Stream Guide: The Cloverfield Paradox & Ouija: Origin Of Evil (February 9th, 2018)

February 9, 2018 / Leave a Comment

THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX on NETFLIX

Last Sunday was the Super Bowl and if the New England Patriots versus the Philadelphia Eagles was not your cup of tea, then you probably just watched the game for the commercials. Most years, it’s the funny or crazy commercials that has everyone talking, but this year it seemed all about the movie advertisements, like new ads for “Avengers: Infinity War” and “Solo: A Star Wars Story” but the one thing that really got people buzzing was a trailer for the new J.J. Abrams produced “The Cloverfield Paradox,” which had been rumored to be coming out around April in theaters. The weeks leading up to the Super Bowl, however, there was a rumor that the film might have gone to Netflix. And when the trailer came out, it confirmed it. What broke the internet was the fact that the trailer clearly stated the film would be released on Netflix after the Super Bowl. So literally after you see the first trailer for a film, you can go on Netflix and watch it. No wait. Unfortunately, many are saying the film is lacking despite having a credible cast including Daniel Brühl and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Despite that fact, it is still produced by Abrams and is still somehow connected to the Cloverfield universe an for that, plus it’s incredible marketing risk, it lands at number one on my list.

Another Netflix original is on the list as well, titled “When We First Met,” which takes the “Groundhogs Day” premise that has had a resurgence as of late (“Before I Fall” and “Happy Death Day”) and taking it to the realm of romantic comedies. Adam Devine plays the friend of Alexandra Daddario as she gets ready to marry someone else, despite Devine having strong feelings for her and when he finds some magic photo booth that can send him back in time to redo his first encounter with Daddario, he tries to win her over. Marlon Wayans just recently did a “Groundhogs Day” themed wedding film as well for Netflix titled “Naked” where he relives the same day as well, so it seems that Netflix is already allowing for some over-saturation of certain themes.

Some horror movies on the list this week include “The Haunting In Connecticut” and “Ouija: Origin Of Evil,” which comes from director Mike Flanagan, who I am a huge supporter of. Another person I support is actor John Hawkes, whose dramatic period piece “The Playroom” is available now as well. Garnering a straight-to-DVD sequel, “Deep Blue Sea,” a somewhat horror film about genetically engineered sharks which start to kill the people in their facility, is now available as well. Not the greatest film, it does hold a lasting impression with me, with a great cast in Thomas Jane, LL Cool J, and Samuel L. Jackson, who has an amazing, unforgettable speech in the film. The lead, Saffron Burrows, is also particularly striking in her role. Speaking of particularly striking, Lindsay Lohan last made buzz when she took part in the film “The Canyons,” written by Bret Easton Ellis (author of “American Psycho”) and directed by Paul Schrader (screenwriter of “Taxi Driver,” “Raging Bull,” and “Bringing Out The Dead”), where starred alongside porn star James Deen, where she, too, is presented naked on more than one occasion.

The rest of the film contains a Western titled “3:10 To Yuma,” starring Russell Crowe and Christian Bale, “Gifted,” starring Chris Evans and Octavia Spencer, and “Collide,” starring Nicholas Hoult, Felicity Jones, Ben Kingsley, and Anthony Hopkins.