Whilst the world is on pause and your Filmhouse Sunderland 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…

Gloria Bell (15) (2018) (BBC iPlayer)
Julianne Moore is a magnetic presence in this story of a free-spirited divorcee spending her nights on the dance floors of Los Angeles nightclubs. When she is thrust into an unexpected new romance, filled with the joys of budding love and all the complications of dating. A simple story, Gloria Bell is incredible filmmaking, and it’s mostly down to the work of Moore, who gives a subtle complex masterclass in acting.

Tucked (15) (2018) (Netflix)
This beautifully-staged drama comes from director Jamie Patterson. Darren Nesbitt stars as Jackie, a veteran drag queen in Brighton diagnosed with a terminal illness. Beginning a new friendship with a younger artist, Faith (Jordan Stephens), after rescuing them from attackers, the pair set out to tidy up Jack’s unfinished business.  Faith is non-binary, and Jack is straight – married in the past and father of an estranged daughter. Together, the pair set out to unpick the complex history of Jack’s family and set everything right….

Sword Of Trust (15) (2019) (All 4)
From the late Lynn Shelton, this raucous US comedy and smart comedy superstar and podcasting royalty Marc Maron (Glow) as Mel, a cantankerous pawnshop owner who teams up with his employee and an out-of-town couple to sell a Civil War-era sword inherited from a recently deceased grandfather. The sword has a chequered history and it isn’t long before it draws the attention of enthusiastic conspiracy theorists desperate to prove that the South won the American Civil War…

24 Hour Party People (18) (2001) (Amazon Prime)
Michael Winterbottom’s freewheeling and hilarious film tells the story of Tony Wilson, founder of Manchester’s Factory records and the Hacienda nightclub. Responsible for acts such as New Order and The Happy Mondays, Wilson’s legacy is unpicked via a playful performance from Steve Coogan and a brilliant supporting cast full of (then) rising stars such as Paddy Considine, Andy Serkis and Rob Brydon. Legendary!

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

See you next week,

Chris & Jonny