Whilst the world is on pause and your FilmhouseSunderland visits aren’t possible, we’re keeping the independent cinema flag flying with our new weekly watch lists from Chris & Jonny, the people behind the project.  

Each Friday, we’ll post a list of four films that are currently available across BBC iPlayer, All4, Netflix and Amazon Prime that we think you should seek out.  

This week’s selection is…

The Levelling (15) (2016) (BBC iPlayer)

A terrific debut film from director Hope Dickson Leach, The Levelling is the story of Clover, a trainee vet who returns home to her rural farm in Somerset following the death of her brother Harry. Finding that severe floods have taken their toll on the area, and the farm in disrepair, Clover must confront her father about the state of the farm, the circumstances of Harry’s death – and her own memories of living there…

The Square (15) (2017) (All 4)

This tongue in cheek swipe at the art world sees Claes Bang (TV’s Dracula) as Christian, the respected curator of a contemporary art museum. A divorced father of two, he’s a good dad and supports good causes. He also has a big art show coming up – The Square – which he and his colleagues are gearing up for. When his wallet and phone go missing and the pressure mounts cracks are exposed in Christian’s progressive façade and his inner petty prejudices are revealed. Meanwhile, the gallery faces its own existential crisis.  Fantastically anarchic, The Square, which took the top prize at the Cannes film festival, skewers male privilege and the middle classes with perfectly poised satire.

Into The inferno (12) (2016) (Netflix)

Filmmaker Werner Herzog teams up with volcanologistClive Oppenheimer to study nature’s most violent wonders in this riveting documentary. Studying not only volcanoes themselves, but the communities that live around them, Oppenheimer and Herzog travel around the globe to Indonesia, Iceland, Ethiopia and North Korea in a quest to understand how it is to live in the constant shadow of possible doom. Packed full of beauty and terrifying wonder, Into The Inferno is absorbing, showcasing the rituals and spirituality whichvolcanoes inspire, all delivered with Herzog’s trademark deadpan reverence and attention to detail.

The Red Turtle (PG) (2016) (Amazon Prime)

Without a single word of dialogue in the film’s 80-minute running time The Red Turtle is a dazzling animated movie which asks big questions about companionship and acceptance through every frame. It’s a simple story: A man is shipwrecked on a tropical island inhabited by turtles and other wildlife. Building a raft, he is confronted by the titular turtle, and the story then follows the milestones in his life on the island, including meeting a woman and falling in love. The first international co-production for the legendary Japanese animation house Studio Ghibli, The Red Turtle is beautifully animated cinema, telling a gorgeous story that will melt your heart.  Do not miss. 

We’d love to hear what you think of the films we recommend – let us know!

See you next week,

Chris & Jonny