There is a mountain of streaming options out there. It is only natural that some of the best films and shows may have gotten buried underneath it. Here are some of the best, hidden gems you can stream on HBO:
Enlightened
This is a comedy-drama series with a female protagonist. It focuses on a young woman who decides to live an enlightened life after she has a mental breakdown at work. The series is fun and at the same time reflects on the nuances of everyday life that lead to conflicts of mind and emotions. The fact that all these themes are brought forth through a female protagonist makes the narrative even more layered and complex. This is quite an undiscovered gem of a series that is worth your time.
The Station Agent
This is a lovely film about a downcast, dwarf person who has a great love for trains. His life changes when his boss passes away and leaves him a railroad depot in New Jersey. He then decides to move to an obscure town and process his grief. The story follows what happens to him from then on, and how he interacts with the new people of the town. Peter Dinklage plays the protagonist and does a wonderful job of it. The film is a beautiful watch that combines a lot of emotions and a very moving narrative that is beautiful to watch.
Search Party
This is a dark comedy series about a group of Brooklyn millennials trying to locate a missing woman. The series is full of many twists, turns, and plot points that keep your attention to it throughout. It also critiques quite a few social norms through the story which has an ongoing thread about the power of a community and people coming together for a cause. The actors do justice to bring alive all the diverse characters with commitment, making this an engaging watch.
Ad Astra
This is a film that focuses on a rescue-mission story. It follows an astronaut who is trying to let go of his grief after discovering his astronaut father who is presumed dead, is actually alive. He figures out that his father may be hiding away on another planet to find out the truth. This is a lovely film that combines emotions and science with a sharp sense of awareness. If you love space stories, this is definitely for you.
Muriel’s Wedding
This is a fun film about a socially awkward woman who tries to find a life partner. She is eager to move out of her town and is quite desperate to have a glamorous wedding. The story follows how she goes about that and packs a lot of humor and social criticism in the process. It also reflects on gender norms and is very entertaining to watch especially if you are someone who is trying to figure out how to deal with finding a partner!
Her Smell
This is a film about an unhinged lead singer in an all-female trio. She is self-destructive and tries to keep people away even when it costs her professional success and a career. We have seen quite many films about self-sabotaging artists, but this one is mad and quite chaotic especially when the female protagonist comes into context. The performances are amazing and they all bring out the underlying spirit of the film really well.
Winter’s Bone
This is the story of a 17-year-old girl who sets out on a journey to track down her meth-dealing father. Jennifer Lawrence plays the character of the young girl with a stunning sense of restraint. The film draws a lot of its emotional strength from the underlying feelings of abandonment, self-doubt, and absence of parents felt by the girl. It is an intense film that rides on deep emotions and a narrative that is bold as well as moving.
Little Children
If you are a Kate Winslet fan, this is a film for you. The story follows a woman who has a troubled marriage. She is quite tormented by the monotony of domestic life and the general love-lessness she feels. Soon, she meets a man who has similar life situations and they become intimate. What follows is how they figure their lives together, while dealing with some social stigmas on the way. Kate Winslet is stunning in her subtle performance and she holds the film together with her delivery of the character.
Togetherness
This is a comedy-drama series about two couples living together under one roof in Los Angeles. It is a fun series that showcases the complex workings of relationships, romance and matrimony. The cast is fun and brings alive all the nuances of the story while keeping intact the comic element of the narrative. The exciting tone of the storytelling is very interesting and it makes the film engaging for the viewer. It is a series worth watching if you are looking for a breezy watch to get hooked on to.
Irma Vep
This is an out-of-the-box, different kind of film that focuses on a woman who plays the role of a female thief, in a film within a film. It follows the disorientation of the director as the film is made, as well as critiques the general plight of the film industry through him. This is a rad, unconventional film and may not be for everyone. But if you can watch it, it will sure turn out to be an experience in itself.
