What better way to work off those excess kilos gained during the festive season than to sit on the couch and watch films? OK, we didn’t think that through.
But still, holidays are synonymous with butt-flattening periods spent in front of the TV. There are, as ever, lots of films to watch on streaming providers such as Netflix and Stan. We’ve picked a bunch of films new to these platforms in January.
Raging Bull (January 1, Netflix)
Martin Scorsese’s classic black and white film about a boxer has been electrifying audiences since it was first released in 1980. The story of former middleweight champion Jake LaMotta, played by Robert DeNiro in one of his signature roles, is terrifically acted and directed.
Groundhog Day (January 1, Netflix)
The 1993 film starring Bill Murray as a snobby weatherman who lives the same day again, and again, and again, and again, and again, and again is widely recognised as one of the great Hollywood-produced comedies. And it always stands up well on rewatch.
One Thousand Ropes (January 3, Stan)
Films about Samoan male nurses aren’t exactly released every week. Flicks reviewer Liam Maguren was enormously impressed with One Thousand Ropes, describing it as “one of the most intelligent films to come out of New Zealand and Samoa.”
Jane Got a Gun (January 15, Netflix)
When her husband gets into trouble with a gang, Natalie Portman takes matters into her own hands. Jane Got a Gun was a troubled production, with the original director Lynne Ramsay quitting days before shooting began. Decide for yourself whether the film was rescued.
Kong: Skull Island (January 19, Netflix)
Brie Larson, Tom Hiddleston, John Goodman, John C. Reilly and Samuel L. Jackson head off into the jungle to find the titular big ape in this origins film from director Jordan Vogt-Roberts. Will they locate Kong? Of course they will. Expect carnage and special effects.
Mad Max (January 26, Netflix)
The classic Australian post-apocalyptic action-thriller about a cranky leather-wearing cop needs no introduction. The 1979 original takes you back to where it all began: on the open road, with Mel Gibson behind the wheel as the permanently peeved Max Rockatansky.
Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol 2 (January 21, Netflix)
The eclectic team from the first Guardians of the Galaxy return for the obligatory sequel, on the run from a self-absorbed race of golden beings. Flicks reviewer Liam Maguren says sequel does most things “bigger and better” than the original.
Antichrist (January 27, Stan)
OK, so it might not be the most pleasant movie in the world. A grieving couple (willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg) retreat to a cabin in the woods, where things turn very nasty. Antichrist was directed by the provocative Lars von Trier.
