The Stream is a new column that acts a venue for Filmdogs writers to post shorter reviews of movies they have watched on streaming video services such as Netflix, Hulu, or even YouTube. Let’s get started.

Goodbye Solo

Two men form an unlikely friendship that will change both of their lives forever.

Sometimes a film is so much more than it’s synopsis, such is the case with the indie masterpiece Goodbye Solo. The story, which takes place in Winston-Salem NC is simple. An old and weathered man named William pays a cab driver from Senegal named Solo to pick him on up a certain date and take him to a mountain peak outside of town. Yet, he never mentions being driven on a trip home. This fact immediately bothers the curious and friendly Solo who begins to take an interest in William’s life. William warms to Solo and his family, and you can see he harbors some great pain, but can he be saved?

You think you’ve heard this story before and maybe you have, but the ways in which it plays out are so deep and meaningful that I’m still thinking about them days later. The film was directed by NC native Ramin Bahrani who Roger Ebert calls “the new great American director.” Roger is right, and for those that haven’t seen his other films Man Push Cart and Chop Shop both are available on Netflix streaming now. He directs the film with an honest eye and manages to get amazing performances out of his two leads, ex-Elvis side man Red West and then non-actor Souleymane Sy Savane. Their chemistry is remarkable given their differences as human beings, and their friendship on film is one you’ll never forget.

Bahrani’s film is simply undeniable and I find myself waiting with anticipation for what will come next. Do yourself a favor and see this film now.

This is it

It’s been a year since the King of Pop died and what better way to remember his talents than watching his final performances. For MJ fans This is it, in more ways than one. The movie is basically a concert film like The Last Waltz, except it’s entirely footage from rehearsals of his upcoming London shows. Here Micheal plans and executes, with the energy of a 25 year old, most of his hits in ways that make you wish the planned stage production had gone on longer. We also see pieces of interviews with the behind the scenes performers in which they are often extremely emotional about sharing the stage with the icon. While This Is It could have spent more time in the editing room, maybe playing with more archival footage, it does present this small period in Jackson’s life rather well. One things for sure, the man was a talent the likes of which we may never see again.

Big Fan

Big Fan is the story of one of the New York Giants faithful (Comedian Patton Oswalt) who after an altercation with the teams star QB is torn between his fandom and his sanity. The film is directed by the ex-Onion and The Wrestler writer Robert D. Siegel, so it’s a strong script that has an appealing mix of drama and comedy. Yet, Siegel as a first time director seems to be mirroring other filmmakers, most notably Darren Aronofsky, and hasn’t truly found his own voice yet. In addition to this the movie veers towards over the top territory several times, especially with the clichéd characters of Oswalt’s family members. However, Oswalt’s preformace is something to see. I always love when comedians up their dramatic game, and he certainly does that here. Big Fan may not be perfect, but it is definitely interesting.