Whether you’re a TV addict, film buff or just have some time to kill, What Mobile’s weekly round-up of the best VOD content should satisfy all your entertainment needs.
Netflix
House of Cards (season one)
Even the most ardent television junkie will probably end up overdoing it with the Netflix original series House of Cards. If you are a true binge viewer, and proud of it, then now is the time to catch up on one of the most acclaimed TV dramas of recent years. Based on the British series of the same name, and featuring a brilliant central performance by Kevin Spacey, it’s no wonder the show won the Golden Globe for Best Television Series – Drama . Catch up with the murky world of US backdoor politics in this gripping series before the second season kicks off on 14 February.
Blinkbox
Ain’t Them Bodies Saints
Tesco’s VOD service Blinkbox has a number of great recent film releases in its library, including Woody Allen’s Blue Jasmine and the offbeat indie comedy Prince Avalance. Therefore it’s likely that this little gem of a film will go largely unnoticed, as it did at UK cinemas last year. That would be a shame, however, as David Lowery’s romantic crime drama is a moving portrait of lost love, with nuanced performances by the films leads; Casey Affleck, Rooney Mara and Ben Foster. Although the film was a hit on the US festival circuit, it failed to connect with audiences at the cinema. Let’s hope it fares better online, it would be a crime (ahem!) if it didn’t.
Youtube
Gregory Go Boom
Winner of the Sundance Film Festival Jury Award for best short film, this dark comedy stars Michael Cera as a paraplegic man who tries dating for the first time. At a breezy 17 minutes it won’t take up too much of your time either. Writer-director Janicza Bravo’s unflinching take on the material has a documentary feel to it and managed to ruffle a few feathers at Sundance, so it may not be to everyone’s taste. Fans of Cera will be interested to hear that his close attachment to the project saw the actor approach Bravo to create the film for his Youtube channel Jash, which he curates with fellow comedians Sarah Silverman, Tim & Eric and Reggie Watts.
Amazon LoveFilm Instant
The After (pilot)
Following in the footsteps of Netflix, Amazon has also been producing its own original content but to lesser acclaim. This year alone it is releasing a number of pilots for a mixture of adult and kids shows. The most intriguing, however, looks to be The After – a mystery from the creator of X-Files, Chris Carter, that follows eight characters as they try to make sense of a violent world on the brink of apocalypse. The show seems to be gearing up to be an ensemble piece with echoes of Lost and Cloverfield. All that’s currently available is the 54 minute pilot, with little detail as to whether more episodes will be produced or the format the series will take. Nonetheless, The After is garnering solid reviews and is off to a promising start.
BBC iPlayer
Sound City
Former Nirvana drummer and current Foo Fighters frontman, and all-round nice guy, Dave Grohl directs and stars in this documentary about the history of the legendary Sound City music studio in LA. The infamous site played host to some of the most iconic names in rock – including Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tom Petty and Nirvana – before closing its doors in 2011. Following the documentary’s release last year, it received unanimous praise, both for Grohl’s spirited take on the material and for its soundtrack.