There are several new and notable films available to stream this weekend to keep an eye on, with a little something for everyone.
First up, check out the latest from Chilean director Sebastián Silva, “Rotting in the Sun.” This meta-comedy/thriller stars Silva and comedian/writer/social media star Jordan Firstman playing versions of themselves, running into each other on a Mexican nude beach, Zicatela. Firstman asks him to work on a show pitched as “Curb Your Enthusiasm, but positive,” and their relationship spirals out from there, with Firstman stalking Silva across the country. The film hit theaters last weekend and is streaming on Mubi Friday.
Also check out Silva’s 2013 film “Crystal Fairy & the Magical Cactus,” which is name-checked in “Rotting in the Sun.” Starring Gaby Hoffmann and Michael Cera, as well as Silva’s brothers, it follows two Americans on a journey through Chile searching for a hallucinogenic cactus, and it’s wonderful. Stream it on Tubi, Kanopy or rent it elsewhere.
Another Chilean cinema star has a film streaming on Netflix this weekend. Pablo Larrain, known for his biopics of Jackie O and Princess Di, “Jackie” and “Spencer,” tackles his country’s violent history head on in “El Conde” (“The Count”). In the film, Larrain imagines dictator Augusto Pinochet as a vampire, feasting on smoothies made of the hearts of his people, whirred in an appliance as brutal and banal as a blender. Filmed in stark black and white, Larrain applies horror tropes and the bleak aesthetics of Eastern European art house cinema to his metaphorical monster. It’s a fascinating film if at times a bit on the nose. Stream it Friday on Netflix.
