What to Stream: Filling void after ‘Mare of Easttown’ finale

The HBO limited series “Mare of Easttown” concluded its seven-episode run on Sunday night, drawing the family murder mystery to a close in a twisty finale that remained focused on the human element at the center of the drama. If you’ve now got a “Mare”-sized hole in your viewing schedule, fear not, there’s plenty more to stream from the makers and stars of the series.

The finale episode gave actress Julianne Nicholson a chance to shine as Mare’s best friend, Lori Ross. Nicholson also gave a similarly stripped-bare performance in Alejandro Landes’ 2019 film “Monos,” in which she co-stars as an American doctor kidnapped and held hostage by teenage guerrillas in the wilds of Colombia. It’s a beautiful, disturbing, and emotionally searing film, and she is excellent in it. Check it out on Hulu.

Series creator and writer Brad Ingelsby has made his career in grounded human dramas. A few of the films he’s written in the past few years will scratch the itch for more like “Easttown,” such as the Ben Affleck-starring 2020 basketball film “The Way Back” (stream via Cinemax/MaxGo or rent on Google Play/YouTube for $3.99), or the intense 2013 Pennsylvania steel town-set crime drama “Out of the Furnace,” starring Christian Bale and Casey Affleck (on Showtime or rent for $1.99 on Amazon). But, the closest of his work to “Mare of Easttown” is the criminally underrated 2018 movie “American Woman,” starring Sienna Miller as a young mother who presses on with life despite the disappearance of her teen daughter. Watch it via Cinemax, Max Go or rent for $2.99 on Amazon.

Series director Craig Zobel has had an incredibly varied film career. He made a splash with the 2012 indie darling “Compliance,” about a group of fast food workers manipulated by a mysterious caller. Stream it for free on Tubi, Kanopy, Vudu, and the Roku Channel. His 2015 post-apocalyptic drama “Z for Zachariah” starring Chris Pine, Margot Robbie and Chiwetel Ejiofor is a fascinating and grounded entry in the genre, featuring a trio of worthy performances (watch it on Prime, Tubi, or rent on iTunes for $3.99). His controversial 2020 political satire “The Hunt” made headlines for all the wrong reasons, but the gory dark comedy features a killer performance from Betty Gilpin that is worth the watch. Stream it via Cinemax/Max Go.

You probably already know the best of Oscar-winner Kate Winslet, but there are two recent and under-seen films of hers that are worth watching. The 2019 “Blackbird” features Winslet as a woman grappling with the reality of her mother’s impending death (rent it for 99 cents on iTunes or $3.99 on YouTube/Google Play). The 2020 drama “Ammonite” stars Winslet as 19th century naturalist Mary Anning, who embarks on a torrid affair with a young woman, played by Saorise Ronan (stream it on Hulu).

The incredible Jean Smart has had quite a remarkable past few years on TV. If you’re not already watching her play a legendary Vegas stand-up on HBO’s “Hacks,” please remedy that immediately. It’s a weird and wonderful comedy, and one of Smart’s best performances yet.