Stanley in Apollo 10 1/2: A Space Age Childhood (SXSW)

Even with movie theaters making their comeback thanks to the likes of Top Gun: Maverick, streaming still has a handful of gems up its sleeve. These three films, all currently available, have won acclaim over the last six months and should be added to viewers’ watch lists—if they haven’t already. The following recommendations are also a friendly reminder of what movies to catch up on before the onslaught of films this fall, as well as the inevitable race to watch every Oscar-nominated film.

Apollo 10 ½: A Space Age Childhood

The rotoscope animated world Richard Linklater envisions here is one part memory, one part adolescent fantasy. Inspired by his upbringing in Houston, the movie introduces us to a young boy named Stanley (voiced by Milo Coy) growing up at the height, and in the heart, of the 1960s Space Race. As Stanley’s older self (Jack Black) reminisces, everyone in the city seems to contribute to NASA’s endeavors, like his dad, a modest administrator.

Half of the movie is dedicated to exploring Stanley’s upbringing as the youngest of six kids in a White, middle-class ’60s suburb, becoming a humorous time capsule that revisits the decade’s highs and lows: a plethora of iconic TV shows (and some memorable one-season wonders), nostalgic foods like Jell-O molds and Jiffy Pop, and “duck and cover” school drills. Stanley lives through it all, while his memories dart between a slight awareness of that decade’s youthful politicization and fantasizing about America’s venture into the final frontier. The era contributes to the titular fantastical B-plot: NASA secretly recruits Stanley for a covert moon landing in a module too small to accommodate astronaut Neil Armstrong.

Like most Linklater films, there isn’t much plot as there are a series of experiences, both real and NASA wish fulfilment. Thankfully, the animation is stunning, simultaneously faithful and surreal in bringing the mundane antics of Stanley’s past to life. It lets us see the world as a child would: small moments with lasting impact, wrapped around generation-defining events that become one more thrilling piece in the story of growing up. (Streaming on Netflix)

Prey

This new entry in the “Predator” series instinctively understands what made the original 1987 movie work so well. Too many sequels and reboots tried upping the ante with bombastic action and lore dumps, but neither were what gave Predator its teeth. It was how the film deliberately subverted expectations, proving the impotence of 1980s action movie violence or Arnold Schwarzenegger–sized muscles against such a cunning villain. To defeat a predator, you had to best it at its own hunting game.

Taking viewers back nearly 300 years, Prey is the franchise’s second-best entry by far, following the series’ kickoff. Its hero is Naru, a young Comanche Nation woman whose hunting aspirations, despite her sibling’s support, are tested by wild animals and gender bias alike. Underestimated by many, Naru’s tracking and herbal skills nevertheless help her deduce that something is amiss on the Great Plains, something that leaves a body trail too precise to be caused by a known beast. Intent on proving her theory, Naru comes face-to-face with the lone Predator (physically played by Dane DeLiegro) doing what it does best: killing the strongest creatures in the land. Cue the action, as she, the Comanche, and even a group of immoral French trappers, try their hand at taking it down, with only the strongest hunter reigning supreme.

At 90 minutes, Prey is lean, unflinching, and wastes no time reestablishing the Predator as one of cinema’s all-time villains. Director Dan Trachtenberg does a fantastic job giving its attacks and kills real bite: never too gory, yet just creatively violent enough to warrant an R-rating. But the real star is Amber Midthunder, who imbues Naru with as much natural charisma as she does a warrior’s spirit through feats of physical strength and aptitude. This is an action heroine you care for even as she proves her dexterities time and again, proving that a good Predator follow up is possible. It can work in different historical settings too! (Hulu)

N.T. Rama Rao Jr. in RRR (DVV Entertainment)

RRR

RRR is f#&king insane. It’s also 2022’s best action film, drama, buddy comedy, and musical all at once. Trying to explain RRR is difficult to do without drifting into full hyperbole. Its scope, set design, and larger-than-life choreography put even the best Marvel films to shame. Simply envision your favorite over-the-top action movie, then amplify its insanity by 10. RRR probably has it beat by another 50.

The brainchild of Tollywood superstar director S.S. Rajamouli, this historical fantasy epic envisions what would happen if legendary Indian revolutionaries Komaram Bheem and Alluri Sitarama Raju met during the British Raj period. When a young Gond tribal girl is taken from her village by a super-racist British governor and his wife (Ray Stevenson and Alison Doody), Bheem (N.T. Rama Rao Jr.) chooses to infiltrate Delhi in hopes of breaking her out. Knowing that the village has sent this Gond warrior to free the girl, the administrators select Raju (Ram Charan), a stone-faced military officer with superhuman fighting skills, to capture Bheem. In a twist of fate, however, an act of heroism brings both men together, sparking a powerful friendship that unwittingly hinders their opposing missions.

Every scene in RRR goes for larger-than-life effect, from an earworm-catchy musical dance-off sequence to a massacre of British troops by killer animals. Clocking in at three hours, it expertly blends loud and sentimental moments with finesse and epic slow motion, but no matter how video gamey RRR’s characters fight, Raju and Bheem’s genuine bond grounds the action together. Or, at the very least, it makes us willing to embrace countless logic-defying moments. Any one set piece from RRR would be the absolute highlight of a traditional Hollywood film. Combined together, they produce one of the most creatively memorable, non-IP cinematic experiences of this year. (Netflix)