838 agoodmovietowatch Staff Lists (Page 24)

Dark comedies are a tricky thing. Because they straddle the fairly large gap between comedy and tragedy, they run the risk of being insensitive or misunderstood. But done right, they engage audiences to think differently and a little more clearly about matters they'd rather not. Death, violence, suicide, racism, sexism—sometimes all it takes is an acerbic wit to cut right through the heart of the matter. 

Below, we gather the best dark comedies that are streaming right now. They might not be easy watches, but they'll make you crack a smile or two before jolting into thinking mode. 

It’s no coincidence that some of the greatest TV shows to come out in recent years are centered on class—specifically the critique and destruction of it. As more people are made aware of the unfair systems set in place by the powers that be, more actions are being carried out to topple those systems and tip the scale back to its rightful place.

This is reflected in subtle satires like The White Lotus and not-so-subtle dystopias like Severance. It's even more apparent (and severely dissected) in underrated comedies like Corporate and Better Off Ted.

If you’re in the mood to rage against the machine, we’ve gathered the best anti-capitalist shows you can stream right now and ranked them in the list below.

Audiences in the UK might be used to the programming of short and sweet miniseries by local networks—typically around six episodes or less, released years apart from each other. But for those who are craving even more self-contained stories that are longer and boast higher production values, Netflix UK is a strong place to start looking for alternatives. The miniseries that are available here may not normally be exclusive to British subscribers, but that doesn't change how varied and how interesting many of these limited shows are, truly blurring the line between cinematic vision and long form television storytelling.

Movies are no stranger to wokeness. Even before the term "woke" was adapted into mainstream use, cinema has had a long history of raising social awareness and rousing audiences into action. From the social class films of the '50s to the blaxploitation craze of the '70s to the plethora of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ movies that dominate today's screens, woke cinema has always been here, and it's not going away anytime soon. 

Below, we list the most piercing, compelling, and illuminating social justice movies you can stream right now.

Inspiration isn't one of the usual feelings that one assumes a television series can sustain. We're used to TV delivering a steady stream of laughs, drama, or thrills week after week, with those powerful moments of triumph and hope sprinkled only on occasion. But we think there are some shows out there that feel motivational just by existing: these are series that might keep you in a state of wonder, or have its characters constantly defy the odds, or just have love and kindness at their very center. For these lesser-known but highly recommended shows, inspiration doesn't have to be saved until the finale.

For the longest time, animated movies were unfairly relegated to the realm of kids' entertainment. They were the cartoons we watched on weekend mornings, made to be enjoyed and forgotten almost immediately. 

But near the turn of the century, something shifted. In the west, studios like Pixar were challenging narrative forms with Toy Story and A Bug's Life, while on the other side of the world, Japan's Studio Ghibli blurred the lines between children and adult stories with films like Graveyard of the Fireflies and Only Yesterday. Suddenly, animation was recognized as the art form that it was, full of experimental possibility and visual potential.

Below, we list the best films that demonstrate these qualities of animation. You've likely already seen all the Pixar (and most of the Ghibli) movies, however, so this rounds up the most underseen and underrated of the animated gems. 

Film noirs, those stylishly seductive black-and-white crime films that dominated the early 20th century, are challenging to come by these days. Even in the age of streaming, where supposedly everything is at our fingertips, classic movies aren't as easy to locate as contemporary films—which is why we thought it might help to compile a guide for the noir fans.

Below, we list the best streaming services to watch film noirs. Max and Prime Video are your best bets for on-demand streaming services, while Sling (which has TCM) and Tubi are the most ideal for live. Read on to see the other streamers that made our cut. 

The best way to experience a concert is to be at one. There's no beating the thrill of a live musical act, with music blaring and people chanting along with you. But the second-best way to experience a concert is to see it on screen, with the highest possible quality of screen and sound. Below, we list the best streaming services that can offer you this experience thanks to their enviable catalog of filmed concerts. Whether it's a rock band, festival, or K-pop group you're looking for, you're likely to find them in these music-wielding services.  

Love it or hate it (the latter of which is understandable, considering its buggy interface), HBO Max is one of the best streaming platforms for cinephiles. Thanks to its affiliation with Warner Bros. Studios and Tuner Media, among other production studios, it has a vast collection of blockbusters and classics alike. It even has a hold of international gems, including the vast majority of the Studio Ghibli catalog. 

It's hard to go wrong when selecting from this platform, but if you're looking for the crème de la crème of cinema, then we have you covered. Below, we gather the very best, must-watch movies that are on right now, on-demand, on HBO Max.

With HBO's focus on high production values and mature themes, "inspirational" content might seem a little frivolous for the network. But even with a content library that's been fluctuating in quality due to decision-making by new management, Max still offers a slate of films that should serve as a good pick-me-up, in contrast to the heavy movies and TV shows they're usually known for. And thanks to HBO's high pedigree, these inspiring films come from a variety of sources, proving that motivation and the triumph of the human spirit doesn't only have one face, and that there can be something extraordinary in the ordinary, too.

You may already know what the best streaming services for watching anime are—it's not a long list after all. But if you're looking to go beyond animation and into movies, then this list is for you. Below, we round up the best streaming services for Japanese films.

Thanks to their massive media libraries, Netflix and Amazon Prime are still your best bet when it comes to quantity. But there are other contenders too, like Max (which is home to the Studio Ghibli catalog) and Shudder (which is where the hidden horror gems are). Even live TV streamers like Plex and Philo have a surprisingly good amount of quality films. If you're a fan of Japanese cinema, read on to see which streaming services you should keep tabs on. 

Comedy is so much more than the loudmouthed slapstick humor that still dominates screens to this day. This isn't to slander the average farce, some of which are actually hilarious, but there are also dark comedies, romantic comedies, meta comedies, and satire comedies to enjoy. In other words, there are many shades of funny, but we miss out on a lot of them when we only tune into what's popular. 

Below we round up our 100 favorite comedy films of all time. These movies are highly rated but little seen, meaning there's a high chance of them being underrated. If you've already gone through the usual films that appear in lists like this, go give the ones below a try and have your faith in funny be restored. 

With the internet democratizing nearly everything these days, experimental films shouldn't be that hard to find. And yet, they still are. They're here, to be sure, just buried under a plethora of blockbusters and more straightforward, conventional, and (dare I say) boring fare.

If you're seeking the unique thrill that only rule-breaking arthouse gems can offer, then this list is for you. Below, we've rounded up the best streaming services that house experimental films.

Netflix is here because, despite all the schlock, it redeems itself by taking on risque films like I'm Thinking of Ending Things. But we've also made sure to include more niche services like Dark Matter TV and Arrow Player. Read on to see the other edgy platforms that made it to our list.

Miniseries are the best of both worlds. Think about it: they're cinematic and concise, like a slightly overlong film, but they're also episodic, filled with cliffhangers and special episodes, like a good old TV show. They're the best thing to put on if you want to binge something you can finish over the weekend (or evening, even!) and if you choose right, you can be sure it won't be time wasted. 

There are already many lists that compile the best mini-series of all time, so here we thought of narrowing the selection to just the foreign-language titles. If the success of shows like Squid Game and Money Heist prove anything, it's that there is a wealth of hidden gems in the non-English world of television. So below, we rounded up the very best you can find in a convenient four-to-eight-episode format, all of which are available to stream right now on various platforms.