Instant Picks of the Week 3/2/18
Gone are the days of scrolling mindlessly through your queue! No longer will you have to sift through the vastness of what’s coming to the instant viewing wastelands this month! Whether you’re looking for a stellar film or an exciting new show to binge, Instant Picks of the Week brings you the hottest releases in film and television on instant viewing platforms that we know you’ll love, or at the very least not despise.
ALMA (Vimeo)
Creepy is an emotion evoked when something that one normally finds trustworthy and comforting is made to be mysterious or dangerous; it is also the primary feeling that runs through one’s veins after watching ALMA, a Spanish animated horror Vimeo short. Created by ex-Pixar animator Rodrigo Blaas, ALMA reflects the company’s trademark style to a T. The similarities between ALMA’s and Pixar’s animation help set the creepy tone as viewers normally associate this style with childhood innocence and happiness. Not to mention the main character, Alma, is quite literally a child, driving audiences to inherently root for her success against the invisible villain of this short. Even greater than the look is the content. In five minutes, Blaas has packed in so many details that ALMA’s greatest virtue is its rewatch value. Even on your fifth viewing, you’ll spot something new. The storytelling is purely visual as there is no dialogue in the entire film; however, it is completely clear what each character (and object) is feeling. This is a short film that all horror lovers and avid writers need to watch because even if you don’t like it, it’s only five minutes long! [Jade Michaels]
CLARK AND MICHAEL (YouTube)
The mid-2000s were a simpler time in television: streaming services were limited in power and LOST was still comprehensible. It is here, buried in an ocean of web-based content, that CLARK AND MICHAEL continues to amuse. Originally airing in 2007, the 10-episode mockumentary series stars Clark Duke (THE OFFICE) and Michael Cera (ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT) as fictionalized versions of themselves in their journey to create and sell a pilot. This premise is established in the opening credits of the pilot episode, allowing the gags and banter to take center stage for the entire rest of the series. Along the way, guest stars such as David Cross, Tony Hale, and Jonah Hill augment an already meta show into downright absurdity, to the point where anyone watching thinks they’re seeing some strange combination of THE OFFICE, ARRESTED DEVELOPMENT, and CURB YOUR ENTHUSIASM. It’s a combination that makes for an incredibly enjoyable show—and a quick watch if you’re looking to binge something this weekend! [Derek Daniels]
CLARK AND MICHAEL was originally produced by CBS and can be streamed in its entirety on YouTube
