion (September)
- Welcome to Me (August)
- Love Simple (July)
- The Beat Beneath My Feet (May)
- Teen Spirit (May)
- Lady Macbeth (April)
- The Lobster (March)