Netflix Streaming Report: Louie, Cake, Beyond the Lights, and More

Welcome to your Netflix Streaming Report for June 25, 2015. After the long week you deserve a relaxing staycation with a bowl of popcorn, a bucket of ice cream, and only your Netflix queue to judge you. This past week, Netflix Watch Instant has been kind enough to supply us with Louie (Season 2), Cake, Beyond the Lights, and more.

Beyond the Lights (Gina Prince-Bythewood) Rated PG-13 [116 min] – A talented young musician on the brink of super stardom struggles with the pressure of her new-found success. Starring Minnie Driver, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Danny Glover, and Aisha Hinds

If you missed Beyond the Lights in theaters last year, I’m not surprised. It’s a pretty decent film that flew way under the radar. There’s a lot of unsubtle and realistic ties to the entertainment industry that really resonate. I’d say it’s a functionally honest film.

(Watch it now)

A Most Wanted Man (Anton Corbijn) Rated R [122 min] – A Chechen Muslim illegally immigrates to Hamburg, where he gets caught in the international war on terror. Starring Philip Seymour Hoffman, Rachel McAdams, Daniel Brühl

Did not catch this film, but it is one of Hoffman’s final performances before his passing. Heard mixed, but mostly positive things about it.

(Watch it now)

Cake (Daniel Barnz) Rated R [102 min] – Claire becomes fascinated by the suicide of a woman in her chronic pain support group while grappling with her own, very raw personal tragedy. Starring Jennifer Aniston, Adriana Barraza, Anna Kendrick, and Sam Worthington

Another film I missed last year. Aniston gained early praise for her performance, but it wasn’t enough for the Academy or other groups during awards season. It’s got Anna Kendrick, so that’s a plus.

(Watch it now)

Louie (Season 2) (Louis C.K.) Rated TV-MA [22 min] – The life of Louis CK, a divorced comedian with two kids living in New York. Starring Louis C.K., Hadley Delany, and Ursula Parker

For some reason Season 2 of Louie was not on Netflix, which is kind of odd because the other three of four were. This show is incredible. If you haven’t seen it, watch it.

(Watch it now)

GasLand (Josh Fox) Unrated [107 min] – It is happening all across America-rural landowners wake up one day to find a lucrative offer from an energy company wanting to lease their property. Reason? The company hopes to tap into a reservoir dubbed the “Saudi Arabia of natural gas.” Halliburton developed a way to get the gas out of the ground-a hydraulic drilling process called “fracking”-and suddenly America finds itself on the precipice of becoming an energy superpower. Starring Josh Fox, Dick Cheney, and Pete Seeger

I have not seen this documentary, but apparently it’s hard-hitting and important. I heard a recent interview with the writer/director/star of the film Josh Fox and he seems to be very legit. I’d check it out if you loourve documentaries.