Movies Streaming/On Demand This Week: 'Butter,' 'Lola Versus' & More
If you like indies, this is your week.
There are oddball comedies like Jennifer Garner showing her carving skills in "Butter" and Eva Mendes playing an immature single mom in "Girl in Progress." There's also relationship dramas "Nobody Walks," starring Olivia Thirlby and "Lola Versus" with Greta Gerwig.
But, if that's not your speed, you now can sail, er, stream away with Leonardo DiCaprio on the Titanic's doomed maiden voyage.
NEW RELEASES
Check it out before the film hits theaters on Oct. 5. This zany comedy stars Jennifer Garner as an ambitious small-town gal hoping to find fame in the town's annual butter carving contest. But an orphan girl with some talented carving skills of her own may steal the spotlight.
Why Watch It: An incredible ensemble cast that includes Ty Burrell, Olivia Wilde, Hugh Jackman, Ashley Greene, Rob Cordry and Alicia Silverstone.
Available On: Cable On Demand
This beautifully intimate story written by director Ry Russo-Young and "Girls" creator/star Lena Dunham stars Olivia Thirlby as Martine, a young artist who travels to Los Angeles to finish her short film. Peter (John Krasinski) and Julie (Rosemarie DeWitt) let her stay in their guest house while Peter, a sound engineer, helps Martine finish her film. The story quickly expands from the attraction growing between Martine and Peter to the relationship Julie has with another man and the one blossoming between Peter and Julie's daughter and a neighborhood boy. If you're a little confused by that, you'll just have to see it.
Why Watch It: Be the first of your friends to see this stirring drama before it hits theaters in October.
Available On: Cable On Demand, VUDU
Indie darling Greta Gerwig stars as Lola, who is whisked back into the dating pool after her boyfriend dumps her three weeks before their wedding. Now age 30, the scene has changed since the last time Lola was single, which leads to some entertaining encounters.
Why Watch It: As always, Gerwig is great as the girl next door looking for love.
Available On: Cable On Demand, iTunes, VUDU, Amazon Instant
Currently in theaters, Geoffrey Rush and Judy Davis star as siblings of a demanding matriarch (Charlotte Rampling) who even though she’s in the autumn of her life still holds a firm grip of the lives of her children.
Why Watch It: This Aussie drama produces powerful performances from Rush and Davis.
Available On: Cable On Demand
Eva Mendes stars in this coming-of-age tale as Grace, an immature single mom who struggles with bills, keeping a job and having an affair with a married man. But when her daughter becomes inspired by a school project, Grace begins to come into her own.
Why Watch It: Think of it as "Young Adult" meets "Spanglish."
Available On: Cable On Demand, iTunes, VUDU
Andy Garcia plays Enrigue Gorostieta Velarde, the famous Mexican general who led a group of rebels against the Mexican government during the Cristero War in the late 1920s. The film chronicles the rebel's gritty fight for independence.
Why Watch It: Great performances by some recognizable character actors, and Garcia is inspiring.
Available On: Cable On Demand
New to Netflix, director Evan Glodell's highly stylized debut film follows two friends (Glodell and Tyler Dawson) as they spend their days building flamethrowers and souping-up their hotrod, "Medusa." But when Glodell's character falls for a girl and gets his heart broken, things get really, really dark.
Why Watch It: Find out why Glodell was dubbed the "Mad Scientist of Sundance" a few years ago.
Available On: iTunes, Amazon Instant, Netflix
OLDIES BUT GOODIES
James Cameron’s epic story about true love on a ship that was doomed from the start is now available for streaming. Relive Leo at his most dreamy and get that Celine Dion song back in your head.
Available On: iTunes, Amazon Instant
Emilio Estevez plays Otto, a car thief turned repo man who is put under the wing of grizzled vet Bud (Harry Dean Stanton) and soon realizes the repo biz is out of this world.
Available On: VUDU, Amazon Instant, Netflix, YouTube
To get you prepared for the dazzling Baz Luhrmann adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald's classic novel, check out the 1974 version. Robert Redford plays Gatsby with Mia Farrow as Daisy Buchanan. Interesting side note: the screenwriter of the film was, surprisingly, Francis Ford Coppola.
Available On: iTunes, VUDU, Amazon Instant, Netflix, YouTube
