It’s almost the weekend, and that means you should book in another Gizmodo movie night. This week, polish your pince-nez, un-bend the corners of your copy of That Movie Book, and settle in front of the screen with a glass of wine and a plate of fine cheeses — these are the most underrated movies and TV shows streaming online right now.
We’ve re-jigged our existing Netflix Movie Night series, and brought in Australia’s other popular subscription video on demand services — Stan and Presto — to give you a broader selection of movies and TV shows to enjoy. On all three services, you can watch from your tablet or smartphone, on your PC or laptop, through your Smart TV, or through a media streaming dongle like the Google Chromecast, although specifics can vary.
Stan costs a flat $10 per month, Netflix can cost from $9 to $15 per month, and Presto is $10 to $15 depending which package you choose.
Not what you’re after? Check out some other Gizmodo Movie Night suggestions:
Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! The Best Australian TV And Movies Streaming Right Now
Catch Up On Some Of The Best Cult TV Shows And Movies
The Best Sci-Fi Movies And TV Series To Binge-Watch On A Winter Weekend
Stan
Dead Snow
Dead Snow is way, way better than the phrase “Nazi zombies” might suggest. There’s a little bit of Cabin In The Woods to it — a few friends escape the city for a well-deserved vacation, and terrible things start to happen. This movie is good, gory fun with a healthy dose of black humour to it, but it made barely a dent in the worldwide cinema market outside of Norway — criminally unfair. It also has one of the best tag-lines of all time — Ein! Zwei! Die! Watch it now on Stan.
Stan: WARNING: FEATURES HIGH IMPACT VIOLENCE. A group of medical students head to the Norwegian Alps for a hedonistic holiday, but when they discover a stash of Nazi gold, they unleash an undead army of goose-stepping ghouls.
The Shield
The Shield was a long-running TV series — seven seasons between 2002 and 2008 — but it didn’t get nearly enough love in Australia. Like a cross between The Wire and The Sopranos, it’s about a bunch of LA police that aren’t above breaking the law to enforce it and further both the greater good and their own careers. It’s also getting a 4K conversion, but you won’t be able to watch that until 2017. Until then, enjoy it here on streaming. Watch it now on Stan.
Stan: A rogue cop walking the tightrope between right and wrong, Vic Mackey heads a team battling against gangs on L.A.’s meanest streets. It’s a war with rules that are made to be bent, and where the thirst for power can only be quenched by corruption.
Robocop
Robocop — the 2014 remake, not the 1987 original — was critically panned, but it’s genuinely a pretty good watch — Gary Oldman steals the show, obviously, but Joel Kinnaman and Samuel L Jackson both hold their own. Importantly, the Robocop remake is fiercely independent and explores its own troubling themes of consumerism and artificial intelligence. It still keeps the instantly recognisable theme music from the 1987 classic, though. Watch it now on Stan.
Stan: In 2028, a robotics company sees a chance to bring its technology to American law enforcement by transforming a critically injured police officer into a cyborg.
Hannibal
Hannibal is a great show, but no-one I talk to seems to have watched more than a couple of episodes of it. It is slow to get started, but once you’re through a few episodes it really gets into gear and stands alone and alongside its contemporary counterparts (like Silence Of The Lambs). Mads Mikkelsen’s Dr. Hannibal Lecter is eerie and, in some people’s opinion, an even better Lecter than the iconic Anthony Hopkins. Either way, give Hannibal a go. Watch it now on Stan.
Stan: Explores the early relationship between the renowned psychiatrist and his patient, a young FBI criminal profiler, who is haunted by his ability to empathize with serial killers.
Iron Sky
Iron Sky is, like, Dead Snow, about Nazis. These ones aren’t undead, though — they’re on the moon. They set up a base there, hidden away from earthly view on the dark side, to build their power and return to our planet and rule it with an iron fist. This Finnish-Australian-German science fiction film has a great deal of comedy to it, and while it has its flaws, it’s really worth a watch — even if just for the “Nazis on the moon” concept. Watch it now on Stan.
Stan: The Nazis set up a secret base on the dark side of the moon in 1945 where they hide out and plan to return to power in 2018.