This week’s film scene blends buzzy platform premieres with lively local programming — from glossy streaming drops to community-curated nights at Dalston’s Rio Cinema. Below: what to stream, what to see in person, and a look at catalog picks and curation trends that are shaping discovery right now.
What to watch this week (quick list)
– Eternity (dir. David Freyne) — satirical afterlife rom‑com: Apple TV
– Happyend (dir. Neo Sora) — near‑future Tokyo youth drama with experimental sound: The Criterion Channel
– Is This Thing On? (dir. Bradley Cooper) — intimate marriage drama: VOD
– The Librarians (dir. Kim A. Snyder) — documentary on coordinated book bans: PBS / public‑broadcast partners
– Matter of Time (dir. Matt Finlin) — Eddie Vedder benefit concert and advocacy film on epidermolysis bullosa: Netflix
– Marty Supreme (dir. Josh Safdie) — 1950s period character piece starring Timothée Chalamet: VOD
– Predator: Badlands (dir. Dan Trachtenberg) — new Predator entry: now on major streaming services
Plus: archival reissues and curated collection drops across Peacock, Shudder, Kino Film Collection and other niche services.
Streaming highlights — must‑see arrivals
Eternity (Apple TV)
David Freyne reimagines the afterlife as a consumer playground: glossy production design, absurdist humor and a quietly anxious romance. It’s a high‑concept rom‑com that balances theatrical visual flourishes with low‑key emotional beats — mainstream-friendly but stylistically bold.
Happyend (The Criterion Channel)
Neo Sora’s film is spare and sonic: long, patient takes and an experimental score frame a near‑future Tokyo where teenagers edge toward adulthood under an implied, mounting tension. Criterion’s presentation highlights the film’s formal risks and cultural immediacy — a pick for viewers who like movies that ask more than they tell.
Is This Thing On? (VOD)
Bradley Cooper’s domestic drama focuses tight on Alex and Tess Novak as their marriage unravels. Small in scale but precise in performance, the film alternates mordant humor with intimate tableaux — the sort of actor‑driven piece that plays well after festival buzz and makes for a powerful late‑night watch.
The Librarians (PBS / public‑broadcast partners)
Kim A. Snyder traces the networks behind recent local book bans with a procedural, evidence‑forward approach. Using interviews, court documents and archival material, the documentary feels investigative rather than polemical — the kind of film that can push local conversations and inform civic action.
Matter of Time (Netflix)
Built around an Eddie Vedder benefit concert, Matt Finlin’s film weaves live performance with family portraits to spotlight epidermolysis bullosa. The editing alternates stage energy and intimate testimony with a clear advocacy aim: viewers are guided toward partner organizations and donation channels without losing the emotional throughline.
Marty Supreme (VOD)
Josh Safdie’s 1952 New York character piece mixes retro animation, period detail and Timothée Chalamet’s magnetic presence. It’s a niche, nostalgia‑tinged curiosity for cinephiles who enjoy textured production design and offbeat protagonists.
Franchise and curation — where to look beyond new releases
Predator: Badlands has been placed prominently across major platforms, which will satisfy franchise loyalists and genre seekers alike. Meanwhile, boutique curators are resurfacing restored and eclectic titles: Kino Film Collection drops, Peacock additions like Song Sung Blue, Shudder’s genre picks and on‑demand docs such as Primate. The result is two discovery tracks running in parallel — blockbuster reach and specialist curation — so check both mainshelf recommendations and niche collections.
Why local cinemas still matter: the Rio, Dalston
Dalston’s Rio Cinema has ramped up live, communal programming — themed seasons, late‑night participatory events and community commissions. These curated, social experiences offer something streaming can’t: unpredictable encounters, audience energy and a sense of local cultural investment. If you want films that double as gatherings, keep an eye on their calendar.
What to watch this week (quick list)
– Eternity (dir. David Freyne) — satirical afterlife rom‑com: Apple TV
– Happyend (dir. Neo Sora) — near‑future Tokyo youth drama with experimental sound: The Criterion Channel
– Is This Thing On? (dir. Bradley Cooper) — intimate marriage drama: VOD
– The Librarians (dir. Kim A. Snyder) — documentary on coordinated book bans: PBS / public‑broadcast partners
– Matter of Time (dir. Matt Finlin) — Eddie Vedder benefit concert and advocacy film on epidermolysis bullosa: Netflix
– Marty Supreme (dir. Josh Safdie) — 1950s period character piece starring Timothée Chalamet: VOD
– Predator: Badlands (dir. Dan Trachtenberg) — new Predator entry: now on major streaming services
Plus: archival reissues and curated collection drops across Peacock, Shudder, Kino Film Collection and other niche services.0
What to watch this week (quick list)
– Eternity (dir. David Freyne) — satirical afterlife rom‑com: Apple TV
– Happyend (dir. Neo Sora) — near‑future Tokyo youth drama with experimental sound: The Criterion Channel
– Is This Thing On? (dir. Bradley Cooper) — intimate marriage drama: VOD
– The Librarians (dir. Kim A. Snyder) — documentary on coordinated book bans: PBS / public‑broadcast partners
– Matter of Time (dir. Matt Finlin) — Eddie Vedder benefit concert and advocacy film on epidermolysis bullosa: Netflix
– Marty Supreme (dir. Josh Safdie) — 1950s period character piece starring Timothée Chalamet: VOD
– Predator: Badlands (dir. Dan Trachtenberg) — new Predator entry: now on major streaming services
Plus: archival reissues and curated collection drops across Peacock, Shudder, Kino Film Collection and other niche services.1
What to watch this week (quick list)
– Eternity (dir. David Freyne) — satirical afterlife rom‑com: Apple TV
– Happyend (dir. Neo Sora) — near‑future Tokyo youth drama with experimental sound: The Criterion Channel
– Is This Thing On? (dir. Bradley Cooper) — intimate marriage drama: VOD
– The Librarians (dir. Kim A. Snyder) — documentary on coordinated book bans: PBS / public‑broadcast partners
– Matter of Time (dir. Matt Finlin) — Eddie Vedder benefit concert and advocacy film on epidermolysis bullosa: Netflix
– Marty Supreme (dir. Josh Safdie) — 1950s period character piece starring Timothée Chalamet: VOD
– Predator: Badlands (dir. Dan Trachtenberg) — new Predator entry: now on major streaming services
Plus: archival reissues and curated collection drops across Peacock, Shudder, Kino Film Collection and other niche services.2